Hello all you faithful supporters of my Camino blog, and it's high time you had an update on what is happening to all your sponsorship monies. Firstly is the bad news that Frank's original dates in July had to be deferred at very short notice, due to anticipated unrest around the time of the Kenyan referendum on a new constitution, in the area where he was due to volunteer.However, the good part is that he will now head off on October 30th to finally complete his three-week project in Londiani which he is so keen to do. All the funds have been transferred into the charity account and are already being put to good use.

So the idea of this blog is to bring you all up to date on my adventures in Kenya in July and August. Frank will add his Londiani report at the end of November. I hope this will give you a flavour of what we will have experienced. Again, a big THANK YOU ALL for your interest and support. Once again you will have to be patient to get the next instalment - but it will certainly be out before Christmas, Deo voluntatis!


To return to my account of the fund-raising Camino Frances trek click here
http://barbstravelblog.blogspot.com

When initially planning Frank's travel arrangements, we felt he being in Kenya would be an ideal opportunity for me to join him at the end of his volunteering, and together we would take a much longed-for safari. I researched widely on the net and discovered a highly recommended company, founded in Norway, which seemed to offer the most interesting and eco-friendly safari options. I discovered through their website that they were funding a fascinating conservation and education programme in the Maasai Mara area where they operate two game lodges, and duly signed up for a three-week volunteering slot to coincide with Frank's working dates. The project offered a wide variety of activities, from big cat monitoring to teaching Maasai student guides, and really appealed to me.

So I set off via London and Paris to Nairobi, unaware of Frank's deferment which would in the end give me an extra ten days on my project. The news reached me en route, and was disconcerting as I then feared a little for my own safety, but felt that in a remote area like the Mara none of us would be under threat. (In the event, all passed very peacefully and there was a resounding Yes to this historic new constitution). So the first few days were a bit disorientating, and as the project was a long 5-hour drive from Nairobi, the final miles over extremely rough road, I felt a long long way from home!

However, the welcome given by project leaders, fellow volunteers (from six countries, of varying ages though I was by far the eldest!), and school staff and students, was so overwhelming that I quickly became absorbed in the varied duties and activities, and the time simply flew. Five mornings a week we helped in the Koiyaki Guide School (where we were based) from 8 - 10, giving classes or presentations on culture and customer care. We would then take part in various projects - tree planting, painting volunteer accommodation, preparing topics for local primary schoolchildren, and general household chores. Afternoons we visited inspiring women's groups in the area, organised by the resident outreach officers, or at a local primary school where we helped out with the Wildlife Club. Local perceptions of game versus cattle are slowly being moulded to realisation that wildlife is important to this region, and to the overall future of the Maasai people, and educating the younger children is a great way to change opinions.

Tuesdays were dedicated totally to game counting and monitoring. We would set out at 6.00 am to complete a thorough census of the wildlife at a newly developed conservation area right by our accommodation. This is owned by the local Maasai landholders, who are being encouraged to graze their abundant cattle in more defined areas; occasionally there will be confrontation when a cow is killed, but slowly a new understanding is developing, as the local people see the benefit of game tourism, the jobs it creates, and the income it earns. Breaking at 9.00 for a quick breakfast, we would complete the count by noon. Wildebeest, topi, giraffe, elephant, gazelle, rhino, monkeys and zebra were the most plentiful species, while the shy and tiny dik-dik was less visible. During the morning hours we rarely saw big cats, but once the evening drive got under way at 5.00 pm we had amazing sightings of lion, leopard, cheetah, serval and caracal. Dinner was taken in the bush and once darkness fell the spotlights were excellent at picking up the cats' eyes, and then we would try to get as close as possible in the jeep in order to identify individual animals. The information is then fed into a database so it is accessible to all interested individuals. There were some excellent photographers among the volunteers and this was an additional asset in identification checks.

While our accommodation and living conditions were a bit basic, we were fed really well, and particularly loved the evening meals taken around the campfire, with stories from our Maasai project managers a highlight of our visit. These are a proud and fearless people, with great compassion, and their culture has endured through determination and hard work. Though they represent only 4% of the Kenyan population, they have come to symbolise the spirit of the savanna where man and nature live in harmony.

There were many inspirational moments during my month-long stay in the Mara. The dedication shown by the local Outreach Officers Sarah and Grace in getting women's groups off the ground, so they can produce and market their exquisite beadwork which is a hallmark of Maasai craft, was one of the highlights. We were made welcome at these meetings, held under a tree in a bare field near a village school, and even presented with gifts on our final visit. This was very humbling, as the village women have so little yet give so much of themselves. As a grandmother (koko) with grey hair I was a big hit, and a photo of the grandchildren provided great interest and broke the ice everywhere we went.

Sleeping to the sounds of nearby lion or hyena was very special - though the necessity of calling the guard for night-time accompaniment to the mozzie-rich latrines was the downside of our proximity to wildlife. Instead one learnt to discontinue old habits and just wait til daybreak! The absence of all alcohol on site also helped in this regard, and our one short visit a week to a nearby camp where cold Tuskar beer was available (at a price!) was another highlight.

The dedication of our Maasai project coordinators, Dickson and Samson, and our guard Danson (jointly christened the Son brothers by long-term South Korean volunteer Rochelle) who looked after our every need, was another highlight of the project, which was ably managed by Cath Holm from African Impact http://www.africanimpact.com/ who ran the programme in cooperation with Basecamp Mara. http://www.basecampexplorer.com/

So I look forward to spending another week at Koiyaki Guide School in November, and then progressing finally to our longed for safari at Basecamp Mara, followed by a couple of nights at the coast! Meanwhile Frank continues training for his Londiani project, and will go out there even more prepared than before. More anon...