Kenya Trip
It was one of the best trips of my life. I generally love Kenya and living in pure wilderness but this trip I was able to gain some learning from it as well. Kenya is a land of pure beauty with no filters and this year I was astounded after living at Campi Ya Kanzi near the Tsavo National Park region. Our tents were ordinary but comfortable and we headed on numerous game drives and game walks every day. Waking up at 5:30 was quite irritating to be honest but it was all worth It when you saw that first lion emerging from behind the bush. We also saw a numerous amount of Zebra, Gazelle, Antelope, Elephants, Baboons, Hippos. The rare leopard, cheetah and hyenas were also seen but we cherished the moments. One day, we took a trip around the Masai village just to catch a glimpse of the simplistic life the tribe lives in the middle of nowhere. They have adapted and can work well in every environment. The women are fine jewelers and they made us some bracelets as well. We then ran with the Masai warriors 12km uphill back to our camp. It was the most tiring run ever but it was all worth it when we reached the top of the hill and looked down at the vast savannah and forests below us. We were then taken to the local conservation center where we learnt about how animals and wildlife as well as livestock were conserved in those parts. The rangers and collar trackers work extremely hard all day to track lions, warn herders and stop poaching. They seem to love their job and do it with the utmost pride and this was what gained my respect for them. On the last day the Masai warriors took us to the place where they perform frequent goat sacrifices and they killed and ate two goats right in front of us. I couldn’t bear to look as it was way too gruesome but it just taught me how different cultures are around the world. Alas, we bade farewell and had to leave the magical yet mysterious land of Kenya.
– Aryaman Darda