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fatehbaz · 5 years

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Reading these articles and research papers on settlers colonialism strangely feels so validating. It's terrible, but it carries the message that indigenous people around the world have been saying; these practices are detrimental to all lifeforms. Since I come from a background of farmers, I've studied a lot where their practices came from, and reading "Modelling the Effects of Vegetation on Mediterranean Climate During the Roman Period" has given me a huge insight.

Sure. Like, of course indigenous environmental knowledge andcosmologies are valid without the need for “blessings” or corroboration fromWestern scientific institutions. But, yea, it still is heartening to see that– regarding ecology, and especially when it comes to vegetation, sustainablefood systems, and interdependency between plants and people - Western scienceessentially reaches the same/similar conclusions aboutvegetation/ecology/interdependence that Indigenous cosmologies have long proposedor understood. But even when Indigenous environmental knowledge itself isvalidated, I still think that many Western scientists treat the knowledge as valid, but still do notgrant this validation to the Indigenouscultures and cultural institutions themselves, which actually maintained that knowledge. Over the pastcouple of decades, the better visibility and public consideration of Indigenousknowledge is nice, and I hope non-Indigenous people remain careful about notco-opting or simply extracting Indigenous knowledge as if it was just anotherresource.

On ecological change as a result of imperialism:

I agree with the general consensus among politicalenvironmental historians and Indigenous activists. Local climate change, devegetation,and homogenization of soil regimes – among other environmental alterations – were notaccidental or secondary consequences of European colonization processes, butwere/are instead a primary intent and goal of colonization. This - the deliberate alteration of ecology as a main focus of colonization - is especially evident in the eradication of American bison. Crops in the GreatPlains, sugar plantations in Latin America, cattle ranches in Argentina, palmoil plantations in West Africa, and especially white settlers’ residential areas and urban parks were reshaped to lookand function like European/Mediterranean environments more familiar andcomfortable to settlers.

It’s creepy to me that you can see the same green lawns andresidential yard landscaping designs in Seattle and Atlanta, on oppositecorners of the continent, an ecological homogenization at incredible scale. Tothis day, “woke” Americans still plant green lawns of non-native grass acrossthe continent; it’s like a stamp, it erases native plants, sanitizes the land,standardizes how your environment has tolook.

A bit of info that interests me is how it seems to be thatwhen ancient Mediterranean/Middle Eastern empires and modern European empiresintroduce industrial-scale food extraction and monoculture/plantation-typeagriculture – when empires alter landscapes - there is severe loss of soilhealth, native vegetation, and biodiversity. But Indigenous American peoples,for example, were also involved in altering landscapes at enormous scales –agroforestry throughout Central American rainforest, modification of the GreatPlains, etc. - and yet their practices actually improve biodiversity.

On the ecology of ancient civilizations:

I am fascinated with the surprising scale of environmentaldegradation in the Mediterranean and Middle East in ancient times (between thebeginning of the Holocene about 11,000 years ago, up until Greco-Roman times).But I haven’t read the article you mentioned, so I will definitely be readingit (looks like it was influential in the early 2000’s).

I’ve met people who were surprised to learn that Mesopotamiaand western Persia (basically, landscapes centered on modern-day Iraq andSyria) were not only forested, but also harbored species representative of both Africa and Asia. Here, species associated with Africa in the popularconsciousness – lions, giraffes, cheetah – intermingled with species associatedwith Asia – like Asian elephants, mugger crocodiles, and Indian rhinoceros. The environmental degradation that erased much of this biodiversity and soil fertility seems to directly correspond with the rise of militaries and empire-building.

A cool piece of scholarship on early civilization’senvironmental history is German geographer Hans Bobek’s Die naturlichen Walder und Geholzfluren Irans (1951), whichthoroughly describes the fertile forests and other biomes of Persia and Kurdishlands in the ancient era.

One of the best environmental history texts I’ve encountered is this book by Australian scholar and environmental historian MarkElvin. It’s called The Retreat of theElephants: An Environmental History of China (2006). Tigers, leopards,multiple species of rhinos, and elephants all lived throughout China as farnorth as Beijing until the mass mobilization of irrigation engineers,anti-flood projects, and militaries in the Zhou/Han eras forced rapiddevegetation and geoengineering.

Environmental change in ancient China wascrazy! And, like in the Mediterranean and Middle East, the massive devegetation and landscape alteration in Chinese history corresponds to the rise of empire-building.

Thanks for chatting. And thanks again for therecommendation!

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constellation-suggestions · 6 years

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huge life update..!!

hey everyone !! so as you’ve seen, we’ve been slowly returning to this blog. we’re so sorry for kind of abandoning it in the past few months, it wasn’t on purpose and we never really meant to do it. there was no “let’s take a hiatus” decision, we did want to keep running the blog but a lot has been going on and life has been really distracting !! soooo much has happened with us, and we can’t wait to tell you all about what we’ve been up to !!

we left off telling you about our month-long first meeting. ruby lived in california while i lived in canada, and we met online through pokemon. at the very beginning of april, after almost a year of dating, ruby flew over to canada and we met for the first time. we spent an amazing month together and did so many fun things before she had to leave at the end of april, just a few days before our one year anniversary. it was a very tearful goodbye as being together in real life had been so wonderful that we really dreaded going back to being long distance. this is the part you’ve already known. oh how things have changed...

it was only a short two months before we saw each other again. we spent may and june apart, but then, at the very end of june, i was the one who flew to california. like ruby in april, it was my first time going through an airport and on an airplane all by myself !!! i was extremely nervous to do it but after it had happened, it wasn’t neaaarly as bad as i thought it would be. the flight itself was disappointingly extremely boring and i couldn’t wait for it to be over. i absolutely love looking out the window but the woman in the window seat beside me, as well as apparently every single person around me, kept the windows closed the entire flight ! ! ! ! and oh god that woman... i couldn’t text ruby throughout the flight so i wrote down the hilarious things she said so that i could tell her them later. i won’t say what they were right now because i don’t want a huge portion of this life update to just be about her but dear god ... if anyone wants to know what happened with her, feel free to send an ask about it and i will most gladly tell c; let’s just say... i named her melania trump ...

ruby and i had no idea that we would see each other again so soon. when we parted at the end of april, we had no clue for how long it would be. we hoped we would be lucky enough to see each other again around christmas, because we knew we really wanted to spend that together. and we ended up being even luckier than that ! we did lots of fun things in california; went swimming in ruby’s pool (i don’t have a pool so this was exciting to me okay !), went to a fair on the fourth of july where we saw a rodeo and amazing fireworks, we drove 10 hours to arizona !!!, where we camped for a few days in The Wilderness, and we had never seen so many stars in our lives. the town of sedona and the mountains in arizona were so extremely beautiful and breathtaking. we went to san pedro and santa monica pier... sedona and santa monica were my two favourite places, especially santa monica. they were both so extremely beautiful. the stars in sedona and the sunset on santa monica beach... in california we also discovered ubereats. i mean, we’d always known it existed, but they had only just started making deliveries where ruby lived, and we don’t have it where i live in canada, so we had never used it before. we ordered it once and then...got addicted. we ordered quite a few “feasts” every few days where we would buy enough food that it looked as though it were for a party, but it was just the two of us. relationship goals though, am i right ? i loved our feasts ! we also walked around hollywood, of course, which i’d really wanted to see. i got a lot of fun souvenirs ! and we saw the hollywood sign !! that about ended my time in california... or i should say, OUR time.

that’s right, when i returned to canada at the end of july, after spending one month in california, ruby came with me. it was my dad’s idea, that she should come for another visit and experience summer in canada, since when she was here in april it was still winter and way too cold to do certain things. we had her ticket to canada bought before i even left for california !

we missed our flight. we might’ve left the house a tiny bit too late, and then there was traffic on the way to the airport. once we got there, there was technically still time. our plane hadn’t left off yet and we knew that planes never left exactly on time anyway. if we hurried through security we could probably still.... but they wouldn’t let us !!! immediately at check in they told us that we could no longer check in for this flight. it was too late. we had to be there at least an hour before departure. even though we probably could have made it, they said no... but they told us they could put us on the next flight. which was at 6pm. IT WASN’T EVEN NOON YET. ruby’s parents had already left us at the airport, we couldn’t sit there until 6pm !!!! PLUS, my parents had already driven 2 hours to toronto for us at this point, doing some shopping before they expected to pick us up at the airport at 7pm canadian time. like this, we wouldn’t even BOARD OUR PLANE until 9pm their time !!!! WE WOULD ARRIVE IN CANADA NOT AT 7PM, BUT AT PAST 2AM. this could NOT happen. my parents, with my little siblings with them as well, could not wait for us until 2am. there had to be a sooner flight. there had to be. AND LUCKILY, THERE WAS. they said that they could squeeze us onto a flight that left just an hour after our original flight. we would only arrive in canada slightly late. thank god. we also extremely luckily got seats together. our seats weren’t assigned until we were waiting for the plane to begin boarding. the man at the desk said that unfortunately, they didn’t have any seats left together, as he started printing our boarding passes... but he didn’t even finish saying it before he cut himself off, seeing that they DID have a seat together, and printed our new tickets, next to each other. finally everything was set !!! we had a much better flight together than i did when i flew to california. i got the window seat and got to look out the window all i wanted !!! we also watched ratatouille on the plane. because of delays, we didn’t get there until 10pm canadian time. it was nice seeing my family again after a whole month away. and then was the long drive home... we got to my house near 1am. AND I GOT TO SEE MY CATS. i had been away from them for so long !!!!!!!

so began our next month in canada. it was august, and we tried to do as many fun things together as we could. just a few days after we returned to canada, my family left for the long weekend to the state of new york. so we had the house to ourselves ! my siblings are... extremely loud and annoying. whenever they’re home, we try to stick to my room because there are no words for how horrible they are. so we were very glad to have the house to ourselves for once and took the opportunity to cook some tasty food together ! we made several good breakfasts and we even cooked two batches of meringues, which were really good. during the rest of august, we went swimming at the beach (where we had taken a walk back in april and i died from how freezing it was back then), shopped at my favourite mall, watched the incredibles 2 at the theatre, went to the african lion safari where we saw many animals such as elephants, zebras, giraffes, lions, and more, and we bought ruby a (very cheap) nintendo switch !!! she had been wanting one for literally EVER but had no money to get one. she was always really upset that she may never get one, especially with lots of games coming out that she wanted. so i helped her get one and she was so happy !!! we also both played my most favourite game in the world, together on our switches, when we saw that it had been released for switch: okami hd !!!! we have actually yet to finish it but we are very close to the end.... it’s such a good game and ruby really loves it ! i’ve wanted her to play it forever ! we also got mario kart 8 for switch, which has been a lot of fun to play together, we went to niagara on the lake, where we tried beavertails and poutine for the first time, but then when we had barely ate some of the poutine a TINY gust of wind somehow managed to blow it off our table and spill it all over the ground >:( we were so depressed !!!!!! we also went on a horse carriage ride ! and tried costco fries ! (costco’s in the US don’t sell fries in their cafe area and i have always really loved them and wanted ruby to try them... on the other hand american costco’s sell chicken bakes which are SO good and canadian costco’s don’t D’: i will miss them..) and we had campfires again !! just like back in april !! ruby has also helped me find homes for 5 stray kittens/cats that lived outside my house. they were a big problem, always having kittens and sadly suffering during the winter when it was freezing and there was little food. we were finally able to help the last of them !!! that makes over 20 strays that i’ve found homes for ! however... there were actually 6 cats. the last was a black cat named pepper. i loved her a lot but she was very sick. a rescue did take her along with the other adult stray and had her treated and fixed !!! but they couldn’t find a home for her... so they ended up returning her a month later and... we ended up taking her in just a few days ago !!! pepper is now mine !! i have 6 cats now hehehe... so that makes for our time in canada.

you may be thinking to yourself: but you said you spent the month of august together. it’s been more than a month. you both adopted pepper just the other day, and it’s october now. well... that would be right ! ruby is still here. SHE IS STAYING HERE.

