Adventures of a Lifetime in this Issue of Virtuoso Insights
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Travelingking
Imagine . Create . Experience
Filed underKenya
A good man, a very good man...
Patrick Ungugo, Safari Director for Micato Safaris, with Barbara and Lauren King at an airstrip in Tanzania, July, 2005
Last Friday when he was planning someone's safari to Tanzania, Michael King called the New York office of Micato Safaris, voted World's Best Tour Operator and Safari Outfitter 8 years in a row by readers of Travel + Leisure. Michael and Diana, one of Micato's top safari planners, discussed various options, each offering their opinions on which lodge would be the best fit for Michael's client. During this collaborative effort, Michael requested that Patrick Ungugo, Head of Micato's Safari Directors, escort his client on the safari. "After all, I want the best possible Safari Director and you can't get any better than Patrick," Michael declared.For a moment, Diana was silent, then cleared her throat. "Michael, I'm so sorry to tell you, Patrick died a few days ago...a massive stroke."
Michael was stunned, finished his conversation with Diana, and then shared the sad news with me. Michael and I first met Patrick in 2004 when the Kenya Tourism Board and Micato Safaris hosted a safari for a group of US travel advisors. Patrick was warm, friendly, and jovial, a walking field guide to all flora and fauna we saw! So, when we returned to Kenya with our children in 2005, we requested Patrick as our Safari Director. He was an expert in his craft, regaling us with stories, drawing both Josh and Lauren into conversations and away from their iPods. In October, 2010, we saw Patrick again, this time in his new position as the Head of the Micato Safari Directors. He helped orchestrate a very successful Virtuoso Chairman's Safari for top producers. When we approached him, Patrick remembered us and asked us how our kids are doing. Of course, we had to show him the latest photos on our phone of our kids with their kids and he gushed appropriately!
When I thought about what to say about Patrick, I thought of many anecdotes---his joke about the cheetah cub perched on the hood of the Land Rover next to ours, "You may drive Jaguars--here we drive Cheetahs", his loving description of the Masai people we visited, his leading the other Safari Directors in a joyous round of "Jambo, Jambo Bwana", a popular Kenyan folk song, last October---but Patrick was so much more than that. In addition to being a devoted husband, a loving father, a trusted and valued employee, a man who never knew a stranger, Patrick was a good man, truly a good man. And, after all is said and done, what finer tribute can be said than that? Thank you, Patrick, for gracing our lives and for sharing your love of Kenya with us. Rest in peace, dear friend, as we will always carry you in our hearts.
Safari with Micato - The World's Best!
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This is Heaven: A Visit to AmericaShare's Harambee Center
In 2004 we first experienced Mukuru, one of Nairobi's blighted areas. I recall in vivid detail the drive, which seemed hours long but lasted only 20 minutes. That November day was sunny after the pervious night's soaking rains, rains that easily turned Mukuru's dirt roads into rivers of mud. A mass of humanity lined the the route, standing in front of store fronts that provided a facade for the dense rows of shacks sardined behind them. Some people had vacant eyes but not the children---their eyes sparkled, smiles radiated, and hands waving while chanting, "How are you (with the emphasis on 'you') at the passing caravan of Micato coaches. Silently I wondered how soon the reality of slum life would obliterate the smiles, the hope.
Then we arrived at what is now called Harambee Center, a slice of Heaven, a patch of land dotted with green space that is focused on helping women and children, offering solutions and providing for their physical health, education, vocational training, and nutrition. I've blogged about AmericaShare in the past and rather than repeat myself, I suggest you visit www.americashare.org to learn more about this incredible organization. One important note: All administrative costs of AmericaShare are absorbed by Micato Safaris and its founders, the Pinto family. That means that 100% of donations reach the women and children who sorely need them.
Fast forward to this visit, October 29, 2010: Unlike previous visits that sucked the air out of me, I breathed in the progress I saw, the measurable growth and success. A few years ago, a guest of Micato Safaris, impressed with AmericaShare's project, donated funds to build Harambee Center. On this visit we found so many signs of hope: a learning center housed a bank of computers to assist in strengthening children's basic education; a new sports court was being built and would offer basketball, tennis, and a games area; an area women used to create handicrafts that they sold to support themselves; increased classrooms for the preschool; and a micro-factory which constructed reusable sanitary pads. When girls are menstruating, they often miss school because they have no means to stop the flow of blood. In an effort to earn enough money to buy disposable sanitary napkins, some girls offer their bodies for sex, risking their lives and their health. AmericaShare provides a safer option. (See photo below). Girls now stay in school and have less chance to contract AIDS.
