Giraffes and Elephants

[Friday, July 28, 2023]

Another early start to the day. If you have been following us through the journey, you may have noticed a common pattern thus far that does not include a lot of sleep. The travel days have been significant and the few events we have booked thus far have up relatively early each day thus far.  If this keeps up, we are going to need a vacation after this just to recover. 

Up at 6:30 AM so that we could shower and have breakfast before out 8:00 AM Pickup for the three events on the schedule today. Breakfast in the hotel was a typical hot buffet style which we scarfed down so that we would be ready at the appointed time. We went just outside the front entrance of the hotel to wait for our ride. The weather was overcast, and the temperature was 14°C with a very slight breeze. Most of the locals were wearing multiple layers, some had on down filled jackets with scarves. I’m sure they thought we were crazy in our shorts and light shirts.

 

While standing outside an Asian lady stepped out by us and started a conversation. It seems she was from China here on business with the company she worked for that makes powdered soap and baby diapers in the Nairobi area. Her ride showed up and she wished us a good journey. 

 

Shortly after that, at about 8:15 AM, our driver (Samuel) arrived, and we headed out for the Giraffe Center. Samuel described that the Giraffe Center didn’t open until 9:00 AM, so we could take our time getting there. He drove us in a fully electric Toyota vehicle and appeared to be doing so out of concern for the environment. Once the Giraffe Center gates opened, we made our way inside where our prepaid tickets got us through the next phase and into the Center itself. They also asked us to wash our hands, since they would be giving us some pellets for feeding the giraffe’s. 

This was really something. We got a chance to feed the newest baby giraffe as well as Daisy IV who, we were told, was 5 months pregnant. The average gestation for a baby elephant can be up to 15 months. It seems that mother giraffe’s have some say in their due date and naturally attempt to give birth around the rainy season. This increases the chance of survival of the baby giraffe. 

We also sat in on a short session with one of the center's employees who provided quite a bit of information about the different kinds of giraffe’s that exist (there are nine in total), a little about their physiology (their leg bones look small for their size, but they have no marrow like a human bone, they are solid and surprisingly heavy), and something about their friends (the wild boar – who benefits from the tall giraffe shaking the trees and fruit falling to the ground for the boar). 

It's hard to describe in words how majestic these animals are in person.

In the background you can vaguely see the Giraffe Manor Hotel. If you want to stay here they are booking 4 years out right now and it's minimum $1000 a night. You may have seen clips from this place on Instagram where people go and have breakfast and the giraffes can come buy and you can feed them.  A closer look at the Manor can be seen in the photo below.

Once finished with the Giraffe Center, we made our way to the Kobe Tough Beads & Leather manufacturer's location. There we saw how they take the clay from the riverbank and purify it to make the ceramic beads. 

Next they took us to where the beads are formed by impoverished women from the community. Producing the beads and the sale of the items helps provide employment where they would otherwise be without work. The make all different shapes and sizes of the beads from the refined clay.

Next they go through a painting process. Some of the designs are pre-described, others are painted through the creativity of the woman performing the task.

They also do leather work with very small beads that are imported from Czechoslovakia.

They took us back to the women who were making the beads from the raw ceramic clay and they performed a song for us.

A quick stop at their shop to purchase a few of their products and we were on our way to the Elephant Sanctuary where baby elephants are rescued and raised until they can be put back into the wild. They are orphaned as a result of human poaching of the mother or the mother dies from dehydration during the droughts. Baby elephants cannot survive on their own until they are 3 to 4 years old. After that, they can defend themselves from most of their predators. 

They are amazing animals and are extremely social. We were told that elephants really do never forget. They have had instances where their handlers meet them on a game drive (well after they have been released back into the wild) and the elephant recognizes the handler. 

The sanctuary is only open from 11:00 AM to Noon every day. The rest of the time, the animals are out in their natural habitat as part of the sanctuary property. This is so that they don't spend too much time around humans and they can later be released in the wild successfully. 

Next was a lunch stop for some local cuisine.  

Then back to the hotel where we did a bit of laundry, finished the two blogs (yes, they take a rather substantial portion of time to complete) and had a light dinner before heading off to sleep. We just might be able to get a bit more rest tonight, as tomorrow's activities don't start until 9:30 AM. 

G'night all.

Curt & Laureen