YES. YES. YES. RUBY IS IN CANADA AND NOT LEAVING. so a few weeks into august, i asked my dad for advice on what the heck we’re supposed to do for ruby to begin immigrating to canada. he said well why wait ? there’s no better time to start than right now. we were ecstatic and in disbelief. we wouldn’t have to say goodbye again. ruby was not going back to california. so it was still august when we cancelled ruby’s flight and began preparing for her move. she couldn’t go back for her stuff in california because well... it would be weird and suspicious if she spent a whole month in canada, went back to california for like a week, and then returned with a ton of stuff. what would she even tell as her reason for returning to canada at airport security this time ? yeah... we thought it would be best if she didn’t leave the country. instead, her mom is going to be mailing several packages of ruby’s belongings over. but don’t worry, we’re not secretly keeping her here illegally. my family has immigrated illegally to canada and ruby’s illegally to the US, so we know all of the trouble that causes and want to avoid that. she is technically still a visitor. americans are allowed to visit canada for 6 months per year, every year, so she can be here no problem until the end of january 2019. so we have until then to figure out something more to keep her here longer. we are planning to begin college together, and that way she can get a study permit and a work permit for the length of the program (likely around 18 months). in those 18 months we would then make progress toward keeping her here after graduation, such as having her apply for a permanent residency. it’s hard but i’m sure everything will work out !

however, we are... extremely stressed out at the moment. the problem is, we have no money. we need thousands to pay for college. we need jobs to get money. ruby can’t even get a job yet, as she has no work permit. also, neither of us have driver’s licenses, though we are working to get them. and she cannot get a work permit until she has a study permit. but to get the study permit we have to have a way to pay for school---- you see the problem.

we want to go to college for video game design and development. we both have a huge love and passion for video games and would love to be the ones creating them. we already have plenty ideas for games that we want to create one day. (because of me tbh,.. every little thing gives me a new idea !) the first school i thought of was the toronto film school. so one day we simply requested more information from them, so we could learn more about what the school and the program were like. the admissions adviser called us pretty much immediately and was super nice. we talked to him a lot over the course of several days, and were very excited to apply for this school. however... we hadn’t fully thought things through just yet. looking back on it now, he kind of pressured us a little bit, urging us to apply right away so that we could be accepted and start at the school in january 2019. he said that the school would help us find an apartment in toronto and everything. toronto is 2 hours away so of course we’d have to move out to attend this school. now, filling out an application isn’t the bad thing. neither were the short essays we had to write along with the application. i don’t mind applying and even being accepted to this school. what i mind is the price, after realizing that toronto may not be the best idea. the application had a $100 fee, each, and we are extremely extremely extremely broke. but we paid it. they urged us to, made us feel like we had to apply right at that moment and that everything would work out. within just like, 4 or 5 days honestly, of simply requesting some more information about the school, we had applied and paid a non-refundable $200 together. and just a few days after that.... we truly realized how bad of an idea it was. we hadn’t even glanced at other schools to see what our options were. i did mention our worries about money to our admissions adviser for toronto film school, telling him that i have no idea how we are going to pay for all of this and that we may just have to apply for another school--- he brushed me off very quickly. didn’t even consider the option and just told me that everything would be fine and we would find a way to pay for the school and that we should apply as soon as possible so that our spots for january could be saved. he pushed me to apply, and i feel stupid for doing so now. i regret it. if it had just been a written application and all free it would all be fine but what i regret is the two of us losing $200 when we have nothing. we could have used that money to apply for a different school or pay the fee for our driver’s license test and now we have nothing. i am salty about that. i kind of feel scammed. i wish we could get our money back but i’m certain there really is no way... it’s non-refundable. sighs... the issue is, toronto is SO expensive. the school tuition would have been $33,000 each, and we thought we were soooo lucky because they told us ruby wouldn’t have to pay an extra 10k in international fees and instead get the same 33k as me. toronto, being an enormous city, gives you the shittiest, tiniest apartments, for so much money. rent would have been about $1,200 a month for an 18 month program. we were easily looking at about $88,000 that we would have to pay together. god, i am only just realizing just how much that would have been. and that is ONLY for our schooling and housing, not including other utilities and things like food. where would we, jobless as we currently are, GET 88 THOUSAND DOLLARS ??? pluuus, fafsa (american college aid) does not support the toronto film school. however osap (canadian college aid) does. i would have gotten some help for my tuition but ruby, the one who needs the help the most, being in a foreign country with no money and unable to get a job yet, would receive NOTHING. apparently fafsa hardly gives you anything anyways... but something is obviously better than nothing, and she would get nothing.

so toronto film school was a bad idea. i regret spending that $200 application fee. even if we get accepted, i hardly doubt it’s going to happen. i don’t think i want it to happen anymore. the costs scare me too much. we would struggle too much. it would be impossible.

on the bright side, i suppose, we are now considering a better school option. (though that doesn’t make the extreme stress go away, of course. we are still extremely broke). there is a school 40 minutes from my house called the university of western ontario. it’s closer by, so the location is much better and we’d be able to visit home much more often. housing would also be so, so much cheaper. the apartments there are not only much better quality, but larger, and cheaper. i visited an apartment building just today that is literally directly across the street from my favourite mall and a 5 minute walk from the university. it is the perfect location and i��m kind of in love with it. the tuition itself is likely much cheaper as well. i have not requested any information from this school yet so i have no idea how much exactly a video game program would cost, but when i quickly googled the general cost of this school, it told me that it is 8k for canadian students and 24k for international students. yep, international fees, which the toronto film school apparently didn’t have. it’s not very fair that i have to pay only 8k possibly while ruby has to pay 24k, but 24k is still much cheaper than 33k. that is nine thousand dollars we would save. PLUS, fafsa actually supports this university. we highly hope that they would give ruby a decent amount of money, though she says they hardly help at all. they gave her only a few hundred when she applied to a californian college once that she didn’t end up attending, and her sister actually started college extremely recently and they gave her absolutely nothing. so... there’s a chance they won’t help much. there’s also a chance that since she’s going to school in a whole other country rather than in the US, they might give her more for that. but we have no idea how much they might give her until she applies for it. we can only hope that it’s a good amount. though... any little bit helps. at least at this university she will get something.

so the university of western ontario sounds heaven sent. just one problem. they might not have a video game program. and we reaaally want to go into video game development.... it took me two years to decide what career i wanted in life because none of them bring me happiness !!!!! i don’t want to miss out on this one now that i finally decided on it !!!! but there is still hope. western university does list a video game program on their website, they just say that it is currently closed. however i have seen articles published in just 2017 about how western is “one of the best schools for video game development”. i wonder, if it’s so great and those articles were posted just last year, how can they have the program unavailable ! what i am hoping is that they only mean it is unavailable for the current year, which would make sense. the school year just started, it is too late too apply. but we weren’t planning on attending until 2019. perhaps, perhaaaaps... they do still have the program and it will be open again in 2019, when we wanted to attend ? however i cannot confirm this until i contact the school, which i will do soon... i really hope this is the case. if western university offered video game design and had all of these other perks, it would be literally perfect.

(but we are still very poor and very stressed out and afraid)

currently, we need to finish getting our driver’s licenses. we, especially ruby, need $150 each just to do the test... then i need to get a job. and ruby needs to get accepted into a school so she can get a study permit and work permit and she can get a job. and then we have to purchase (yes purchase, not rent, my dad claims it’s the better option) an apartment, move out, and juggle school, work, and life all at the same time, while also working to make ruby a canadian citizen. phew ! ! !

ruby has considered making a gofundme and i think that we will do it soon... i don’t know if anyone would donate, they didn’t when i tried to make a gofundme a few years ago when my dog had cancer. but we can hope. any bit that any one would donate would help us with something. so i think that we will do it. we’ll probably post the link on here once we have it, in case any of you would be able to, and be kind enough to, help us out ;w; how does that sound...? does anyone here think they would be able to donate something once we have that link..? we are wondering whether we can expect to get any sort of help from here ;w; ... apart from that and getting jobs, i’m not sure how we can make some extra money... we will need as much of it as we can get if we want to make it through this without struggling terribly. i wish either of us were particularly good at something to sell on etsy or commissions or... i don’t know. i don’t know what else we can do.

anyway, that leaves us where we are now ! we have a lot on us that we need to accomplish but.. we will try to get through it. we will get through it. together. because i still can’t believe she’s here. i can’t believe this is happening. that we never have to say goodbye and we can begin work on keeping her here forever. it’s an amazing, amazing thing, but it has its difficulties. but we have already gone through so much together. it truly is 20gayteen. at the beginning of this year, we had never even met in real life yet, and we didn’t know yet that we would. in april, we met, and when she left we didn’t expect to be back together so soon. and even then, we had no idea that this would happen. that she would stay here and we would be looking to begin college and move out together. god, the things that have happened this year. wow. Wow. i have a hard time believing that this is real, that i’m not dreaming. i never thought something like this could happen. tomorrow is our 17 month anniversary, and we are together.

(sorry this was so long !! we’ve been waiting really long to update you guys on All of the things that have happened c: thank you so much if you managed to read the whole thing, and we’d love to chat about it more if you’d like to send an ask about anything ! ...remember, my melania trump airplane story... and i hope that when we create a gofundme in a couple of days, any of you will be able to help us out !! ;w; love you all !!! 💖💖💖)

#we will continue going through our ask box soon !!!#mod post

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teamchamtravels · 2 years

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DAY 127-131 DEC 6-10 SAFARI TIME in Tanzania 🇹🇿

helllooooo and we are back! Keeping up with this blog has been extremely challenging for us. we will write entries and then they get completely deleted when we try to upload them because of the spotty internet, but we so so much want to have this incredible digital diary of all the amazing things we did and saw soooooo here we go.

For our first day of safari we met our guide Azaria and he was so kind and knowledgeable and went above and beyond for us each day! Sam and I were both so excited for this adventure and we started at lake manyara national park and we saw all the things! Elephants and their babies, zebras, giraffes, olive baboons and silver monkeys. We also got so lucky and saw two lions hanging in the trees far away but still saw them with binoculars! The 4x4 jeep we were in was so cool and the top came up so we could stand and observe from all directions. We had amazing lunches and incredible soup every day which was chelsea’s favorite! After a full day of seeing all the animals made it to our glamping spot which was super cool and slept.

Safari day twoooo heading to ngorongoro conservation area the drive was incredible and we saw the HUGE CRATER that we will later get to go down and explore but for now headed to the Serengeti national park! We had lunch then began our safari search for wildlife and MAN O MAN did we see it y’all! 20 km into the Serengeti we saw a bunch and I mean a bunch of lions NINE of them all huddled up in the shade of a tiny bush we got super close to them in the Jeep and it was amazing to just watch them. We continued on and saw more lions and tons of zebras and even a rhino from far away, some hippos at the end of the first day we spotted a LEOPARD! Unbelievable and so so lucky also the Serengeti is truly magical and everyone should see it! We made it to our home for the next two nights and it was for reals luxury in the middle of the Serengeti this tent room/house was so amazing and the bed was so comfy.

Safari day threeee full day of exploring the Serengeti and we were so excited we saw bulls, and giraffes, and Thompson gazelles, several types of birds including a Kori bastard. we saw more lions and so many zebras. We saw zebras running out of the water a dead hippo, a lion on the hunt for zebra it was all amazing once again the Serengeti doesn’t disappoint. we got to see a herd of elephants, it was so special just to watch them eating and chilling with one another. Then on our way home it began to rain so beautifully, we made it back to our place and had a delicious dinner and amazing sleep. The next day of safari day four was lovely and also kind of sad to be leaving the Serengeti. today we saw warthogs, huge birds and hawks, giraffes tons of water buffaloes and more elephants. We realize that elephants were definitely our favorite animal of all the animals in the Safari. We also saw two lionesses and a baby cub it was so damn cute we also saw two male lions with full mains! we had a wonderful lunch and headed back to ngorongoro national Park. We made it to the Rhino lodge which was so old fashioned and special had candles and a wood-burning stove and we met some friends from Spain and chatted with them before dinner. Then we headed to sleep.

