A bittersweet ending

Day 30
Our morning safari began at 8:15, as bushbuck slipped through the undergrowth, warthogs trotted confidently across the grass, and zebras grazed in the soft early light. By 9:00 a.m., we entered Ol Pejeta Conservancy, home to the world’s last northern white rhinos. The sanctuary spans 700 acres of savannah and woodland, guarded around the clock to protect its precious residents from poachers.

Despite their name, white rhinos are not white. The term originated from a linguistic misunderstanding—Dutch settlers described them as wijd, which means wide-mouthed. Over time, that morphed into white, and the misnomer stuck. Their cousins, the black rhinos, have pointed lips suited for munching on shrubs rather than grass.

We learned that only three northern white rhinos remain—all female. The last male, Sudan, died in 2018 without an heir. At the rhino cemetery nearby, where Sudan is buried among victims of poaching, I found myself in tears.
But that sorrow soon turned to wonder. Earlier, I joked that I wanted to see a Rothschild’s giraffe under a rainbow—and unbelievably, that wish came true. There it stood, at the end of a rainbow after a brief shower.

The rest of the morning brought elephants, gazelles, cape buffalo, and lions chasing zebras—foiled when a flock of tattletale guinea fowl loudly alerted the herd. Before lunch, we watched cape buffalo wallowing in mud. They looked so very happy. The mud has a significant cooling effect, making up for their limited sweat glands, and it also helps with parasite control. A thick layer of mud suffocates ticks, lice, and mites. Once the mud dries, the buffalo will rub everything off on rocks and trees. Fascinating.

A torrential downpour washed out our 4 p.m. safari, but at least it didn’t interfere with our after-lunch camel ride. The day ended happily with some extra time before dinner to relax and write in my journal.

Day 31
We woke to a surprisingly cold morning and zipped up our until-now-unused warm jackets before leaving Sweetwaters at 7 a.m. Black backed jackals darted across the landscape as our driver, Sande, shared stories of traditional matchmaking. A dowry, he explained, is not payment for a bride but a symbolic bond between families. Should the marriage falter, the matchmaker and the entire community step in to help restore harmony.

As we passed mile after mile of Arabica coffee farms, Sande continued weaving local history and folklore into the journey. We learned that locals prefer their beer warm, and that the town of Karatina earned its name from the locals’ mispronunciation of “quarantine” when cattle were held there before sale during colonial times.

One of the most startling sights on the road to the Karen Blixen Museum was of the khat transporters—drivers racing at breakneck speed in modified vehicles to deliver the highly perishable stimulant leaves from Meru and Embu. Police are instructed not to interfere as the khat vehicles race toward Somalia or the Nairobi airport for export. According to a December 3, 2025, AFA Kenya report, the country exports 13–17 tons of khat daily. The sheer scale—and the speed—was astonishing.

We eventually reached the Karen Blixen Museum, the former farmhouse and coffee plantation of the author of Out of Africa. Built in 1912, the home—Mbogani House—still holds many of Blixen’s original furnishings and personal items. The surrounding suburb, now simply called Karen, is one of Nairobi’s most affluent areas. The visit to Karen Blixen’s farm and home was one of the highlights of my trip!

We ended the day at the Eka Hotel, ready for our final morning in Kenya.

Day 32
Our last day began at the Giraffe Center, founded in 1979 to protect the endangered Rothschild’s giraffe. At the time, only 130 remained in the wild. Today, thanks to decades of conservation work, more than 1,000 live in Kenya. From a raised wooden platform, we were able to feed and gently pet these long-necked, long-purple-tongued, gentle giants.

Next, we visited the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, where orphaned baby elephants are raised with extraordinary care. Milking a wild elephant – not such a good idea. Keepers use giant bottles of baby formula to sustain the calves until they are ready to return to the wild.

Our final stop was Kobe Tough, a workshop where women artisans craft exquisite, beaded jewelry and leather goods. I purchased a necklace, and Witress—owner of Namaste Safaris—insisted I needed earrings to match. I protested, but he was right. The artisans made my custom earrings on the spot, and they are now among my favorite souvenirs.

After lunch and dinner in Nairobi, the long journey home began with airport arrival at 7:30 p.m., passport line at 8:00, a 10:45 p.m. overnight flight to London, a nine hour layover, a ten hour flight to Dallas, a final connection, and—at last—arrival in Savannah just after midnight, two days later on July 2.

These final three days in Kenya were a whirlwind of beauty, surprises, and unforgettable wildlife encounters. My month in East Africa was far too short yet profoundly moving. It deepened my understanding not only of the extraordinary animals that depend on our protection, but also of the culture, history, and people who steward this breathtaking corner of the planet. The memories—joyful, heartbreaking, and awe filled—will stay with me always.

Tamela is a proofreader and book editor; she hosts paint parties for adults, art and drama camp for kids, and is the art teacher at May River Montessori. www.tamelamaxim.com www.artposseproductions.com