How's Nyamera's Planning for 2008?
Apr 1st, 2008, 01:35 PM
#43
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<b>An update:</b>
I haven’t heard anything from Riverside or Aruba.
Today I got myself an air ticket. I’ve been trying to buy one since Easter. The price has been some SEK 7070 (about the same price as in 2004, 2005 and 2007) but sometimes it was SEK 6500 or less, especially when I didn’t have my Visa card at hand. This weekend the price suddenly was raised to over SEK 24000! Then there were no flights on the dates I was interested in. Even though I knew it must have been a computer error, I was quite hysterical. Yesterday I phoned KLM and was told everything would be back to normal today – and it was, only better. I paid SEK 5693 including taxes and surcharges. One thing I don’t like though is that the return flight that used to be at circa 11 am now is at 8.30. It’ll ruin the last night and I’ll have to get up very early. I want daytime flights. I suppose Fodorites who fly for 40 hours don’t feel sorry for me, but that’s just what happens when you live on wacky continents with cartoonish wildlife. BUT, my “plan” is not to use that return flight.
I also CO2 compensated my flight for €10. A ridiculously lenient penitence.
I’m leaving on 19 June and not returning on 12 July.
I haven’t heard anything from Riverside or Aruba.
Today I got myself an air ticket. I’ve been trying to buy one since Easter. The price has been some SEK 7070 (about the same price as in 2004, 2005 and 2007) but sometimes it was SEK 6500 or less, especially when I didn’t have my Visa card at hand. This weekend the price suddenly was raised to over SEK 24000! Then there were no flights on the dates I was interested in. Even though I knew it must have been a computer error, I was quite hysterical. Yesterday I phoned KLM and was told everything would be back to normal today – and it was, only better. I paid SEK 5693 including taxes and surcharges. One thing I don’t like though is that the return flight that used to be at circa 11 am now is at 8.30. It’ll ruin the last night and I’ll have to get up very early. I want daytime flights. I suppose Fodorites who fly for 40 hours don’t feel sorry for me, but that’s just what happens when you live on wacky continents with cartoonish wildlife. BUT, my “plan” is not to use that return flight.
I also CO2 compensated my flight for €10. A ridiculously lenient penitence.
I’m leaving on 19 June and not returning on 12 July.
Apr 2nd, 2008, 09:04 AM
#46
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Lynn and Leely, 
Leely, look out of your window and you’ll probably see the coyote and the roadrunner trying to kill each other. At least Atravelynn has confessed to seeing the coyote and even a wild turkey, but that might have been in another forum.
Leely, look out of your window and you’ll probably see the coyote and the roadrunner trying to kill each other. At least Atravelynn has confessed to seeing the coyote and even a wild turkey, but that might have been in another forum.
Apr 2nd, 2008, 09:30 AM
#47
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Well, I was wondering about the cartoon animals, too, so now I know -- I live on that continent!
On my way into work this morning I saw wild turkeys hanging out on the porch of my building, and last month a bobcat walked up and looked in the window of the gym at us. Pretty cartoonish behavior, if you ask me.
I've never seen a roadrunner, though.
On my way into work this morning I saw wild turkeys hanging out on the porch of my building, and last month a bobcat walked up and looked in the window of the gym at us. Pretty cartoonish behavior, if you ask me.
I've never seen a roadrunner, though.
Apr 2nd, 2008, 11:30 AM
#49
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MDK and Patty, you’re confirming all my prejudices, especially with the bobcat behaviour, the European lynx is so much more discreet.
Patty, have you seen the roadrunner at some other place? Did it say “meep, meep”?
Does anyone have an inexpensive camp in Kenya to recommend?
Patty, have you seen the roadrunner at some other place? Did it say “meep, meep”?
Does anyone have an inexpensive camp in Kenya to recommend?
Apr 2nd, 2008, 02:11 PM
#50
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I've seen roadrunners before but they never said meep, meep
Lion Rock may be able to pick you up at Voi. I heard that's where they keep the Tsavo Camps & Lodges vehicles when there's no guest need in camp. They're reasonably close to Maktau gate so you could also do game drives in Tsavo West. I don't know that they'd be any less than Rhino Valley though.
Lion Rock may be able to pick you up at Voi. I heard that's where they keep the Tsavo Camps & Lodges vehicles when there's no guest need in camp. They're reasonably close to Maktau gate so you could also do game drives in Tsavo West. I don't know that they'd be any less than Rhino Valley though.
Apr 2nd, 2008, 04:49 PM
#52
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I'm glad the cartoon animals got clarified. I thought you were remarking on the oddity of marsupials. No road runners outside my window, but coyotes and recently a wild turkey.
Good luck with the land portion.
Good luck with the land portion.
Apr 3rd, 2008, 12:27 PM
#54
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Aha, Leely <b>is</b> a roadrunner.
Patty, I think I’ll try to haggle with Tsavo Camps & Lodges. I’m still hoping for a special offer from Koiyaki, but I’ll have to start sending emails everywhere. I’d have liked Riverside because there’s a connection with Koiyaki. Perhaps the reason they didn’t reply is just some computer problem.
Patty, I think I’ll try to haggle with Tsavo Camps & Lodges. I’m still hoping for a special offer from Koiyaki, but I’ll have to start sending emails everywhere. I’d have liked Riverside because there’s a connection with Koiyaki. Perhaps the reason they didn’t reply is just some computer problem.
Apr 4th, 2008, 10:49 AM
#56
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See you in September, then? 