Safari day five! In the early morning we were exploring the Ngorongoro crater which was incredible our guide AZARIA went down down down made our way all the way to the base and we were greeted by a hyena. She was crossing the path slowly so we got moments to see the spots and the whole body fully. Down the road we saw two elephant brothers who were so cute one was crossing his legs being cute and the other was munching on all the plants. Next we saw a babble of baboons and a little baby one too! A few were on the hood of the car and were super curious about us. all the animals in the crater looked healthier then in the Serengeti and that is because there’s more water here and more greenery and more to eat. The next thing we saw was two male lions brothers they looked like the brothers from lion king and we saw a lioness guarding the flesh of a zebra that they had killed earlier. SO COOL! We then were able to get out of the jeep and stopped at a swamp that was extremely large and beautiful and had tea and enjoy the views of hippos and yellow birds it was so nice, then we left and headed to Arusha.

#africa

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tinytourist · 6 years

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Reflection

This trip was one of the most impactful experiences I've had in my 23 years. I had the opportunity to see the other side of the world, complete with different animals, constellations, and culture. Just getting the chance to observe animals in their natural habitats was incredible. It makes me want to support anti-poaching efforts and fight to preserve the environment so that these animals have the chance to survive for generations.

We were lucky enough to have a great, extremely knowledgeable ranger who taught us so much about different species and their behaviors. The whole staff was extremely nice and hospitable, and the rest of the guests made it an interesting experience.

I tried to listen the best I could to Greg, and write down the different species that we had the chance to see. Below is a list of the animals we saw in Cape Town & Sabi Sands. There were over 50 species total! A lot of them are birds so I put a ° next to those to indicate.

Animals Sightings Near Cape Town:

Penguins°

Eland

Baboons

Cheetah

Anatolian Shepherds

Meerkats

Servals

Bat-eared fox

Cat

Goats

Pigs

Pale chanting goshawk°

South american black vulture°

Wood owls°

Cape vulture°

Emu°

Secretary bird°

Yellow-billed kites°

Animal Sightings on Safari:

Zebra

Impala

Nyala

Water buck

Swainson's spurfowl°

Vervet monkey

Elephant

White rhino

Water buck

Lions

Clip springer

Grey duiker

Helmeted guineafowl°

Yellow billed hornbill°

Blue wildebeest

Black bellied bustard°

Cape glossy starling°

Blacksmith lapwing°

African fish eagle°

Yellow tailed skink

Cape buffalo

Arrow-marked babbler°

Giraffe

Kudu

Warthog

Lilac-breasted roller°

Burchell's starling°

Brown snake eagle°

Crested barbet°

Grey go-away-bird°

Dwarf mongoose

Hyena

Leapord

African green pigeon°

Steenbok

African monarch butterfly

Violet backed dung beetle

Hippo

Grey heron°

Egyptian goose°

African wattle°

Crowned lapwing°

Southern ground hornbill°

Flap neck chameleon

Green wood hoopoe°

Magpie shrike°

Cape turtle dove°

Aside from seeing all the animals, it was moving to see the way people live in SA. While we were staying in Cape Town, we drove past the township called Khayelitsha which translates to "new home". The homes are made of sheet metal, and while they are equppied with electricity, they do not have running water. The residents must go to a pump, which is about every 10 houses or so, to get their water for the day. I added a photo below from https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/Marelise-khayelitsha.jpg

On the other side of things, we saw some extremely wealthy neighborhoods near the water. The wealth disparity in SA is extreme. While the people living in neighborhoods like Khayelitshia are subject to high levels of crime, limited food and water, and poor sanitation conditions, they are some of the happiest and nicest people I've met. It really put things in perspective for me.

While there's so much else I could discuss, I think I'll leave it here. This was a trip that I will never forget. I am so lucky, and grateful to my parents for taking me on this wonderful adventure. Until next time.

#SouthAfrica

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adelaideswifts · 4 years

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Little 1 year old me...had no idea what she would accomplish in her first 40 years of life... 🤰🏻Have 3 beautiful children ♥️Found beautiful & lost soul-crushing loves 🏡Bought a house, several cars & never owned a credit card. 👩🏻‍🎓Graduated university with a bachelor degree with a GPA of 6.65/7 👩🏻‍⚕️Working in her dream of 20years job - with nursing experience in the highest acuity settings for both Paeds and adults, seen many lives changed in a heartbeat. ✈️Travelled to China, Singapore, Fiji, USA, Hamilton Island & private chopper to Whitehaven Beach. Road tripped around the south & east coasts our beautiful country. 🎢Been to Disneyland & rose all the roller coasters in all the places. 👸🏼Stood face to face with Taylor Swift. Watched Mick Jagger strut across the stage & many other incredible artists. 🚁Flown in helicopters, a tiny plane, jets, learned to drive, been in boats 50+km out to sea & snorkelled along the continental shelf & Fijian drop off. 🐬Swam with dolphins, sharks, turtles, stingrays, fishies. Patted, fed & been face to face with tigers, rhinos, giraffes, lions, pandas, koalas, kangaroos, possums, echidna, snakes, crocodiles, elephants & polar bears. 💃🏻Danced on TV, choreographed & performed on many stages around the state. 🤸🏻‍♀️Won state aerobics competitions, played baseball, volleyball, soccer. 🥁Learned to play the drums, piano, vibraphone, flute & saxophone. 📸Had her own photography business & got flown to Las Vegas to capture a gorgeous wedding. 🥢Has eaten pigs ears, pigs snouts, swordfish, gumbo, clam chowder, fried chicken with ice cream & a world full of amazing foods, cocktails, mocktails & drinks. 🥰Met, loved and lost some of the most amazing people in the world. I’ve lived a life rich with love and loss, moments of pure beauty & crippling pain...but I am grateful for every moment & for every person who has played a part in the chorus of my life. I wouldn’t change the way things have turned out, I’ve learned about who & what matters, I’ve discovered what happiness and love truly are & I get to share these moments with all of you. Thank you for making my first 40 years unforgettable! Here’s to the next forty! 🍹 https://www.instagram.com/p/CDP1E8Gn04NOlzhmbjNSnRrXwcd5UapVaO2gz40/?igshid=t4gfvav0xoey

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nicholade · 6 years

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Kruger National Park

We were finally on our way to the much anticipated Kruger National Park. Everyone we have met has raved about it and being animal lovers we were so excited! We booked a last minute place for the night as we arrived late which ended up being a huge 3 bedroom villa. Pretty good for one nights stay to get our bearings and figure out where we want to stay for the rest of the time (3 nights).

The next morning we decided on doing a self-drive safari after checking into our next accomodation. We booked a lodge that was recommended to us by a German backpacker back in Storms River, Crocodile River Safari Lodge, which ended up being right outside the entry to the park. There was a river running between the lodge and park and when we arrived we could already see wilderbeest and zebra running around and were told there were lions here yesterday, yay!

So off to the park we went on the hunt for the big 5 which includes lion, elephant, buffalo, rhino and leopards. The park is huge, 360km long and many roads to explore. So we chose a figure 8 loop for that day. There were so many impala, which the manager of our accomodation aptly named Mcdonalds. At first this was exciting but soon this wore off due to how many there were. We spotted giraffe, buffalo, elephants, rhini and hippos. So already 3 of the big 5! It was a huge herd of elephants we had to drive through and we saw them charging another car up ahead so we proceeded with caution as we've heard all about the dangers of the elephants, until we spotted the elephant on our left and it started to charge so Nick zoomed out of there. After a long day of animal spotting we settled into our accomodation which had a pool and a lovely view.

The next day we headed in to book our safaris, which were a sunset for that night, a morning walk the next day and a sunrise drive the morning after. So we had the whole day to chill by the pool before our sunrise drive. Sunset and sunrise are when the animals come out to play. So hopefully some more big 5!

Sunset came around and at the beginning of the safari we saw a herd of Lions right next to the road lazing around. From what we've seen lions can be pretty lazy most of the time and the cubs play like house cats. It was amazing to see these huge beasts so close, they seem to be used to cars. Although we're not allowed to hang out hands outside the car and one of the lions was staring me down when we got up close which was a little scary. The rest of the safari was full of beautiful sunset colours covering the animals.

We were up for a 4.45 am start to our walk in the dark the next day. Two armed guards accompanied us on the walk. One of the guards took me aside and sternly warned me that if we see any lions I was to stand right behind him and he wouldn't come looking for me. Nick questioned why and he said it was because I was the smallest and a female so I would get attacked first. So a reassuring start to the walk! Unfortunately (or fortunately) we saw no lions, only rhinos and the usual wilderbeest and impala. They did say that we probably wouldn't see much as the animals are very scared of humans. It was a nice walk though to get the adrenaline going.

When we got back to the lodge the manager told us that there has been a herd of Lions hanging around across the river this morning. Looking though binoculars we could see there were many female lions, around 9, lying under the trees. Later on that day while swimming in the pool we could see they were on the move. Nearby were many impala that they were after. Lions are very slow hunters, one of them will find a spot to lie down nearby but they won't run after their prey only wait for the perfect moment, which didn't come because the impala were scared off. The lions took off again to find the impala and we saw they were heading towards the road. So we got in our car and drove straight over to the road just in time to see them all crossing. They were so close to our car we didn't know if they would jump on or scratch it but thankfully they made way.

Into our next and last day in the Kruger park, our sunrise safari. We were really hoping to see a leopard, our last of the big 5. Even a cheetah would have been amazing. But unfortunately these animals are very rare to spot. We did see many lion again and cubs as well as various other animals.

We decided to do a self drive before we drove to Waterval Bovine that evening to see if we could find a leopard. We were told of an app that people use to locate and pin different animals, why didn't we know about this before! A leopard had been spotted in a tree some hours before along a road near Skakuza we wanted to take so we were off, eyes peeled scouring the bush land. This is much easier said then done as these animals can be well camouflaged and it's hard to look at both sides whilst driving! We came across many animals along the way. There was an elephant on the side of the road that we stopped to take photos of and this one seemed very interested in us. It started walking towards us and stopped right in front of our car. This elephant was huge, and it then proceeded to flap it's ears, shake his trunk and head, and was trumpeting. From what we've been told this elephant was ready to charge. Nick put the car in reverse and was ready to fly out of there, until I told him we need to stay still until it moves on. Again we've heard that elephants will feel more threatened by the rev of a car and sudden movements even though it was very tempting to get out of there. The elephant sniffed us all over and eventually walked away then we got out of there! Nick was as white as a ghost, it was a scary experience. We continued our search for the leopard but had no luck. It was deep in the bush by the time we got there. Even though we didn't get to see the big 5 our time at Kruger was incredible! It is nothing like seeing all these animals in their natural habitats living their lives so up close.

