The drive back to Las Vegas was great. This gave us a good opportunity to reflect on the hike.
At one point during the last 1.5 miles, a ram appeared out of nowhere. A few hikers stopped to take a picture. The ram then bolted and ran straight to Connor. Connor was very smart, did not make any quick actions, and the ram ran past.
During the drive, Connor brought up that event. Connor said if the ram had hit him and knocked him back into the Grand Canyon, he would have just laid there and waited for help. He was that tired. I told Connor that if that happened, I would have jumped into the Grand Canyon with him. There was no way that I was going to let him have the easy way out without me.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Commentary: The Backpack
While preparing for the hike, I bought a simple backpack to use. After loading it with water and walking for 15 minutes, I realized this would not work. Rather than buy a good backpack one of our neighbors was kind enough to let us borrow theirs. It was a great backpack and we treated it well.
At the Grand Canyon, you are supposed to carry out everything that you bring in. We get this and respected the rule. This includes any trash you make also.
However, on the way out, whey you are working hard just to move, you begin to question the rules. Had the backpack been mine, I would have left it at the 1.5 mile marker with a note that said “Free”. At that point, all we wanted to do was to get out of the Grand Canyon. We did not care about our clothes, food, or anything else in the backpack.
Commentary: Why hike to the bottom of the Grand Canyon?
This is something that I have wanted to do since first visiting the Grand Canyon as a child. There are those things that you just have to do and this is one of them. It was really great that Connor and I were able to do this together.
It was really good to do this together. We worked very well as a team during the hike down and back out. Connor was very good about reminding us to take water breaks. Without Connor, I probably would have walked too far and drank far less water than needed.
The hike out is very difficult. To help put it in perspective, I drank at least a liter of water before leaving in the morning. I drank at least four liters of water before Indian Gardens. At each rest stop with water, I drank another liter of water. While hiking between rest stops, I drank even more water. It is easy to say that from the start of the hike to the end, I drank at least 10 liters of water. I did not have to use the bathroom until we were an hour down the road from leaving the Grand Canyon. Think about this, when was the last time you went over 9 hours without a bathroom break. It wasn’t that chose to not go, it was that I didn’t need to go. You sweat that much.
About halfway through the last 1.5 miles, Connor says to me “The Grand Canyon sucks!”. All I could do was laugh. I had been thinking the same thing and just could not say it. The Grand Canyon is really awesome. The views from the bottom are unbelievable. You get to experience so much more of the Grand Canyon by going to the bottom. The hike out is difficult and at times the hike out does suck.
If you do ever hike the Grand Canyon, one of the best tips we got was to soak your hat in water. Each time you pass water, soak your hat in it. When you put the hat on, it cools your head and drips down to your clothes, cooling them also. It will very quickly bring down your body temperature.
This hike did require time afterwards to heal. Our legs hurt. The next day it was difficult to walk. Connor commented “It hurts to get up and it hurts to walk.” He was right. It took us at least a full day before we felt really functional. Even now two days after the hike, we are both still sore. Your upper body is just fine. It is just the legs that hurt.
It was really good to do this together. We worked very well as a team during the hike down and back out. Connor was very good about reminding us to take water breaks. Without Connor, I probably would have walked too far and drank far less water than needed.
The hike out is very difficult. To help put it in perspective, I drank at least a liter of water before leaving in the morning. I drank at least four liters of water before Indian Gardens. At each rest stop with water, I drank another liter of water. While hiking between rest stops, I drank even more water. It is easy to say that from the start of the hike to the end, I drank at least 10 liters of water. I did not have to use the bathroom until we were an hour down the road from leaving the Grand Canyon. Think about this, when was the last time you went over 9 hours without a bathroom break. It wasn’t that chose to not go, it was that I didn’t need to go. You sweat that much.
About halfway through the last 1.5 miles, Connor says to me “The Grand Canyon sucks!”. All I could do was laugh. I had been thinking the same thing and just could not say it. The Grand Canyon is really awesome. The views from the bottom are unbelievable. You get to experience so much more of the Grand Canyon by going to the bottom. The hike out is difficult and at times the hike out does suck.
If you do ever hike the Grand Canyon, one of the best tips we got was to soak your hat in water. Each time you pass water, soak your hat in it. When you put the hat on, it cools your head and drips down to your clothes, cooling them also. It will very quickly bring down your body temperature.
