One of the most famous places in Sweetwaters Serena Camp is the fireplace at Suni Bar. The barman lit it promptly after 6:30 pm when the chill descended in Nanyuki's Ol Pajeta conservancy.
Directly facing the fireplace are two sets of comfortable sofas which go quickly. Once they arrive, the bar area, a conduit from the main entrance through to the restaurant, is suddenly populated by guests coming back from game drives, sitting down to their teas or pre-dinner cocktails, and sharing anecdotes about their day with the animals.
Some guests stand over a big book where they note down the animals they saw during game drives. The book is a treasure catalogue of wildlife. We stumbled upon lions mating during one of the night game drives.
A rare and exciting find, yes, but also an embarrassing experience for the king of the jungle, only because he lasts only as long as you can cough. I was tempted to comment on the book, but that would have been seditious to the king.
The lodge is full of tourists with their cameras and game gear, hats, and other items, seated in small groups around the fire, sipping tea. A guy with a guitar waltzes about the room, plucking a tune. The man is truly, truly gifted. His voice possesses lemons and honey.
The first night we missed the fireplace sofas, so we sat at the bar drinking hot toddies and talking about the things we loved about the place: the view of the conservancy from the rooms where we could see elephants, rhinos, buffalo and all manner of small animals; the watering hole where animals gather at night, making all manner of noises.
The second night, we got there early and managed to secure one side of the sofa. We ordered whiskies while a couple came and joined us on the opposite sofa.
A fireplace is only charming when it's shared. The fire crackled and simmered, creating both heat and ambience. The couple scrolled through their phones, going over photos they had taken.
