Joy Reid says she is hooked after going on an African Safari

Leopard -tick. Lion – tick. Elephant – tick. Rhino – tick. Buffalo – tick.

The past few days have all been about spotting the big five! The term given to Africa’s most difficult-to-hunt-on-foot wildlife! And mission completed!

It’s hard to describe the difference between seeing a docile lion in the zoo compared with a panting wild lion ripping apart a zebra it’s only just pounced on and killed! Terms such as mesmerizing! spectacular! and “down right amazing” don’t quite do it justice!

For three days, my husband, two friends and I have spent countless hours in a safari vehicle, poking our head out the roof, scouring the pristine Kenyan plains (in contrast to the very dirty urban areas) for signs of life! And what an experience! We were chased by a grumpy elephant (protecting it’s young)… We watched as lions pulled apart an elephant carcass and later saw another pride attack a fresh zebra carcass.

We looked on in amazement as a herd of zebras did some kind of hoof dance around a watering hole (well that’s what it looked like anyway) … Our jaws dropped as we gazed at a rare black rhino just “doing its thing” … And we were close enough to touch a wild elephant’s trunk (should we have been idiotic enough to try)! And to be honest that’s hardly even the start!

For a person who’s not really an animal person… I’m hooked!

It’s not easy to see the big five! In fact our driver says we were incredibly lucky! Most people only see three (missing out on the leopard and rhino) and only about 20 percent see all five (in the Tsavo East and West parks)! To be frank though, I thought the zebra and giraffe were even more spectacular and wonder why they were left off the list??? And don’t even get me started on the birds or the super cute dikdik (a tiny deer like animal!) I almost started my own Kenyan small five list just so the dikdik could be included!

We actually stayed in lodges inside the game parks, so at night we could sit on our balcony, sipping a glass of wine and watch as dozens of animals came alive at night! Then as we drifted off to sleep we could hear their friendly banter!

Africa is well and truly getting under my skin!

Health Resorts