This hike did require time afterwards to heal. Our legs hurt. The next day it was difficult to walk. Connor commented “It hurts to get up and it hurts to walk.” He was right. It took us at least a full day before we felt really functional. Even now two days after the hike, we are both still sore. Your upper body is just fine. It is just the legs that hurt.
After the Hike
The first thing we did after the hike was to call Mary and let her know we made it out and were OK. Mary tried to ask a few questions but we were so tired it was hard to even talk.
Connor asked how long it took us to get out of the last 1.5 miles. I had been keeping notes at each checkpoint and saw our time was starting at 11:00 and ending at 12:45. I just looked at the paper and told Connor I cannot do that math right now. Wow! After we rested and looked at the paper again, we could tell it is very easy to do the math.
Next, Connor and I decided we had enough of “roughing it”. We had originally planned to stay the night at the Bright Angel Lodge. Instead, we cancelled our reservation and immediately hit the road. We were Vegas bound.
Connor asked how long it took us to get out of the last 1.5 miles. I had been keeping notes at each checkpoint and saw our time was starting at 11:00 and ending at 12:45. I just looked at the paper and told Connor I cannot do that math right now. Wow! After we rested and looked at the paper again, we could tell it is very easy to do the math.
Next, Connor and I decided we had enough of “roughing it”. We had originally planned to stay the night at the Bright Angel Lodge. Instead, we cancelled our reservation and immediately hit the road. We were Vegas bound.
The Ascent (Summary)
The entire ascent took 7 hours 30 minutes. This was easily the most physically demanding thing that Connor and I have ever done. Going to the bottom of the Grand Canyon is something that less than one percent of all Grand Canyon visitors do.
Bright Angel Trail Head (finish) – 12:45
We made it! When we finally got to the point we could see the trailhead, I yelled to Connor, pointed, and almost cried. You would think that seeing the end of the trail would give you a boost of energy to push out, it did not. Our reserves were gone. We stopped to rest at least 4 times before we made it out.
As soon as we exited, we needed a picture of the two of us. I walked up to a stranger and was about to ask him to take our picture. He just looked at us and said yes of course, I can tell. Most people are really nice about taking pictures if you ask them.
1.5 Mile Rest House – 11:00
By now, we have long stopped taking pictures of the scenery. We are really focused on getting out. The National Park has played a cruel trick on hikers here. To get to the rest area and the water, you have to hike up a flight of steps. It was difficult but we did it.
From here to the exit, it was brutal. We were so tired and our legs hurt. We would walk for a minute and rest for thirty seconds. We were in the shade for the last 1.5 miles. We wanted to rest longer but could see the Sun was creeping up behind us. We were basically on a race with the Sun to exit the Grand Canyon and the Sun was winning.
Three Mile Rest House – 9:24 AM
After the Indian Gardens, things got really difficult. The last four and a half miles were almost all up hill and steep slopes. It did not help that we had already hiked a several miles uphill before this. At this marker, we started to slip on our hiking pace. It was really hard making it to this point.
Indian Gardens – 8:00 AM
We were advised by the Park Ranger to make it to Indian Gardens by 8:00 AM to attempt the rest of the hike out. If we made it to Indian Gardens by 10:00 AM, we should probably wait there until about 5:00 PM to let the Sun and heat go down. We made it to Indian Gardens by 8:00 AM.
At this point, we are halfway out and only two and half hours into the hike. We have hiked along the Colorado River and out of the inner gorge. We are on target for a five hour exit from the Grand Canyon.
Indian Gardens Marker – 7:47 AM
Indian Gardens is a key stop on our way out. We are going to eat the box lunch we have here.
Mules!
Out of nowhere a pack of mules appeared. There is a priority to things on the trail, mules first, uphill hikers next, downhill hikers last. We watched as the mules went by. These mules were carrying supplies. This was probably to refill everything the group consumed at the Phantom Ranch. Hopefully, the mules will carry out a few postcards we sent while down there.
Bright Angel Suspension Bridge – 5:30 AM
This is the first check point on the way out. After this, we crossed both bridges across the Colorado River. Now we must keep finding our way out of the canyon.
