Encounters in the wild

So a lot has happened these last couple months, not really sure where to start.  The lion.  Yeah, that's as good a story as any.

I spent a couple weeks near Nairobi at a getaway hotel along with the other 110 or so Peace Corps Volunteers in Kenya while the elections went under way.  We were consolidated for safety reasons, because in 2007 there was a massive outbreak of violence from the elections;  thankfully things have gone really smoothly this time round.

Back in the states, I would often go on walks on my own in the evening, just to think to myself or listen to music.  Usually those walks were in suburbs, with little to see other than front lawns and pavement.  So, when I learn our getaway spot is surrounded by a savannah filled with zebras and wildebeests and giraffes, imagine my excitement over having one of those nice alone-time strolls passing by African wildlife.

Well I go out at dusk, and walk about a mile away from the hotel, passing by a couple joggers and generally just seeing some gazelles, zebras and a wildebeest, nothing particular amazing but a nice view nonetheless.  I turn around to head back and in the distance, maybe 100 yards or so, I see something that looks kind of like a wildebeest swishing it's tail.  Wait, that wildebeest has a mane.  Wait, that's not a wildebeest.  Oh shit where's my phone?  Oh I left it charging in my room.  I'm going to die. 

It's walking parallel to my path, back towards civilization;  I can walk away farther into the savannah, where who-knows-what awaits a tasty snack, or I can walk back to the hotel along with my new friend.  At this point, I start hyperventilating and panicking a bit.  I have no idea what to do.  I start walking a strange angle away from the lion but towards home, while praying it takes no interest in me and doesn't decide I look like a good snack.  I mean, I can't outrun it, fight it, or anything:  If it starts walking toward me, I could picture the message back home "PCV Tyler Kight was mauled by a lion because he is SO STUPID he didn't take a phone with him on his walk along into the savannah."

Thankfully, a car comes rolling along after those 3 minutes of terror passed.  I wave and shout in swahili "SI MAMA STOP SI MAMA TAFHADALI," they stop with confusion, I point, they let me in and take me back to the hotel.  "Oh yes we've heard some reports of two lions being seen out here."

And so I lived to type another blog post.