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noramoya · 6 years

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ON THIS DAY, 20 DECEMBER 2002, IN MICHAEL JACKSON'S HISTORY : 'Gold Magazine' release a seven page article, photographs and interview with Michael as follows: Magdalena "gold girl": Do you most see yourself as a musician, an entertainer or an entrepreneur? Michael: Probably all of the above, because I love entertaining and I always will love entertaining. I love becoming a slave to rhythm. Because dancing is about interpreting the sounds and accompaniments of the orchestra. You know, you become the sound, you become the bass, you become whatever you hear, and you do it bodily. But I try not to get so caught up in it all that you don't think about your future. So many great entertainers have just been taken in the past, and they ended up lonely, sad and broken. I've always said to myself, I never want to be that way and I'm going to try my hardest to learn about the business side, support myself, invest my money, save. Who knows what tomorrow brings? You want to be protected financially so you can support yourself. Magdalena "gold girl": Would you like to be remembered as a great entertainer? Michael: I love movies and I love art - and an architect is an entertainer, the guy who builds a roller coaster is an entertainer. He knows where to build the slopes, and the big anticipation when you go up... He makes you go,'Oh my God!' when you get to the top before you come down. It's just the same as structuring a show or a dance. Magdalena "gold girl": Does it ever become a burden to be one of the most recognized stars in the world? Michael: There's nowhere in the world I can actually go and have privacy. The thing that hurts the most is the fact that your privacy is taken away from you. To use the silly expression, you live in a fishbowl, but it's true. I do disguises... People know them all, it's very hard, very hard. Magdalena "gold girl": What kind of disguises? Michael: Bat suits, buck teeth, glasses, afros, prosthetics, make-up jobs, everything. Just to sit in the audience and experience it the way an audience would experience a show; I want to feel how they feel. Magdalena "gold girl": Do they find you out? Michael: Sometimes, yes. In the beginning, no. Then they start looking me in the eyes. I put these things on and then they start looking behind the glasses... Girls are very smart, you know. You can trick a guy quicker than you can trick a girl. Women can just pick it up. They know the way you move your body, the way you walk, the way you gesture. I hear them go,'Look at the way he moves his hand', or ' Look at the way he was walking', and I think,' Oh no. Magdalena "gold girl": If You were invisible for a day in London, what would you do? Michael: Oh boy. Who would I like to slap? Let me see (laughs)... I think I'd find one of the tabloid paparazzi and kick his ass, moonwalk style. I'd really like to knock them off one of those little scooters they ride around on, I really would, knock the cameras right out of their hands. They're so annoying. I'd go for them first, yeah. They drive you nuts. You can't get away from them. It's terrible. Magdalena "gold girl": Who has inspired you the most professionally, and who do you relate to? Michael: Probably Walt Disney; because when I was little I grew up in an adult world. I grew up on stage. I grew up in night clubs. When I was seven, eight years old I was in nightclubs. I saw striptease girls take off all their clothes. I saw fights break out. I saw people throw up on each other. I saw adults act like pigs. That's why to this day I hate clubs. I don't like going to clubs - I did that already, I've been there. That's why I compensate now for what I didn't do then. So when you come to my house, you'll see I have rides, I have a movie theater, I have animals. I love animals - elephants and giraffes and lions and tigers and bears, all kinds of snakes. I get to do all those wonderful things that I didn't get to do when I was little, because we didn't have those things. We didn't have Christmas. We didn't have sleepovers. We didn't have school, we had private school when we were touring. I didn't go to a state school. We tried it for two weeks and it didn't work. It was very difficult. It's hard growing up a celebrity child. Very few make that transition from child star to adult star. It's very difficult. I relate to Shirley Temple. I met her in San Francisco and I sat at her table and I cried so bad. She said, 'What's wrong Michael?' I said, 'I love you. I need to be around you more.' She goes, 'You're one of us, aren't you?' and I said 'Yes, I am.' Somebody else said,'What do you mean?' and she said, 'Michael knows what I mean.' And I know exactly what she meant - to have been there as a child star and to have graduated to have succeeded in making that transition to fame as an adult is very difficult. When you're a child star people don't want you to grow up. They want you to stay little forever. They don't want you to work afterwards. It's very hard. Magdalena "gold girl": Tell me more about your interests in theme parks - what is it about them that interests you? Michael: My favourite thing about theme parks - and I have a pretty good outlook on it because I've traveled the world many times over - is I love seeing people simply come together with their families and have fun. It really does bring them closer together. I go for fun, but I also go to study. I go after hours to most parks because I can't go in the regular hours. They're kind of like a ghost town. Magdalena "gold girl": I hear you have some ideas for a theme park in Las Vegas? Michael: I've done many projects in Las Vegas, and what I think I've done is I've widened the demographic there. Because when I was a little kid - I was no more than eight years old - my brothers and I would go to Las Vegas, and at that time kids weren't even allowed to walk on a casino floor. So we used to stay up in our rooms, bored, with nothing to do while everyone else gambled. There was only one place for kids in Vegas at the time, called Circus Circus. It was a hotel and the theme they had there was clowns. So there was a trapeze man and there were chimps doing the little unicycles. When I got older we played Vegas a lot - we performed there many, many times - and I thought about it and I said, 'It's really not fair that there's nothing here for children,' so I started to conceive a couple of ideas for certain hotel owners. And now it's like the family-themed vacation kingdom, it really is. Magdalena "gold girl": Who are your favourite people? Michael: I love people who have really contributed to the pleasure and happiness of the planet and mankind, people with light - from Walt Disney to Ghandi to Edison to Martin Luther King. These are people with light, people who really cared about children, bringing families together, and love. That's what I try to say in my music and in my songs. If you go to one of my concerts, my shows, you will see 200,000 people swaying, holding candles, saying, 'We want to heal the world,' and 'We love you.' I've seen it around the world from Russia to Germany to Poland to Africa to America. We're all the same. People cry in the same places in the show. They get angry in the same places in the show, they get the pathos in the same places. Magdalena "gold girl": Was Fred Astaire your friend? Michael: Yes. Fred Astaire was my neighbour. I used to see him every day when I was riding my little motor scooter. He always told me, he would always say when I was a little kid, 'You're gonna be a big star.' He told me that he thought I was an incredible entertainer and a great mover. And he always used to say, 'You're the best,' and I'd say, 'No, you're the best.' I remember the first time I did the moonwalk. Fred called me at home. He was screaming on the phone, raving. He said it was the best performance he'd ever seen. I said, 'Oh, come on.' He said, 'Michael, you put them on their ass. You're a hell of a mover. You're a hell of a dancer.' I said, 'Well, coming from you, I don't need any awards.' Because I was nominated for an Emmy for that performance, and I didn't get it, but it didn't matter to me because Fred Astaire said he loved my performance, and that's all the award I needed. Magdalena "gold girl": If you could work with anyone, alive or dead, who would that be? Michael: If I could work with anybody it would be Charlie Chaplin, who I love so much. Also, Laurence Oliver was a genius, really. Those two guys, I think. And also the king, Brando. Magdalena "gold girl": Last year you put together a short film, 'You Rock My World', with the assistance of Marlon Brando. What was it like working with the master? Michael: Brando is a good friend of mine. He's very much like me. He doesn't go many places. He comes to Neverland or he stays in my house in Mulholland Drive, or he goes to Tahiti. His son worked for me for more than 20 years, and his other son was in my class in private school. He's just a giant. You see, Brando's smart, because when he works with me he always says, 'I know what buttons to push to get emotion from you.' He knows me so well. He knows how to get me ticked off, so he'll say certain things to get me really geared up. He's a genius. He's a king. He's the last of that generation. He's a brilliant man, a lovely person. I love him and he's my good friend. Magdalena "gold girl": You had a cameo in 'Men In Black II', was that fun to work on? Michael: 'The Men In Black' project really was a lot of fun because I introduced myself as the new guy. Magdalena "gold girl": It was obvious from the video of 'Thriller' that you have a great interest in the visual arts. Michael: Everything I do I like either to direct myself, or work closely with the director - we co-direct and come up with the ideas together. If you look at 'Ghosts', it says co-written by Michael Jackson and Stephen King. We wrote it on the telephone, Stephen and I - he's a lovely guy, he's amazing. We wrote it on the phone, just talking together. Magdalena "gold girl": Who are the figures in the movie business you most admire, and why? Michael: I just love Robert De Niro. I think he's such a multi-faceted actor. He can play anything from a comedian to a priest to a psychopathic killer to an idiot to a charming uncle to just anything. And of course, any of the great dancers. Magdalena "gold girl": Who would be your ideal leading lady, and why? Michael: An actress? (laughs) You and I should do a film together. Let's do it, I'd love that... Magdalena "gold girl": There was talk of you going to the moon to perform an authentic moonwalk there. Is there any truth in this? Michael: (laughs) There is some truth in it. It's not a rumour. I'll just say that. Magdalena "gold girl": You outbid Paul McCartney for the Beatles archive. What was so special about it? Michael: No, I didn't, he didn't bid for it. It was for sale and I liked it and I bought it, like buying a piece of art. Magdalena "gold girl": Tell me more about your passion for children's charities. Which organizations do you support? Michael: Well, I have a charity for kids that I created myself, called 'Heal the World'. And whenever I do a concert or anything pertaining to entertainment, I give a certain amount to 'Heal the World' - you know orphanages, hospitals, kids who need a lung or a liver, we'll find it, we'll pay for the surgery. On tour, I do as many hospitals and orphanages as I do concerts. We go to 12-year-olds and we take boxes and boxes and boxes of toys, a bunch of Michael Jackson posters and paraphernalia. They love it. Magdalena "gold girl": How much more do you feel you want to achieve in your life? Michael: I'm never satisfied. There are so many different avenues and so many different things that I want to do. I've done a lot, but I don't think it's enough, which is why I don't put up any awards or anything in my house. You won't see any awards in my house, I put them all away in storage. Because if you get caught up in that, you start to feel like, 'Oh, man, I did it.' There's so much more, so many more mountains to climb. Magdalena "gold girl": If one of your children came to you and said, 'Dad, I want to be a pop star,' what's the best advise you could give them? Michael: The best advise that I would give them is it's a lot of hard work, and be prepared, because it's not all joy all the time. And that you've got to have rhinoceros skin, because the bigger the star, the bigger the target. The tabloid press are bastards, and you've got to have rhinoceros skin to deal with that kind of ignorance mentality. They do it simply to sell papers, because bad news sells, not good news. They simply make it up. If they don't have anything, they just make it up. I'm nothing like the way the tabloids have painted me out to be, nothing. Nothing like that. They're the ones who are crazy. They're ignorant. I always say to my fans 'Let's have a tabloid burning. Let's make a big mountain out of tabloids and just burn them.' The real fans who love me know that garbage isn't true. They know. They're smart. Magdalena "gold girl": Have you always wanted to do film? If your family had not been such successful musicians, would you have turned to it earlier in your life? Michael: I've always wanted to do film, but the tours got in the way. That's why I want to take several years off just doing film. I'd like to get six great movies behind me, and then I'll do a little bit of touring, then I'll do more filming. Magdalena "gold girl": What kind of ideas do you have for film? Michael: I have ideas for film and movement and dance and things that people have never seen. I can't wait to just surprise people. That's why I've been dying to start a film production company, and I'm very excited that that's what we're doing with Neverland Pictures. I get to just have a clean slate and play and create and sculpt. Magdalena "gold girl": Tell me a little bit about the werewolf idea in your films, and how does it relate to video? Michael: I haven't read the script yet for 'Wolfed' - it's one of the movies that we're going to be making and I'm really excited about it. I'm so happy to be working with Sammy Lee (the co-writer of Music Box, who recently acquired 'first look' rights to Jackson's films). We're doing some great projects together in film, and I'm really excited. Magdalena "gold girl": And 'Wolfed' will be the first film? Michael: As of now, our schedule says that 'Wolfed' will be the first film. That's going to be fun. I want it to be really scary. Rick Baker wants to do all the visual effects. He has seven Academy awards. Rick is very excited about it too - he did 'American Werewolf' in London. He won an Oscar, and he said, 'Michael, that was nothing. That's nothing compared to what he can do today'. And he did 'Thriller' and he said of that, 'It's nothing'. He can go way beyond that. He did all the Eddie Murphy films, 'Clumps' and 'Nutty Professor' and all that 'Men In Black' stuff too. He does all that. Magdalena "gold girl": So tell me how you would like to be remembered? Michael: How would I like to be remembered? As a person who came and brought light to the world, some escapism. Also as the voice for the voiceless children, because I love them. I'm living for the children. If it weren't for the kids, I would throw in the towel. A baby, a child - now that's amazing. They're little geniuses, you know, little geniuses. They really are. Magdalena "gold girl": Do you enjoy being a father? Michael: It's my favourite thing. I love it! I love it! I love it! Magdalena "gold girl": The other day I saw you pick up your daughter when she was sleeping. You just picked her up, and I could see the joy in your face. Michael: Oh, I love them. The Jacksons have a lot of kids. I have a lot of nephews and nieces. There's a lot of us! Magdalena "gold girl": What is your relationship with your brothers and sisters? Michael: I love my brothers and sisters. When I'm with them we laugh. It's like a different version of yourself. We can just laugh and giggle and talk about old times. We're not together as much as we'd like to be. We're all busy. We're all in show business. We're always doing something. If I'm in town, Janet's out of town. If we're both here, my brother's somewhere else. Everybody's running around, you know. Magdalena "gold girl": Are you a family man? What do you like doing with your family? Michael: My personal family? My Children? We love just sitting together, talking, shooting the breeze. We sit by the lake. I take them for a walk every day at my house. We sit by the lake and we throw rocks in the water and we just talk. Magdalena "gold girl": What do you think is the deepest form of love someone can feel? And have you felt it? Michael: Wow, I think that's really a matter of opinion. Have I felt the deepest form of love? I don't know what would be the deepest... (long pause) and interesting question... (repeats question a few times). I love my children very, very much, and I always look in their eyes and tell them that - I think that's the most important thing" ~ SOURCE: #MJIWRDS

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beedujourblog · 4 years

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The first roar sounded far enough to comfortably fall asleep while a frenzy of croaking, bleeting and cackling carried on in the background. Twenty minutes later the second roar sounded closer, but it was the even closer third one that make me sit up right for the second night in a row with my heart beating fast and slightly panicked.