Phantom Ranch (start) – 5:15 AM
We woke up at 4:30 AM to prepare for the hike. Breakfast was family style at the canteen. We were on the trail by 5:15. The heat the day before made us want to get started as early as we could. We were the first ones out of the ranch.
The Ascent (Bright Angel Trail)
The Bright Angel Trail is the most used trail in the Grand Canyon. For most tourists who hike the Grand Canyon, this is the tail taken. Most tourists hike to the 1.5 or 3 mile marker and back out. The really good thing about the Bright Angel Trail is water. You can get water at Indian Gardens, the 3 mile marker and the 1.5 mile marker.
We were planning on getting water along the trail. Our objective at the start was to drink as much fluids as we wanted. We were hoping that we would not run out before the Indian Gardens. From there, water should be no problem.
http://www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/upload/BrightAngelTrail.pdf
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bright_Angel_Trail
We were planning on getting water along the trail. Our objective at the start was to drink as much fluids as we wanted. We were hoping that we would not run out before the Indian Gardens. From there, water should be no problem.
http://www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/upload/BrightAngelTrail.pdf
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bright_Angel_Trail
The Phantom Ranch … Part 2
Connor and I were resting in the dorm waiting for dinner and we had this conversation.
Connor: Do you know what’s cool about being at the bottom of the Grand Canyon other than being at the bottom of the Grand Canyon?
Michael: No.
Connor: Grunt. I was hoping you could help me finish that sentence.
The day we were at the bottom of the Grand Canyon it was 137 degrees in the sun and 116 degrees in the shade. These temperatures are physically dangerous. It was too hot to do anything. There are some nice hikes you can take from the Phantom Ranch. We did not do any of them. When the temperature is this hot, you are basically just waiting for the Sun to go down. Once the Sun goes down, you go to bed to prepare for the next day’s hike.
Connor: Do you know what’s cool about being at the bottom of the Grand Canyon other than being at the bottom of the Grand Canyon?
Michael: No.
Connor: Grunt. I was hoping you could help me finish that sentence.
The day we were at the bottom of the Grand Canyon it was 137 degrees in the sun and 116 degrees in the shade. These temperatures are physically dangerous. It was too hot to do anything. There are some nice hikes you can take from the Phantom Ranch. We did not do any of them. When the temperature is this hot, you are basically just waiting for the Sun to go down. Once the Sun goes down, you go to bed to prepare for the next day’s hike.
The Dorms
The only accommodations available were the dorms. They cram five bunk beds (10 beds) in a single cabin. There is one sink, one shower, and one toilet to share. This actually ended up not being a problem. There was only enough space to sleep and use the other facilities. You could not hang out in the dorm at all unless you were on your bed.
The Phantom Ranch … Part 1
The Phantom Ranch is quite interesting. You have private cabins (reserved for mule riders), dorms (segregated by sex for 10 people), and a canteen. Meals at the canteen are served family style. This helps everyone staying there to form a bond. You also got an opportunity to meet the people you are rooming with in the dorm.
The Decent (Summary)
The entire decent took 4 hours 12 minutes. This was well under the recommended time to get to the bottom. At the end, we had just a little bit of water left. Once we were at the Phantom Ranch, there was a free water cooler available. We both had some water. I drank about 6 cups. We realized we probably did not drink enough water on the way down. We were going to try and fix that on the way out.
The biggest thing we learned on the hike down is that you cannot see all of the Grand Canyon from the rim. When we got to what we thought was the bottom, we expected to see the Colorado River. We were wrong. There are actually two canyons, the one you see from the top, and the one you do not. At the top you can see the second drop off. What you can’t see from top is the depth of the second drop off. The second drop off is equal to the depth of the first drop off at the Grand Canyon edge. There is an outer gorge and an inner gorge.
The biggest thing we learned on the hike down is that you cannot see all of the Grand Canyon from the rim. When we got to what we thought was the bottom, we expected to see the Colorado River. We were wrong. There are actually two canyons, the one you see from the top, and the one you do not. At the top you can see the second drop off. What you can’t see from top is the depth of the second drop off. The second drop off is equal to the depth of the first drop off at the Grand Canyon edge. There is an outer gorge and an inner gorge.