Haggling sounds a good idea. Worked last time. I'm afraid haven't really found any more inexpensive places than yours that don't require your own transportation and meet your minimum requirements.
Haggling sounds a good idea. Worked last time. I'm afraid haven't really found any more inexpensive places than yours that don't require your own transportation and meet your minimum requirements.
Apr 4th, 2008, 06:08 PM
#58
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Glad you got your tickets Nyamera! Hope you can cash in the return and live your dream in Kenya! I'm having the worst luck with my tickets-booked award tickets on Aloha-Hawaii to Oakland to start my trip to South Africa (Aloha went bankrupt Sunday and stopped flying) so bought tickets on ATA (ATA went bankrupt Wednesday and stopped flying) I'm afraid to book Hawaiian or United as I think I'll never get off this rock and make it back to Africa!
Apr 18th, 2008, 12:45 PM
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As a service to all Fodorites planning a trip to Kenya I’ll update this thread.
I did get a reply from Riverside Camp, over a month after I emailed them. They confirmed that the game drives were Ksh 10,000 per day and that there were no shared game drives. With that price it’d be as expensive as a special offer at a nicer camp in a less urbanised area, but I could stay at Riverside after another camp and just go for walks there.
I’ve got a phone call from KLM to my mobile phone. First I was afraid there had been some mistake and my ticket really should have been more expensive, but it was about the return flight (that I’m NOT going to use). It had been changed from 8.30 to 8.15 and I started whining, “Why can’t you change it to 11.15 instead?” I must learn that the return flight is a non-issue.
I’ve also done something stupid that I’ve wasted a lot of my (and others’) time on this week. I filled in a questionnaire to get a safari quotation that I found on the KATO (Kenya Association of Tour Operators) website. I was curious to see what would happen, but didn’t really think I’d get any replies, but I did from several TAs. Most just sent expensive standard itineraries showing that they hadn’t read what I wrote in the questionnaire, but one (and maybe another) actually were within the budget I’d filled in (max. $190 pd). The problem is that I can’t believe it. It’s possible, and I’m hoping to find that kind of deal directly from a camp and an operator could have this offer as well if I were using the guides and vehicles of the camp, but going with my own guide and vehicle it sounds slightly impossible. In the short descriptions of different parks that this TA sent me wild dogs are mentioned among the animals <b>easily</b> seen in the Mara and it says there’re black rhinos in Amboseli … Also, I can’t find this TA in the list on KATO’s website and their first reply didn’t come via KATO as the others’ did. I’ve told all the TAs that I’ll think a bit. I detest being a time-waster and shouldn’t have filled in this questionnaire. Though I don’t mind people who aren’t going to buy anything asking me about the things I’m selling. I prefer it to being ignored. What I can’t stand are hagglers …
Maybe I should go to Mombasa to visit a fair trade company that I’m doing “business” with. I’ve ordered some jewellery in early February and now it’s on its way. I could also make a point about NOT staying at the eco-crime infested Baobab Beach Resort in Diani http://colobus.wildlifedirect.org/20...ment-in-diani/ but it’s too expensive anyway. The coast just isn’t my habitat.
I’m thinking about making myself a business card that’s adapted to the Kenyan market and I’ll ask for advice in another thread – or maybe not.
I did get a reply from Riverside Camp, over a month after I emailed them. They confirmed that the game drives were Ksh 10,000 per day and that there were no shared game drives. With that price it’d be as expensive as a special offer at a nicer camp in a less urbanised area, but I could stay at Riverside after another camp and just go for walks there.
I’ve got a phone call from KLM to my mobile phone. First I was afraid there had been some mistake and my ticket really should have been more expensive, but it was about the return flight (that I’m NOT going to use). It had been changed from 8.30 to 8.15 and I started whining, “Why can’t you change it to 11.15 instead?” I must learn that the return flight is a non-issue.
I’ve also done something stupid that I’ve wasted a lot of my (and others’) time on this week. I filled in a questionnaire to get a safari quotation that I found on the KATO (Kenya Association of Tour Operators) website. I was curious to see what would happen, but didn’t really think I’d get any replies, but I did from several TAs. Most just sent expensive standard itineraries showing that they hadn’t read what I wrote in the questionnaire, but one (and maybe another) actually were within the budget I’d filled in (max. $190 pd). The problem is that I can’t believe it. It’s possible, and I’m hoping to find that kind of deal directly from a camp and an operator could have this offer as well if I were using the guides and vehicles of the camp, but going with my own guide and vehicle it sounds slightly impossible. In the short descriptions of different parks that this TA sent me wild dogs are mentioned among the animals <b>easily</b> seen in the Mara and it says there’re black rhinos in Amboseli … Also, I can’t find this TA in the list on KATO’s website and their first reply didn’t come via KATO as the others’ did. I’ve told all the TAs that I’ll think a bit. I detest being a time-waster and shouldn’t have filled in this questionnaire. Though I don’t mind people who aren’t going to buy anything asking me about the things I’m selling. I prefer it to being ignored. What I can’t stand are hagglers …
Maybe I should go to Mombasa to visit a fair trade company that I’m doing “business” with. I’ve ordered some jewellery in early February and now it’s on its way. I could also make a point about NOT staying at the eco-crime infested Baobab Beach Resort in Diani http://colobus.wildlifedirect.org/20...ment-in-diani/ but it’s too expensive anyway. The coast just isn’t my habitat.
I’m thinking about making myself a business card that’s adapted to the Kenyan market and I’ll ask for advice in another thread – or maybe not.
