Lions, Giraffes and Gorillas Oh My

Toula92122 · Aug 23, 2018

Giraffe Manor, saw a Netflix show recently which featured it. It's one of those places on my list of where I would love to go. Can't wait to follow along.

Flying mermaid · Aug 23, 2018

Not long now

. Still struggling with my packing. We discovered that our first plane down to the Masai Mara only allows 15kg each including everything. We did a trial pack and came in just under 30kg with Mr FMs camera gear coming in at 12kg of that!

However since then he has decided he wants to take another lens and I missed a few things, so now plan B is to have one bag packed with everything for Giraffe Manor and Salas Camp and the other with the rest. That way we can leave one bag at Wilson and pick it up on our return if we have to.

In case people are interested we obtained all our visas prior to leaving. Tanzania is still paper based so we sent forms, bank cheque and passports to the consulate in Perth. Very efficiently organised. you get 3 months from when the visa is issued until you leave Tanzania so you can’t do it too early. Kenya is the same and Rwanda 30 days from entry,

Rwanda and Kenya were online applications and pretty easy. There is an East African visa available as well, which covers those two plus Uganda but it isn’t online as yet, so we went with individual online ones. It was a pretty painless process and visas obtained in about 48 hours. Only slight concern was we received a scam email pretending to be from the Rwandan immigration people. The scammers clearly had access to some of our data but not enough to be credible.

love_the_life · Aug 23, 2018

Not long now..
Just like MrFM to decide on an extra lens!

The photos will be great though.

Pushka · Aug 23, 2018

Flying mermaid said:
Not long now . Still struggling with my packing. We discovered that our first plane down to the Masai Mara only allows 15kg each including everything. We did a trial pack and came in just under 30kg with Mr FMs camera gear coming in at 12kg of that!

However since then he has decided he wants to take another lens and I missed a few things, so now plan B is to have one bag packed with everything for Giraffe Manor and Salas Camp and the other with the rest. That way we can leave one bag at Wilson and pick it up on our return if we have to.

In case people are interested we obtained all our visas prior to leaving. Tanzania is still paper based so we sent forms, bank cheque and passports to the consulate in Perth. Very efficiently organised. you get 3 months from when the visa is issued until you leave Tanzania so you can’t do it too early. Kenya is the same and Rwanda 30 days from entry,

Rwanda and Kenya were online applications and pretty easy. There is an East African visa available as well, which covers those two plus Uganda but it isn’t online as yet, so we went with individual online ones. It was a pretty painless process and visas obtained in about 48 hours. Only slight concern was we received a scam email pretending to be from the Rwandan immigration people. The scammers clearly had access to some of our data but not enough to be credible.

Just realised we shouldn’t feel bad about missing each other at different airports. I don’t leave until the 7th!

Flying mermaid · Sep 6, 2018

So the obligatory car photo. We have had the same driver every time. Never let it be said Canberra isn’t a country town

Flying mermaid · Sep 6, 2018

Lunch in the lounge - Spring menu was out today. Only 1 glass of Perrier Jouet each as there is a lot of drinking to go.

tgh · Sep 6, 2018

bon voyage

Denali · Sep 6, 2018

Safe, happy travels!

Straubs · Sep 6, 2018

Have a great time, food looks good so far

Flying mermaid · Sep 7, 2018

In the Dubai international Hotel at the moment. Had a lovely flight with Emirates. We had been disappointed when they swapped the A380 for a 777, but from our point of view little difference. We don’t use the onboard lounge and Mr FM refuses to have a shower. I had remembered the suites as narrow, but they really weren’t and the service and food are the same. There were only 4 in First, so I suspect most people prefer the A380

.

The transit hotel is great. We were met at the gate, checked in quickly and have had another 4 hours sleep on top of the sleep on the plane so feeling quite fresh and ready for the flight to Nairobi and Giraffes. Lovely long shower as well without feeling guilty about others waiting.

We didn’t get a gate last night, so a picture of the First class bus for those who haven’t seen it. (Photos so far by me with iPhone/IPad, so not Mr FMs quality.

The photos are of canapés, then I had the caviar (no photo), then the mezze plate, which is billed as an appetiser, but was really a banquet. I followed it with a pannacotta. There was a terrific menu, but that was all I could eat for the whole flight. Too many glasses of Dom - I had an evil FA who kept filling up the glass even when I said no. The wine list was excellent as well, but apart from a tiny bit of a dessert wine I didn’t have any.

love_the_life · Sep 7, 2018

Have a great time; looking forward to some amazing photos (did you hear me Mr FM?)

Flying mermaid · Sep 7, 2018

love_the_life said:
Have a great time; looking forward to some amazing photos (did you hear me Mr FM?)

i have just told him.

Flying mermaid · Sep 7, 2018

We were in the transit hotel in A, which meant all we needed to do was get the lift down 2 floors and we were at the F lounge. We popped in there and had a nice breakfast and then moved to the F lounge in concourse B.

We really like this lounge - still very big, although not the giant A one and very pretty.

Drakecula · Sep 7, 2018

Have a wonderful trip! Looking forward to all the photos. F seems so fancy! :O

JohnM · Sep 7, 2018

VPS said:
I'm going to beat @JohnM to 1A for this

Fooled you - I was already in 1K on my second Champagne when you came aboard

.

Flying mermaid · Sep 8, 2018

had another good flight with Emirates. Pretty much the same plane as from Sydney, but this F was totally full -still excellent food, service and wine. The giraffe manor pick you up from the airport so we were quickly on our way. We did get some money from an ATM before we left the airport. There were two just outside the customs are and we used the ECO bank, as I had heard they had minimal ATM fees. As far as I can see they charged no ATM fee and of course with citibank plus there is no currency fee, so we did well out of that (or as well as you can given the current exchange rate. Fortunately we have lots of US$ which we brought hoe at Chrismas at a much better rate

pretty much everything is prepaid, so just need money for tips (although that is rather a lot over a month).

The Giraffe Manor is in the Karen suburb, next to the National park -it is a beautiful place. There are two building - the original Manor and a new Garden Manor across a courtyard. We are in the Garden Manor, as we only booked 15 months in advance. Benefits are better plumbing and not much difference in Giraffe access.

we are in the Kelly Room with the window currently open, hoping a giraffe will arrive for food. Still quite dark, so perhaps a bit early

Some pictures of our room