We arrived at Offbeat to a group of waving staff greeting us, as well as one of the managers, Chania. They welcomed us and got our gear settled while they got us drinks and told us about our stay. They then took us to our tent and arranged for us to meet them back at tea at 4 and then a game drive.
The tent was interesting and very very hot. Tina and I were talking about the huge mistake we had made staying here longer than Borana and maybe staying here at all. It just didn’t and couldn’t compare. We rested that first afternoon and the next morning started our adventures.
Joseph and Kimani were incredible. We did breakfast at the river, watching the hippos and crocs. Then we went back for a break and lunch and then went out for an afternoon drive. They showed us animals and animals and animals. Lions, cheetahs, zebras, giraffes, gazelles, we started having a blast. We went fishing one afternoon with Chania and Joseph and Kimani. Sitting on the river bank in the bush in Africa fishing, having a blast. Of course, only Chania caught anything, but we enjoyed it. Once we were leaving Joseph told us he wanted to show us the lions that he’d ordered to protect us while fishing. While we thought he was being funny, he took us and showed us, about 80 feet from where we’d been fishing, two female lions laying under a tree watching us. I talked to Chania when we got back and asked if she’d known they were there as well. She laughed and said she’d seen them when she got there before us, and when we arrived they’d discussed whether they should tell us before or after we went fishing. They were concerned we would panic and turn a safe situation into a dangerous situation. I told her it was awesome to find out they were right there, and they could have told us either before or after and it would have been fine.