THE MAGIC OF KENYA WITH ZUCCHERO AND THE GOF CHILDREN

WELCOME TO KENYA

"Home sweet home" is this the feeling I get when from the window of the Neos aircraft I glimpse the runway of Mombasa airport and the feelings increase as I get closer to my beloved Watamu, where I know my great rafiki Zucchero will be waiting for me...and not only him. On the day of my arrival, with Raffaela who this year is my travel companion, we immediately make friends with Federica and Chiara. The weather is cloudy and every now and then a few drops even fall. We settle our bags with complete calm and prepare the backpack since tomorrow we're already leaving for the safari that had already been arranged with Zucchero from Italy for 15 August: Tsavo East and Amboseli! The drum sounds, it's lunchtime and we, hungry, don't hesitate to reach the restaurant, where I'll find my favourite cook again: Nico.

During lunch we get to know 4 guys who will brighten our first week with their pleasant company. In the afternoon I give Raffaela a tour of the Aquarius to show her the facility and as we approach the beach, there in the distance you can glimpse the famous beach boys all ready for the hunt for the newcomers "the mozzarellas". Towards evening I finally embrace my rafiki Zucchero again who invites us to have something to drink at the Spuntino and we arrange for the next day.

TSAVO EAST SAFARI

It's August 15th, it's 5 in the morning and outside the Aquarius we're waiting for the minibus. I'm so excited, I'll see my dear driver Ambrogio again and after 3 safaris in Tsavo East this year something new for me too: Amboseli! I'll finally be able to take photos with my new camera: Lamarty, that's its baptismal name. We pick up Zucchero and the other two couples with whom we'll spend 3 fantastic days among emotions and cheerfulness. After the usual breakfast at Lo Spuntino in Watamu and after picking up the second minibus with other adventure companions, we hit the road to reach the first stop of our safari, Tsavo East park. Once again this year Zucchero appoints me as his assistant and entrusts me with a minibus. Traveling the long road for the fourth time no longer has any effect on me, I feel at home by now and the journey doesn't even seem that long and winding anymore.

Here we are, after the usual bathroom stop and photos of the crocodiles we head towards the park entrance, which compared to last year, they've made some changes to; -better- I think to myself, at least the photos will have something different! Zucchero calls us, everyone on board and off we go, the hunt begins, which in the morning will be a bit disappointing. Maybe it's just my impression since for me it's the fourth safari in Tsavo and I ask Ambrogio if the animals have gone to celebrate Ferragosto in Tanzania!!!!! Lunchtime is approaching and we reach the Voi Wildlife Lodge. As always we're welcomed warmly; we're offered a drink and to freshen up we're given a small towel soaked in water and essences which is also useful for cleaning off the red soil of the savannah.

Once again this year we'll stay in the buildings but when we open the bedroom door here's the surprise: beautiful canopy beds and a spectacular view over the savannah… every year better and better! I then thank Zucchero with a big hug, as always up to my expectations! After having lunch and resting it's time to set off again, the animals are waiting for us and in the afternoon we'll be repaid for the morning's disappointment: a beautiful specimen of a lioness lying on the red soil of the savannah is waiting for us. She looks like a Hollywood diva showing off under the flashes of her countless fans. I try to make the most of the few notions learned in the photography course and I snap repeatedly to immortalize her every slightest movement.

The safari starts to get interesting and so, enthusiastic and charged up, we set off again in search of the other animals we'll encounter traveling the dusty roads, also enjoying those wonderful landscapes that scroll before my eyes which I try in vain to immortalize with a few shots from the window of the moving minibus. We wait anxiously for the sunset hoping that the scattered clouds in the sky won't completely obscure the sun that little by little is making room for the moon, it's the end of another day, a beautiful day spent in the endless spaces of the savannah where you breathe a great sense of peace and serenity.

Back at the lodge we get ready for dinner and then, tired from the day, we retire to our rooms, tomorrow wake-up at dawn and off we go for new adventures: Amboseli here we come!!!!! The alarm goes off at 5, I absolutely can't miss the dawn on the savannah, I get ready and reach the lodge terrace. The sun is rising and the sky keeps changing colors: from grey-blue veiled with pink, to pink veiled with red and here suddenly before my eyes a red ball of fire: the sun, which with its warm colors wishes a good morning to all of us! I didn't manage to photograph this wonderful scenario, but I think that not even the best photographer would be able to convey with his shots the emotion you feel before such a spectacle! "A dawn is a dawn" you might think, but no, the dawn and the sunset on the savannah have something magical about them!!!