This experience was as authentic as African safaris can get. With nothing but a tent canvas separating you from the wide-awake wilderness in the pitch black night, you cannot help being on the alert. Aside from not getting much sleep, a getaway in the African bush is a unique one and staying in an unfenced camp is getting as close to nature as it can get.

This was also my first time on safari in this famous and well-loved region of South Africa. I also did this trip on my own, daring to finally do my first solo female trip in my home country.

The Honey Guide Khoka Moya Camp

Located in the heart of the Manyeleti Reserve sharing unfenced borders between the Kruger, Sabi Sands and the Timbavati, the Khoka Moya camp offers you the ultimate glamping experience in the bush. Spacious, furnished tents are placed around the camp allowing privacy and safety and all are in walking distance from the outdoor pool and boma dining area.

Each tent is set up above the ground and has its own private bathroom and deck area that looks out into the bush. Food portions at the restaurant are generous to say the least and well prepared with fresh ingredients.

The animals are free to roam on the grounds here at any time. With elephants marching in to drink water from the pools, hornbills skipping between the pathways and a variety of fowls and frogs coming out at night. You are not allowed to walk alone or venture out your tent at night. In the evenings, one of the staff will accompany you from your tent to the dining area and back.

Going on Safari

You are awaken by the beating drum at 5 am in the summer season. Everyone meets at the dining area as you are welcomed with tea, coffee and rusks while mischievous monkeys run across the roof and rustle the tree tops.

The landscape at dawn is beautiful. You’ll see all the grazers out at this time and lounging lions catching some of the first rays of sunlight for the day. Each game drive will include a stop by the watering holes in the area. Mornings will be accompanied by hot beverages and evenings a cocktail of your choice. Of course I went with Amarula, one of our nation’s prized liquors grown and made right here in the in the bush.

READ more on top wine and food spots in Cape Town here

Spotting the Big 5

This trip also doubled as my birthday getaway, so my expectations were high. I got very lucky on this safari and managed to see all the Big 5. I did my research before choosing where to do my first safari. The Manyeleti lies in the life-rich Southern area of the Kruger and Greater Kruger regions meaning the grasses here are the best and will naturally attract the herbivores. Where’s there’s game there’s prey, making this a high-probability game viewing area. However, there’s never a 100% guarantee you will spot all the animals. They move to their own accord.

You will find plenty of giraffe roaming the grounds, even before arriving at my camp I spotted them alongside the road. Plenty of wildebeest, impala and a zebra can be found across the veld throughout the day.

On my first day on the evening game drive we spotted a pride of lounging lions. Honeyguide Camps offers private jeep drives which allows you to actually go off-road right through the bushes and trees to view the animals up close. There were 2 other jeeps at this site. The lions remained calm and while some looked at us briefly, they would simply drop their heads back to sleep unfathomed. Just stay in the car and you’ll be fine.

A call came through the intercom. Our ranger said two rhinos were spotted further on. With all the anti-poaching campaigns and awful visuals I have had to witness on TV here in South Africa, finally seeing these beautiful animals made me somewhat sad. Two male white rhino males were grazing in the thicket. One still intact with his horn, the other one without. The latter had his horn cut to save his life as part of the program to curb the death toll on rhino poaching. I’ll be honest, I thought it was unfair. Their horns serve a purpose in their lives and who wants to see a mutilated rhino in the wild? Where’s the photos? We were warned that poachers are watching social media to help them find and locate horned rhino. I’m not prepared to take that risk, so I won’t be sharing these images any time soon.

The following day we came across a group of male elephants, more impala, a shy warthog and a variety of birdlife. Nearby the watering hole we heard grunting hippos, but only saw them in the distance. I also saw a pair of rare water buck.

It being my birthday, I just had to spot the leopard to make the whole experience “complete”. It was on the evening drive that we got the call on the radio as the sun was setting, that a female leopard was going back to her cub with a fresh kill. About 5 different jeeps with on-lookers were on her trail as she calmly sauntered back to her cub with a dead hare in her strong jaws.

She eventually disappeared into the thicket and we went to view a nearby group of African buffalo. On our way back we witnessed the moon rise over the plains as a dazzle of zebra stampeded over the road along with impala high-jumping on their trails. With the sun down, the hunt would begin.

Going on a South African Safari as a South African

It has been my dream to go on safari here in South Africa in the actual bushveld for years. I also did this trip alone. As a female in South Africa I am all too aware of the risk that entails. This trip however has only reinforced my wanderlust for my country and this continent as solo female travel is not impossible in South Africa. Yes, I had concerns before doing this but the whole experience was safe and amazing. After all, this is my home. I also realised a trip to to the Kruger and the South African wilderness is an immense privilege for anyone to experience. I highly encourage any traveller to add this on their experience list.

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Safari du Jour 🐾🌞 🇿🇦 . I just spent an incredible 2 nights in @honeyguidecamps in the Manyaleti Reserve between the Kruger & Sabi. This doubled as both a birthday and media trip and really was one of the best gifts to myself. I’ve been wanting to do this for so long. I’ll be sharing so much more soon ❤️. Time to edit the professional photos! @albatrosafrica . . . #beedujour #honeyguidetentedsafari #manyeletigamereserve #manyeleti #safarigram #safarigram #safarigirl #sheisnotlost #girlswhotravel #dametraveler #meetsouthafrica #thisissouthafrica #wildlifeof_sa #southafricansafari #Wildlifeart #wildlifepark #ig_africa #wildlifefriend #planet_of_animals #wildlifeseekers #wildlifephotos #wildlifesafari #wildlifeofinstagram #animal_sultans #wildlifetrust #wildlifeplanet #wildlifeaddicts #animalpolis #wildlifelovers

A post shared by Bee | CT Lifestyle Blogger (@beedujour) on Dec 14, 2019 at 12:24am PST

I met other guests at the camp who were on their fourth safari and trip in South Africa. They told me a holiday in the bush is addictive and you’ll always come back for more. I know I cannot wait to plan my next African safari.

Solo Female travel tips for a South African safari:

Book transfers from the airport. The Khoka Moya Camps provide transfer options from and to Johannesburg’s OR Thambo and Hoedspruit Airport as these are the closest. Hoedspruit Airport is only about 40 minutes away from the actual campsite so I chose to fly to Hoedspruit. The drive from Johannesburg can take up to 5 hours. You can arrange your transfers with Honeyguide Camps before arriving.

Sleeping alone in a tent in the wild is not as daunting as it sounds. If you’re up for adventure then you’ll love it. Honeyguide Khoka Moya has a shared dining space so you get to meet and chat with your fellow campers throughout your stay. Safaris are meant to be social in my opinion.

Don’t take or leave ANY food inside your tent. There were hyenas and monkeys outside and it’s best you don’t leave anything that could attract the animals.

You can buy malaria treatment at the local pharmacies. I took it as a precaution method although I never got any bites on this trip.

Summer or winter? Winter is always a good idea as the foliage is less and you can spot game easily. Summer is the rainy season and I got lucky on my stay as the rainstorms stopped just before I came. However, it was still beautiful and you can enjoy afternoon swims.

What to pack? In summer you will need a light warm jacket for both game drive for the early part of the morning and when the sun sets. Bring a thicker jacket and cap for winter. Avoid bright colours and white as these could annoy the animals. The lodge provides you with everything inside your tent from soap, towels and drinking water.

Are you interested in doing your safari in South Africa? Contact Honeyguide Camps, my experience with them was professional and they were helpful every step of the way.

Honeyguide Tented Safari Camps They also have 3 different tented safari camps around the Kruger region in South Africa. Contact: [email protected] or +27 21 424 3122 Website: http://honeyguidecamp.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/honeyguidecamps Twitter: @honeyguidecamps

Have any more questions? Feel free to pop me a question in my contact section or comment below.

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My First Safari: A Stay with Honeyguide Tented Camps in the Bush The first roar sounded far enough to comfortably fall asleep while a frenzy of croaking, bleeting and cackling carried on in the background.

#honeyguide camps #manyeleti game reserve #solo female travel #south african safari #tented safari #travel blogger #travel photography #wildlife photography

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backofafrica-blog · 4 years

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4 DAYS MAASAI MARA AND LAKE NAKURU BUDGET CAMPING SAFARI

Day 1: Nairobi - Masai Mara

Our Safaris starts with a pick-up by one of our driver or staff, you will be met in your hotel, residential house, guest house, apartment or airport. Kindly advice pick up point. Pickup is as early as 0730am depending on the location of your hotel. You will have a short Safari over view description as per the itinerary as you get to know your guide. There after depart for Masai Mara with the first stop at the Great Rift Valley View Point. This is a perfect place to be in the early morning and evening. You will watch enthralling Rift valley with its vast vegetation and the sun rays kissing the far and wide stretching mountains in the surrounding.

The Great Rift Valley has been reckoned as a wonder of the world stretching from the Middle East passing through Africa and has a great and vast chunk in East African part and ends in Mozambique in the South. After about 15-20min of getting history you will proceed to Narok. Narok is a town west of Nairobi that supports Kenya's economy in south-west of the country, along the Great Rift Valley.

Narok is the district capital of the Narok County and stands as the major centre of commerce in the district. Narok has a population of around 40,000 people, mostly Masai. The Masai, natives of Narok district, refer to Narok as Enkare Narok (meaning black water or dark water) named after, Enkare Narok, the river flowing through Narok town. The elevation of Narok is 1827 meters (5,997 feet) in altitude.

You will have a brief stop here for car refuelling; there after proceed to Masai Mara, on arrival you will be received by our Masai Mara Staffs who will then assist you to check in the Camp or lodge. Hot Lunch will be served, leave for the late afternoon game drive which starts as early as you may opt to this early afternoon, this game drive offers you big 5 kill as well as Africa Sunset around 1830hrs, then your driver will then drive you back to the camp or lodge where you will be served with African / English menu food in the Camp buffet style or lodge.

• Main destination: Masai Mara National Reserve

• Accommodation: www.destinyecocampmara.com or similar standard

• Meals & drinks: Lunch & dinner (Breakfast not included on this day 1) Drinking water is included. (Other drinks such as alcohol not included).

Day 2: Masai Mara Game Reserve Full Day

Masai Mara is situated in south-west Kenya and is one of Africa’s Greatest Wildlife Reserves. Together with the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania it forms Africa’s most diverse, incredible and most spectacular Eco-Systems and possibly the world’s top safari big game viewing Eco-System. I am sure you have heard the wildebeest migration is nothing short of amazing. It is one of the things you have to add to your bucket list.

Balloon ride is highly recommended in Maasai Mara very early in the morning in search of Africa's Big Five and the plethora of other wildlife inhabiting this vast Kenyan game reserve. On clear days, the Mara offers fantastic orange-tinged rise and sunsets that one can make for spectacular photos. Much game are coming at your door step when you in the park leaving you with only option of counting your blessings that nature holds for you as you view them in their natural habitat using a birds eye view.

This will be the full day explore the Masai Mara, breakfast will be served as early as 0730am, then our cook will pack for you fresh picnic lunch since the whole day will be exploring the Masai Mara famous 7th wonders of the World.

