132 SIDELINES FEBRUARY 2014
FOR HORSE PEOPLE • ABOUT HORSE PEOPLE
e
Travel
Lauren Giannini’s
Safari Adventure
She needed to get away from it all.
So she took off to Africa. This is the
story of her remarkable journey.
By Lauren R. Giannini
G
etting away from it all took on new
meaning last summer when I visited
Kenya. Tamsin Corcoran, of New
African Territories, created my itinerary,
which proved to be the safari (journey in Kiswahili)
of a lifetime: filled with wonder, learning and self-
discovery Kenya was everything I hoped it would
be – and more.
Too many 15-18 hour workdays, not enough
activity: less horse time had not been good for
my health. I was stressed. I needed to make
some changes. To be honest, I almost didn’t go
at all. When I melted down about vaccinations
and being away so long, longtime friend Alice
Laimbeer defused my objections.
The Laimbeers – Rick’s a businessman and joint-
Master of Foxhounds at Warrenton Hunt, Alice
teaches art at Highland School – introduced me
to Tamsin. In June 2012, after networking eco-
tourism in New York City, Tamsin spent a week
in Virginia’s horse country with the Laimbeers.
They’re all very involved in conservation. The
Laimbeers must have shown Tamsin a story I had
written about one of their safaris.
Tamsin decided that I had the voice, spirit
and vision to write about eco-tourism and the
fascinating world behind the luxury tented camps
and lodges, gourmet meals (cooked without
electricity as we know it) in the beautiful and
exotic ambience of Kenya’s bush. Eco-tourism is
strengthening the mutually beneficial relationship
between the local people and the folks who bring
in the tourists who, in turn, generate vital income,
thereby boosting the economy. Eco-tourism
places value on the lives of the wildlife: you don’t
allow your greatest assets to be poached.
People visit Africa to see elephant, rhino, cape
buffalo, lion, and leopard – the “Big Five” –
At Sabuk, Lauren rode a camel
through the bush with Samburu game
guides Robert and Gus.
All photos by Lauren R. Giannini
Continued on page 134