Monday, July 20, 2009
Phantom Ranch Junction – 9:30 AM
We keep getting closer. Each time we think we are almost there, another sign pops up.
Kaibab Suspension Bridge Tunnel – 9:17
You have to cross through this tunnel to get to the Kaibab Suspension Bridge. The tunnel is very good because there is shade and a cool breeze passing through.
Trail Junction – 9:07 AM
We are getting closer at this point. This points us in the right direction of the Phantom Ranch. If you look in the background, you can see the Kaibab Suspension Bridge.
The Colorado River – Time Unknown
This was our first view of the Colorado. You cannot see this from the top.
The thing most people do not realize is how deep the Grand Canyon is. You see if from the Outer Rim and it is huge. If you look far enough you can see the drop off to the Colorado River. What you cannot see is just how big the drop off is.
Once we crossed the flat land at what we thought was the bottom, we were thinking we would be at the bottom soon. Instead, we realized we were only half way there. The drop off was just as deep as the first.
This is when we learned there was an outer gorge and an inner gorge.
Tonto Trail / Emergency Call – 8:02 AM
We keep walking to the bottom. We finally encounter the next trail maker.
3.5 Mile Marker – 7:25 AM
There are very few markers when you are hiking. It is easy to know where the trail is, however it is very difficult to know how far along you are. This was the only mileage marker we saw on our hike.
After less than two hours, we only have 3.8 miles to go!
Skeleton Point – 7:07 AM
We made it easily to Skeleton Point. We finally found the marker. It was replaced with a piece of paper on a pole. It appears people like to steal this marker as a souvenir. Right after Skeleton Point, there is a massive set of switchbacks. It appears tourists w
ere going down the switchbacks when they intended to stop at Skeleton Point.Cedar Ridge – 6:15 AM
This is a piece of cake. Before we knew it we were at the first of the trail markers on the way down. 
South Kaibab Trailhead (start) – 5:30 AM
We woke up at 4:00 AM to prepare for the hike. We caught the hikers express to the South Kaibab trail from the Bright Angel Lodge. At the trailhead, we looked down. We are going to the very bottom of this thing.
We left our luggage in the room at the Bright Angel Lodge. The bellman had agreed to go into our room later in the morning and store our luggage until we were back out of the Grand Canyon.
We were equipped for the hike. I had a backpack with clothes and water for both of us. Connor had a 1.5 liter CamelBack. We wore hiking clothes, sunscreen, and hats.
We knew it would be an adventure but we did not realize what we were getting ourselves into. It really did seem like a good idea at the time.
The Descent (South Kaibab Trailhead)
The South Kaibab is a short steep path to the Phantom Ranch. The big detail to know about the South Kaibab is that there is NO water along the trail. You need to carry everything you are going to need. The recommendation for the hike down is four or more liters of water per person for the entire hike.
After loading that much fluid in the backpack, I realized there was no way to make that happen. We started the trail with ~6 liters and were going to ration along the way. Connor did not know this.
http://www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/upload/SouthKaibabTrail.pdf
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Kaibab_Trail
After loading that much fluid in the backpack, I realized there was no way to make that happen. We started the trail with ~6 liters and were going to ration along the way. Connor did not know this.
http://www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/upload/SouthKaibabTrail.pdf
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Kaibab_Trail
Back at the Grand Canyon
We made it back to the Grand Canyon. This time it is different. It is only Connor and I. We are going to hike to the Phantom Ranch at the bottom tomorrow morning. This will be an amazing adventure.
From the south rim, there are two ways to get to the Phantom Ranch, the South Kaibab and the Bright Angel Trail. The recommendation is to take the South Kaibab down and the Bright Angel out. Ok, we can follow a good recommendation.
Hoover Dam
We are on our way to the Grand Canyon. The Hoover Dam is still open for people to drive over. They are building a bridge near the Hoover Dam so that you are not able to drive over. It is getting closer to being finished. If this is an experience you want to have, you should do it sometime soon. They will probably still let everyone walk all over it once the new road is finished.
Las Vegas Vending Machines
We were walking out of our room and needed something to drink. There was a vending machine right before the elevator. It took credit cards. It even took the quick touch credit cards. Connor and I both went down the elevator with sodas.
Machine Guns!
