Two weeks later, I still haven’t gotten over my birthday/Valentine’s weekend ?? My birthday came at a time when I was running on low…extremely low. Over the past few months, constantly trying to balance work, parenting and family had taken a toll. It has been heavy. I really just needed a few days to hide from the rest of the world to reboot.

Celebrating my birthday, Valentine’s Day and things like those are things I only started doing when I met my husband? Before then, I belonged to ‘Team Why Should I Celebrate Things Like Those’?!.Someone’s son? made me realize that it was okay to be fussed over and  celebrated every now and then?.

On my birthday,  12th February…yes… I was born  2 days to Valentine’s Day??, we headed out. I wasn’t told where we were going until we were almost there?

Looking back, here’s why I haven’t moved on from my lovely birthday surprise:

1. Getting there
The drive from Nairobi to Namanga never disappoints?. It’s such a peaceful drive once you go past the heavily populated areas. There are days we have simply gotten into the car…driven to Namanga border and back for no particular reason?  On this day… 23km before getting to Namanga…we branched off to the right. The off-road ride wasn’t too long or stressful and soon we arrived at Ol Donyo Orok Camp?

A welcome message at the Reception

2. Nature Overload!
We love the hugs that nature serves❤  Trees, birds, wild animals …that’s who we are when we aren’t chasing ocean, sun and sand! The Camp is a nature lover’s dream… Wildebeests, Elands, Impala, Kudus, Ostriches, Giraffes and no mobile access at the tent area. This leaves you no choice but to take in nature in chunks!

A young Giraffe?

3. Small and Intimate
My birthday/Valentine’s weekend was all the more special because good things come in small packages. Ol Donyo Orok Camp is located on an expansive area but much of it is gladly left to nature. The built up area is small and intimate. By the end of our stay we had interacted with all the guests and the proprietor Naz and his amazing family and their staff Willy, Musau, Dismas and Anthony. We are still in touch with some of the amazing people we met.

Cosy tents nestled amongst trees.

4. Food!
I need not say more ❤❤??

Breakfast on the terrace

5. Sleep!
We were so amused at how much we slept on the second day?. Oh did we sleep! We figured it had something to do with the sound of wind rustling through trees, the antelopes grazing by the tent and the sound of birds. I saw some species of birds I had never seen before. I intend to find out more about them.

Yes, we definitely look forward to going back soon❤

Photos: Mama Malope