Exotic Kenya Safari?

It started on a hot July day. It was summer in Maine and as was custom at Highland Lake on a hot summer day in early July, Doug and I were floating in the lake having a "toddy". For those who do not know Doug, he is my wife's cousin on her mother's side. Doug and I have been close for years...probably beginning back in around the mid-eighties when we started hunting for deer together. As newcomers to the deer hunting world, we were (and probably still are) looked at as "dweebs" that did not have a clue. This may have increased our bond...kind of like the idiots in some of those slapstick movies. Anyway, I digress...

A hot summer day in Maine, alcohol, and the ideas began to flow. It so happened that one of Doug's twin brothers went to school to be an elephant trainer. I know...who would have thought?
Matt (the brother) worked for a time at the San Diego Zoo doing his elephant training thing. Then by chance he somehow got hooked up with a very wealthy fellow that owned some 35,000 acres in central Kenya. Matt was offered...and he took...the position of "Animal Trainer" for this guy. At this time Matt and his wife Di were in Africa and had been for two or three years. They had a son, Adam, born while they were working there, and a new baby on the way. And...you guessed it...why don't we go to Africa? Of course! That's the ticket...we'll just hop on a plane and go to Africa and visit Matt...he'll put us up!

Well we spent the afternoon talking and dreaming and drinking and wiling away the weekend. By mid week I had forgotten all about the discussion. About Wednesday Doug called. It was all set. We would go in October for three weeks. Matt had gotten permission from his billionaire boss and we were set. All we needed was shots and visas and we were off. Holy shit! We were really going to Africa! You should also know this was about the time "Out of Africa" was out...you know...the movie with Merril Streep where she says, "I waaant to go to Aafrikaa". Well that's about all we could say for the next three months!

And then it got even better...we got Earl approved to go with us! Not only by Matt and his boss, but by Earl's wife! Next stop Nairobi!