Lake Baringo

This weekend we took a trip to Lake Baringo.  To get there we had to travel down into and back out of the Rift Valley.  It is by far the most beautiful drive we have taken so far.  Everywhere you look there are amazing views.  Looking down into the valley below is pretty cool because it is so deep and we are so high, that the clouds are below us.  I wonder if the people who get to live here appreciate its beauty as much as someone who sees it as a rareity?  I am so thankful that I get to have this once in a lifetime experience.  Maybe one day some of you will get to experience this as well.

We added 2 to our group trip.  One girl is from England, Amy, and the other girl is a resident at Mount Sanai in NYC, Noffar.  They are both very nice and fun.  I told Amy that whenever she is around, I will probably be talking like I am from England as well.  And I did.  I mean what do you expect, when you hear someone call the bathroom a loo you just have to repeat it.

 

 

The drive there got very interesting.  Because it is rainy season here, the water is high.  We ended up having to ford a transient river.  It was about 2.5-3 feet deep and our van took it like a champ!  When nearing Baringo, we saw a group of ostriches.  One looked like he had a sunburn because his neck and legs were pink.  The other ostriches were brown.  Another thing I saw on the way there were termite nests.  They were disgusting!  They look like dirt chimneys coming out of the ground, and they are everywhere.  Once we got to Lake Baringo, we stayed at a place called Island Camp.  From the name I dont think you will be suprised to find out that we had to take a boat to get to our accomodations.  It was about a 20 minute ride and gorgeous.  Our tents at Island Camp were not what I was expecting.  You walked in and there were 2 beds and 2 tablets.  Then there was a bathroom with shower, toilet, and closet.  So the front of the tent looked like a tent, and the back looked like part of a house.  We had amazing views of the lake for the sunrise in the morning.

During the day Saturday, we layed out and swam in the pool.  The weather was not so nice, but we managed to avoid rain.  It was just cool and overcast, which is not how Baringo is usually.  Bad luck.  Saturday night we decided to go for the sun down boat ride.  On the ride, we saw tons and tons of birds.  We also saw a hippo and a fishing eagle.  For the sunset, we hiked a rock named Gilbralter.  At the top we had great views from all angles. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For dinner there was yama choma, roasted meat, and a plethera of other foods.  We had chicken, beef filet, ribs, pork, veggies, potatoes, fried zucchini, cream of spinich soup, rolls, and garlic bread.  For dessert we had banoffey pie (banana and toffey), coconut cake, fresh fruit and chocolate mousse.  Along with dinner we had some pretty good wine.  I am missing drinking wine with my parents and friends.  I think there should be a chilled bottle ready when I get home. :)

 

 

Sunday morning we were woken up by the staff with tea, coffee, hot chocolate and biscuits to watch the sunrise.  We had chairs right outside of our tents.  We ended up seeing 2 crocodiles swimming by our tents while waiting for the sunrise.  Myra also thought that she needed a better view, so she decided to climb the tree out front of our tent.  So in a way, you could say that I saw a monkey that morning as well.  After the beautiful sunrise, we went back to sleep until about 9a, then we woke up and Myra and Amy went skiing on the lake...with the hippos and crocs!  They said that they stay away from the boats, but how sure can they be.  I rode safely on the boat to take pictures while those crazy girls were skiing.  I think I am the smart one.