AMBOSELI SAFARI

After breakfast, back on board our minibus, we set off. A 4-hour journey awaits us with only one stop planned, before reaching Amboseli park. I'm thrilled and full of curiosity, the Amboseli experience is new for me too. The journey doesn't weigh on me at all and despite the early wake-up I stay awake the whole time because I don't want in any way to miss the scenery along the way: the children who at the sight of the tourists' minibuses give wonderful smiles while waving their little hands up in the sky, the sellers of fruit, vegetables and poultry on the roadside, the little villages you come across now and then and those beautiful African landscapes with the contrasting colors of the red soil and the green of the vegetation. There's a lot of traffic, a great coming and going of large and small vehicles all heading towards Nairobi, the capital, a destination for many for trade.

Time has flown and, so caught up in everything around me, I didn't even notice that I'd already taken the road that will lead us to the park; in fact we're getting closer since we start having our first encounters with the animals even before reaching the official entrance. The landscape is different from Tsavo, much more arid and bare, but certainly much more populated. We encounter groups of elephants, zebras, impalas, gazelles, herds of excited buffalo and finally before reaching the tented camp a small group of monkeys including a scruffy little baby that never takes its eyes off its mommy.

It's almost lunchtime, we arrive at Kibo Camp, immersed in the savannah, in the truest sense of the word! We're welcomed here too as at the Voi Lodge: welcome cocktail and small towels, this time with the scent of Marseille soap! I handle the check-in of the group entrusted to me by Zucchero, since he took the others to visit the Masai village. The camp is small but very delightful, there's even a pool with a bar corner. So we reach our tents, which are immersed in the brush of the savannah, oh my, better not think about what strange beings might be hidden inside those bushes that surround the entire tented camp! This experience, to say the least adventurous, was missing for me but I believe it was one of the most beautiful I've ever lived so far.

I'm simply on cloud nine, I adore Africa and these places so isolated and solitary that are able to give me so much serenity!! Sometimes I have the feeling of reliving firsthand the vicissitudes of the characters of some books about Africa I've read!! Once the whole group is reunited we reach the restaurant for lunch and after a bit of relaxation by the pool we go back to our animals. A beautiful surprise is waiting for us! Finally my dream comes true!!!!! From Ambrogio's CB a call, a lioness with her lion "lounging" on the ground! I can't contain myself, finally after 4 safaris The King is right there in front of me! The stakeout is long and I keep snapping, but they, unperturbed, lie on the ground cuddled by the sun's rays, only the lioness at the noise of the numerous minibuses rushing over raises her head and looks around.

At a certain point here she turns onto her other side and then gets up and walks towards the lion who, disturbed, gets up and they start exchanging cuddles. They're beautiful and the spectacle is truly moving. Satisfied, we make room for the others who are arriving to enjoy the scene and we begin our tour hoping to see the cheetah. We'll encounter more elephants, zebras, many hyenas, ostriches. We head towards the lake to see if we're lucky with the hippos, which we didn't manage to see in Tsavo, but in Amboseli too they seem to have gone on holiday.

Another spectacle though is given by the sight of the pink flamingos whose image is reflected in the waters of the lake! This day too is almost over but Ambrogio as always surprises us with special effects, we're on our way back to camp when he spots a beautiful lion in total relaxation, camouflaged among the big boulders and dry branches, in fact I even have trouble recognizing it. By chance, thanks to Ambrogio, the lion gets up, takes a few steps and lies down in front of us as if he knew we're there only to immortalize his beautiful figure with our cameras. Two lions in one afternoon, it's the most beautiful gift I could receive from my beloved Kenya!!!!! I'm radiant with happiness! On returning to camp, Zucchero who was on the other minibus immediately comes up to me and asks if I was happy to have seen The King, he knew how much seeing him meant to me.

We agree on the dinner time and retire to our tents for a shower and a moment of relaxation. The tent is very cozy, even if spartan; there are all the comforts, toilet, sink, shower (with cold water) and comfortable beds naturally with the mosquito net which I immediately take care to open so as to avoid finding some unwanted guest in the bed. It's gotten dark and the spectacle is wonderful, myriads of sparkling stars and a beautiful moon are the only lights illuminating everything around. I have the feeling of being on another planet and it's nice to feel far from everything and everyone, alone, with my sensations, my emotions and my dreams. After dinner we all sit around a fire where we'll watch one of the traditional Masai shows. It's gotten late and in view of the long return journey the next day we retire to our tents.

