Its difficult to know where to start as our plan were thrown into a muddle when my nephews KML flight to Schipol was cancelled. We had each started our journey from our home airports and when I eventually arrived in Niarobi from Birmingham Real Africa’s team were there to meet me and already fully aware of what had happened and confirming that my nephew would arrive the next morning at around 7am. Our original plan was a brief stay at ‘The House of Wayne’ overnight (an amazing Hotel) and then drive down to the Mara leaving at around 4:30am. My nephews revised arrival time was too late and would mean us loosing almost a whole day so I asked about flighst to the Mara. After a few phone calls by RA’s staff I was told that our driver would leave for the Mara by road taking my bulky luggage, that I would be collected from the hotel and taken to Wilson Airport early the following morning in time to meet up with my nephew. Everything worked perfectly and I would thoroughly recommend flying down to the Mara, the views are majestic. We arrived at Govenors Camp airfield and were met by George our driver and our Safari begun. Our journey through the Masai Mara to our first overnight stay took us past the small Primary school supported by The Real Africa Trust which was having a meeting outside with parents and staff seated under the shade of a tree. Some of the children wore traditional Masai dress and other a school uniform. To say it was colourful is an understatement and the few simple building set against the amazing backdrop of distant mountains has to be seen to be appreciated. Over the next four days as we moved through the Mara we were constantly amazed at just how close you could get to the animals. We saw a baby Elephant which was tiny and walked easily under is mother, a pride of 7 or 8 Lions, one of whom came over to our vehicle and sat in the shade almost leaning against the back wheel. We saw about a den of Hyeana with young, a pair of cheetah moving accross the Mara and oblidged with some fantastic photographs. We saw many different types of antelope, Wilderbeast and deer and too many to count Hippo’s. Our driver George was always pointing our dirrerent birds including Secretary Birds, Fish Eagles and Starlings that were nothing like those we have in the UK. I did manage to spot an Ostrich first ! At a Ranger station near to a river we were taken along the bank by an armed ranger to see a very big Cocodile which we were told was over 7mtrs long. Dont’ think I’d like to prove the measuerement ! Giraff, Wilderbeast and Zebra where abouonded and everywhere you looked the distant horizon was a backdrop of mountains giving a feeling of space you rarely get in Europe I feel very priveledge to have been able to make this trip and will certainly be going back. Will it be with Real Africa ? .....without a doubt. Real Africa’s well trained staff looked after us on arrival and departure, provided an amazing Safari guide while we travelled and at the comfortable lodges they selected nothing was too much trouble for the staff. To be honest food varied a bit but given the distances from the local shops I guess we should make some allowances. One of the camp we stayed at had even developed a Cookery school training young Masai to become Chefs. The teacher was a fully qualified Scandinavian Chef. Given the circumstances along Kenya’s coast I have to say that at no time during our trip in the Masai Mara did we feel in any way vunerable or unsafe. The Kenian people are warm and friendly and love to meet travellers. Go there with an open mind and you will not be dissapointed