This is something very cool to do when in Las Vegas. I called ahead of time to see if Connor would be able to shoot a machine gun. They said no problem as long as he had enough weight to hold the weapon.We showed up at the Gun Store and signed in. We asked for two magazines of bullets for M16 machine guns. As long as I signed for Connor, it was no problem.
We put on our eye and ear protection and were immediately escorted into the gun range. I shot first. It is fun. Connor was next. Connor was given about 30 seconds of instruction and then he had a live machine gun in his hands. Connor did great!
Laws are funny things. In Las Vegas, anyone of any age can shoot a machine gun. If Connor wants to shoot a pistol at the gun range, he will have to wait until he is 21.
Dune Buggies!
Our original plan was to take a helicopter ride that would drop down into the Grand Canyon. This would give us a chance to see the Grand Canyon and get a feel as to what we were getting ourselves into. We were talking to one of the helicopter ride operators and Connor found a f
lyer for dune buggy riding. Connor and I talked and he decided he would rather ride a dune buggy than fly a helicopter. With the dune buggy, Connor would get to drive.
lyer for dune buggy riding. Connor and I talked and he decided he would rather ride a dune buggy than fly a helicopter. With the dune buggy, Connor would get to drive.A dune buggy instructor would be the lead. A group of dune buggies would follow the instructor through the dunes on a guided tour. There were four dune buggies in our group.
At the start, the instructor took off and the other two dune buggies followed. Connor and I tried to keep up but were not able to. Eventually we were separated from the group and stopped. (You are instructed to do this.) The instructor came back and found us. He asked us to follow him to the rest of the group. We watched as the instructor drove his dune buggy off the side of a dune. He just disappeared. We decided to follow and found ourselves going almost straight down a 50 foot drop! It was like the doing the vertical drop slide at a water park in a dune buggy.
At the halfway point on the ride, Connor got to drive. Conno
r was excellent. Connor was actually a better dune buggy driver than I was. Connor was very brave and adventurous. We came up on a 10 foot dune and Connor just floored it. The dune buggy popped to the top just fine. It was awesome. It was more fun to be a passenger with Connor driving.
r was excellent. Connor was actually a better dune buggy driver than I was. Connor was very brave and adventurous. We came up on a 10 foot dune and Connor just floored it. The dune buggy popped to the top just fine. It was awesome. It was more fun to be a passenger with Connor driving.
The dune buggy ride also came with a show. You are picked up at your hotel by a shuttle. When we got on the shuttle, we saw everyone else choosing to take this adventure. There were no women. At the back of the shuttle, there were three 20 something year old party animals. One of them was holding an HD video camera and immediately began filming us. The second asked us a lot of questions. The third was passed out in the back. These three people were the other people in our dune buggy group. They were completely out of hand. Every other word they said was the f bomb.
The guy who was passed out woke up at the dune buggy depot and needed a cigarette. There were none to be had. So he went outside, found a worker, and bought a half pack of cigarettes and a lighter from him.
On the trail, the tree guys basically ignored every rule possible. They jumped the dune buggy way into the air, got stuck multiple times, and went off the trail. At one point, one of the guys had taken off his shirt, was wearing flip flops, and was smoking while driving. He then found a stuck dune buggy and started circling it taunting the stuck rider until an instructor showed up.
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Penn & Teller
We wanted to see a show in Vegas. After checking with several sources, we learned the Penn & Teller show at the Rio was not like their Showtime show and was quite family friendly. We had a great time! The show was full of great magic. On the way out, both Penn and Teller were signing autographs and posing for pictures. It was very cool.
Bellagio
When in Vegas do the things you are supposed to do. We saw a great water show at the Bellagio.
The Next Adventure
We have only been home a few weeks but it is time for another adventure. This trip is something that I have been wanting to do for a very long time. We are going to hike the Grand Canyon. As a kid, we got to hike a little way down. I remember wanting to go further. As an adult, we brought Connor a few years ago and and hiked a little way down. Connor is now big enough and strong enough to do this. We are going to hike to the bottom of the Grand Canyon! Our first stop on this adventure is Las Vegas! We can “chill” here before the big hike.
Monday, June 22, 2009
Commentary – What is the significance of 18427?
18427 is the total miles traveled on this trip. To help put this in context, the circumference of the earth at the equator is 24902 miles.