This game reserve is Kenya's finest wildlife sanctuary. Including migrants, well over 450 species of animals have been recorded here. Mara plains are filled with migrating wildebeest and zebra, there is also resident wildlife year round. The Mara's gentle fertile climate bounded by The Rift, offers perhaps the richest stocked reserve set within some 1672 sq km - an unlimited spectacle of wildlife. Located 268 km west of Nairobi, the emphasis here is on game. Herds of immense Elephants, browse among Lion, Buffalo, Thompson Gazelle, Zebra and Topi. You may occasionally sight black Rhino. In the Mara River Hippos play and Cross bask on the banks. After exploring the park return to the camp for dinner and overnight.

• Main destination: Masai Mara National Reserve

• Accommodation: Destiny Eco Camp Mara or similar standard

• Meals & drinks: Breakfast, Lunch & dinner + Drinking water is included. (Other drinks such as alcohol not included).

Day 3: Masai Mara - Lake Nakuru national park

You will have a wakeup call as early as 0600am, you will have hot African Coffee or Tea and then proceed for Pre - morning game drive as from 06:30hrs for the next 3 hours until 0930hrs, then our driver will drive you back to the camp or lodge where you will be served with full breakfast as you check out for Lake Nakuru, if willing on this day you can as well visit the Masai Village for one hour and learn more of the Masai Culture (company to pay), lunch will be in Narok town or ( Mai Mahiu) hot water after lunch proceed to Lake Nakuru and arriving early evening I recommend checking in at your budget accommodation and relax after a long drive.

Game viewing in Nakuru will be done on day 4 in the morning till lunch time. This is so because Lake Nakuru hardly allow re-entry to the park and if we get to the park on this material day we shall only have a few hours before its closing time than getting to the park in the morning and spend good time exploring the park on Day 4 (this will be possible if you opt for http://kranhotels.com/ as this budget accommodation is outside the park ) otherwise for the lodge option you will have both evening and morning game viewing in lake Nakuru since lodge facilities are located inside lake Nakuru National park and one can take advantage of the lodge location for more game viewing.

• Main destination: Masai Mara National Reserve

• Accommodation: Kran Hotels

• Meals & drinks: Breakfast, Lunch & dinner + Drinking water is included. (Other drinks such as alcohol not included).

Day 4: Lake Nakuru - Back To Nairobi

The Bird Watchers’ Paradise the Lake is on the floor of the Great Rift Valley, surrounded by wooded and bushy grassland, lies the beautiful Lake Nakuru National Park. Visitors can enjoy the wide ecological diversity and varied habitats that range from Lake Nakuru itself to the surrounding escarpment and picturesque ridges. Lake Nakuru National Park is ideal for bird watching, hiking, picnic and game drives. Breakfast will be served at around 0730am there after proceed for the game drive, you will have a chance to visit a unique sanctuary catering for a sizable number of the endangered White and Black rhinos as well as Rothschild giraffe. Water bucks, predators such as the lion and leopard are common at the park.

Also to be seen is a myriad different variety of bird life in and around the lake. Flamingos are also plenty at the lake though not as in the past few years due to rise in water level. Leave for Nairobi late afternoon arriving in Nairobi in the early evening followed by a drop off to the hotel of your choice or back to the airport to catch up with your flight for the next destination. This will then mark the end of a 3 nights 4 days private trip safari with us here at Back Of Africa Adventure where we “put customers first through service…”

• Main destination: Nairobi Kenya

• Accommodation: own arrangements

• Meals & drinks: Breakfast & Lunch. Drinking water is included. (Other drinks such as alcohol not included).

For more information! Visit us now!!

#Best Kenya Safaris Tour Packages #Kenya & Tanzania Combined Tour Package #Best Kenya & Tanzania Tour Packages #Best Tanzania safari packages #Kenya safaris from Nairobi

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newsunsetbudgetsafaris · 5 years

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15 Day Rwanda, Kenya and Tanzania Safari

Program Highlights

Duration: 15 Days Category: Outbound Tour Destinations: Kenya, Tanzania and Rwanda Major Attractions: Include African bush elephant, Cape buffalo, impala, lion, cheetah, spotted hyena, Masai giraffe, Grant's zebra and blue wildebeest in Amboseli Its animals include lions, cheetahs, elephants, zebras and hippos. Wildebeest traverse its plains during their annual migration in Maasai Mara Spots of Wildebeest Annual Migration in Serengeti Be able to see huge group of flamingoes in Manyara and Ngorongoro Big five in Ngorongoro Crater Lion climbing tree in Manyara Be able to visit Stone Town and Jozani Forest in Zanzibar Tour Guides Language: English, Spanish, French, German, Italian For other languages please send a special request prior to your safari -additional fee may apply. Start in: Nairobi End in: Nairobi Recommended Packing list: Camera with enough zoom and memory space and extra batteries, binoculars, light clothes, safari boot, mosquito repellents, sunhat, sun glasses with UV radiation filtering etc. Additional note: This is a safari program covering some of Kenya, Tanzania and Rwanda Destinations whereby you will need armed ranger/guide for any walking safari in this destination

Itinerary Description

PART I: GORILLA TREK Day 1: Nairobi (Kenya) – Kigali (Rwanda) Transfer to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport to board your flight to Kigali Rwanda Arrive in Kigali where you will be met at the Kigali International Airport by your driver-guide Visit of Kigali city which includes the Genocide Memorial centre at Gisozi and then transfer to Kinigi at the foothills of the Volcanoes Have dinner and overnight stay at Hotel La Palme Day 2: Gorilla Trekking & Later Transfer back to Kigali (Rwanda) After breakfast, you will depart for the headquarters of the Park where your driver-guide will accomplish the necessary formalities for you You will meet your ranger guide(s) for a briefing about the greatest animal experience ever After the trekking, have lunch and transfer to Kigali On your way to Kigali, several stops will be made to admire the scenery On arrival in Kigali, you will be transferred to the airport to board your flight to Nairobi Flight departs at 1830hrs and arrives in Nairobi at 2100hrs You will be met and transferred to Fairview Hotel for dinner and overnight stay PART II: KENYA AND TANZANIA SAFARI Day 3 & 4: Nairobi – Maasai Mara You will be picked from Fairview Hotel and transferred to Wilson airport to board a flight to the Maasai Mara Game Reserve You arrive at Maasai Mara at 1100hrs. Here you will be met and transferred to Mara Sopa lodge Maasai Mara is a spectacle to behold with over 450 species of wildlife recorded here During the month of April and May, resident wild animals can be seen around the vast plains From Mid June to October the migrating herds of wildebeests from Serengeti in Tanzania become the predominant activity in the park with hundreds of predators hot in pursuit At the break of dawn on either day 4 or 5, you can choose to take an optional balloon safari over the plains of Masai Mara to enjoy the vista On landing you will be treated to a heart full champagne breakfast in the bush Also on this day, you can take an optional cultural visit to a local village to learn about the contemporary Maasai Culture Have dinner and overnight stay at Mara Sopa Lodge Day 5: Maasai Mara – Nairobi – Amboseli National Park Take a pre breakfast game drive After breakfast, you will be transferred to the airstrip to board your return flight to Nairobi departing at 1000hrs and arriving at 1145hrs (approx) On arrival in Wilson airport Nairobi, you will be met by your driver guide and depart for Amboseli National Park with lunch en route. Arrive at Amboseli late in the afternoon for a game drive Take a game drive as you proceed to Sentrim Amboseli Lodge for dinner and overnight stay Day 6: Amboseli National park Have a morning breakfast at the hotel and leave for a full day game drive at Amboseli National Park Spend full day in this photogenic park with a morning and evening game drive Amboseli National Park is located at the foot of Mt. Kilimanjaro - Africa's highest mountain The park is famous for being the best place in Africa to get close to free-ranging elephants among other wildlife species Other attractions of the park include opportunities to meet the Masai and spectacular views of Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest free-standing mountain in the world SentrimAmboseli's location deep inside the reserve and guarantees close encounters with the park's renowned elephants Also happily roaming the grasslands are buffallos, wildebeast, zebra, giraffes, impalas and several predators Have dinner and overnight stay at SentrimAmboseli Lodge Day 7: Amboseli – Lake Manyara National Park Depart for a 1 hr drive to the Kenya – Tanzania (Namanga) border crossing Go through customs processing Here you will be met by your Tanzanian driver/ guide and depart for Lake Manyara National park via Arusha Stop in Arusha briefly for lunch before proceeding to Lake Manyara arriving later in the afternoon Take a game drive before retiring for the day Lake Manyara National Park is a small but scenic safari park, excellent for bird watching and a good area to find elephant, as well as the potential excitement of spotting a legendary Lake Manyara tree-climbing lion Lake Manyara is a good soft introduction to the safari experience in Tanzania Have dinner and overnight stay at Migunga Tented Camp Day 8: Lake Manyara - Serengeti National Park After an early breakfast, depart with picnic lunch for Serengeti National Park with game drives en route En route also stop and visit Olduvai Gorge – a pre historic Archeological site with a rich history of human evolution Serengeti plains are justifiably famous for the huge concentrations of wildlife, especially the big cats, as well as being the stomping ground of the Great Migration, a massive accumulation of 1.5 million wildebeest, 200,000 zebras and 350,000 gazelles stretching their legs over 1,200 miles in an annual race to find enough water and green grass for their survival The National Park is broadly divided into three distinct areas, the Seronera Valley and Seronera River, the Western Corridor and the Northern Lobo area that extends northwards through the Lamai Wedge to the Maasai Mara Most visitors enter the Serengeti through the southern Naabi Hill Gate, which opens onto the Seronera Valley; a vibrant wildlife area at the heart of the Serengeti Have dinner and overnight stay at Ikoma Tented Camp Day 9: Serengeti National Park Spend the Full day in the Serengeti National Park with morning and evening game drives. Ikoma Tented Camp is set in the midst of an incredible vista of savannah and skies, sheltered in a grove of acacia trees is Serengeti Tented Camp Ideally situated along the path of the migrating wildebeest between Kenya and Tanzania, the camp is situated at the border of the world-renowned Serengeti National Park making it possible to do night game drives There you will find yourself on probably one of the best game drives in the area - along the western corridor of the park, taking in Kirawira and the Grumetiriver - home to the infamous wildebeest-eating giant crocodiles In the evening, you will take a night game drive All meals and overnight stay at Ikoma Tented Camp Day 10: Serengeti – Ngorongoro Conservancy Area After breakfast depart Serengeti National Park with a game drive en route to Ngorongoro Conservancy Area Ngorongoro is a fascinating and unusual Conservation Area which includes the Ngorongoro Crater at its centre, and then extends through the Crater Highlands, in which local tribes are permitted to maintain their traditional lifestyles in as natural environment as possible This extraordinary volcanic landscape is rich and fertile, with stunning craters and lakes, and the high altitude creates a scenic environment for photography Arrive in time for lunch at Kudu Lodge Later in the afternoon take a game drive before returning for dinner and overnight stay at Kudu lodge Day 11: Ngorongoro Crater After breakfast descend into the crater for a game drive for the rest of the day with picnic lunch The crater is said to have the most-dense concentration of wildlife in Africa As such, Ngorongoro Crater has achieved world renown, and attracts a growing number of visitors each year Even if time is limited this natural but accessibly small caldera ensures a rewarding safari The Ngorongoro Crater is the world's largest intact caldera in an exceptional geographical position, forming a spectacular bowl of about 265 sq km with sides up to 600m deep It is the stalking ground of 20 - 30,000 wild animals at any one time The crater floor consists of a number of ecological environments that include grassland, swamps, forests and Lake Magadi, a central soda lake filled by the Munge River All these various habitats attract a variety of wildlife to drink and graze Although animals are free to move in and out of this contained environment, the rich volcanic soil, lush forests and spring source lakes on the crater floor tend to incline both grazers and predators to remain throughout the year Ngorongoro Crater is also presently one of the most likely areas in Tanzania to see the endangered Black Rhino, as a small population is thriving in this idyllic and protected environment one of the only areas where they continue to breed in the wild The Crater rim, over 2,200 meters high, touches swathes of clouds for most days of the year, with cool high altitude vapors that seem to bring a clean lightness to the air, and also a chill These highlands wake up to a misty fog in most months Later in late afternoon ascend back to the lodge for dinner and overnight stay at Kudu Lodge PART III: ZANZIBAR Day 12: Ngorongoro – Arusha – Zanzibar After breakfast, depart with a game drive for Arusha town arriving in time for lunch Afterwards, transfer to Arusha Airport to board your flight to Zanzibar departing at 1300hrs and arriving at 1440hrs. On arrival you will be met and transferred for approximately one and half hour to LangiLangi Beach Bungalow Have dinner and overnight stay at LangiLangi Beach Bungalows Day 13: Transfer from Zanzibar to Stone Town Have a breakfast early in the morning and the transfer from Zanzibar to Stone Town for city tour Our professional guides will be guiding you to Stone Town street to view the beautiful environment of the area Break for a while in the afternoon to have lunch in Stone Town Restaurants Afterward continue with town tour in Stone Town until evening Have dinner and overnight stay at hotel/lodge in Stone Town Day 14: Full Jozani forest and Dolphins Tour Early in the morning around 06:00 you will be picked up from your Hotel for full day Jozani Forest and Kizimkazi Dolphins tour Break for a while in the afternoon to have lunch at Kizimkazi Restaurant After lunch our guide will take you to explore the nature at Jozani forest Have chance to spot Red collobus monkey in Jozani Forest Have dinner and overnight stay at your booked hotel in the area Day 15: Zanzibar – Nairobi Have breakfast at the hotel in Zanzibar and spend the rest of the morning at the beach relaxing After lunch, transfer to Zanzibar Airport to board your flight to Nairobi Flight departs at 1500hrs and arrives in Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta International Airport at 1830hrs Connect with your home bound flight Read the full article

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georgipopovich-voiceblog · 7 years

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FINALLY! Happy Georgi! We never seem to see him any or 😢 Okay, could you do headcannons about Georgi at a petting zoo with Alexandra for his or her birthday?

