Baby Tembos

Monday morning started off with a bit of sleeping in (first time in a while) before our last breakfast at the hotel.  We were able to extend checkout until 2pm so, that gave us some time to get organized, pack and take what would be our last shower before getting home.

Some of you asked to see some pics of the Fairview which is where we stayed for about 4 of our 9 nights.  I was going to post some of mine but, stumbled upon this video and realize now that there are several parts of the hotel I never got to see!  

Anyway, after a late lunch, we checked out and met our driver out front - bound for the Karen Blixen Museum. Well known for her books "Out of Africa" and "Babette's Feast" (none of which I have read...yet) among others, it was fascinating to see her home and hear about her history.  

The tour kicked off with a briefing and then a walk through the house and the surrounding grounds.  We learned a lot about the history of Blixen's life in Kenya and saw some of the equipment she used to get her coffee business started.  

1922 Fordson Tractor Model F

Her coffee plantation failed due to the soil being to acidic.  As a result, she was forced to abandon her home there. I had no idea what a coffee tree looked like but now I do.  And so do you...

After the failure of her coffee business, Blixen returned to Denmark where she lived the rest of her life.  The Nairobi suburb that stands on the land she once owned is now named "Karen".  It's a beautiful suburb of Nairobi.  If I had to live in Nairobi, it would be in that area (assuming, of course, that I could afford it).  Since we had time to kill before going to adopt our elephants, we went to the Karen Blixen Coffee Gardens for a coffee and a snack.

Next stop, The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust.  You need to sign up in advance to see the animals and, if interested, you can adopt a baby elephant for $50.  As part of signing up, you pick an elephant, adopt them, get an amazing packet of information about your elephant and then monthly updates on how your elephant is doing.  

During our visit, we also saw a sweet, sweet rhino named Max.  He's a 4 year-old rhino who is vision impaired.  I've never really thought of rhinos as cute but, let's face it.  Could you really resist kissing this sweet face?

Everyone was crowing around the limited space to see him so, I wasn't able to get much footage of him at first.  I snuck back over once the elephants came out.  

Oh yes.  The elephants.  

Essentially this program works to protect and rehabilitate two animals who are poached for their ivory and horns.  The little ones are sent out to pasture during the day and brought back in at a specific time to feed and rest inside their stables.  There's a very clear process that's followed.

The reserve is open from 5 to 6 each day and you have to make an appt. After meeting Max, we were ushered over to the back "wall" of Max's pen and were told to wait.  So, we stood in anticipation of what would happen next.  

First, these little elephants came running down the path toward us (the picture will right itself after a few seconds, sorry!)...

followed by these guys...

and then these little guys.  

And, this is the last of them. Note the particularly, um, determined one that runs by at the end.  He was literally two feet from us.  WARNING - You might want to turn the volume down before watching this one.   

As each one ran by, their names were called out.  And, I knew immediately, which one was meant to be mine.  Well, ours...I did it as a gift for my Michaels - my husband and my son (Michael) Vincent.  Here name is:

I'm not sure why she stood out to me but, she did.  And, when all the little elephants were in their spots, everyone sort of scattered to get a closer look and, I looked for her and when I found here, there wasn't anyone else there.  We bonded.  She ate.  She drank.  And, she even farted.  Which made me laugh.  

Isn't she beautiful?  Sweet Lima Lima.

After I spent some quality time with my girl, I went to fill out the paperwork and make it official.  Then, I was off to find Mary Kate and see her little beauty.  I couldn't help but get this video of the elephant next to hers.  I think it was drinking and blowing its nose, all at the same time - blowing bubbles.

And then, I had some alone time with Max and got to get some video of him before we left to head to the airport.