ROAD TO MASAI MARA - SOPA LODGE

ITALIAN TECHNOLOGY IN KENYA - AUGUST 1994

The road from Lake Nakuru to Masai Mara was partially built by the Italians after WWII. After so many years of use and poor maintenance, it was an adventure to drive on it. The van had to use the shoulder rather than the main road, as this was only a succession of huge potholes. A true adventure, anyhow...



"ON THE WAY - People, animals, vehicles..."


"LADIES AND GENTS!"


"TECHNICAL STOP: Souvenirs and services..."


"BACK - Going the other way around"


"SOPA LODGE - Arriving at Masai Mara, after the Italian road safari..."


"LUNCH, to start"


"SWIMMING POOL - Don't think we used it more than once or twice during the stay"


"VISITOR"



"SOPA LODGE CABINS"




"MASAI DANCES - After dinner entertainment!"


"HIENAS - Entertainment continued"

LAKE NAKURU SAFARI

ENJOYING THE HOLIDAYS - AUGUST 1994

Kenya is known as the safari supermarket. In 1994, however, though it was already crowded, it seemed still enjoyable. Twelve years later, as far as we can imagine from the huge amount of safari offers at sale on travel agencies, things might be much worse.


"FRESH AIR from the top of the van"


"LEOPARD - It's hard to see, but there was a leopard on the tree..."




"THOMSON GAZELLE - named after explorer Joseph Thomson - is one of the most well known gazelles living in Africa, particularly in the Masai Mara region of Kenya and the Serengeti region of Tanzania"



"LUNCH BREAK with a view, at the open air restaurant of the Hotel"


"AFTERNOON SAFARI, before the rain. There are always some flamingos around"


"ZEBRAS - There are several species of zebras; these seem to be members of one of the «plains» species"


"RHINO - There are also some white and black rhinos in the park, which was declared a sanctuary for the protection of these endangered animals in 1987, when there were only two resident black rhinos"

***

GIRAFFES' BALLET







"AMAZING! The video recording of the giraffes wandering in the fields is superb. The photos, anyhow, do capture much of the elegance of the movement..."

***

LAKE NAKURU LODGE





"BACK HOME for the night, to see the Southern Cross - Crux, they call it..."

FLAMINGO MAGIC!

ON THE WAY TO LAKE NAKURU - AUGUST 1994


"JUNGLE - Leaving the Ark, one is completely surrounded by green..."


"EQUATOR - Photo opportunity! There is always an official photographer to take the photos and to get paid for the job..."


"HOTEL - Don't think is worth trying..."


"WATERFALLS - Not Lake Victoria, but anyhow worth seeing!"


"NATIVE CHIEFS -Another photo opportunity; this time is self-service, but you pay, anyhow..."


"OUR VAN, OUR CASTLE..."


"NAKURU TOWN - Getting closer"


"DOMESTIC CREATURES"


"WART HOGS"



"LAKE NAKURU - a small, shallow, alkaline-saline lake located in the Eastern Rift Valley, at 1,759 m above sea level - shows one of the world's most spectacular wildlife sights: hundreds of thousands of pink flamingos as far as the eye can see"


"TRIO - And we saw the birds..."



"NOT SO MANY - We're told that this time there were not so many flamingos as usual. Can you believe?"



"FLAMINGO SUNSET- It's even more impressive by twilight!"