Guy and Chris,

“I had a (dream of a) farm in Kenya” and our Westminster Safari still feels like a dream, not to mention our on-going nightly dreams of our safari adventures.  Sorry for the delay in writing.  After returning to Boston we were home briefly before taking off again to San Francisco to see our daughter and the opening of her new play. We are now home again and getting serious about editing our pictures, making our scrapbook, and sending some of best pictures and copies of our lists of 45 mammal and 118 bird sightings in Kenya.

We still marvel at the extraordinary time we had!  All of our experiences far exceeded our expectations, from the unexpected sightings of leopards and cheetahs, (Amboseli), to the spectacular abundance of the other wildlife, elephants to hyraxs.  Your, Chris’s, and Kereto’s expertise, experience, and patience were amazing in locating even the most elusive game on our daily drives. Both your and Chris’s knowledge of Kenya’s birds was also a delight for us. As we said on our last safari night, we couldn’t have had a better group of safariers or guides, Chris, you and your staff.   You, Guy, really did earn the title of the “New Chief” and Chris, fellow punster partner, erstwhile driver and horn blower, earned his “Kudus” as well.
 
Two unforgettable quotes by Guy:
            “Get in the vehicle, now!” (as the elephants emerged from the river), and
            “Oh Shit!” (as the third tire blew), (a very apropos comment, but probably
                                                                        not printable in your next brochure)
Two unforgettable quotes by Chris:
            “beep” (as we watched the leopard)
            “that was camellot back there” (on the road to Shaba)

Your tented camp in the Masai Mara and the star beds in Loisaba, both with the stars above and the lions roaring nearby, brought “camping” to a new level!
Joy’s Camp was a delight and we were honored to have shared the Chief’s tent, and the one ton bull buffalo staring at us a 2 AM outside the tent and inside the electric fence won’t let us forget it either.  The accommodations in the 1920’s English Manor at Deloraine, including the flamingos, and in the “tree house” at Elsa’s Kopje, including the pool, were an enjoyable change of pace.  And not to forget the food. During the planning for the trip, we were “advised” not to expect a gourmet experience on safari, not to eat the fish and not to drink the water.  You discredited all the pundits.  The food was great!  Special “kudus” for the camp soup and the camp coals-roasted turkey!

Feel free to quote any of the above comments with any modifications you desire.
And if you would like any other specific comments, please do not hesitate to ask.
We hope we do all get together next year when we are all here on the East Coast.  And don’t forget you have a place to stay in the Boston area.

Still dreaming, and thanks again for a fantastic safari.
Bob and Ellen

November 8, 2006

Dear Guy,

I do not have the words to express my sincere gratitude to you, Chris Tuite, and your staff for giving me the vacation of a lifetime.  My sixteen days in Africa on safari with Westminster were fabulous, brilliant, spectacular,..you pick the appropriate adjective.  I have so many wonderful memories of those fine days in the equatorial sun, so many remembrances of awe inspiring sights in beautiful Kenya, its people, its animals, its vast plains of game.  When my friends ask, “How was your trip?” I tell them to pack their bags immediately and get on a plane. My friends are tired of listening to me.

Our trip was a year in the planning.  And during that year, your father who was to lead our safari of eight traveled to America intending to meet us all.  Bad weather, plane delays, and a series of unfortunate events forced him to cancel his visit to Washington DC.  Thus, four of us did not get to meet him.  I consider that my great loss.  When I heard of his death, I felt, besides a certain sadness at the passing of this man about whom I had heard so much, trepidation about my impending vacation.  Your father was to be an integral part of the trip.  Chris Tuite, who had organized the trip here in the U.S, assured us all that “Mike’s son, Guy, a veteran of the safari business,” would be his father’s worthy substitute. And worthy, you were.

What sights we saw: lions mating, a leopard in a tree with its prey, a leopard stalking its prey, vultures doing battle over the carcass of an elephant, 40,000 flamingos.  Yes, Africa is magnificent.  And, yes Kenya is a vast and moving country.  And yes, there were times of great beauty. And yes, we saw animals and birds more numerous than we could have imagined. (Well, not the cougar..but we needed to save something for the next trip, right?)  But without Westminster’s fine attention to detail, without your kind and friendly staff, without the Maasai warrior guides and guards, without your wonderful patience, without all of that delicious food (who knew that roast turkey from an open fire could be so grand) our trip would have been so much the poorer (and I would be ten pounds lighter).

Thank you, Guy, for a wonderful experience, for the vacation of a lifetime.  I have the news from Africa and it is all good.

Cheryl