There wasn’t much rest after my family left because a week later two of Bill’s best friends, who, for the sake of their request to remain anonymous out of silliness, I will refer to as Captain Danger and Bearasaurus Rex. The two guys were serious troopers because they landed late at night and early the next morning we left for a 3 day safari to Samburu. This was a new safari spot for me and Bill, and we were excited to go to a new place and go with our friends. Bill thinks that our Samburu lodge had the best food while I think it was our Amboseli lodge. The thing about safaris is that the food at the lodge is a delicious ALL YOU CAN EAT buffet. But since all you do all day is sit in a car looking at animals, you don’t get that hungry but you still eat two full plates of food plus multiple desserts. #lifeishard.

Samburu was awesome. On the day we arrive, after lunch and a bit of rest, we were supposed to hit the park for some animal viewing. Luckily for us, Captain Danger and B.Rex are not always on time people – and also they had been traveling for like 20 hours so it is understandable they were tired – and so we left the lodge half an hour after we intended to leave. I say “luckily” in that previous sentence because had we been on time we would have missed the most incredible thing:

We just started the safari and we are barely in the park when we see a small herd of water buck all standing at attention staring wide-eyed and intently at this hill across the dirt road. I have never seen an animal so frozen yet focused, so I follow their gaze and spot the tail of a leopard! For the next ten minutes, we follow the leopard as he/she walks across the hill, and crosses in front of our van like 10 feet away! That was a Kenya highlight for sure. Morals of the story: it’s not always good to be on time, and also I am really good at safaris.

The next day, after the previous evening’s delicious dinner and multiple games of Hanabi, we head out for a full day in Samburu. We see a lot of new, interesting things, including gerenuks – the “giraffe antelopes” with long skinny necks – and Grevy’s zebras, and so many different kinds of antelopes. We saw probably 14 different kinds of antelopes over the course of all the safaris. I think that is pretty cool. On the way home, we stop at a traditional Samburu village, where the locals welcome us and show us around their village, their homes, sing us welcome songs, the kids brush my hair, we give lots of high fives, and we learn about their way of life. It was a very nice and happy experience.

During the week, Bill and I have to work, but Cap and Brex spend their time exploring and enjoying Nairobi: they go to the National Park, the elephant orphanage, the giraffe center, the Kazuri bead factory, a tea farm and tour, downtown, the National Museum, and to spinners web – a huge market for all things Kenya. I plan to hit that place up a week or so before Bill and I head back to the States. We join up with them in the evenings after work for food, drinks, and Hanabi. Actually one night we didn’t play Hanabi because we went to Bao Box, a board game bar/restaurant, and we played Pandemic. Oh, and we didn’t play on the night we went to Carnivore, an all you can eat meat place. It is one of those restaurants where they bring meat around on a sword and cut it off for you with a machete. At least I’m pretty sure they are swords and machetes. The waiters were bringing around things like crocodile, ostrich, and ox testicles. I thought the veggie soup was the best. Cap’n liked the balls, and I don’t remember what Brex and Bill liked best. The chicken was good too, and there was this delish garlic sauce that went with it. In a move out of the ordinary, I turn down the dessert course because I didn’t realize it was included in the cost of the meal! Weeks later and I’m still regretting it. Anyway, on that Thursday, the three boys come to my office for a quick tour, and then I skip out early to go with them to a cheese factory tour where we eat an amazingly delicious lunch and where Bill milks a cow! The next day we head out to the Maasai Mara. This would be Bill’s and mine third and last time at the Mara, and like always, it didn’t disappoint! And neither did our week with Captain Danger and Bearasaurus Rex. Great company meant great conversations, great laughs, and great memories.