So long, farewell...

Sadly the time has almost come to say goodbye with a heavy heart to all the wonderful people at Sanctuary Olonana. At 11:00 a.m. tomorrow I will be in a tin can flying over the famous Siria escarpment and the golden plains of the Masai Mara on my way to Nairobi and then back to merry ol' England.
Looking at on the past 3 months working in Olonana I can truly say that I have had the ultimate Mara experience that no other guest will ever have the luck to repeat. It's not just the myriad of animals that made these 3 months unforgettable; that is only a fraction of what attracts me to the Mara; it is, without a doubt the employees here at Sanctuary Olonana that have made me feel right at home and the neighboring Masai community who have never failed to surprise me with their unlimited kindness despite the obvious linguistic and cultural barriers. In the time that I've worked here I have been: a chef, a pastry chef, a housekeeper, a waiter, a mechanic, a carpenter, a roof thatcher, a mason, a gardener, a truck driver, a swimming-pool cleaner, a cleaner, and an electrician. So, needless to say, I leave Olonana a much more learned person and there are too many people to thank for this that I can't list for fear of boring you even longer. But there are a few people I must mention because it would be a crime not to do so. To Leopald King, the manager at Olonana, who has kept a careful watch on us to ensure that both Caitlin's and my experience here is not marred. To Maurice and Christine, who have both been our 'go to' people when it comes down to activities in and around the Masai Mara. To Abdul who organized my little excursion up Mt. Kenya. To Mark Wheeler and Elijah Wainaina, who had the final say on us working at Olonana. And finally to Melanie Pomfret and Anabel Tremaine who interviewed both Caitlin and I way back in 2009 and strangely decided to choose us over the others that applied for the same experience!
Asante sana and tuanani badai (thank you very much and see you later)
Xav