Commentary Camera
Before going on this trip, we were encouraged to get a good camera for the Safari. We have lived in the world of pocket point and shoots for so long we did not even realize what our options were. After conducting a little research, we learned a few things.
You can spend as much as you want to on camera equipment. There are so many add-ons and gadgets you could never buy them all.
No matter what camera or lens you buy there is always a better one for $150 to $200 more.
The digital SLR cameras really do take a noticeably better picture than the point and shoots.
You must read the instructions to understand how the camera works. On the second day of safari, our travel partners taught us how to use the AF (Auto Focus) option on the camera. Our pictures came out much better once we started using AF.
You can spend as much as you want to on camera equipment. There are so many add-ons and gadgets you could never buy them all.
No matter what camera or lens you buy there is always a better one for $150 to $200 more.
The digital SLR cameras really do take a noticeably better picture than the point and shoots.
You must read the instructions to understand how the camera works. On the second day of safari, our travel partners taught us how to use the AF (Auto Focus) option on the camera. Our pictures came out much better once we started using AF.
Commentary – Safari
Why fly all the way to Africa to go on safari? I did ask myself that question before taking this trip. The brutal fact is that we flew all the way to Africa to see the Pyramids. The Pyramids are not coming to the US anytime soon and the Luxor in Las Vegas, while fun, just isn’t the real deal. All of the animals we have seen on safari we have seen at one time or another in the United States.
Again, why fly all the way to Africa to go on safari? For all the things you can’t do in the United States. Have you ever seen a pack of lions lay there while you take pictures and then all of a sudden get up, move together as a team, and attack a wildebeest? Have you watched a leopard lay there while a flock of birds walks by and then the leopard pounces in an instant? Have you seen herds of Zebras, Gazelles, Wildebeests, and Warthogs all exist peacefully on the plains? Have you had breakfast with 50+ Hippopotamus in the background grunting?
Initially, the idea of safari to me was about seeing animals, which we did. In the end, Safari was so much more. We were able to learn about the animals, see them interact in ways you just cannot in a zoo, experience luxury camping, and meet some really great people.
Again, why fly all the way to Africa to go on safari? For all the things you can’t do in the United States. Have you ever seen a pack of lions lay there while you take pictures and then all of a sudden get up, move together as a team, and attack a wildebeest? Have you watched a leopard lay there while a flock of birds walks by and then the leopard pounces in an instant? Have you seen herds of Zebras, Gazelles, Wildebeests, and Warthogs all exist peacefully on the plains? Have you had breakfast with 50+ Hippopotamus in the background grunting?
Initially, the idea of safari to me was about seeing animals, which we did. In the end, Safari was so much more. We were able to learn about the animals, see them interact in ways you just cannot in a zoo, experience luxury camping, and meet some really great people.
Commentary – Cairo, Egypt
Everyone in Egypt is working for tips. It is really bad. It finally got to the point where I had to get a stack of one dollar bills and keep them in my front pocket. This would allow us to tip as needed with ease.
Cairo was very cool. Cairo was also very different. It was not what we expected to see in a major international city. We were surprised by the level of poverty and trash in the city. Something good must be happening in Cairo. The city is packed. The traffic is unbelievable. It was also common to see livestock in the street with the cars. On more than one occasion, we saw small children riding donkeys.
It does not rain in Cairo. We asked a few people about this. The last rainfall was three years ago for about 15 minutes. People went outside and celebrated. If it does not rain, you can do some interesting things. There were parks in Cairo with padded chairs. You don’t have to worry about the seat cushions getting wet. The lack of rain also helps preserve the monuments.
The tax rules in Cairo are interesting. As long as a building is not finished, you do not have to pay taxes on the building. This means that most buildings in Cairo are in a permanent state of construction. The building owners add a new story as they can afford. Once one story is completed, people move in and the cycle continues.
One fun detail, President Obama visited Cairo just a few days before we arrived. Everyone in Cairo really liked Obama and was happy for his visit. Almost every Egyptian we met, said “Obama” at least one time in our conversation.
Cairo was very cool. Cairo was also very different. It was not what we expected to see in a major international city. We were surprised by the level of poverty and trash in the city. Something good must be happening in Cairo. The city is packed. The traffic is unbelievable. It was also common to see livestock in the street with the cars. On more than one occasion, we saw small children riding donkeys.
