Kenya, AFRICA 2014!!!

Going on safari is something we have wanted to do for a LONG time. We are huge animal lovers and we wanted to see some amazing animals in the wild. Every year MILLIONS of wildebeest migrate from Tanzania to Kenya to mate. We made it just in time to witness this great migration. This trip was life changing for us. We fell in love with the Kenyan people and animals. I have never seen so much poverty in my whole life. It was so humbling for us. I loved the little kids and they loved my blonde hair... they were terrified of my braces though ;-) We will definitely be going back when the boys are older. We want them to learn about other cultures and appreciate all animals. We saw Lions, Giraffes, Cheetahs, Leopards, Elephants, Wildebeest, Hippos, Crocodiles, Monkeys, and lots more! Best trip EVER :-)

I loved the Kenyan kiddos!! They loved my blonde hair but were terrified of my braces :-(

PUMBA!!

I love these beautiful creatures!

If you have seen the movie "Out of Africa" then you will recognize this place.
It's the Karen Blixen home. She did many amazing things for Kenya. 

We visited an Elephant Orphanage and it was WONDERFUL! These baby elephants were so so so cute. 

More KIDDOS!!! 

Hippos were everywhere! Luckily they only really come out of the water at night time.
In our lodges we had to stay in our rooms so hippos would attack us.
In the middle of the night we could hear them eating RIGHT outside of our room.
 We watched them very close up!!

On of my favorite moments on the trip.
 This giraffe joined me on a morning walk :-)

Those were our lodges in the background and animals just roamed freely on the property. 

We had an awesome guide named Peter.
 His van however had a blowout on this extremely rough road.
It was ok... I got to meet some more amazing kiddos. 

We spent some time with the Masai Tribe.
They taught me some tribal dances.
Those huts in the background are their homes.
They are made of cow dung and it is traditional for the woman to build the home!

Inside the Huts

This made me sad. So many flies :-(

We got a club to fight off lions!

CHEETAHS!!

There were SOOOO many zebras.
They mostly hung out with their buddies the Wildebeest.
 They warn the Wildebeest of danger with their crazy senses
and the Wildebeest lead the Zebras to food. 

Every year MILLIONS of Wildebeest migrate from Tanzania to Kenya to mate.
 We made it just in time to witness this great migration!
It was so so so Awesome!! Very Lion Kingish ;-) 

These dirty vultures were always full eating leftovers. 

Ostriches are kinda mean :-/

Wild Lions :-)

The Chinese always had masks on?

Pretty sure this happy elephant is smiling at me ;-)

Teenage Simba!

Getting ready to take off in a hot air balloon!

This was so awesome!! 

Breakfast on Safari!

I like how the warthogs eat breakfast on their knees. LOL

These lionesses are covered with flies on their face.
The flies are eating all the blood off from the lionesses kill. 

Baby hippos playing :-)

Croc!

A Mommy wildebeest nursing her baby. 

Elephant family :-)

We saw a LEOPARD!!
These are extremely hard to find in the wild so we go lucky :-)

A Mommy monkey holding her baby.

Kazuri Bead Factory.
They hire single Moms or women in sad situations.
They make beautiful necklaces. 

More Elephant Orphanage. 

We stopped at the Great Rift Valley and I made more friends. 

Our lodge on safari. 

Most nights we slept with mosquito nets. 

African cacti is huge!!

Wild monkeys were everywhere!

Our group on tour with us. Peter (our guide) is standing next to me. 

This was a common sight. 

John & Joe.(Brothers)
These are 2 goat herders I met when we got a flat tire.
In Africa it is customary to start herding goats/cows at 5 years old.
The leave at 5 am and come home at dusk.
We gave them water and cookies and they loved it!

We learned how to start a fire with sticks.