The flight across from Heathrow to Nairobi was fairly uneventful, so much so because my in flight entertainment system was faulty and so my viewing pleasure was minute by minute updates on the altitude, outside temperature, remaining flight time and time at destination. As you can imagine, this didn’t really suit me. Thankfully, I had a couple of old episodes of Studio 60 which I could review.

We arrived into Nairobi on time at about 6:30am local time following the 8 hour flight. At the airport we were initially greeted by the numerous sheets questioning our experience of swine flu and reasons for visiting in order to obtain the visa.

I can’t help but think the decision really rested on the answer to the all important question: “Do you have the fifty US dollars to pay us?”

So, an hour later we were freed from the queues with luggage in hand and swiftly located the rep who handed us over to our driver for the week. Isaac is a retired tourism scout who picks up the odd contract during busy periods. He seems keen to host and part his knowledge which is fairly basic but still educational for us.

From our room

Mountain Lodge is high up beside Mount Kenya and was built overlooking a natural waterhole and salt slick.

Becky and I are sat on the balcony outside our room, about 30 yards from the ground and a stones throw from two African Elephants, two water buck (Defassa) and a handful of Cape Buffalo retreating into the bush.

At each hotel there was a boundary across which you dare not tread without a guide. The protection each guide offered varied from place to place. This was one of few times we were accompanied by an armed ranger. Other guides just grabbed a bamboo cane.

Greeted in the usually uncomfortable way by porters and hotel staff offering cocktails, we proceeded to our room. We took lunch quickly and decided we could wear it off on the walking safari.

Before setting off, we explored the different vantage points that the hotel offers. Climbing to the roof gave us a view over the forest and then tunneling to the hide got us up close to the wildlife. Buffalo and Water buck were the first animals we spotted at the water’s edge, within 30 minutes they were joined by a couple of elephants which soon expanded to a group of 10.

The walking safari took us, for two hours, into the tropical mountain forest where our guide introduced us to some medicinal plants, animal remains and much knowledge about the habitat and the creatures. Two highlights of this time would be a few minutes observing a number of Colobus Monkeys up in the canopy and prior to this the unexpected tea party. I managed a tea with Brandy passed my way as an Irish Tea, I thought Irish tea was Whisky, maybe I just hoped it was.

Dinner is still an hour or so away and we’re quite excited by the chance to be woken by the night game porter as he spots the animals we list an interest in.

I’m not sure we’re gonna get much sleep.