I wish time would stop, the idea of having to leave the camp makes me very sad. Lying on my comfortable little bed, before closing my eyes and abandoning myself to sweet dreams I think back on these days spent in the savannah with wonderful companions with whom I shared this marvelous adventure among so much joy and cheerfulness; of Ambrogio, my most devoted and faithful driver who accompanied me and put up with me on all the safaris and naturally of Zucchero, who once again this year was great and gave me so many emotions again with these three days of safari and above all I think about how much our friendship has grown since the first day I met him: it was August 2008 and outside the Aquarius he was selling me my first safari!!! My sweet sleep is interrupted by the sound of the alarm, it's morning and we have to "strike camp".

A long return journey awaits us and finally we have the honor of having Zucchero on our minibus. We set off. A veil of melancholy falls over me while from the window in silence I admire for the last time the enchanting scenery of the savannah!! For the return journey there's a stop planned at the same place as on the way there and a stop for lunch which we'll have at a little restaurant on the road leading to Mombasa. We arrive in Watamu and by now it's late afternoon, we're tired from the journey but the tiredness doesn't weigh on us at all, it was worth it and I'd set off again at the mere thought of reliving all those wonderful moments!!

RELAX DAY

It's Wednesday morning. Today after three days of safari, a day of complete relaxation at the sea. It's very early, I'm woken by a text message, it's Zucchero, he's waiting for me at the reception with the local SIM card I'd asked him to get for me and he, always kind and helpful, came specially to bring it to me. He invites us to go with him to Ocean Breeze and so mid-morning he picks us up and so we spend a morning of relaxation on this beautiful beach where we'll also meet Patrizio and Alessandra, our safari companions. Very kindly Zucchero gets our sunbeds and also gets us some coconuts to drink! We return to the Aquarius for lunchtime and spend the rest of the day there.

SHOPPING IN MALINDI

On Thursday afternoon with Cinzia and Sirio, other safari companions of ours, we go to Malindi for shopping. On this occasion I'll try the fun experience of the "matatu", the local minibuses that serve as taxis and are discouraged by many because they're dangerous. At first I was a bit hesitant but in the end I had a lot of fun and ours, fortunately, was also not very crowded because often you end up crammed one on top of the other like sardines. We get off near the Malindi mosque and walk along the central street where all the trendy nightspots are also located, we throw ourselves into the shopping recommended by our friends who had already been there and then we go to Karen Blixen's to drink something because the heat is starting to make itself felt. It's time to head back since it's getting late and we prefer to make the return journey still in daylight.

We take the matatu which, as if we'd arranged to meet, is the same as on the way there, which reassures me a lot. After dinner with Zucchero we go to have a beer at the Come Back in Watamu and then off to bed.

A SPECIAL DAY

It's Friday, a special day and I'm very excited! Finally from today begins what was the purpose of my vacation in Kenya this year: to dedicate my time to the children of the God Our Father's Children's Home orphanage. But I'll tell you more, my greatest emotion is finally meeting the little girl that last year I decided to "support for her studies", my Jane, and finally being able to spend time with her. After lunch, Raffaela and I with other girls from the village board the "tuc tuc" (Ape cars used for transporting people), and set off for the orphanage. The slowness of our means of transport makes the journey seem even longer; after traveling along the provincial road, at the sight of the sign we turn and take a dirt road and after a bit of jolting and bouncing here we are at the new orphanage structure.

It's very large and spacious, the buildings are light blue with cartoon drawings on the walls. We won't be welcomed as usual by the notes of jambo jambo sung by the children who at the noise of the engines prepare to welcome visitors, because today they're all at the sea! We're welcomed by a person in charge of the center who shows us the entire structure. Finally the children have their new home! I already know that I won't see my little Prea anymore, the little girl who in 2008 stole my heart, now happy with her new family; however I'll see again many of the children I met in past years and the new arrivals. Once we enter the little ones' rooms we're kidnapped by those big black eyes and their sweet smiles and the little arms reaching out towards us mean we find ourselves with a small child in our arms.

It's beautiful to hold them in your arms, they hold you tightly and make you feel how great their need for affection is and a little tear of emotion on all our faces is inevitable!! The emotions aren't over yet, here from afar you can hear the noise of the minibus bringing back the older ones after their day at the sea, just a few more minutes and finally I'll hug my Jane. The meeting is very emotional! When they explain to her who I am she too abandons herself in my arms with eyes full of tears of joy! I'm immensely happy, I wish time would stop and never start again because that would mean that sooner or later the day of my departure would arrive. I give her a small gift and so we spend the whole afternoon together also playing with the other little girls. Time has flown and it's time to head back, I say goodbye to her with the promise that we'd see each other again the next day.

