Steve goes on safari.. Report of my trip to Kenya on 29/06/08. Steve Foran Mirrwood GSD.
I was asked if I could judge in Kenya for the East African GSD League in April 08. Fantastic I thought, maybe a chance to extend it at our own expense and take a holiday. Well that’s what I said to Lesley, what I didn’t know was that the show was due on 29 June 08 and Lesley would have to stay here to look after our pups. Anyhow I agreed and looked forward to something new. I had never been to Africa before so this would be a chance to sample something different.
The weeks passed with many emails between me and the club and I eventually boarded my KLM flight to Amsterdam early in the morning changing there for Nairobi. Basically it is a fairly long trip flying more or less straight down the world. We landed and I ended up in amongst a load of American bible bashers, probably coming to save the world. Why is it that American people expect that the world must do things their way? The reason for my asking was that not one of these people had a bloody visa so the little man at immigration was having a lovely old time checking, stamping cards and collecting the fifty dollar entry bribe. Where as little old me had followed the rules and obtained my visa about 3 weeks BEFORE I went from the Kenyan embassy. So I was basically waiting due to these idiots lack of rule following. Anyhow I got through and arrived at the baggage hall. Wow I have never seen so much unattended luggage all strewn all over the place. Anyhow my bag arrived and I then stepped into arrivals peering at all the waiting faces I somehow found Anna and Louvie and we were off.
We quickly made friends and Anna set off along in her estate car waiving away the attempted road block put in place by the police looking to try to extort a “ tax “ from visitors and locals alike. Nairobi is huge and not very well lit. I could see hundreds of people just kind of walking along, dodging the decidedly dodgy mini bus taxis as we headed for my base for the week with Frances.
Frances is of Scottish descent but was born and raised in Kenya. Daddy was something in the Foreign Office I think. She is one great lady and I really enjoyed my chats with her and my stay at her house. Her house is set in about 10 acres, she has horses and cows, plus dogs, peacocks and a troop of maurading monkeys which drive the dogs wild. Frances used to breed racehorses and she bred a superstar in the 80,s who won virtually everything at the time including their Gold Cup. I soon learned that life is dominated by the next meal. We had no sooner arrived when supper was served. Pumpkin soup, Thai chicken curry, apple crumble and coffee. Relaxing later after Anna and Louvie had left Frances told me of things there and wanted to know about me and my family. It was now about 10.30 pm and the journey was taking its toll so I excused myself to have a quick bath and go to bed. At this point Frances told me that if I was awakened in the night by an intruder, I should push the panic button??!!! Talk about don’t have nightmares!
The next day Anna took me to the baby elephant orphanage which was fantastic, although I don’t think I will trouble David Attenborough with my filming skills. Fortunately a visiting BA staff member showed me how to focus Liam’s camcorder and I got some great footage. We then had lunch before going to the showground to have a look at the ring and setting. I should add that the pineapple juice I had with lunch was very refreshing. That evening Frances had a dinner party which was very good. Jo-ash the new cook was doing a great job. I must say it takes some getting used to having your recently discarded clothes taken and washed and pressed every time.
I awoke strangely early to the sound of some distant drums, as I tried to focus I then realised that those were not drums but my bowels playing Saint Vitus dance as well as the birdie song and the oki koki at the same time. I made it to the loo, ( just) and that set the pattern of my morning. I sat down for breakfast and decided I was not brave enough to attempt anything more than some dry toast. I could not believe it I am ALWAYS careful, and yet here I was about to judge and wondering how far the nearest loo would be to the ring or do I risk a major diplomatic incident and say that I have the black death and to leave me alone. The journey to the show ground was about 5 miles, 5 miles of major potholes, lumps, bumps and ruts. Oh bliss, how I held onto to the contents of my evening meal and breakfast is beyond me but I did. I sat down thinking how the hell I was going to cope, as I was offered bacon butties and coffee on my arrival at the ring. Oh my god! I found the loo and realised that I now had very severe tummy ache AND a very sore bottom. I could not have passed a cup of water, yet my body was defying all natural laws of gravity and I was now convinced that I had a new rare form of lassa fever or maybe yellow swamp fever. Thinking how I could judge through the open window crack from the safety of the loo was uppermost in my mind at this point. Bravely, well I thought I was, I ventured from the relative safety of the toilet to inform Anna that I was not at my best and could she help? Luckily one of the exhibitors was either a chemist, a doctor or a drug dealer. Basically I didn’t care which but I was offered and I took the tablets I was offered. After about 2 hours I had managed to judge half of the males and I felt remarkably much better. The report on the dogs is at the end of the story.
