All the magic of Kenya with Zucchero and the children of G.O.F. Trip to Watamu, Kenya

"Una cosa allora volevo: tornare in Africa. Non l'avevo ancora lasciata, ma ogni volta che mi risvegliavo, di notte, tendevo l'orecchio, pervaso di nostalgia" E. Hemingway

…Immensa è la nostalgia del mio grande amore: il Kenya…
Ho atteso un anno intero il giorno del mio ritorno in una terra che ormai sento come se fosse mia, una terra che mi ha regalato tante emozioni, ha fatto nascere nuove amicizie, mi ha fatto riscoprire la gioia di quanto sia bello dare e ricevere un abbraccio, un semplice sorriso. Il tempo è volato ed ora sono qui davanti al computer e con i ricordi degli istanti che ho vissuto provo a raccontavi il mio terzo viaggio con la speranza di riuscire a trasmettere a voi che lo leggerete le mie sensazioni e le mie emozioni.

 

KARIBU KENYA

"Home sweet home" this is the feeling I get when I see the window Neos dell'areomobile the runway of the airport of Mombasa and the feelings are increasing with the approach to my adoratissima Watamu, where I know there will be waiting for me my great Rafiki Sugar ... and beyond.
The day I arrived, with Raffaela that this year is my travel companion, we now friends with Federico and Clare.
The weather is cloudy and sometimes even a few drops down.
Storage system with all the tranquility and prepare the backpack the next day because we are already leaving for the safari that had already been set by Italy with Zucchero for August 15: Tsavo East and Amboseli!
He plays the drum, it is lunch time hungry and we do not hesitate to reach the restaurant, where shall I find again my favorite chef: Nico.
During lunch we meet with four guys who cheer our first week with their good company. In the afternoon do a sightseeing Aquarius Raffaela to show the structure as we come closer to the beach here that from a distance glimpsed the famous beach boys ready for the hunt for new arrivals "mozzarella."
Towards evening finally embraces my Sugar Rafiki who invites us to drink at snack and we plan for tomorrow.

SAFARI TSAVO EAST

August 15, 5 am and wait for the bus outside Aquarius. I'm so excited, I shall see the dear driver Ambrose and after 3 safari to Tsavo East this year, something new for me: Amboseli! I can finally take pictures with my new camera: Lamarty, this is his first name.
Sugar and recover the other two couples to spend three fantastic days of excitement and joy.
After the usual breakfast at the snack of Watamu and recovered the second bus with other fellow adventurers we get in the way of achieving the first leg of our safari, the park of Tsavo East Sugar This year I appointed her assistant and I rely a bus. Trace for the fourth time on the long road I'm not any effect, I feel at home now and I do not even seem so long and tortuous journey. Here we are, stop bath and after the usual pictures of crocodiles c'incamminiamo to the entrance of the park, which over the year before, have made changes,-better-I think to myself, at least the photos will have something different!
Sugar calls us all aboard and off we go, and lead the hunt, which this morning will be a little 'disappointed. Maybe it's just me because for me it is the fourth safari to Tsavo, so I asked Ambrose if the animals are gone and celebrate the Assumption in Tanzania !!!!!
Approaching the lunch hour and we reach the Voi Wildlife Lodge. As always, we are greeted warmly, offered us a drink to refresh and we are given a towel soaked in water and perfumes, which is also useful to wipe the red soil of the savanna.
Accommodation in buildings but also this year opened the door of the room came the surprise: the beautiful four-poster beds and spectacular views over the savannah ... every year more and better!
I thank Zucchero with a big hug as always to my expectations! After lunch and rest and time to leave, the animals are waiting for us and we will pay off in the afternoon of disappointment in the morning, a beautiful specimen of a lioness lying on the red soil of the savanna is waiting. It sounds like a Hollywood diva who struts under the flash of his numerous fans. Seeking to take advantage of the few to have learned photography course and shot several times to capture his slightest movement. The safari starts to get interesting and so enthusiastic and full, go on to research other animals that we encounter along the dusty roads, even those enjoying beautiful landscapes that pass before my eyes that vainly tried to capture some shots with the window of the van in race. I look forward to the sunset, hoping that the clouds around the sky did not completely obscure the sun is gradually giving way to the moon, is the end of another day, a beautiful day spent in the infinite spaces of the savannah that exudes a great sense peace and serenity. Return to the lodge we prepare for dinner and then tired of the day we retire to our rooms, wake up tomorrow morning and it's off to new adventures: Amboseli come !!!!!
The alarm rings at 5 am, I can not miss the sunrise in the bush, get ready and reach the terrace of the lodge. The sun is rising and the sky is constantly changing colors, from gray-blue tinge of pink, red and pink veiled here suddenly before my eyes a fiery red ball, the sun, with its warm colors to wish you a good morning all of us! I could not photograph the beautiful scenery, but I think even the best photographer would be able to convey with his photos the feeling you have in front of such a spectacle! "A sunrise is a sunrise," you think, but no, the sunrise and sunset in the savannah have something magical!

