Friday, August 26, 2016

Evenings in Africa. . . . . . . .



Needless to say, dining in a safari lodge does not require evening dress.
No dinner jackets and ties, and definitely no gossamer  
gowns and dainty high heeled shoes.
This makes packing even simpler than loading up for a cruise ship.

After returning from game drives in the bush, often more than 
one in a day, dressing for dinner is low on the priority list.
Dusty and windblown, a quick freshen up, perhaps a dash
 of lipstick and a pair of earrings for bling, is about it before a relaxing
 aperitif by the fire pit, then a delicious dinner. You are really hungry by then,
after the fresh air and often strenuous animal viewing, take my word!
Evenings are full of chatter from guests and staff exchanging stories of 
their exciting day. Overhead the huge open sky is glittering with stars.
 Off in the distance lions are roaring, close by there's always some animal
 shuffling about making it imperative to have armed guards in the shadows,
just in case!

Night time can be quite loud in Africa.
I recall my very first night in Africa here in Botswana in 2010. 
Talk about a cacophony of unusual grunts, snorts, roars, munching
 (elephants seem to eat 24 hours a day), and assorted bird calls and screeches,
 all of which sound like they are right on the other side of the tent canvas.
More on safari 'tents' coming in a future post.


~ In the sitting room before dinner at Downton Abbey ~


~ The sitting room area at Mara Plains Camp ~

Not much difference between the two, except perhaps the wallpaper, artwork, 
 and dress code - and of course Downton Abbey had nothing wilder than those dear
 yellow labrador retrievers close by, perhaps giving a friendly bark now and then. 

I wonder who will be coming to dinner in Kenya.

13 comments:

  1. I look forward to seeing coming photos from your trip! That's quite the camp - nothing like I remember from Girl Scouts! Looks wonderful!

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  2. You do know how to go camping in style! :) Have a wonderful safari...or whatever it is you do in Africa. I always enjoy your posts. (a side note: my brother married a very young girl from Ghana a few years ago. You can only guess what she was after--a way into our good ole USA! )

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  3. I can't wait to hear all about it. It will be amazing, I just know it.

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  4. Sounds great! But I would get scared by those sounds at nights♥

    summerdaisycottage.blogspot.com

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  5. This sounds so exciting. Can you tell us which travel company you've used for this trip? I would love to see the safari trips they offer. Looking forward to reading more about your trip .... Thanks :)

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    1. You need to contact Kili McGowan of NEXT ADVENTURE - she can organize the best custom safari ever! This will be my third trip with NA - everything has always been perfect.

      Go to their great web site here for all the details and amazing photos - http://nextadventure.com

      Mary -

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  6. Who will be joining you for dinner, indeed!! What an exciting trip you'll have. I'm sure the pleasure of the anticipation is heightened because you know just how wonderful such a trip can be.

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  7. Your words have us all wishing we could join you for dinner! What a delightful time you're going to have!

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  8. Can't wait to see more photos of your next trip...

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  9. I really like the Downton Abbey picture. The sitting room at Mara Plains looks very comfortable and attractive too.

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