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Travel Life


Melissa Dunford Wood with family, friends and Masai warriors


could have the camp to ourselves (even for smaller family groups


Jennifer, the owner, won’t take other bookings), the wonderful dinners and the friendly Masai staff and guides. T e land here belongs to the Masai, who lease it to the camp owners. Jennifer, too, is a character, a 70 year-old English woman who is well respected by the Masai and knows everything there is to know about life in the Mara.


We had been nervous of the


fi rst night – not for ourselves, but for the children, as they were all in one tent next to ours and


“Darling,” said Julie, “don’t be silly, there’s no malaria up here, the elevation’s way too high”


under strict instructions not to leave it at night. We were fi rmly zipped up – no night- time scampering across to Mummy. T e night noises were startling – wandering hippos up from the river, various unidentifi ed animals nibbling the grasses between the tents, the laughing call of the hyenas, the frightened braying of the wildebeest, and the distant barks of lion. How on earth would the children cope? We would not fi nd out until the next morning. We were up at 6.30 with coff ee brought to the tents, then out for our fi rst game drive


Elephants in search of a watering hole


and a picnic breakfast as the mists started to rise across the plains. T e children, it transpired, had organised themselves, pushing the beds together and jumping into each other’s arms when the noises came too close. But in the end, they had slept OK, and for the fi rst time I could remember they seemed to be getting dressed with alacrity, sitting up in bed in the morning dark with hot chocolate and biscuits. We saw lions mating, cheetah, elephant, a rhino – in fact, everything. T e children got to ride on top of the Land Rovers, and are now blasé when faced with a spider. T e best bit was that we hardly saw another Land Rover – the Conservancies are vast tracts, teeming with game. True, Melissa had to forego her precious cappuccino for a few days, making do with camp coff ee – but as a way to educate the children in magical surroundings, a safari should surely be towards the top of any parent’s wish list. And yes, Joe, the seven year-old, was only just old enough – he could cope with half-day drives, but a full day to the Mara nearly proved too much, and 20 minutes spent watching lions copulate had him yelling for his Nintendo, which we had left behind. But with a bit of eff ort and some careful research, you can fi nd an experience that combines both great value and a magical experience.


James Dunford Wood and his family continued on to learn to dive with turtles in Watamu, ride water shutes in Dubai, be blessed by temple elephants in India and helped save a coral reef in the Maldives.


Fact File


James Dunford Wood’s travel company “The Next Adventure” organises adventure travel for families and small groups. A seven- day safari including 3 nights at the Duma Camp, 4 nights at Sanctuary Farm, full board and transfers (excl international fl ight), from £1,450pp based on 2 people sharing (under 12’s discounted). Flying to the camp, costs more, but the 4/5-hour drive is an adventure! www.thenextadventure.com


www.fi rstelevenmagazine.co.uk


Autumn 2011 FirstEleven 71





PICTURES: NOMAD SAFARIS/WWW.AFRICAODYSSEY.COM


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