So we were finally on the last leg of our trip, and soon we were welcomed at the Mara airstrip by John, our Driver over the last 8 visits. It was great to see him again. He collected our luggage and we bounced our way in the jeep to Little Governor's Camp on the
mud, pot holed, rutted, red earth 'super highway' road.

Our journey was not quite over however, as we had a river to cross to get the the Camp. We had to walk down 36 steps to the awaiting dug out boat, which was pulled along by a rope to the other side.The colour of the water was red and had lots of bacteria floating due to all the hippos,not to mention crocodiles that must be around as well. The idea of falling into the river
was certainly not something we would want to do, as the boat rocked when we got in and out of it. We then had another 36 odd steps to climb up the other side before a short walk escorted by security guards (elephants are always around) to the Camp site when we booked in, and then on to Tent No 12.
And so our real safari had begun being in Africa, out with all the wildlife, which is where I feel I truly belong.

A small sense of panic started to rumble in my tummy. Jackal and I decided - she would walk down on one side of the line of people waiting for passengers and I would walk up the other side. We met back again with blank faces - No sign of any one to meet us. My
heart sank, almost down to Australia! We walked up and down again, but still there was no one, but a lot of people looking at us in our distress at the position we now had found ourselves in. When suddenly a lady from the Tourist Information Office came up to us and asked if she could help us. She said it was quite common for people not to turn up at the airport in Kenya. She had not heard of the firm we were with !!!

My heart was sinking lower and lower - I had visions of having to pay for the holiday twice. She recommended that she took us to the internal airport, and there we would find if our names were on the flight list for going down to the Masai Mara. So we put our luggage
into her car and she drove us across Nairobi to Wilson Airport. On arrival there it was confirmed "yes, you are booked to go on the 10 a.m. flight down to the Mara". Huge sigh of relief. They also knew that I had wanted to change our return flight to the afternoon one on the day of our departure. I was supposed to have got from the Agent a slip to hand over for them to change the times.
This was done however with no problem and Jackal and I went upstairs waiting lounge to have a drink to calm ourselves, and thank our lucky stars that things seemed to be okay. Phew, big sigh, and surely then our safari would also have been booked.

An annoucement was made that 'Air Kenya was to depart to the Masai Mara and would passengers with yellow cards please ......when suddenly I saw a man from the Travel Agent I had booked with. He was there with all the vouchers we needed for our stay at Little Governor's Camp. He was so apologetic saying he was told to look for a KLM flight number arriving, and we had been on an Air Kenya flight (Sister airliners) The large envelope he handed over did have my name written on it large enought for anyone to see. He assured us that he had been at the airport at 7.a.m., but how we could have missed him I will never know. Pull the other one certainly came to my mind.......

It was such a spur of the moment decision to try and get back to Africa on safari. Really felt I needed to get back home, it seemed the right thing to do, and after a few days of worrying about the cost of it all, I threw caution to the wind once again, and decided to go for it.

This trip involved quite a number of ' first time' events, none more so than booking a holiday and paying for it on the internet with U.S. dollars to a Travel Agent in an other country. I tried to reassure myself that in this day and age loads of folks were doing it, and that I had nothing to worry about. With lots of e-mails backwards and forwards to the Travel agent in Kenya, trips to my Bank, payment was made, flights booked and paid for, bags packed and within two weeks Jackal and I were off to Kenya.The day we set off with our small lightweight bags (only allowed 15 kilos down to the Masai Mara) the heavens opened and it was pouring with rain all day. We needed 2 bus trips to get us to Edinburgh and then onto the airport bus. By the time we got to the airport we were soaked! Usual mad rush to get to the airport then the long wait to board.
Another 4 hours to wait at Amsterdam Schiphol airport with the long walk between the Gates. Jackal however treated me to a neck, back and shoulders massage (In Holland I thought Ummm - but was not the sexy kind that the country is well known for...!!!)Still it was magic.
We boarded the flight and soon we were off up into the night sky, and arriving at JKIA in Nairobi at just after 7 a.m. All's well I told myself - Just hope our luggage followed us from Amsterdam. We had filled in our Visa form before we left and we were able to pass through Passport, Visa and Customs no bother at all. Piece of cake I thought.... Next for our luggage. We were so pleased to see our little yellow ribbons on our cases trundling around the conveyor belt, we picked them up and off we went out into the main entrance hall, where we were confronted with a large number of people, all holding up placards with people's names on them. I had a quick glance around and could not see any sign of our name or that of our Travel Agent. Hell, I thought it is 7.15 a.m. on a Sunday, would they in fact be there?

1. Men lose weight faster than women ?


2. Exercise makes you eat more?


3. Drinking water helps you to lose weight?


4. Running is bad for the knees?


5. Diets can't do any harm?


6. Lemon Juice dissolves fat?


7. Skipping breakfast causes weight gain?


8. Low fat mean low calories?


9. Starchy food is fattening?


10. Exercise causes acne?


11. Protein promotes muscle growth?


12. No sweat, no weight loss?


13. Don't eat late at night?


14. Nuts make you fat?


15. Fad diets work?


16. Lifting weights makes you bulky?

Answers

1. True.


2. False.


3. True.


4. False.


5. False


6. False.


7. True.


8. False.


9. False.


10. False.


11. False.


12. False.


13. False.


14. False.


15. False.


16. False.

A couple of these caught me out - How did you do?

I came across these few words about Attitude, and I would like to share them with you all.

"Be Kinder than necessary,
for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.
Live simply, Love generously, Care deeply and Speak kindly...
Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass....
It's about learning to Dance in the rain.