GARY’S HAPPY MASAI BIRTHDAY

Gary has had a tough couple of years with ill health and a recent trip to Kenya was a chance to finally leave the past behind, recharge the batteries and enjoy some quality family time. 

What he wasn’t expecting was a surprise Masai birthday party!

During their Kenyan holiday, Gary and his family joined us on our Masai Magic safari to a traditional Masai village. While they were discovering the ways of the Masai, we discovered it was Gary’s birthday. In true Kenyan style, we couldn’t let the milestone pass without a celebration and the Masai warriors of the village started to plan their surprise, something very special and quite out of the ordinary.

Gary’s lovely wife Sharon was privy to our secret, but he remained totally in the dark until the Masai warriors danced towards him, to the rhythmic beat of their song, in an impressive and extraordinary show of admiration and respect. And they did all this holding a birthday cake which never looked like falling from their grasp! Take a look at how their birthday surprise unfolded …

We’re pretty sure Gary’s one of the few people on the planet who can say they’ve celebrated a birthday in true Masai style – we did think about blooding a cow, but figured a cake was a safer bet and we suspect that Gary would have agreed.

Our humble guest of honour truly was taken by surprise and our accompanying guests witnessed a rare event, but that’s life on a One Horizon people safari – the connections that form between our travellers and Kenyans are strong and genuine. Sometimes, we too are surprised by the ways they find to show their respect and appreciation for each other.

During their time at the village Gary and his family also sat with the warriors discussing Masai culture and family structures.  They then spent time with the women – making Masai jewellery, helping to build manyattas (traditional homes made from mud and sticks) and cooking up a traditional Kenyan meal. Mostly their Masai Magic day was about sharing and connecting, an experience that never fails to have a profound impact on both our travellers and the Kenyans they meet. As one of our guests Paul said:

“The simplest explanation of my experience on this tour is that it has changed my life“

And Candi had this to say:

“A truly moving and inspiring day. The wonderfully generous people who opened their homes and shared their stories and culture with us, are all remarkable and I felt truly blessed to be in their company.”

Happy birthday Gary and we look forward to seeing you, Sharon and your family next year.

You can find out more about our Masai Magic safari and view our video here.