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?