SAFARI AMBOSELI

After breakfast, back on board our bus, we leave. We expect 4 hours of travel where there is only one stop before reaching the park dell'Amboseli. I am thrilled and full of curiosity, Amboseli is a new experience for me. The journey I do not mind at all, and despite the rest always wake up early because I will not in any way lose the scenarios along the way: children who saw the buses of tourists give the wonderful smiles while his hand high in the sky in salute, the vendors of fruit, vegetables and poultry on the side of the road, the villages that meet from time to time and those are the beautiful African landscapes contrasting colors of red earth and green vegetation.
There is a lot of traffic, bustling crowds of large and small trucks is heading to Nairobi, the capital, a destination for many to trade.
The time has flown and so taken by all that surrounds me, I have not even noticed it had already taken the road that will take us to the park and we're approaching it as we begin to take their first encounters with the animals even before reaching the 'official entry.
The landscape is different from Tsavo, much more dry and brittle, but certainly much more popular. We meet groups of elephants, zebras, impalas, gazelles, buffalo herds of runaway and finally reach the tent camp before a group of monkeys including a mangy puppy that does not lose an eye on his mother. It 's almost time for lunch, we arrive at Kibo Camp, nestled in the bush, in the true sense of the word!
We welcome you here as well as the Lodge: Welcome cocktail and cold towels, this time by the smell of soap! I am checking in the group entrusted to me by Zucchero, since he has led others to visit the Masai village.
The field is small but very charming, there's even a swimming pool with bar area.
So we reach our tents, which are immersed in the undergrowth of the bush, oh, better not think of such strange beings there may be hidden in those bushes that surround the entire tent camp! This experience, to say the least adventurous, I missed but I think it was one of the most beautiful ever experienced so far. They are simply over the moon, I love Africa, and these places are so isolated and lonely that they can give me so much serenity! Sometimes I have to relive the feeling firsthand the vicissitudes of the characters of several books on Africa which I read!
Met the group to the restaurant for lunch and after a while 'relaxing by the pool back from our animals. A wonderful surprise is waiting for us! Finally my dream come true !!!!! A report from CB Ambrose, a lioness with her lion "magnificence" on earth! I am no longer in the skin, finally after 4 safari The King is right there in front of me!
The recording is long and I still shoot, but they are lying on the floor cuddled undeterred by the sun, only the lioness to the noise of the many buses that are running to raise your head and looks around. At one point, here she turns on the other side and then gets up and walks to the lion that gets disturbed and begin an exchange of pampering. They are beautiful and the show is really exciting. Satisfied give way to others who are coming to enjoy the scene and begin our tour in the hope of seeing the cheetah. Meet again, elephants, zebras and many hyenas, ostriches. Leads us to the lake to see if we are lucky with the hippos, which we could not see to Tsavo, Amboseli, but also seem to have gone on vacation.
Another show, however, is given by the sight of pink flamingos whose image is reflected in the lake!
Also this day is almost over, but Ambrose, as always surprises us with special effects, we return to camp when they saw a beautiful lion in total relaxation, camouflaged among the large rocks and dry branches, in fact I find it hard even to recognize it. Incidentally, thanks to Ambrose the lion gets up, takes a few steps and lies before us as if we knew them only to capture her beautiful figure with our cameras.
Two lions in one afternoon is the best gift I could receive from my beloved Kenya !!!!! I am beaming with happiness!
Come back to the camp, which was on the bus suffered Sugar approaches me and asks me if I was happy to have seen the King, he knew how much he cared to see it.
We settle for dinner time and we retire to our tents for a shower and a moment of relaxation. The tent is very comfortable, though Spartan, there are all the amenities, toilet, sink, shower (cold water) and of course comfortable beds with mosquito netting that I care now to open so as not to find some uninvited guest in the bed.
It was dark and the show is wonderful, myriads of twinkling stars and a beautiful moon are the only lights to illuminate all around. I have the feeling of being on another planet and it's nice to feel far away from everything and everyone, alone with my feelings, my emotions and my dreams.
After dinner we all sit around a fire where you watch a traditional Masai shows.
It's late and in anticipation of the long journey back dell'indomani we retire into our tents. I wish time would stop, the idea of having to leave the field makes me very sorrowful. Lying on my comfortable bed, before you close your eyes and surrender to sweet dreams I think of those days spent in the bush with the wonderful colleagues with whom I shared this wonderful adventure of great joy and merriment, for Ambrose, my affectionate and faithful chauffeur me accompanied and all born in safari and of course sugar, which this year was great and gave me much excitement with these three days of safari and above all I think about how grown up our friendship from day one that the 'I met: it was August 2008 and dall'Aquarius I sold out my first safari!
My sleep is interrupted by the sweet sound of the alarm, it is morning and you have to "decamp". We have a long way back and finally we have the honor of having sugar on our minivan. Let's go. A veil of gloom descends on me as the window in silence for the last time I admire the enchanting scenery of the bush!
For the return trip is a stop in the same place of going and we'll stop for lunch in a restaurant on the road to Mombasa.
We arrived at Watamu which is now late afternoon, we are tired from travel fatigue but no weight at all, it was worth it and I start again at the thought of reliving all those wonderful moments!

