Lions, Leopards and the Lipault Ladies

[TonyQ]

@@graceland

best wishes to you and your brother. I am sure he will benefit from your support and positive outlook.

[graceland]

Thanks all for reading the report of The Lipault Ladies; for me at least it was a terrific trip back to the Mara, and I fell for it all over again! It was amazing the difference between a migration in Sept. visit and a full out "babies and predators" February!

 

Mostly, I want to thank everyone for the kind and supportive words expressed for my brother. I TRULY appreciate you all thinking about him; someone you do not know; but a most compassionate and gentle man... as we walk this path one day at a time.

 

You help me so much with the positive energy which gives me strength to encourage him daily.

 

I cannot express how touched I am.

[Tom Kellie]

 

I am sad to say my brother has been diagnosed with a disease that has no cure. There will be no trip to Africa in his life.

Thank you for asking. Support from all here on ST has truly been appreciated this year. Best group ever.

 

Reminder to all, life is not predictable; do not wait for that "special trip" or experience. Go for it; one never knows or predicts the future.

 

~ @graceland:

 

I'm truly very sorry to learn of your brother's condition.

As this must be a very difficult time for your entire family, I hope that the care and support of the Safaritalk family will provide solace.

Your advice above is so true. It's the notion of ‘Just Do It!’

Tom K.

[graceland]

@@Tom Kellie

 

Thank you for taking the time to think of me and my family. Reading reports, seeing the amazing pictures is something I have turned my brother on to..it gives him great joy ~ as I had always hoped to show him "My Africa: (he's heard me gush about it for years); but now it will be through reports and amazing pictures as you have so beautifully shared with us.

We do appreciate the obvious compassion of all here on Safaritalk. I am quite frankly overwhelmed. Youall make my heart smile and in turn, my dear only brother.

[panamaleo]

@@graceland and others...yes, packing tips to share. I always travel carry on; it's a science and so liberating! Even an upcoming two week trip to the U.S. with professional meetings and evenings at theater/restaurants....always carry on. Have used a Victorinox bag for many years; will last forever, but am curious to check out the Lipault.

[Kitsafari]

@@panamaleo i'd never done carry-on only because I'd always liked to keep my hands free when onboard the plane. But you are right it's liberating in the sense that there is no more time wasted waiting for that checked in luggage to make its rounds on the carousel!

 

And I couldn't believe how much you can squeeze into the lipault and still have that luggage feeling light! It's amazing. I'm hoping to do a carry on only for the next trip but I suspect my OH isn't in favour of it because he'll end up carrying my luggage. And he is prob right too. LOL.

[Tom Kellie]

 

 

an offering of peace and goodwill - same back to you baby.

 

~ @Kitsafari:

 

When I first saw this image in your trip report, more than one month ago, I didn't catch the meaning — inattentiveness on my part.

Re-reading tonight, I'm impressed with how similar in form to an olive branch it is.

Truly an apt caption.

Sometimes trip reports are better, the second time around.

Tom K.

[Atravelynn]

Loved the Sheldrick videos, @@SafariChick. They really love their bottles.

 

I see the leopard, I see the leopard in photo #1!

 

Baby rhino with mom in NBO Park, what a treat. You really had good rhino luck there.

 

How nice you found Pala and his kitty cat friend. Even nicer you found your passport. That was worth celebrating with a DAWA or two. But those were back at camp. You'll just have to go back to Emakoko, then.

 

Can you show the pronunciation? Ay MAH kah KO? Emma KO ko? How do you say it?

 

Great contributions to this epic tale, safarichick!

[Atravelynn]

We thought we would breeze through the check-ins quickly as we were very early and we would relax in the lounge, but the turn of events left poor @@graceland pretty distressed. I was glad I was with her and the first thing that came to me when I heard she had @@SafariChick's passport was to call @@SafariChick. when she didn't answer, our next course of action was to call Emakoko, as their guide was with her,and i recalled we had an emergency contact to call so i dug up B&B number. I was so relieved that B&B's Jane was able to get the passport and sped to the airport for @@graceland. and don't worry about the payment to the lounge - it was nothing and it was a huge relief to be able to sit and relax in there. I was just shocked that South Africa Airways had no proper lounge, but apparently since it got burned down, the air carrier simply provided coffee and tea in the transit room. hrmpph. i much preferred and enjoyed the cold drink and delicious snacks in the Emirates lounge in the company of @@graceland.