While Mukuru's populations has swelled to 750,000 from the 500,000 of 2004, AmericaShare, too, has grown. The atmosphere of hope, of a solution to the terrible cycle of poverty is palpable. So, Michael was indeed accurate when he stated, "This is what Heaven is like."
Footnote: Virtuoso donated $15,000 to AmericaShare and Matthew, Jessica, Clay, and Benjie Upchurch matched that donation with another $15,000...a reminder of the how travel helps heal our world.
You snooze, you lose!
Yesterday afternoon I opted to stay at Fairmont Mara Safari Club rather than take the afternoon game drive. My bad! While dreaming about lions and leopards, the rest of the Virtuoso crowd actually saw them---and a herd of elephants, too! Grrrrr! The rainy season seems to have begun a little early. Some background: there are 2 rainy seasons--the long rains are in March and April and the short rains are in November. Apparently, elephants aren't into rain showers and migrate uphill when it's soggy outside. So, although we saw several elephants in November, 2004, we were told that was unusual. Can you believe the elephants and the leopard had the gall to wander around when I wasn't there???
Last night it rained but that didn't stop the Virtuoso bunch from having a good time. David Hanson, Terrie Hanson and Keith Waldon, of Virtuoso fame, decided to play a trick on Alex Sharpe, Regent Cruises. They planted a rubber snake in his tent. There was one teeny, weeny problem---they put the snake in the tent of Sharon and Michael Fake, Travel Experts! When Terrie shared the prank with David Lowy, Renshaw Travel, he told Terrie she was a polysyllabic word that meant a person who enjoys teasing others (can't remember the word-it's from a German word, I think). That made her pause while Elaine looked up the definition on her phone.
This morning we went for a morning game drive, hoping to see the leopard and elephants we missed yesterday. Alas, it was not to be; however, we saw a mama lion and her cubs, some mongooses (Google claims "mongooses" is more common than "mongeese"), an elephant, lots of antelope (again, Google opts for no "s"), ostrich, giraffes, zebras, dik dik, gazelles, wildebeests, impalas, hyena and a stork. It's amazing how quickly we become jaded because I and several others were heard to whine, "Oh, another zebra" or "Just some more impalas" as if we see them every day of our lives!
This morning's treat was a gourmet buffet breakfast in the bush. Only Fairmont and Micato would know that we Virtuoso members are inveterate shoppers---they invited some Maasai to join us and set up a gift boutique on a traditional red and blue plaid Maasai blanket! We spent time visiting with Sean Walwyn, Fairmont Hotels. He's lived in some amazing places. He was born in Jamaica, moved to Barbados, schooled in the UK, worked in Kuwait, Istanbul, Japan, and Canada (to name just a few of his posts).
This afternoon is another game drive and we have one more chance to spot some wildlife tomorrow before we wing our way to Fairmont Mt. Kenya Safari Club for two nights. Chris Cahill, COO of Fairmont Raffles Hotels International will join us there along with Sean, Serge and Leslie, who have escorted us so far.
Okay, enough jabber! It's time for lunch and, God knows, I haven't eaten in at least 3 hours!
Photos from today are at: Mara Safari Club Day 2-Virtuoso Chairman's Safari. I just checked and I'm having difficulty uploading photos to the Internet. While I'm trying to upload 36 photos, only 6 have uploaded so far and I've been waiting 2 1/2 hours! My laptop's battery is low, so if you don't see all 36, I'll try again tomorrow from Mt. Kenya Safari Club. I can't complain because I'm sitting in the middle of Kenya away from any city and I'm still able to communicate with you. I think I'm beginning to sound like an "Ugly American". Oy!
I could have danced all night!
Be grateful for small things, as in you can't hear me sing! Actually, I couldn't have danced all night; however, I enjoyed watching the native African dancers at the Chairman's Safari dinner at Lavington, home of Felix and Jane Pinto, founders of Micato Safaris. What a memorable evening!
To avoid being stuck in a traffic jam, we were escorted by Nairobi police to Lavington. On arrival we were greeted by a host of people dressed in various traditional African costumes. As Michael and I entered the Pinto's home, we reflected on our previous visits there: the family photos of Dennis and Anna as children; photos of Jane winning the ping pong championship in Kenya; the gorgeous statues; the urns everywhere one looked filled with dozens and dozens of roses; and the meals we've shared with the Pinto family on previous safaris to Kenya.