RELAX DAY

Wednesday morning. Today, after three days of safari, a day of relaxing by the sea. It 'very soon, I am awakened by a text message is Sugar, waiting for me at the reception with the local sim that I had asked him to get me and he always kind and helpful and came to take her on purpose. He invites us to go with him to Ocean Breeze, and so in mid-morning we go to take it and spend a morning relaxing on this beautiful beach where we will meet Patrick and Alessandra also our fellow safari. Sugar takes us very nicely and the sun also provides us coconuts to drink!
Aquarius we return in time for lunch and spend the rest of the day there.

SHOPPING IN MALINDI

On Thursday afternoon, with Cynthia, and Sirius, our other fellow safari, we go for shopping in Malindi. On this occasion, try the exciting experience of the "matatu", the local minibus taxis are the cha and many are not recommended because they are dangerous. At first I was a bit 'hesitant but in the end I had a great time and luckily it was also our little crowded because there is often stacked on each other like sardines.
We went down near the Malindi Mosque and walk along the main street where there are also all the nightlife in vogue, we throw ourselves into the shop recommended by our friends who were already there and then we go for a drink with Karen Blixen, because the hot start to be felt. It 's time to go back because it's getting late and we prefer to make the journey back again with the light of day. Recall the matatu that even we had gathered, is the same of the progress, it reassures me a lot.
After dinner with Sugar we're going to drink a beer to Come Back to Watamu and then to bed.

A SPECIAL DAY

Today is Friday, a special day and I'm so excited! Finally, today begins what was the purpose of my holiday in Kenya this year: to dedicate my time to the children of the orphanage God Our Father's Children's Home. But I will tell you more, my biggest thrill is to know the child who finally last year I decided to "support for studies, my Jane, and to finally spend time with her.
After lunch, Raffaela and I with other village girls on board "tuc tuc" (Ape used to transport people), we leave for the orphanage. The slowness of our means of transport makes it seem even more on the way, after having crossed the road, the sight of the sign and turn we take a dirt road and after some bumps and here we are buffeting the new structure of the orphanage.
It 's very big and spacious, the buildings are bright blue with pictures of cartoons on the walls. We will not be accepted as normal by jambo jambo singer notes that children from the noise of the engines are preparing to welcome visitors, because today I'm all at sea! We are greeted by a head of the center that shows the entire structure. Finally the kids have their new home!
I know that I shall not see my little Prea, the girl who in 2008 had stolen his heart, now happy with her new family, but I shall see many of the popular children's past and new arrivals. Enter the room with those big eyes small we kidnapped by blacks and their sweet smiles and her arm stretched out towards us mean that we are left with a little baby in her arms. It 's wonderful to keep them in my arms, I hold you tight and make you feel how great their need for affection is inevitable and a tear of emotion on the face of all of us! The emotions are not over yet, that's the distance you hear the sound of the van is reporting that after their big day at the beach, a few more minutes and finally embrace my Jane. The meeting is very exciting! Explain who I am when she abandons her in my arms with his eyes filled with tears of joy! I am so happy, I wish time would stop and not ripartisse more because it would mean that sooner or later would come the day of my departure. I give a small gift and so we spend all afternoon together playing with the other girls. The time flew and it's time to return the greeting with the promise that we would have reviewed the next day. And so it will be, yet a 'whole of my afternoon with Jane and all the kids whose presence fills me with joy to the heart!

