It has been an incredible few days in Africa. From the bustling, noisy city of Nairobi, the odd juxtaposition of the national park, the short & amazing small plane ride, and now this. To say this is peaceful and soul-filling does not do this moment justice. My eyes have filled with tears countless times, and I am not typically a crier. The sights have taken my breath away and will be with me forever. I can see now why people come back time and again. And, most people who know me, know I rarely do the same things over and over. But for this, I would.
The weather has been absolutely perfect! Nights and mornings are cool (glad I bought that purplish Eddie Bauer sweatshirt) and days are warm, but not overly so. Bugs are nonexistent, so far, which is a pleasant surprise.
Food – I’ve been able to eat just fine, with our lodge going above and beyond ensuring I have plenty of choices. They’ve made some unique gluten-free items including a lovely coconut cake topped with tomatoes (it wasn’t sweet and the tomatoes were a nice balance), and a spiced/sweet bread for breakfast. Breakfast is a massive spread of anything you could possibly imagine. I stick to the made-to-order omelette, black tea, and GF bread. Lunch – again a massive spread with anything you can eat. I haven’t needed lunch because breakfast is so massive, safaris have been early, and I have my trusty Luna bars for snacks. Also probably why my luggage was overweight… to ensure I have enough food! Dinner is crazy good…it’s bigger than breakfast, and all kinds of things are labeled as gluten free. I’ve been eating an inordinate amount of cucumbers as regular greens don’t seem to be prevalent. Dessert is always amazing too.
Lodge – Mara Serena the views are incredible, the staff amazing, and the room is perfect. I highly recommend this place! Furthermore, every person I worked with prior to the trip was wonderful. They were all so helpful organizing transportation, tours, guides, activities, and when I needed to add Curtis – it was a breeze! The resort is half or full board optional, and what you get for the money… I highly recommend full board. Our room was clean, comfortable, and the balcony provided incredible sunrises and views of animals. I felt safe the entire trip – even on the night safari.
I truly would spend more time here!!
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