I'm at a loss for words (don't be shocked!) to describe this treasured evening. After cocktails and passed hors d'oeuvres we paraded through a hallway lined with the famous African Children's Choir singing a song of welcome and we stepped into a tent filled with crisp white linen covered tables, chairs covered in various animal prints, and centerpieces of intertwined animal horns filled with birds of paradise and other flowers. Food was plentiful and oh so delicious. Some of the many offerings were: Roasted Kenya vegetables, Medallions of beef tenderloin, Grilled Rock Lobster, and Giant Prawns. If that wasn't enough we each received a dessert of assorted sweets such as flourless chocolate cake, vanilla bean creme brulee, and meringue with fruit coulis. During the meal we enjoyed a multimedia event of traditional African dancers, modeling of African fashion, and music. The finale of the evening was an incredible performance by the African Children's Choir, who also performed at Virtuoso's Travel Mart in Vegas last August. They will be returning to the US to do a series of concerts to raise money to help the children of East Africa. If I find a schedule of their venues, I'll post it here. Trust me, attending one of their performances will envelop your soul with delight and hope.
Tomorrow we're off very early for the Fairmont Mara Safari Club for 3 days. We look forward to returning there and enjoying sitting on the deck overlooking the Mara River and its perennial crowd of hippos!
As soon as I can, I will upload photos from this evening's extravaganza. Now the angels of Africa are inviting me to go to sleep! May angels visit you in your dreams!
Jambo, Jambo bwana (Swahili for Hello, hello, sir): Virtuoso Chairman's Safari Day 2
Another glorious day in Nairobi! We began the day with breakfast and a visit from a cheetah, one that Jane Pinto rescued as an orphan! Next came the good luck wooden animal necklace and complementary safari hat followed by a series of welcomes. First, we heard from Jake Grieves-Smith, Chairman of the Kenya Tourism Board, followed by Serge Simard, Fairmont Hotels Regional VP, Africa and Asia. Serge presented a check for $3500 to AmericaShare in honor of Virtuoso's Chairman's Safari to Micato Safari's Dennis Pinto. The Pintos established this charity and 100% of donations reach the recipients! Check out www.americashare.org. Alex Sharpe,of Regent Seven Seas and another of our hosts, commented that he never has looked forward to a business trip as much as this one! Bill Smith, of Crystal Cruises and also our host, crystallized (no pun intended, honest!) my feelings about Kenya, "Kenya is so much more than the magnificent animals. Look into the eyes of the people and they'll touch your soul!"We met all the Micato staff that help create that special magic that is Micato's hallmark and had a briefing for the days ahead in the Masai Mara. After that, Virtuoso members and staff brainstormed about our strengths and opportunites, something I look forward to because I get to interact with the best advisors in the industry!
At noon we boarded coaches, and with a police escort (not for security, but to help navigate through the traffic!) we arrived at the home of Ambassador Michael E. Ranneberger, US Ambassador to Kenya, for a gourmet luncheon in a tranquil garden setting.
Some random thoughts:
- The sense of optimism is palpable in Kenya
- The Swahili word for stranger," mgeni", is also the word for guest
- In 2010 100,000 visitors from the US will visit Kenya and I hope you are one of them
I'm off to change for dinner at Lavington, the home of Jane and Felix Pinto, founders of Micato. I thought you might enjoy listening to Jambo, Jambo bwana and reading the English translation:
Translation of Jambo bwana lyrics
Jambo - Hi
Jambo bwana - Hi sir
Habari gani? - How are you?
Mzuri sana - Very fine
Wageni mwakaribishwa - Visitors are welcome
Kenya yetu - Our (country) Kenya
Hakuna matata - (there are) no worries
Verse
Kenya nchi nzuri - Kenya is a nice country
Nchi ya maajabu - A beautiful country
Nchi yenye amani - A peaceful country
Kenya yetu - Our country
Kenya wote - All Kenyans
It's a bird! It's a plane! It's the Traveling Kings!
It's Saturday morning and my mind is racing: Did I pack the fleece top in case it gets cold in the mountains of Rwanda? Have I left an out-of-office message on my work phone? Do I have an extra copy of my passport tucked safely away? Toothpaste? Computer cord, Kindle cord, iPod cord, camera cord, cord cord???? Yikes! We leave in a few hours and I'm blogging?????
Better get back to my to-do list! Just a quick reminder you can follow us at www.greatgetaways.travel/blog and picasaweb.google.com/travelingking1 as we visit Rwanda's mountain gorillas (Thanks, Volcanoes Safaris!), participate in the Virtuoso Chairman's Club Safari in Kenya (Thanks Virtuoso, Micato, Fairmont, Crystal, Regent, and Magical Kenya!), attend the Classic Partners Event in Kauai (Thanks, Classic Vacations), and hug and kiss our daughter, Lauren, Jon, and 6 month old baby, Jacob!
