Posted June 9, 2022: Sara, my granddaughter, is our brand-new Adventurer. She’s 23, and this trip is all-new, all-shiny, all-firsts. Celia, an Experienced Traveler, is 70, however this is her first visit to the continent of Africa. Marjorie, is either the Wise or the Challenged member of the party. At 83 years-of-age, she’s traveled in 112 countries, but this jaunt is a challenge on a new front—the beginning of the end of her travel stories. These days she’s finding it harder to lose sleep, feel cold, be surprised, or make those waves of enthusiasm keep coming throughout the day. But who will she be when these journeys end? Perhaps a little weary, but also so appreciative of the chance for Another Big Trip.

Right now the three of us are in a magical place called Base Camp Explorer in Kenya’s Masai Mara. It’s not over until it’s over, right? But, truly, this trip is more about Sara than I previously realized. I’m enjoying the experience, allowing myself a modest amount of nostalgia, and, in fact, I almost like being age-challenged! But the surprises, and the falling-in-travel-love with new places and tastes and people, mostly comes to me through watching Sara. Whether this trip will turn her into a life-long traveler or not is another question, but at least she will forever know how truly mind-expanding and pleasurable the world can be.

I’m dedicating this opening African blog posts to Sara on her first big international journey. Sara’s a college student; server at a steak house; dog parent to Kalia, a German Shepherd convinced she’s a tiny lap dog, and she is a lovely young woman, daughter and granddaughter. She’s also quite funny which makes traveling with her an additional pleasure…but the greatest thing is how absolutely enamored she is of everything about this African journey. I just asked her what was her most striking experience so far. Here, in her own words: “It was last night in the pouring rain, sitting in the jeep, just the four of us, with a big pride of lions nearby, poised to hunt from the numerous wildebeests in the neighborhood; the hyenas hanging back, waiting for the leftovers, mongeese dashing here and there…I felt like I was part of the wildlife.”

The following assortment of photos is from the first days of our first week in Kenya at Base Camp Explorer in the Masai Mara: This is Sara’s blog with all photos of Sara and her favorite new animals—all the cats of Kenya.