It does not rain in Cairo. We asked a few people about this. The last rainfall was three years ago for about 15 minutes. People went outside and celebrated. If it does not rain, you can do some interesting things. There were parks in Cairo with padded chairs. You don’t have to worry about the seat cushions getting wet. The lack of rain also helps preserve the monuments.
The tax rules in Cairo are interesting. As long as a building is not finished, you do not have to pay taxes on the building. This means that most buildings in Cairo are in a permanent state of construction. The building owners add a new story as they can afford. Once one story is completed, people move in and the cycle continues.
One fun detail, President Obama visited Cairo just a few days before we arrived. Everyone in Cairo really liked Obama and was happy for his visit. Almost every Egyptian we met, said “Obama” at least one time in our conversation.
Interesting Quotes from the trip
From our guide, Henry, in Cairo, “A wise man goes when he can. A foolish man goes when he has to”. This ended up being great advice in Cairo. Sometimes there are restrooms and sometimes there are not.
From our Safari guide, Dixon, in Kenya, “Don’t worry. The lions do not eat while people. The lions only eat the Masai”. The Masai are the locals at the reserve.
The street vendors in Egypt have interesting lines to get you to look at their shops. A few of the best lines were, “How can I take your money”, “Welcome to Alaska”, “Everything is free for you today”, and “I went to school with you in Chicago.”
The “Coca Cola Temple” was the meeting place our group used on the Nile cruise. Almost every site has a set of shops at the exit. The “Coca Cola Temple” was the shop you could buy water and soda.
From our Safari guide, Dixon, in Kenya, “Don’t worry. The lions do not eat while people. The lions only eat the Masai”. The Masai are the locals at the reserve.
The street vendors in Egypt have interesting lines to get you to look at their shops. A few of the best lines were, “How can I take your money”, “Welcome to Alaska”, “Everything is free for you today”, and “I went to school with you in Chicago.”
The “Coca Cola Temple” was the meeting place our group used on the Nile cruise. Almost every site has a set of shops at the exit. The “Coca Cola Temple” was the shop you could buy water and soda.
Home!
We made it. It was an over 48 hour adventure getting home from the Mara Intrepids reserve. We are tired and trying to readjust to east coast time.
Baboon Crossing
While waiting for our flight to Nairobi, we got to see the baboon crossing. All of a sudden, a hundred or more baboons appear and walk across the runway. It was a good thing our flight was delayed.
Masai Game
At the main area, there is a traditional Masai game available to play. Connor quickly mastered the game and even beat a local Masai tribe member.
The White Hippo
As we were heading back to camp, Dixon suggested we go see the “white hippo”. No problem. All of Dixon’s suggestions have been great so far. The “white hippo” was actually a chef. We had breakfast “in the bush”. They had set up tables and a buffet in the reserve. Breakfast was great. There were armed escorts around the site to keep out the lions and leopards. While having breakfast, we heard a good leopard story. A few months earlier, when the staff came to set up the buffet, a leopard was in a tree immediately above the buffet spot with a kill, a gazelle. The leopard was scared off but left the gazelle in the tree until breakfast was finished.
Early Morning in Kenya
On our last day at Mara Intrepids we spotted a hippo walking back to the water. The hippos come out at night and quickly go back to the water during the day. As an option, you can take a hot air balloon ride at sunrise. To get to the balloon on time you have to wake up at 4:00 AM. We decided to pass on the hot air balloon ride.
Lions … Part 3
We came across two male lions just lying in the field. Dixon commented the lions looked full and probably had a kill yesterday. The lions did not seem bothered by us at all. They just sat and rested. After a few minutes, one of the lions stood up and started walking toward the car. Remember, there are no windows and no roof on this car. The lion kept walkin
g and eventually stopped behind the car. He was resting in the shade.Sunday, June 21, 2009
Cheetahs
After finding the “big five”, we decided to look for Cheetahs. Dixon drove us to the north end of the reserve. All of a sudden, Dixon stopped the car and pointed. There was a family of Cheetahs right there. It was a mom and three children. We watched the cheetahs for quite a while. T
he kids would play and the mom would watch. Cheetahs actually teach their young how to hunt.
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