That evening I got back to Frances and lied that I had already eaten, as shepherds pie was awaiting me you see. By the morning I felt much better and remarked casually about my little mount vesuvius that had erupted from me the previous day. The blame was lain firmly at the door of the pineapple juice. See I told Lesley that beer was good for you, after I was informed that you are better with beer here in Kenya. We went back to the showground were we were surveying some of the adults. I was stoic in my action and thankfully no body had noticed how near to deaths door I had been the day before.
My day finished with the shepherds pie from the previous evening and very nice it was as well. Tuesday arrived with me taking the 15 seat plane to the Massai Mara for 24 hours on safari. Magnificent it was as well. I stayed at the Little Governors Camp which entails the 50 minute flight to the Mara, landing on the grass strip, a 3 km jeep ride to the River Mara crossing by boat and entry into the camp which is 17 tents around a large waterhole/swamp. This camp is not fenced so when you move around the site you must always be with an armed guard due to wild things like hippos and buffalo strolling around at will. We went out at 3.30pm and I got some great footage of leopard, lions, hyena,hippos, crocs etc fantastic. Evening meal then escorted back to my tent which is all plumbed in and top quality. As I climbed into bed I nearly died as my feet felt the touch of something warm and vaguely rubbery. I shot out of bed to the other side of my tent armed with a trusty mosquito spray and my trainer. On closer investigation it proved to be a hot water bottle. I fell asleep to the amazing sound of Africa outside. Crickets, toads and frogs at a guess. We arose at 6am for safari more footage of leopard, elephants, ostrich etc. Then it was time to get on board the little plane back to Nairobi.
On the Thursday I had a little time to go and see some warthogs that had invaded one of Frances friends garden, these pigs are half tame and they are fed all sorts. In the afternoon we had a 2 hour training session which I enjoyed but when I was doing my bit and running with this particular female, I could not believe how breathless I was. It’s the altitude; no wonder the Kenyans are good middle distance runners. That evening we went to a really nice Italian restaurant. Here I had a chance to talk with Heather Rawson-Mackenzies sister along with some of the lads and of course my host Anna. Sadly that was my lot as I had to be at the airport at 6am in the morning. We flew up Africa over the Nile then we flew over the massive desert just east of the Sahara. Straight up over the Med, a little bit of Sicily and then Sardinia and Corsica were clear on my left. Over the Alps and Lake Geneva before descent into the massive Schipol airport in Amsterdam. The problem being my 45 minute change over from gate 2 million and seven at Terminal Z to gate 2 at Terminal D. I made it but my bag didn’t. I was stood at the carousel along with one Asian guy and some Chinese travellers, who basically were trying to put the contents of 3 houses onto 1 little luggage trolley. I asked the Asian guy if he had been on the same flights as me from Kenya, he had, so we decided to report the missing baggage and get home. One thing that amazes me though. Who exactly owns the last four or five bags on the belt AFTER everyone has gone? My bag arrived safely home the next day.
All in all it was an amazing trip and I really enjoyed meeting the people like Anna, Linda, Louvie, Frances and everyone else. Something I will always treasure.
I have two stories to tell briefly. The first involves a grisly murder out in the country side. A lady was killed and it was many miles from the road. After 2 days the local tribesmen were called in with their tracker dogs. I am told that these dogs are tremendous and are a legend. Anyhow the dogs arrived at the house a full 2 days after the fact. Many doubted that anything could be done when you consider how particular the track layers are here in the UK when doing trials. Anyhow the two dogs a mother and son picked up something and they followed the scent all the way back to the road along the track from the farm. At the road they scoured up and down but nothing. So a truck was called and the dogs were let off the truck at every possible stopping point. After hours of this eventually the mum picked up something and they set off over stone, grass and even a few water courses. They arrived at a homestead where a brother of one of the staff was found and it was he that had committed the crime.
The second story involves two separate erstwhile UK based breeders who have previously sold dogs to Kenya. Both introduced themselves as honest upright people when they should have been wearing a three cornered hat and a mask. It seems that various things were promised from various breeding, when the dogs arrived different breeding and switched animals seems to have been the order of the day. The people in Kenya had paid a fair amount and should have been treated fairly, however they were basically ripped off and left with a nasty taste. One of these two characters was confronted at Crufts at some point and the answer was you win some you lose some. Not the first time I have had this name and this pattern of events involving members of the commonwealth. The other person is no longer in the breed. On the other hand trusty types like Uday Jani, Joe Summerhill, Eddie and Joyce, Nikki Farley, Davy and Joan Hall have all exported dogs to Kenya and helped to establish a really good breeding programme which is reflected in the quality of the animals in Kenya. These are to be congratulated. Well done and thank you for a great time.
Steve Foran Mirrwood GSD
0161 483 9388
