August 15th, 2016

Day 137: Nairobi

We boarded the plane to Nairobi just after midnight, and got as much sleep as we possible could on the red-eye flight. However, it was only a 4hr flight, and a one-hour time zone change, so when we arrived at 6AM, we were exhausted and ready to crash at our hotel. Surprisingly, Immigration at the Nairobi Airport was lightning fast, and we were out of the airport so quickly we didn’t even have time to find a bathroom!

Or Kenyan safari operator had arranged for an airport pick-up for us. Since we had originally budgeted an extra hour for picking up a checked bag and passport control, we weren’t concerned when we didn’t immediately see a driver with our name. Since we had some extra time to kill, we decided to find an ATM to get some local currency and buy a SIM card. When we got to the ATM, however, two guys were standing outside the vestibule. “It’s broken,” they said, “But there’s another one just around the corner – I’ll show you!” We probably shouldn’t have, but we followed this stranger on a 10min walk outside the airport to an underground parking lot with several ATMs. After Igor got some Kenyan Shillings, our guide chose to inform us that we owed him money for escorting him to the ATM! Nice, try buddy – we’re not giving you a 100 KS note (USD $10). Luckily Igor had a USD $1 bill on him, and he told the guy to take it or leave it. When we walked past the original “broken” ATM again, no one was guarding it saying it was broken anymore. SCAM.

 

Boarding our midnight flight to Nairobi, Kenya

As Igor was buying his SIM card, Lindsay kept an eye out for our driver, and soon spotted him. Our driver was fast-talking and funny! Frustrated with all the airport traffic, he cut the line to get out of the parking area, only to be pulled over by a female officer carrying an AK-47. He argued with her in Swahili, apparently trying to excuse his behavior with a lie that he was transferring us to a different airport, and we were going to miss our flight. “I don’t care,” she said, and made him get out of the car and show his driving documents. She called over her superior officer, who took over. After some more words in Swahili *and passing the guy some bills* he waved us along. “How much did you have to pay him?” Igor asked. “Eh, 10 dollars. This is Africa.”

Although it wasn’t specified on our itinerary, our driver informed us that we had two activities in Nairobi included in our safari package! We were thrilled to hear it, as we were planning to hire a taxi in the afternoon to try and do some sight-seeing anyways. As it was barely 7AM, he took us to our hotel so we could check-in and freshen up, before heading out at 9AM to visit the Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage for their morning feeding. We arrived about 40min before opening, and good thing! By the time the doors opened, there was a crowd of about 200 people behind us! We all gathered around a roped-off clearing and waited patiently for the baby elephants to appear.

 

An early morning visit to the Elephant Orphanage

 

A group of school kids eagerly line-up to watch the baby elephants get fed

The babies were *unbelievably* adorable! They were separated into age groups – the first bunch to come tottering out of the forest were the youngest – aged 4 months to 1 year. As each one rushed into the clearing, a keeper stuffed his/her mouth with a giant bottle of human baby formula, which they guzzled enthusiastically. As the babies were drinking, one of the keepers took up a microphone and introduced each elephant, stating their names, age, when they were rescued, and the circumstances which led them to be orphaned (mostly poaching and human encroachment by falling down water wells). Since baby elephants rely on their mother’s milk for the first two years of their lives, orphaned elephants will die if left in the wild. The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust is one of the most successful programs in Africa that rescues, hand-rears, and then reintroduces the orphaned elephants into the wild. After the first set of elephants were fed, they were led back into the forest, and two more groups (aged 1-3 years) came out for their breakfast – SO CUTE!

 

Here come the ellies! We saw 24 babies, ranging from 4 months to 3 years old

 

Several keepers dispense milk bottles to the hungry calves (filled with human formula milk, as “milking” female elephants isn’t really possible!)

The older ellies can feed themselves! Look – someone is starting to grow her tusks!

 

After drinking their milk, the babies finish breakfast by eating their greens!

 

As one of the keepers introduces each elephant, the babies walk around, getting love from the crowd!

After the Elephant Orphanage, our driver planned to take us to another popular animal attraction, but first he made a detour to a crafts market, as he said the majority of the elephant crowd was heading in the same direction. Normally we are able to resist buying souvenirs, as we need to travel light…but we really liked the African stuff! We broke down and got a set of wooden spoons – after all, we are planning to ship home some of our gear before we head to China anyways, may as well send home a few mementos as well.

 

Beautiful wood carvings and dishware at the crafts market

 

Artsy metal curios – wish we could bring home more souvenirs!

After giving half an hour for the crowds to clear, we headed over to the Giraffe Center – the public tourist attraction which is part of the exclusive Giraffe Manor property. The Manor is an insanely expensive boutique hotel (USD $550pp) where giraffes roam freely around the property and will stick their heads into the open windows of the Manor, especially during breakfast! We were obviously priced out of *that* experience, but we got to hand feed those same giraffes at the next-door Giraffe Center public feeding platform (entrance fee is only USD $1).

 

Waiting in the “ladies line” at the Giraffe Center – the genders were separated for a security pat-down as we entered the property (a lot of that in Kenya)

 

Igor feeding pellets to a hungry giraffe!

 

Lindsay takes a turn with the slimy black tongue!

 

Who’s a hungry giraffe? You’re a hungry giraffe!

After the giraffe feeding, we headed back to the hotel – we were still running on only 4 hours of sleep and we were ready to PASS OUT. We had a pretty shitty room at the La Maison Royal hotel (first floor, with a window facing into the hotel lobby), but we were so tired we slept through the noise anyways. When we asked to switch to a different room, we were told they were completely booked, but they would make sure we got a nicer room on our second stay before we flew out of Nairobi. Satisfied with their promise, we headed up to their rooftop restaurant for dinner, where they had a large Indian selection and a real tandoori oven on the outside deck! Not bad.

 

A surprisingly tasty Indian food dinner at the hotel’s rooftop restaurant, along with a glass of Frontera!