ROBINSON ISLAND AND MARAFA WITH ZUCCHERO

Today is Sunday and I will not go to the center. Sugar has organized an excursion to the island where Robinson is waiting for us a delicious lunch and Marafa. Even these excursions such as safaris in Amboseli are new to me. Departing from Watamu, after a journey of nearly two hours, if I remember correctly, we arrive at the destination. We reach the island on board a rowing boat captained by the legendary Charon cheers the short trip with merry songs, a really crazy!
Also in this excursion Sugar has shown truly unbeatable! The post, although somewhat spartan is very nice: a small restaurant in the whole wood, with tables set in a very pretty, and at the edges of the porch furnished with soft cushions. The only drawback: the mosquitoes! Let us close to the sea and then await the lunch hour. We sit at the table and the legendary Sugar shows a bottle of crisp white wine, which he bought for the occasion, which will accompany our lunch of fish: oysters, shrimp, crab, a big fish can not remember the name, a tasty and fresh salad, rice with a sauce made with coconut and fresh fruit for all, and finally the delicious ginger tea! With the "full stomach" we put ourselves in the car direction Marafa, where we will have the opportunity to dispose of our lunch!
Marafa or Devil's Kitchen is presented as a sort of grand canyon American. Sugar arrived we rely on a guide that takes us from the inlets of the rocks. A wonderful show that will enhance the beauty of the sunset, where it will stand out better the different colors of the rocks.
Let us return to the village late in the evening.

AN AFTERNOON IN THE POOL

Today is Monday. Today I will spend a wonderful day: by the permission of the director bring my daughter with me Aquarius. She is in seventh heaven because he can spend a day at the pool and I am even more because I could make one of his great desire and we can also spend time together, and so I will do tomorrow but where will join her older sister and brother.

MALINDI BY NIGHT

Monday night is scheduled for the evening at the Rosada of Malindi, where we will go with the beautiful bunch of girls known Aquarius and of course accompanied by super crazy entertainer Lilly, a true hit of energy and vitality!
Of course I agreed with Sugar I'll get there directly. The restaurant is charming, a nightclub on the beach but made magic from the beautiful moon shining in the blue sky! I do not know why but in Kenya even the most trivial things are discounted and always something magic!
There are many tourists but also many young Kenyans, we fortunately with no sugar, thanks to its presence will keep us away, "local flies. "
We dance all night, happy and carefree!

EMOTIONS AND HAPPINESS WITH GOF CHILDREN

Tuesday morning we get up a little later we saw the small hours, after lunch go to the orphanage to take my little girl and her brothers and spend a happy day at the pool even in the company of other girls who are very happy to play with them.
Spend the rest of my vacation to Gof. It 'hard to think that in a few days I have to leave my beloved children. I will miss immensely. How will I do without their love, their smiles, the songs that we sang happily every day. Unfortunately, the departure is getting closer and I have to start thinking about my days without them, miles and miles away.

IT'S TIME TO SAY GOOD BYE

Friday afternoon I went there for the last time: it's time to say goodbye. Sussy mama thank you for giving me to spend time with Jane outside the village, greeting all the children and young Italians met during this wonderful week and then squeeze tightly my Jane and I promise that I will come back soon to see her, kiss her and now I get the tuc tuc that slowly moves away. Tears flow from my eyes slowly, but they make no sound so bad at heart.
The greetings are not finished. I arrived in Watamu and Raffaela we are to snack with sugar, Patrick and Alex for the last drink of the holiday and then we are moving towards Aquarius, where we say goodbye.
Rafiki strongly embrace my sugar and I thank him once again for making my holiday memorable and as always for being not only a great ride, but the dear and affectionate friend forever!
It 'hard to have to leave this wonderful land that every time gives me strong and unforgettable emotions, but is even more difficult by having to pull all those people who have now won a place in my heart! Kenya See you soon!

For info and contacts:
zuccherowatamu.spaces.live.com
zuccherojirah@hotmail.com
iele_2000@yahoo.it