UP

The drive from Lake Naivasha to the Maasai Mara National Park was treacherous.  A 5 hour test on the worst roads I have ever experienced.  In fact, we weren't even on a road for a good part of the ride.   It was the world's bumpiest ride in the world's most uncomfortable vehicle.  Seats and windows were broken and we experienced blazing heat as well as rain.  As Ellen put it, by the end of the road trip we were 'absolutely shattered'.

To reward ourselves for surviving such tumultuous transportation, we booked a hot-air balloon ride for the morning after our arrival in the Maasai Mara.  Maasai Mara means "spotted plains" and there are endless  bare, flat fields with lone acacia trees every 200 meters or so.  It's similar to Canada's prairies but blessed with big game animals.

Lone acacia trees on the Maasai Mara horizon.

The evening was spent freshening up for dinner and enjoying our tent at the Mara Leisure Camp.  Let me tell you that this was the best tent I have ever been in!  From the hardwood floors and classic furnishings to the largest tiled bathroom I have witnessed to date - it was heaven. 

Our home for two nights - a permanent tent.

The tent reading room.

Dual sinks!

Enjoying dinner at the Mara Leisure Camp.
Left side:  Greg, Karen, Ellen, Emily and Gregg
Right side:  Zanner, Mac, Thalys and Geri

Nothing beats a rough day like crawling into warm sheets of 100% Egyptian cotton and dreaming of floating in a balloon over the plains of Africa.

Canopy bed in our luxurious tent.

Our morning started at 5:00 am to make sure we were flying during sunrise.  We arrived in the dark to a large open field with sporadic flames shooting every few minutes.  Several balloons were being inflated in the dark by large teams of balloon experts.  As the sky began to lighten, we patiently watched our crew inflate our red and yellow balloon. 

My balloon mates:  Ellen, Thalys, Emily, Zanner and Greg

Huge fans and propane heaters are used to inflate the balloon.

The basket of our balloon seated 12 people - 4 compartments of three people each.  The basket was laying on it's side and we crawled in.  There was a little bench for us to sit on and a rope to hang onto.  Our backs were essentially parallel to the ground.  Before we new it, in a smooth uneventful take-off - we were up, up and away!

Priceless.

A touch of heaven.

The balloon ride was peaceful, smooth and calm.  That was until we were blasted with the extremely loud "SSSSHHHHWAASSHHH" of the heaters.  I eventually got used to the regular intervals of heating the balloon and was able to focus on the scenery.

A look up to the heaters.

The views were amazing.  The pink sunrise dotted with hot air balloons is something I will never forget.  The herds of animals below us were beautiful from my new vantage point.  We saw hippos in the river, impalas playing, and wildebeest running single file.  The path network created by the animals in the field is only visible from the air.  It's a surreal feeling to be floating like a cloud.

A sister balloon.

View of small river from the air.

Thousands of wildebeest came out to play.

This could almost be romantic if it wasn't six thirty in the morning with ten other people.

Our balloon ride was topped off with a champagne breakfast picnic in the field.  We enjoyed croissants, cheese, quiche, sausages, fruit, preserves and endless supply of the bubbly. 

Our champagne breakfast spread.

 To top off a perfect morning, we took a game drive and saw amazing animals of the Mara.

Impala and Ostrich.

I think this is a bush buck, but I am not sure!

Crowned Crane.

Wildebeest have great beards.

We were treated to two male cheetahs grooming their lovely spots.  Cheetahs are smaller than the leopard and are identified by what looks like black 'tears' down their eyes.  I had tears in my eyes from such a memorable day.

Two male cheetahs, yes, I saw for certain they were male!

They groom in unison.

Beautiful black tears are nothing to cry about.