Kenya day 1: Safari it is!

We were wanting to do a different kind of holiday. Something that involved less culture and more nature. Something in a continent we had never been before.
Kenya is the birth place of safaris and has lots to offer. They have been doing this long enough to have the infrastructures. So many clients telling me wonders about the African safaris and one of Jorge's clients handing him a book about Kenya's natural parks sealed the fate: Kenyan safari it is!
Problem number 1: what do we want to see?
Problem number 2: how to make it affordable?
As usual I started by doing a huge research on what to see and what to do in Kenya and selected a few natural parks, animal watching being the priority. I also wanted to have a few days on the beach to top up my tan and, hopefully, some scuba diving. The boys, as usual, an easy to please crowd, were happy with my sugestions.
Whilst problem number 1 was solved, number 2 was not. It appears that I like to do quite a lot which usually costs a lot of money...
So instead of going with the usual holiday packages, I decided to hunt around for a company to deliver what I wanted whithin my 'meagre' budget: $2000 per person (flights not included).
I approached 5 different companies who do tailor made and whilst some handed me with a $4000 quote and others said it couldn't be done, African Breeze Tours was the only one who met the budget by understanding my moto 'It's not about luxury, it's about experiences'.
Nairobi based company with good online reviews and listed on the Kenya Association of Tour Operatours, African Breeze Tours seemed a safe bet. Cate Mbua from the company was friendly and helpful. We went for it! The worst it can happen is arriving to Nairobi and no one's expecting us... and have to find another $2000 to make do and mend there and then. Well... one needs to take some risks in life...
At 10h20 this morning we boarded a BA flight direct to Nairobi and after good food, a Magnum ice-cream, 3 movies and crying tears & snot with 'A star is born', we arrived at Nairobi at 22h, 1h late.
As we were waiting at the visa queu, an airort official saw our tour print-out and asked to see it, alongside our passports and dollars we were holding to pay for the visa. He took us straight to the head of the queue, bypassing all others. We don't know why he did it, we certainly didn't ask for it but I felt quite ashamed as the people queing looked at us with a disapproving look. We were out of the airport in less than 15min. Visas are $50 each so 3 persons x 50=$150 but as we only had notes of $20, we handed $160. We didn't get any change... we didn't complain.
A man outside the airport (our driver) was waiting for us, holding a card with my name. There was a sight of relief.