WED., OCT. 18, 2017 - DAY #9 OF SAFARI, MASAI MARA TO NAIROBI, KENYA TO ZURICH SWITZERLAND -  We planned for a 7 a.m. departure because the drive back to Nairobi was a minimum of 7 hours.  Our first stop (for a picture) was not too far from the camp.

Two-spotted hyenas were using this small pond for a refreshing swim that helped get rid of some of the fleas. 

Our schedule for the day (s) ahead was very full.  It was a 7-hour drive over rough, dusty, full-of-pot-holes roads back to Nairobi.  We then were to stop at the famous Carnivore Restaurant for lunch, lots of meats, ordinary & exotic (served off a split), along with tasty sides and outstanding desserts.  Afterward we had a visit scheduled to the Nairobi Giraffe Centre, and finally a stop at the Karen Blixen Museum.  The Kazuri Bead factory had to be missed because we had a 7:40 p.m. flight departure. The Blixen stop was shortened to 30 minutes and four of us (Jo & Jan and Sylvia & Jim) departed from there, not with Amos as he had arranged but with another Pollman's company driver.  Hedy & Shelly who were on a later departing flight and assigned to another Pollman's company driver were supposed to be taken to a longer version of the Blixen museum and visit the Kazuri Bead factory.   Hedy threw one of her "fits" telling Amos that she didn't care what the rest of us did, she was staying with him until he took them to the airport.  Not that it mattered so much, but the plans were quickly changed to accommodate the demanding one.

And, we departed for the airport at the proper time passing through 5 different security checks.  The first one came when we reached what appears to be the toll gate for using the road to the airport.  There, all passengers (except the driver) had to exit the vehicle and walk past the "toll" gate before re-entering the vehicle.  Once we reached the terminal building, prior to arriving at an airlines counter, we had to pass through another security check with scanners, metal detectors, etc.  Then after checking in, with only carry-on luggage, we passed again through security with all of the above equipment & shoes off.  At the gate, we met another similar security check, followed by being directed to a side room where our carry-on luggage was all (even the handles) scanned for explosives before we were allowed in the seated waiting area.  And, to visit the bathroom, the last two checks had to be repeated!

We departed somewhat late on the flight that took us first southeast to Dar-Es-Salaam, Tanzania and then back north/northwest arriving at 6:15  a.m. (local time) at Zurich, Switzerland for a total of 11 hours 35 minutes.