Alexandra wanted to go to the zoo for her fifth birthday because she’d never been, and she was still a tiny little one who wanted to learn about “aminals” and she wanted to show off her knowledge of what she learned about them in her zoo books.

She was mostly excited about giraffes, and the entire time she saw them, she insisted on standing on her dad’s shoulders so she could feed them, despite his assuring they would bend down to eat the leaves she held out. They most certainly did. A baby giraffe even came up and tickled her face.

Lemurs saw her backpack with a tail on it and started rolling around to try to get her to play with them from outside the glass, and she did! She got her pretty little zebra print dress all dirty, but it was worth it!

The lions reminded her of Uncle Leo of course, and she insisted on taking pictures to show him and held up little claw hands going ‘grrrr!’ to the camera. It broke at least ten hearts.

She did this for tigers too for Uncle Yuri, except she actually tried convincing the zookeepers to let her sit on the tiger’s back. It was feeding time however, and little girls weren’t on the menu today.

Alexandra loved the butterfly exhibit the most, all the prettiest butterflies seemed to like her little colorful ribbons in her hair, and she got so many beautiful pictures in them.

Georgi’s favorite picture of her to this day

There’s a petting area of the zoo where goats and cows are, and Alexandra met a baby cow who was only a few days old. She followed the little girl around the whole time and nibbled at her dress and made friends.

Elephants were incredible, as always, and Alexandra was scared of them because they were so big, but one of them reached a trunk out and poked at her hand and she instantly fell in love

She fell asleep halfway through the trip against her dad’s chest and he carried her over to the gift shop and bought her a “i made a friend today” shirt with all the animals printed on it.

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dorotazabawa-blog · 5 years

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My journey to Rwanda in September was an incredible learning experience for me in many ways. While I was in the country for only a week-long educational trip, I still was able to explore various regions in that short amount of time. Admittedly I was shocked to realize how small the country was. You can drive from one end of the country to the other in about 6 hours, as it is roughly the size of Massachusetts. I was also pleasantly surprised to see just how clean it was and how safe I felt every step of the way. The Rwandan people are dedicated to keeping trash off the streets and their residents safe from harm.

Kigali and Gorilla Trekking

We began the trip by spending a couple days in Kigali, staying at the Kigali Serena Hotel and The Retreat by Heaven and visiting the Genocide Memorial Museum. The museum and gardens are very tough to go through and be reminded of the tragedy that struck this country unfortunately not so long ago. However, it is an important stop to make while in Kigali.

Next, we embarked on a gorilla trek in Volcanoes National Park. I visited the Hirwa family, who were enjoying a tasty treat of Eucalyptus trees just outside the forest and in the farmers’ fields during the visit. Following our trek, we spent one night at Lake Kivu Serena Hotel. Finally, we rounded out our travels by attending Kwita Izina, the annual gorilla-naming ceremony. This ceremony is attended by esteemed visitors from around the world and many locals, who are able to attend for free. This year 23 visitors were pre-selected and given the honor of choosing names of 23 gorillas who had been born between Sept 2017 and Sept 2018.

Akagera National Park

Aside from the gorilla trekking, which is one of the most incredible experiences I’ve been through in my life, I joined six other travel consultants to explore some of the 1,200 square km of Akagera National Park for a one-day excursion. I want to share with you the details of our excursion in the park as this will be somewhat of a new area of exploration for future travelers to Rwanda! While there is one camp currently situated in the park called Karenge Bush Camp, another camp is currently being built as well called Magashi Camp, owned by Wilderness Safaris.

We made our way to the Kigali International Airport to board our helicopters for the 25-minute journey to the park, which is located in east Rwanda. To see the thousand rolling hills along the way was a beautiful sight from above! We were greeted by some locals and met Chris Roche of Wilderness Safaris, who helped us make our way into the park in the Land Rover vehicle.

We spent the next hour or so on a game drive excursion through the park to see its wildlife. Along the way we saw giraffe, wildebeest, topi, warthog, hippo, crocodile, zebra, antelope of different types and various birds. In the park you can also see hyena, leopard, lions, elephant, rhino, sitatunga, the elusive Shoebill stork (which is just one of 500+ different species of birds in the park) and much more! There are lakes and plenty of vast open areas where various animals can be seen in all different corners. We were then surprised with a delicious bush picnic from the Wilderness Safaris team with the view of Lake Rwanyakazinga.

After lunch, we boarded a boat to further explore the lake, where the other agents and I came to realize that we were staring at some of the largest crocodiles and biggest pods of hippos we’ve ever seen. We also saw the site where the new Magashi Camp is currently being built. At the time, only the water tanks were set up, but once complete, the camp will consist of 6 tents. The activities on offer will include boating, fishing, game drives and bush walks. It is scheduled to open for their first visitors in March 2019, and I can’t wait to hear what some of our first clients will see when they go!

On our way back to Kigali, the sun was peeking through the clouds to create majestic rays sprawling along the country-side. A perfect “see you later” and send off to educate our clients, coworkers, friends and family about the treasures of Rwanda. Future visitors will now be able to experience city explorations in Kigali, gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park, chimp trekking in Nyungwe Forest National Park and further game-viewing experiences in Akagera National Park.

When to Visit

The drier months are the best time to go gorilla trekking between December and February, and from about June to mid-September. At present, travelers who spend a minimum of three nights in Akagera National Park or Nyungwe Forest National Park during the months of November to May are eligible for a 30% discount on their gorilla trek permit. This is a great way to see more of Rwanda and also receive a discounted permit price! I’m very excited for travelers to understand all that Rwanda has to offer for themselves!

The post Rwanda’s Akagera National Park: An Untouched Corner Waiting for Explorers appeared first on Travel Beyond.

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mlbrinkworth · 7 years

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Day 11: Kris Crocs'll make ya Jump

We started our safari at 8:00 this morning, it was our first all day safari with a picnic lunch. So to be clear, we have beer, snacks, bottled water, wet wipes, lunch, a picnic table, and coffee. I was starting to feel a bit inauthentic, so I read up on the history of the “safari” to see where we stood. We are fine. The famous Roosevelt-Smithsonian safari employed over 250 porters, each carrying 50-60 pounds of supplies. These included a tub in Roosevelt’s tent, a library (yes…over 60 books for Roosevelt alone), and several tons of salt for meat preservation. I felt better about my coffee and let my mind drift back to the incredible surroundings. We started off towards the river to try to catch a crossing. Along the way we spotted endless numbers of animals, including some of our favorites… giraffe, elephant and lioness with cubs. We of course asked Robert to stop every time and continued with the same enthusiasm as the first day, which probably drove everyone else nuts. Robert had to work really hard to get us down to the river. When we got there it was packed with other safari vehicles, and the wildebeest were miles away, so we moved on down the river, driving for another hour passing endless animals along the way. We finally got to another good crossing spot. We looked, no wildebeest. We decided to head out, turned around and then another car spotted them on the ridge. Yes, they were headed our way. Robert suggested we head up the hill to ‘mark our territory’ and have a coffee break.

We were nervous, we didn’t want to miss the crossing. We sat under a tree overlooking the river, with everyone but Robert rocking on their hands, nervous that somehow the animals would teleport to the riverbank and we would miss the whole thing. Eventually it was time, so we headed down only to find that the wildebeest were basically blocked by vehicles on the other side of the river. Robert got frustrated and stated that he didn’t think the crossing would happen anytime soon, so we decided to head back to the earlier crossing points. On the way Robert’s radio went nuts and he floored it. He told us to hold on and cover our faces with the blankets. We did neither but the race was on nonetheless! We couldn’t see 5 feet in front of us from all the windblown dust, but Robert did his best Colin McRae impression getting us to the river (He’s a rally car driver). We turned onto the path leading to the crossing site, cutting off another land rover and clearing their bumper by inches. I stuck my tongue out at the opposing guests as we slid into the best spot. Then the car we’d blatantly cut off drove up beside us. The driver and Robert had some words, but in the end seemed like they were friends again. I can’t say the same for my relations with the other tourists. There we watched about 800 wildebeests laugh at us as they decided instead to take a nap. Wildebeest all follow their leader, but there is no significance to who the leader is, it’s just whoever starts going first. None seemed interested. We all wiped our faces off with 5-6 wetwipes and pretended we looked normal. Eventually Robert decided we needed to go back to crossing point number 1. He seemed unreasonably rushed to get there, but he got us there and as we pulled up we saw the first wildebeest leap into the water. It was on! Hundreds of wildebeest and zebras crossed in dramatic fashion, and we screamed warnings as several huge crocodiles came flying down the river. I had no idea how fast crocodiles could move until this point. They were literally throwing up a wake behind them as they swam towards the crossing. It was incredible. Just as the last zebras reached the far shore there was a big splash, and the zebra disappeared. It just vanished. The overlooking crowd gasped with a collective “Oh S%&T!” The remaining animals who had yet to cross immediately retreated, and several of the zebras across the river stood waiting and making this terribly sad barking noise as though missing their friend and not understanding where it’d gone. It was really heartbreaking. This zebra was never seen again, we can only assume the crocodile had stored it below the surface. Meredith was completely heartbroken for the zebra that was killed, and explained to the vehicle how the zebra family had lost its friend, and the zebras and wildebeest were now to be left behind because they couldn’t get across without being eaten by the waiting crocodiles. At this point she was done with river crossings. But Robert wasn’t. Still determined to make up for yesterday’s near miss, we drove back to crossing point number two and had lunch while waiting for the even larger wildebeest herd to cross. I was proud to see Meredith still in this with me, and not out of the vehicle walking back to camp in protest. Eventually they decided to cross, and it was even more amazing, with nearly a thousand wildebeests followed by hundreds of zebra. Everyone made it across safe, with the exception of a few that got a little nipped by a grumpy hippo. But they were OK. The day was a success and everyone was happy, with the exception of that one zebra and his friends. For those of you who guessed they wouldn’t cross, you should have known Meredith is a planner who doesn’t take no for an answer, and obviously planned a trip where she could guarantee I’d get to see the river crossings. We ended the day by getting to see a very famous male lion named scarface, headed back to camp for dinner and went to bed exhausted yet again. New sightings: Eland - can jump over this car Secretary (bird) Marsh Eagle Serval cat Thousands of wildebeests making the famous crossing over the Mara river. Fun facts: There aren’t nearly the poaching problems in Kenya like in South Africa, so even the reserves don’t have any sort of fencing or barriers, the entire expanse of the Serengeti/Mara ecosystem is unbroken and the animals move freely for thousands and thousands of square miles. The guides say that the cultural differences between the Kenyan tribal population and the general South African native population is a big reason, but to me it seems more logistical in nature. In SA, you can travel from the Rhino to a port in a matter of an hour or two, along heavily traveled roadways. In Kenya, it would be a 6-8 hour trek to civilization, along sparse dirt roads. To me it seemed a lot riskier to transport illegal goods. Either way, its incredible to see such an expansive landscape with such an incredibly dedicated team of caretakers. From the guides to the rangers and everyone we met, they all shared one passion, the health and safety of the incredible animals with whom they shared the land.

