Barry's email to our kids tonight. Pics on FB!

Well we are in Africa now. Nairobi, for a city of 4 million, is as 3rd world as any place I have been except Cambodia. But the American Embassy was great and solved a nagging  passport problem. We got away late for the bush. This is the Africa you see on TV. We are in the Massai Mara. It is part of the great plains of Africa and is connected to the Serengeti where we go next in Tanzania. It is an awesome site and the animals are out in the open everywhere. We got here on a one hour single engine Cessna plane ride from Nairobi. We landed on a dirt runway next to thousands of animals on migration . Yes, Angelyn timed it right. We got here just in time for the great migration that you see on TV. Right by the runway you could see thousands of wilderbeasts, zebras and elephants on their way hundred of miles back to where they started. We got into a land rover and headed across the great Mara plains and quickly spotted at the end of the runway two cheetas that were just finishing off a small Thompson Giselle that they had just run down. We drove right up to them ( one male and one female cheeta ) and watch them fight over and ultimately split their kill. To get to our new camp we had to cross the Mara river in a small boat with all our luggage that a guide pulled us across to the other side by way of a rope that the boat was tethered to. We then had at least a 30 minute ride across this beautiful untamed landscape looking at many new animals we had not seen in South Africa.  The camp is on the same river. Our tent is on the river bank that is filled with huge hippos right beside us. They actually growl and make many unpleasant noises we will hear all night long along with the sounds of the running river and the rapids just upstream. Yes, I said tents. These are not Four Seasons tents but they are better than the room we had last night in the luxury hotel we stayed at in Nairobi. Actually the tents are awesome. Guys you would love this place. Actually the whole staff is native Kenyan males, primarily from the Massai tribe. Those are those incredible tall guys with very deep voices and very black skin. They wait at night outside your tent to walk you to dinner in the dark so that no bad animal will get you. They are more scary than the animals. Watch for Mom's pictures the next few days. They should be awesome.

Shortly before we arrived in Kenya, the army of Kenya invaded Somalia in part because Somali rebels had recently killed and kidnapped some tourists visiting Kenya. The Somali rebels promised retaliation, in part, against other Kenya tourists. I am not concerned but it does add to the excitement of the adventure.

I know I married the most interesting woman alive but this adventure just proves it. This is all any husband could ask for and I wish that each of you could  experience it one day. If you want an adventure, let Angelyn plan it. I loved Angelyn and this trip but miss you guys badly. Thanks Caroline for all you are doing at home. Best family ever!

You all know that