So, I was really going. It was only a week away.
I knew about the wildlife. I started to think about the people – who I would meet along the way – local residents and other travelers. I planned to visit a Masai village but didn’t know what to expect.
I also wondered about the owner of the safari company. 

My flight arrived at Jomo Kenyatta international airport in Nairobi, Kenya at 6am. I sailed through the shorter immigration line for travelers with pre-issued visas and proceeded downstairs to the baggage claim area.

We waited and waited. And waited. All the passengers were now assembled around the carousal. We waited. We waited some more.

 The baggage had to be manually removed one at a time, loaded onto luggage carts one at a time, driven from the plane to the terminal and placed on the belt one at a time. A very labor-intensive  and time-consuming process. We had arrived on a modern aircraft at a less than modern airport. Finally, the conveyor belt started to roll forward slowly.  Individual pieces of luggage began to appear and make their way around.

Where’s my luggage?
It was now more than an hour after we landed. As I stood there patiently watching others pull their belongings off, it occurred to me that I didn’t know for certain that my small tote bag had made it onto the first flight or that it got transferred successfully from the first international airline to the second partner airline.

I glanced over at the long line of passengers from a previous flight at the airline baggage counter. That didn’t look encouraging. I had lost luggage before. I knew the procedure. Fill out the paperwork and hope that an airline emlpoyee sees your bag and sends it on its way to you.

The problem was tomorrow’s flight would be too late.
To be continued . . .

I still had those alluring safari images in my head. And they kept me going.

I have always worked with South Pacific travel companies that had a U.S. office as  a main point of contact. There are Africa safari and adventure companies based in the U.S. but hundreds more based solely in Kenya. I used an aproved list from the Kenya Tourist Board to narrow down my choices. I found one company that stood out from the rest with unique locations and offerings. However, they would not accept credit cards long distance and insisted on a wire transfer.

Normally, this is a fast and easy direct business transaction. I had done it before to the South Pacific, money transferred electronically from my one bank account to another, almost instantaneously. But this time didn’t go smoothly at all.

Where’s my money?
E-mails flew back and forth for 2 anxiety-filled weeks as thousands of dollars of my money were “lost in transit”.  My bank in California and their intermediary bank in New York confirmed the transfer but their bank in Nairobi would NOT. I initiated a trace without a response. At this point, my bank manager expressed some concern. I had some growing trepidation as well. She told me that sometimes funds are frozen due to suspected illegal activity. Believe me, it wasn’t enough money to constitute a drug deal.

I had a true dilemma. I was holding a very expensive, non-refundable airline ticket but my land arrangements were technically not paid or confirmed. Should I go, should I postpone, should I cancel?

I enlisted the help of the company owner and asked him to check the trace in reverse with their Nairobi bank. Lo and behold, a week before departure, I had verification. The money had been there all along. I never did get a complete explanation of what had happened but I was told that the banking system is a little archaic.

I was just finding out about local money transactions. There would be more lessons to come in the next week.

I now use a U.S. company with payments made by credit card and live people I can talk to who know exactly where the money is.
I’m not playing hide and seek again with my money or anyone else’s.

I have become accustomed to taking a single overnight flight from Los Angeles to just about anywhere in the South Pacific – Tahiti, Fiji, the Cooks, Auckland or Sydney – with an airline ticket, a valid passport and a single suitcase.  Aside from a couple of credit cards, an ATM card and a small amount of cash money – that’s all.

Of course, I had done some general research for Kenya but it soon became apparent that traveling there was going to be more complicated. As the advance scout on these inspection trips, I discover all the potential pitfalls firsthand.

First, I would need a visa which involved sending my passport, application, photos and fees to the nearest Kenyan Embassy. Upon arrival, I discovered that it is also possible to have it issued at the airport – strictly with cash in hand, no checks, no credit cards. Not the time and place to come up short.

Then I had to have the appropriate and current travel immunizations for the region. This entailed shots in both arms and a prescription for anti-malaria pills. I left the travel clinic with my new bright yellow International Certificate of Vaccination signed and stamped accordingly.

Next, I had to purchase the proper clothing and fit it all into one small tote bag. This is due to the extreme weight limitation for domestic flights on small bush planes. Do yourself a favor, don’t even think about dragging along a full size, hard shell Samsonite, just because you can on the international flights.

Finally, I learned that two overnight international flights would be required from Los Angeles – one to London in Europe and one on to Nairobi in Africa. Yes, this involves travel through 3 continents. Remember, it is the other side of the world.

All of this just to get there. I really have become spoiled.
It felt like I was preparing for a major expedition.

I had to remind myself of the reasons for going and the experiences waiting for me.
I was still determined to go. That’s when the true challenges emerged.

Our globetrotting is now literally taking us to the other side of planet.

Together with certified wildlife guide, Newton from Joy’s Camp in the Shaba National Reserve, allow me to introduce you to Into Africa, as opposed to Out of Africa. In fact, the word safari happens to be the Swahili for journey.

Jambo, Greetings from Kenya, on the East Coast of Africa, sitting across the equator and bordered by the Indian Ocean on the southeast . This is a country of varied landscapes with rolling central grasslands, snow-capped mountains, searing deserts, wide beaches, coral reefs and off shore islands.

Kenya is the quintessential safari land with an awe-inspiring abundance and variety of exotic wildlife, an immersion opportunity in a wide open living zoo. It is home to the the Big Five: lion, elephant, rhino, leopard and buffalo.

It is also known as the the cradle of mankind based on the human remains that have been excavated in the famous Rift Valley. And our new president, Barack Obama traces his paternal family roots to Kenya.

All of the serious world travelers I have met/known maintain a Wish List. Usually appearing in their top 5 or top 10 destinations is the classic African Safari, considered by many a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

I have to admit that it wasn’t initially on my personal list but it did migrate up slowly. After 10 years of return trips to the South Pacific, it appealed to me as a completely new and different type of adventure. It didn’t fail to surprise and delight me with the unexpected.