May 15:

Today, we set off for our camping trip to Lake Naivasha. When we arrive at the campsite, we’re blown away by the cleanliness and luxury of the amenities – clean toilets, tiled showers, and a bar! We’re camping in hippo territory, so we’re told to stay away from the water after 6pm, as hippos are the Number One killing-animal in Africa.

After eating a hearty breakfast, we head to Oloidien Lake to see flamingos. Thousands of them graze the surface of the lake. Along the shore, there’s a dead hippo, and we’re able to appreciate its massive size. Our comical guides, Simon and Marcus, tell us that hippo skin is so thick it’s bullet proof.

We then head to Crater Lake Game Sanctuary. It’s the first time any of us have seen a giraffe or zebra or warthog up-close. The park also tries to leave the sanctuary in its natural habitat, so the bones of dead animals litter the floor. At the end of our hike, we make it to Crater Lake, which lies in the middle of an inactive volcano. The view is simply breathtaking and well worth the walk.

As we make it back to the car, it suddenly starts to pour. We’ve gotten used to the hard and fast rains that come in during the late afternoon, because it’s rain season in Kenya. By the time we make it to the van, we’re all soaked but still in high spirits.

We then make the one-hour drive back to the campsite. But in the rain, the dirt road has turned to mud and our front-wheel drive proves to be no match. We get stuck in a mud ditch and our driver revs the engine in a desperate effort to get the tires out. The situation is reminiscent to a Canadian snowstorm, only that it’s much more muddy and dirty. Twenty minutes pass, and a few members of the team begin to panic. My cell phone has no reception; it’s getting dark; and the last thing anyone wants is to be stranded in the middle of nowhere. Tension arises amongst the group as some members try to make jokes, while others are genuinely scared. I tell the panicked members that I will somehow contact Nathan to let him know where we are and to send help. Eventually however, some of us push the car out of the mud, and before we know it, we’re back on track.

At the campsite, the rains stop and we enjoy dinner by the campfire. The food is amazing and we all head to our tents for a restful slumber.