April 7th, 2013

My youngest daughter still has has stomach problems and fever and as it is the fourth day already and we fear dehydration so we decide not to take any risks and get her checked by a doctor.  The medical center in Nakuru town is closed as it is Sunday. There are two street kids sniffing glue and hanging around the car. The kids are apparently high and are climbing on the driving car. Jackson stops and scares them away.

He recalls having seen a sign to a hospital along the main road on the outskirts of Nakuru. The service we get from the Mediheal hospital staff is excellent. Everyone is very friendly and we get to see the doctor immediately. As there is a risk for appendicitis, they put her through an additional ultrasound check . Luckily it is not appendicitis and a couple of hours later after a few laboratory tests, infusions and injections we can leave the hospital with all the necessary antibiotics and medicine from their pharmacy. The hospital was opened in 2011 and if I could give a rating I would give it definitely five stars for service.

As she is still too weak, my husband stays with her and the middle daughter in the lodge and my eldest daughter and I go on a game drive with Jackson. As always his guiding is excellent and he spots two female lions. Again there are no other cars around.

We take a short break at the view point at Baboon hill and when leaving the motor collapses.  Jackson tries everything but it does not start again. After a while another car arrives and we make signs to stop them. It turns out to be a car from the  park rangers of Kenya wildlife services and while we had seen the driver in the front, when he stops there are six other rangers in the back of the car with AK 47 machine guns. Two rangers  remain on the outlook for dangerous animals with their AK 47 while the other five try to fix the car and try to push it off the hill but it would not start again. After about an hour the rangers offer to drive us back to our lodge at the other side of the park. I go in the front and my daughter goes sitting in the back with the rangers and their machine guns. Jackson stays behind to wait for someone that will tow his car back to town. The rangers were really nice and very friendly. On route we see a white rhino crossing the road and they even stop so that I can take a photograph. We also find a sleeping male lion on a tree (I took a photo  but it was not the right angle and  I could hardly take more of their time so that I can get a good photo as it was getting dark already ). Lake Nakuru has tree climbing lions because the area is very forested and the grounds are wet especially in the rain season so the lions prefer to rest on trees.

The rangers drop us off at the lodge. So friendly guys!  I unfortunately have no pictures of this event as I did not dare to ask if I could take their photographs. 

My youngest daughter joins us for diner for the first time in three days. She only eats some soup but at least it is a start. While we are finishing diner the lights are dimmed and staff is coming into the dining room with drums and a cake.  My husband makes the remark to the children that luckily they don't have their birthdays during the holidays as otherwise they would get all the attention and cake.

 

To our surprise they stop in front of our table. I tell the waitress that they must be wrong as none of us has a birthday but she smiles and tells me that this is a courtesy of the management of the lion hill lodge as they know my youngest daughter has been ill and they want to sweeten our stay.  My youngest daughter loves cakes and even eats a piece. We are very surpised about this friendly gesture from the lodge.  

Jackson send a message that he is safe in Nakuru town and will pick us up tomorrow either with a repaired car or with another car that he will get from Nairobi town.

Today has been a very eventfull day but we have experienced Kenyan hospitality at its best. From the service at the Mediheal hospital over the help of the seven armed rangers to the friendly staff off the Nakuru lion hill lodge. An unforgettable experience!