Whew! That was a mouthful! Okay, did I stop the mail, water the plants, pack my Sudoku.....
Ponder this: Some of our favorite travel quotes
Maasi Child -Barbara King, www.greatgetaways.travel
“Perhaps travel cannot prevent bigotry, but by demonstrating that all peoples cry, laugh, eat, worry, and die, it can introduce the idea that if we try and understand each other, we may even become friends.” – Maya Angelou
Willoq women, Peru -Michael King, www.greatgetaways.travel
“When you travel, remember that a foreign country is not designed to make you comfortable. It is designed to make its own people comfortable.” – Clifton Fadiman
“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness.” – Mark Twain
Montmartre -Ken Marshall, www.greatgetaways.travel
“The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.” – St. Augustine
“There are no foreign lands. It is the traveler only who is foreign.” – Robert Louis Stevenson
On the Yangtze River -Michael King, www.greatgetaways.travel
“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” – Mark Twain
Why travel?
Okay, fellow travel lovers, why do you travel? In August, I was lucky enough to meet and talk to Simon Sinek, author of Start with Why, and that 3 letter word, “why” has been echoing in me ever since. Traveling, exploring, experiencing life borrowing others' "eyes”, is woven into my core. How did that happen? What do I gain from this passion? The answers to these questions are multi-layered, but I’ve condensed them for this article. In case you want to discover your “Why”, I’ll my most recent musings on the subject:
I grew up in a family that traveled often. We always went on vacation in December, during Spring Break, and in the summer. There were numerous vacations scattered in the remaining months, too. So, I viewed the notion of visiting other destinations as part of what a person does--kind of like breathing! As I matured, I traveled to escape and sometimes to brag---not something I'm proud of; however, whatever motivated me, I found the benefits beyond my expectations. I know I planned some journeys just to see “live and in person” some sights I had read about. I call that my "Trophy Travel" phase.
In recent years my favorite journeys have had a culture, history, food and nature theme. Michael and I will soon depart for Rwanda to go gorilla trekking with Volcanoes Safaris, followed by a safari in Kenya with Micato Safaris. I wish I could adequately put into words the strong attraction I have for Africa. It is so much more than seeing majestic animals in their natural habitat, although that is one of the most dramatic and enriching experiences in the world! The vistas—sweeping plains, an Acacia tree framed by the setting sun, glimpses of Mt. Kenya, Kilimanjaro, and the spray from Victoria Falls---are unique and breathtaking. The people fascinate me and teach me so much. One of the most important takeaways from a visit to Africa is the reminder that happiness is about wanting what we have, not having what we want. I’ve witnessed actions of joy: people spontaneously breaking into joyous song; children lining the unpaved streets of the Mukuru slum in Nairobi, Kenya, grinning from ear to ear, waving, and chanting, “How are you (with the emphasis on “you”)?” and more.
Each time I come home and inventory my life here in the US. I tend to notice things like storage units and wonder how I could explain to a person whose worldly possessions fit in a cloth bag the concept of having so much “stuff” I’d pay someone to store it. I find myself complaining that I can’t find any TV shows I want to watch on my uber channeled cable TV. I catch myself debating which restaurant to dine in, even when I’m not hungry, and my mind will drift back to people who don’t even have the option of feeling sated.
Does this mean I will give up my worldly possessions, move to a small, nameless studio apartment, and send all monies accumulated to those in need? No, of course not! I still live in a lovely home surrounded by accessories gleaned from years of travel; I still eat when I’m not hungry; and I still have too much stuff. Over the past few years I’ve taken some small steps that enable me to act for others as well as for myself. Today I purposely conserve. I spend less, collect less and use the funds saved and the time gained from avoiding needless shopping sprees to reach out to others who are less fortunate.
My ego would like you to notice what I’m doing and have you applaud me for doing what many people do daily---thinking about others, helping others. Yet, my actions are quieting my ego, “You don’t need to be noticed or rewarded, “ my actions say, “Just do the next right thing, be the spark that ignites someone else’s passion or the act that helps feed a starving child. Today I truly focus on being the change I want to see and I subscribe wholeheartedly to the adage, “Better to light one candle than to curse the darkness.”
So, why do I travel? I am able to interact with people all over the world; I can give a hug; I can make a new friend; I can help in a very small way to give back to the world for all that I’ve been given.
And, back to my original question to you, “Why travel?” Please share!
