Masai Mara Safari

Nov 21,222,23/ 2008. This weekend we spent a pretty amazing time exploring the Masai Mara by safari from Serena Mara Lodge. The individual safaris included 2 late afternoon, 2 early morning, and one night safari as well as a visit to a Masai village. The animals spotted include a leopard, 3 cheetahs, a herd of elephants, many giraffe, numerous zebras, uncountable hippopotami, as well as hyenas, jackals, impala, Thompson gazelles, waterbucks, dik-diks, 3 prides of lions, 2 aardvarks, several foxes and rabbits, a white-tailed mongoose, numerous different tropical birds such as Egyptian geese, guinea fowl, egrets, tawny eagles, secretary birds, weavers, bustards, etc. I was amazed how we could drive by so closely to many of these creatures without seeming to trouble them very much. And to be amongst them on the plains of Africa amongst the scattered iconic acaica trees, equally prominent ant hills and the wide open blue and sunny skies made it pretty much surreal!
Equally interesting was our visit to a Masai village where we learned a bit about the history of these 5 million people distributed between Kenya and Tanzania. Their villages are protected by the thorns of entangled acacia tree limbs and inside they are a series of mud and cow-dung huts following the inside perimeter of the protective fencing. In the middle of the village there is a large fenced area for the cattle, but the goat stays in the hut, usually in the same room as the baby. Masai are polygamous, travel the plains of Africa by foot, and pass freely between Kenya and Tanzania. Their only passport is their traditional red garb. To mature from boyhood to warrior, a Masai boy must kill a male lion, by disabling the lion with his spear and then finishing the kill by inserting his hunting knife into the mouth and deep into the throat, twisting at the same time until the lion succumbs. I did not particularly find this an endearing tradition, but it sure conjures up a sense of fearlessness and bravery.
All of this at a luxury resort in the middle of the Masai Mara (Masai, after the tribe, Mara for the spotted appearance of the African plains dotted with trees, animals, ant hills, etc) was in stark contrast to the experience of the days leading up to this, and what will be happening for the rest of the week. I will be accompanying the general surgeon on rounds tomorrow morning, attending grand rounds, and then preparing for a teaching session in palliative care with a group of students from the local Moffat Bible College. The following day should be a clinic with HIV patients, and Friday and/or Monday will be housecalls to the homes of dying patients with palliative care nurses.
At this stage, I must admit I am missing home quite a bit, even though the hospitality here has been exceptional. More than 2 weeks away from home is much longer than I had guessed and I am looking forward to my return early next week!
Nov 25/2008. yesterday was a day of travel abck to Kijabe from Nairobi and meetings with Donald et al., the candidate for a development job at Bethany Kids Centre.
This morning, as planned, I went to early morning (630) ward rounds with Dr. Bransford, then went to grand rounds at the hospital on the topic of H. pylori (ulcers) by a gastroenterologist from Australia. Excellent presentation.
After that I walked home and have used today to mostly rest and correct some errors on the blog, as well as complete the pallaitive care call schedule...all sounds to much like work! Tomorrow Ivan and I are meeting with more people in Nairobi and will get to visit a support group there.