silent language goes Kenya

silent language goes Kenya!

Kenya! You are the country of my childhood, youth, and adult life. Country of my family. First comforting me whilst growing up. By the age of 19 you got me out of deep trouble, and you were my love affair. On ongoing trips for visiting, we still had an affair, but I just couldn’t accept the rapid change of your character, look and attitude. Then, 2022, my husband and I had a long holiday. We went to the coast, Samburu, Mara, Gilgil, Naivasha and Nairobi. All my family died or left the country. Apart from one: My eldest cousin and more important: my Godfather’s wife. I call her my aunt and she calls me her nice. With her and my Godfathers spirit by our side, I met old friends and gained new ones. Originally, this trip was, for me, a farewell party to my good friend, family member and love of my life: Kenya! …

Well, as you can imagine, that did not work out, did it? As an old friend of my family says: You get infected by this country. You cannot get rid of it.

Back now this January 2023 for a fortnight. The aim: Sarara horses. These horses and saisis (grooms) take the guest out on horse safaris. We stayed there for six days. Teaching the saisis how to give their horses a wellness program. As you, dear reader, know, it is important to keep one’s tools and colleagues happy, so they stay fit, healthy and inspired at work. We practised the balanced seat on the lunge. The awareness of the riders body on the horse and experiencing the biomechanics of the mount. And a lot more.

When we came first to visit Sarara 2022, we went fly camping in a lugga (Swahili for river bed). A sundowner at the bar. Dinner was served. We sat at the fire and the Samburu danced with us around it. We went to bed seeing the stars above us. Nature gets up incredibly early. So did we. After a quick wash we sat at the burnt wood from last night’s fire that had a few glimpses of flame in it. And then: I saw at the horizon several horses. Some were ridden by their saisis, other were horse in hand. This group came to pick us up and take us back to the camp in the early morning. That was such an empowering sight to see these mounts slowly approaching in the early sun down the lugga. Me sitting there sipping my tea at the slowly diminishing camp fire and watching them, come slowly but surely towards us, over the rim of my cup of tea. An experience difficult to put into words. Thank you, team Sarara! Thank you, my love, Kenya!

I now need to take you back out of your dreams into the here and now. Not only did we have a fun time working together, no, the guys around the horses, learned to work as a team! As the days went on, it was so thrilling to see how all four of them did their part that needed to be done. The relaxed communication amongst them, the advice they gave each other, the assistance if help was needed is very inspiring. Well done, team! Of course, we had some orphaned Giraffe and Grevyzebras, that were rescued and brought up by the camp, come to check on us every now and again.

Thank you all at Sarara for letting me share my experience and knowledge as a coach with you!

Thank you Kenya, for getting me out of my comfort zone once again and waken my numb senses to a beautiful inspiring world.

No more words needed.

Sarara is a unique conservation & ecotourism brand, driven by the Indigenous Samburu people of northern Kenya. Enjoy Sararas web page: https://sarara.co