 

Just very glad that the passport got to you in time @@graceland.

 

Now looking forward to Nairobi national park through @@SafariChick's eyes.

You certainly know how to make an exit, @@Kitsafari. A grand finale to a grand trip! I bet you thought the surprise was limited to flight changes on your inbound flight. That was only the beginning! But it all adds to the excitement in recounting your shared adventures. Thanks for this wild ride!

[Atravelynn]

 

Reading reports, seeing the amazing pictures is something I have turned my brother on to..it gives him great joy ~ as I had always hoped to show him "My Africa: (he's heard me gush about it for years); but now it will be through reports and amazing pictures as you have so beautifully shared with us.

We do appreciate the obvious compassion of all here on Safaritalk. I am quite frankly overwhelmed. Youall make my heart smile and in turn, my dear only brother.

You have one heck of an adventure here to share with your brother, along with a multitude of wonderful photos. And you have a tremendously important lesson to share with us: "those contemplating a safari "in a few years" might want to just go for it if the opportunity presents itself! Life is not guaranteed so make the most of every day."

 

Thanks for this romp through the Mara.

[SafariChick]

Loved the Sheldrick videos, @@SafariChick. They really love their bottles.

 

I see the leopard, I see the leopard in photo #1!

 

Baby rhino with mom in NBO Park, what a treat. You really had good rhino luck there.

 

How nice you found Pala and his kitty cat friend. Even nicer you found your passport. That was worth celebrating with a DAWA or two. But those were back at camp. You'll just have to go back to Emakoko, then.

 

Can you show the pronunciation? Ay MAH kah KO? Emma KO ko? How do you say it?

 

Great contributions to this epic tale, safarichick!

 

Thanks for all the kind words @@Atravelynn ! You got it right with the Emma KO ko, exactly! Ah those DAWAs, I want one now!

[KathBC]

Ok it appears I need to practice my writing skills more!

 

To my knowledge Freddy Mercury was not born on a counter or in a book store. The book store was previously a house where Freddy Mercury was born and lived until his parents sent him to boarding school.

[SafariChick]

@@KathBC ha ha ok now that makes sense! I laughed out loud reading that!

[elefromoz]

@Kitsafari@graceland@SafariChick, just starting on your report now, unfortunately since "finding" ST I'm struggling to read my monthly Book Club Book and risk being delisted. This is so much more fun. Lovely photos of NNP, what a unique, special Park. We had excellent Rhino sightings, Black and White, there too. Emakoko looks lovely, we were in Nairobi Tented Camp, very nice too. Sheldricks is such fun to visit, but at the same time leaves you sad that such places have to be there. Seeing them "go to bed" with their keepers tears at the heartstrings. Lovely photos.

[Tom Kellie]

~ @@Kitsafari and @@SafariChick

 

This morning and last evening I've been reflecting back on the past year, including the highlights of having been a Safaritalk member.

It was reading the Lipault Ladies Kenya trip report which directly lead to my writing my first trip report.

The energy, humor and detail of the Lipault Ladies trip report had a certain je ne sais quoi which brought smiles and laughter to me.

That three Safaritalk ladies cooperated to produce such a wonderful trip report was refreshing and inspiring.

Safaritalk felt like a comfortable space after sharing your candidly described Kenya adventures.

I've been grateful for your continual support throughout 2015.

May your travels in 2016 be as joyful as they were in 2015!

Tom K.

[SafariChick]

@@Tom Kellie thanks so much, Tom, and wishing the same to you!

[Kitsafari]

@@Tom Kellie Thanks Tom. I had to look up je ne sais quoi!

 

Very kind of you. May 2016 bring you to new and fabulous destinations and pleasing discoveries in your safaris!

[Diana]

Which Lipault bag size are you getting? We were told no bags with wheels are allowed.

Edited August 13, 2019 by Diana