Leben im Rudel: Masai Mara ♥♥♥

Last but not least safari photos - then I shall stop talking about my wonderful holiday (but will continue to secretly dream about it ;) ).

Our morning safari - where we got up even earlier than anyways already - started with watching hyaenas and jackals having breakfast. The wildebeest had been freshly killed by lions. Apparently lions don't have the big appetite... they only ate the delicious parts and left plenty for the hyaenas. The jackals - next in line of the food chain - were already waiting and managed to steel wildebeest bits and pieces whenever the hyaenas didn't pay attention. It was surprisingly entertaining to watch - given the dead animal and all. ;) But once it's killed already, it is at least nice to see that all of it will be consumed eventually.

Jackal being brave...

(photo below taken by André Spica)

... and succeeding big time! :-D

Another time we went on a walking safari. That was surprisingly nice as well. I thought it might be boring, because you can't get close to the animals, but it is a totally different feeling to walk through the savanna compared to just driving through. Gives a very authentic feeling - especially with those Maasai accompanying you with their spears. :-D

We learned a lot about plants, footprints, bones, animals, and also about the Maasai way of living. And we got that first-hand feeling for how very dry and hot it was. The last rain season didn't bring much rain, and the sun was real powerful. I could imagine the suffering of animals, plants and humans alike to survive during this dry season, waiting for rain that might come in April - or not.

This ostrich was funny. He just casually walked by, when the wind suddenly changed direction and he caught our scent. Abruptly he stood still, trying to blend in with what little vegetation there was. :-D

It's working, I'd say! :-D

Resting in the shade, avoiding any unnecessary movement...

all but one. ;)

After the walking safari, on our last day in Kenya, we were offered the possibility to visit a Maasai village before our departure to the 'airstrip'. But people rather wanted to relax in the sun - all but one. :) Because I wanted to go! And so Steven, one of our safari guides, drove with me one hour through the savanna to the village. I enjoyed this trip so very much! We were just talking and talking and talking... about life, work, relationships, holiday trips, and his childhood - which offered way more exciting stories than my own. ;-) It was truly enjoyable and interesting.

small settlements along the way

The Maasai are constantly on the walk with their cattle to find enough grass and water for them.

It's a hard endeavour as you can tell be the looks of the cows...

Below was the farm of the richest family in the area - they had the biggest herd of cows.

And unlike the other families, their cows were not walking anywhere. Steven said that they bring their cows at night to the close by national park, where there would be more grass to find. This is illegal, of course, but there are exceptions for the rich everywhere it seems... ;-)

mongoose in a hurry

dry, so very dry...

When we arrived at the Maasai village I was so embarrassed, because I was the only guest coming. Some people of the village had nicely lined up in front of the village, waiting for the arrival of the guests... and then it was only me.

Obviously they do this show only for tourists. It's like a speedy summary of Maasai traditions. I had to pay an "entry fee" to a very important looking dude and then the singing and dancing began. Oh, I felt a little bit uncomfortable.... All that fuzz for only one tourist... I kept telling myself that they can at least make use of the money I had paid... but still... I never wanted to be in the "white tourist watches originals" kind of situation... like watching animals in the zoo or something... But maybe I am just being difficult here. :)

I even felt so "guilty" that I didn't dare to take any pictures... until the important looking dude told me "You have paid the entry fee, you can take pictures! Take pictures!!" :-D Aiaijai... discomfort, discomfort. It also wasn't my idea to be involved in the dancing - nor being photographed while doing so - but I had paid the entry fee! So... ;-)

My discomfort vanished, when we entered the village, which is the home of 105 people and 20 families. I had my personal guide, who walked around with me telling me stuff. At some point we ended up sitting in one of the houses - probably the one house they always show to the tourists. Coming from the bright sun outside and sitting in a house with very few windows, I was utterly blind. Don't ask me how the conversation got into this direction, but we ended up talking about football! The guide liked the German National team, Özil being his favourite player (why oh why? ;-) ). When he asked me for my favourite, I couldn't for the life of it remember the name of the goalie... "Neuer!" he kindly reminded me. :-D What a surreal situation... :-)

the inner "yard" of the viallage

They had a watchdog that was guarding the village. When I enthusiastically told that I had two dogs myself, I was asked what their task is - just to reap a "Oh, those Europeans..." look when I answered that they have no other task then to keep me company. :-D

Some women were singing a traditional song to me - one that is sung to pray for a woman to have a baby... So in case I have baby news later this year - that is why! ;)

Then the men were showing their "jumping competition/dance".

I later asked Steven, whether this dance would still be part of the Maasai culture or whether it is more of an old tradition that is nowadays only performed for tourists. But he said that it is still done every year, at the of the year, and the man, who jumps the highest can choose a wife - which is a very encouraging possibility for a not so wealthy man to find a "good wife" without having to pay with cows etc. When I asked Steven whether he had found his wife this way, he laughed and said "No, we met at school." How very ordinary... ;-)

gate of the village

The visit in the village didn't take too long, because time was tickin'... I had a plane to catch. We were on our way back to the camp, when Steven suddenly left "the road" and drove in a different direction (not that I would have known in what direction the camp was...). He had seen a bunch of vultures landing on the ground and we went to watch them. And I know, I know, what follows are a lot of vulture photos, but this was actually a very enjoyable moment. I was surprised that even Steven was still entertained by seeing those birds fight over the wildebeest left overs. I always pictured that all vultures would feast at the same time - but be not mistaken! There is order and hierarchy and anarchy in the world of vultures! Only one bird - believing to be the strongest of them all - was allowed to eat, while the others had to watch and wait. But that joy never lasted long for the eating vulture, because there was always another, bigger bird coming and fighting for its right to eat. I tell you, very entertaining! ;-)