And so it will be; another whole afternoon in the company of my Jane and all the children whose presence filled my heart with joy!

ROBINSON ISLAND AND MARAFA WITH ZUCCHERO

It's Sunday and today I won't go to the center. Zucchero has organized the excursion to Robinson Island where a succulent little lunch awaits us and Marafa. These excursions too, like the safari to Amboseli, are new for me. Having set off from Watamu, after a journey of almost two hours, if I remember correctly, we arrive at our destination. We reach the island aboard a rowboat captained by the legendary Charon who enlivens the short crossing with cheerful little songs, a truly crazy guy!!! On this excursion too Zucchero proves truly unsurpassable! The place, even if rather spartan, is very nice: a little restaurant all in wood, with the tables set very gracefully, and at the edges, relaxation corners furnished with soft little cushions. The only drawback: the mosquitoes! We take a little walk by the sea and then wait for lunchtime.

We sit at the table and the legendary Zucchero shows up with a big bottle of chilled white wine, bought by him for the occasion, which will accompany our fish-based lunch: oysters, king prawns, crab, a big fish whose name I don't remember, a fresh and very tasty salad, some rice with a little sauce made with coconut and finally fresh fruit for everyone and a very good ginger tea!! With our "bellies full" we get back in the car, heading for Marafa, where we'll have the chance to burn off our little lunch! Marafa or the Devil's Kitchen presents itself as a sort of American grand canyon. Once we arrive Zucchero entrusts us to a guide who accompanies us among the inlets of the rocks. A stunning spectacle that will increase its beauty at sunset, when the different colors of the rocks stand out better. We return to the village in the late evening.

AN AFTERNOON AT THE POOL

It's Monday. Today I'll spend a wonderful day: with the director's permission I bring my little girl with me to the Aquarius. She's on cloud nine because she'll get to spend a day at the pool and I'm even more so because I was able to fulfill one of her great desires and also we can spend time together, and so I'll do the same the next day too when her older sister and little brother will join us.

MALINDY BY NIGHT

On Monday evening the evening at the Rosada in Malindi is scheduled where I'll go with the beautiful bunch of girls I met at the Aquarius and naturally accompanied by the super crazy entertainer Lilly, a real "burst of energy and vitality"!!! Naturally I also arranged with Zucchero whom I'll meet right there. The venue is enchanting, a disco on the beach but made magical by the beautiful moon shining in the blue sky! I don't know why but in Kenya even the most banal and obvious things always have something enchanted about them! There are many tourists but also many Kenyan guys; fortunately Zucchero is with us who thanks to his presence will keep the "local flies" away. We dance all evening, happy and carefree!

EMOTIONS AND HAPPINESS WITH THE GOF CHILDREN

Tuesday morning we'll get up a bit later since we stayed up late, after lunch I'll go to the orphanage to pick up my little girl and her siblings and we'll spend a cheerful day at the pool in the company also of the other girls who are very happy to play with them. I'll spend the rest of my vacation at the Gof. It's hard to think that in a few days I'll have to leave my adored children. I'll miss them immensely. How will I manage without their affection, their smiles, the little songs we cheerfully sang every day. Unfortunately the departure is getting closer and closer and I have to start thinking about my days without them, miles and miles away.

IT'S TIME TO SAY GOOD BYE

On Friday afternoon I go there for the last time: it's time for goodbyes. I thank mama Sussy for allowing me to spend time with Jane outside the center; I say goodbye to all the children and the Italian guys I met during this wonderful week and finally I hug my Jane very tightly and promise her that I'll come back to see her soon, I kiss her and immediately get on the tuc tuc which slowly moves away. Tears slowly fall from my eyes, they make no noise but they hurt the heart so much. The goodbyes aren't over. Once in Watamu, Raffaela and I meet at Lo Spuntino with Zucchero, Patrizio and Alessandra for the last aperitif of the vacation and then we head towards the Aquarius where we say goodbye.

I hug my rafiki Zucchero tightly and thank him for having once again made my vacation unforgettable and for having been as always not only an excellent guide but the dear and most devoted friend of always!! It's hard having to leave this extraordinary land that every time gives me strong and indelible emotions but it's even harder having to detach myself from all those people who by now have conquered a place in my heart!!! See you soon Kenya!

For info and contacts: zuccherowatamu.spaces.live.com zucchero@zuccherosafari.com iele_2000@yahoo.it