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kuwahuru · 4 years

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12 Days Honeymoon Safari and Zanzibar

Honeymoon occur once in a lifetime, and your first honeymoon vacation should be an exceptional one, and unique, this honeymoon Holiday safari in Africa Tanzania, takes you from the shimmering alkaline lakes to prehistoric Ngorongoro Crater then to the heart of ‘wild Africa’ The Serengeti National park before flying to the spice islands of Zanzibar for beach relaxation. Day 1: Arrival From your arrival point you are welcomed by our representative who will take you to Mount Meru Hotel in Arusha City. Later our safari Guide will come for detailed safari briefing and leave you to spend the rest of the day relaxing and enjoy the lodge’s facilities. Day 2: Arusha – Lake Manyara National Park After spending your first night in the fabulous countryside of Arusha at the foot of Mount Meru, your Tanzania honeymoon safari will start by driving to the beautiful Lake Manyara National Lake Manyara National Park it’s on the way to Ngorongoro Crater and the Serengeti, Its ground water forests, bush plains, baobab strewn cliffs, and algae-streaked hot springs offer incredible ecological variety in a small area, rich in wildlife and incredible numbers of birds. Lake Manyara’s famous tree-climbing lions are another reason to pay a visit to this park. The only kind of their species in the world, they make the ancient mahogany and elegant acacias their home during the rainy season, and are a well-known but rather rare feature of the northern park. In addition to the lions, the national park is also home to the largest concentration of baboons anywhere in the world — a fact that accounts for interesting game viewing of large families of the primates. Manyara provides the perfect introduction to Tanzania’s birdlife. More than 400 species have been recorded, and even a first-time visitor to Africa might reasonably expect to observe 100 of these in one day. Highlights include thousands of pink-hued flamingos on their perpetual migration, as well as other large water birds such as pelicans, cormorants and storks. The alkaline soda of Lake Manyara is home to an incredible array of bird life that thrives on its brackish waters. Pink flamingo stoop and graze by the thousands colorful specks against the grey minerals of the lake shore. Yellow-billed storks swoop and corkscrew on thermal winds rising up from the escarpment, and herons flap their wings against the sun-drenched sky. Even reluctant bird-watchers will find something to watch and marvel at within the national park. Overnight at the Farm of Dreams Lodge at Karatu. All meals included. Day 3: Lake Manyara – Serengeti National Park Depart for the Serengeti National Park just after breakfast with en-route stop at one of Masai village for some cultural encounter before driving to Naabi Hills gate & check in. Break for a picnic lunch in a scenic spot before proceeding into the Serengeti for an afternoon game drive. After lunch we drive into the Serengeti itself and the rest of the afternoon is spent game viewing in the vast plains that are broken only by stands of acacia trees and the occasional kopje. In December, January and February we will normally meet the migration with large herds of wildebeest, zebra, and gazelle. There are always plenty of resident animals, such as giraffe, buffalo, and elephant, and many large predators such as lion, cheetah, and leopard. Overnight at Serengeti Acacia luxury Camp. All meals included. Day 4: Full Day Serengeti Leave with breakfast box and lunch box for an early morning game drive in the Serengeti to where the Wildebeest Migration is packed, you might spot cat family on the road as they avoid morning mist or nocturnal animal coming back after a long night of hunting or a group of lioness planning a hunt or a hard of buffalo lazily grazing before getting hot. Break for breakfast in the bush and proceed with game drives until afternoon. Take your lunch break at Soronera visitor’s center and afterward a little rest before embarking on your afternoon game drive. Later drive back to your camp before or during the sunset. Overnight at Serengeti Acacia luxury Camp. All meals included. Day 5: Serengeti – Ngorongoro Crater We start the day with an early morning game drive before heading to Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Ngorongoro is a special place in that it is a Conservation Area, not a National Park; this means that the whole area is managed for both the animals and the local Masai people who graze their cattle alongside the indigenous wildlife The crater offers a spectacular scenery from every point along the rim; from the northern and eastern side you can look out to the dramatic volcano of Oldonyo Lengai, the Great Rift Valley and Lake Natron; from the south and west you can see across the Bulbul depression This truly world-class attraction is also known as the ’8th Wonder of the World,’ finally we descend into the crater. Drive on and descend 2000 feet (over 600 meters) into the crater floor for a day game drive, Explore the forest areas that are inhabited by monkeys and elephant, the lake area, where you may see the flamingos and the open Savannah where the lions hunt for food. The crater walls provide a natural sanctuary for the animals, which means there is plenty to see: lions, elephants, buffalo, rhino and leopard (if you are lucky). The only animal you won’t see in here is a giraffe, whose long legs are unable to cope with the steeps sides of the crater. In the late afternoon we travel just outside of Ngorongoro Conservation Area to our Ngorongoro Oldeani Mountain Lodge Karatu town for Dinner & overnight. Day 6: Karatu – Arusha – Zanzibar After leisurely breakfast at your lodge it is time to get a fully paid complimentary massage at the Massage Spa if you wish, then start on your way to Arusha where you will catch your flight to the island of Zanzibar. On arrival at Zanzibar airport you will be met by our representative who will welcome you to the island of Zanzibar and transfer you to the Romantic and Honeymoon suite Ocean-Bedroom King Suite at Pongwe Beach Hotel for dinner and overnight. Day 7 – 10: Zanzibar Beach Holidays You will spend these days at the beach choosing between the numerous water sports on offer at the Resort and relaxing at the beautiful Pongwe Beach Hotel. Pongwe is perfect for celebrating such a special occasion, with luxurious seafront honeymoon suites, private stretches of white sandy beach, and thoughtful staff. Pongwe is a popular spot for honeymooners who want a simple and laid-back atmosphere. Relax by the infinity pool, go for romantic strolls on the beach or just enjoy the sunshine and pristine white sand has a long line of beach which has been recognized as one of the best beaches in Zanzibar and the world. If you wish in one of these days you can organize a trip to Stone town & do some excursions & then back to the beach. Overnight at Pongwe Beach Hotel on the Northeast of Zanzibar Island. Dinner & Breakfast included Day 11: Zanzibar Beach – Zanzibar Stone Town After spending 5 Nights in the white sand beaches of Zanzibar on this day we take you to the famous Zanzibar Stone Town as you cannot say I have been in Zanzibar without experiencing the old part of Zanzibar with its narrow lines “The Stone Town” is the old city and cultural heart of Zanzibar and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Famous for its winding alleys, bustling bazaars, sultan’s palace, mosques, House of Wonders, Portuguese fort and gardens and the extravagant merchants’ houses with their remarkably ornate doors. In stone town you will have one night at Golden Tulip Hotel Stone Town ocean view rooms. Breakfast included Day 12: Departure After breakfast at the lodge and depending on your departure schedule, you will be transferred to Zanzibar airport to catch you flight back home with Great memories of your honeymoon Safari in Africa Tanzania. If you are flying out from Dar es Salaam or Nairobi, we will arrange a connection, to catch your flight buck home, don’t forget to Come Buck. Prices for Tanzania honeymoon Safari & Zanzibar Beach Holidays 2 Persons travel together – USD $ 3,820 per person sharing (Double room with Queen / King Size bed). The Price includes All airport pick up and transfers in private car Transport and wildlife drives in modified 4 x 4 Land Cruiser with photographic roof hatch Services of a professional English speaking safari guide All wildlife reserve entry fees All game drives as mentioned in the itinerary Domestic flight Arusha to Zanzibar including taxes Special Honeymoon Surprises Full Board Accommodation While on Safari The Price does not include International Flights Any domestic connection flights on arrival or departure All items of a personal nature Gratuities for safari guide and lodge staff (please tip separately) Travel insurance if needed Visa fee (50 US$ /100 US$ for American or Irish Passport holders – to be paid upon arrival) Drinks and beverages in lodges Hot Air Balloon Safari at Serengeti ($549 per person), including concession fees Any activities at Zanzibar like snorkeling or diving or private tours at Zanzibar Read the full article

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delaneypeter · 5 years

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Art Of Safari

with FujiFilm

Safari, conjures up beautiful imagery, The wilds of Africa. Endless grasslands which are teeming with wildlife, antelope, zebras, giraffe, buffalo, rhino and herds of elephant all share this beautiful world. But they are being watched and observed by fierce African predators, lions, cheetah, leopards, wild dogs and hyenas lie in wait to ambush these creatures, this game of life and death plays out every day and every night.

Watching sunsets as the African red blood sun sets below the horizon signalling to the nocturnal creatures that their part in the African safari has begun, hyenas cackle, jackals cry in unison, and the roar of the lion deafens them all. The prey gathers in groups as they look to shadows and smell the night air hoping that they will not be a casualty of the night.

Sunrise can not come quick enough for these creatures, the mist and cold air of the dawn and tip of the sun rising in the east is met with a sense of joy and relief. The antelope run and jump for joy as they have survived to live another day in the harsh and terrible beauty that is called Africa.

The thrill of photographing this action or capturing tender moments between animals as they meet and greet each other

are the moments that wildlife photographers live for.

It is imperative that we photographers who may only have a fraction of a second to capture these unique moments do so with both accuracy and confidence.

Being able to photograph African wildlife is a childhood dream come true. I had a steep learning curve in becoming a wildlife photographer, and I would like to share a few tips and tricks that I have learnt along the way.

I first would like to discuss the gear and technicals required for a successful safari. Then I will share my knowledge of how to capture memorable photographs.

Gear is always an emotive topic, I have used 35mm film cameras, DSLRs and now Fujifilm's mirrorless equipment. As the cliche suggests a camera is just a tool, and it is the photographer that creates the image.

Yes, it is true to a certain degree but having the right tool for the job at hand makes it easier.

I chose Fujifilm for size and the EVF; I knew from the start the AF system was a work in progress. I am glad to say that five years on the Autofocus is not an issue anymore.

Camera choice may be subjective, but your lens choice will be crucial for a successful safari. Lens choice does depend on one thing? Self-drive safari vs organised safari.

Self-drive safari means driving yourself around a game reserve; the majority of these game reserves have strict rules about driving, no off the roading allowed which in turn means subjects are further away, requiring a long telephoto 600mm(35mm).

If you are on an organised safari where you gave a guide and 4x4 vehicle generally some form of off-road driving is allowed, you will be able to get closer to your subjects; you will only need a medium telephoto or a 70-200mm zoom.

Having chosen the right equipment for your safari, the next important and probably the most crucial is setting up the camera's menu. I will share my setup with Fujifilm's XH-1 as Fujifilm's menu and features are basically the same on all the cameras.

Shoot Raw, if your editing skills are not up to scratch or you are still learning, shoot Raw plus Jpeg, ensure the Jpeg colour space is set to Adobe 1998.

The dynamic range I leave on "Auto" all the other features in Image quality setting I leave alone if you want to change the settings, for sharpness, highlights etc. for how your Jpeg will look that is up to you, as I shoot Raw these settings are irrelevant. For Wildlife I like using the Film Simulation Provia for how the colour that appears in the EVF.

AF MF

Probably the most misunderstood and the root of the majority of unsharp images. First I will start with the correct settings for capturing action images,

I have my camera Iso set on Auto, from 200-6400. The shutter speed to freeze action must be a minimum of a 1/1000 if the light allows you to set it higher, do so. If the sun is low and the Iso is maxed out 6400, and your shutter speed drops below 1/500 for your long telephoto lens or your XF100-400mm zoom, then engage Fujifilms "OIS" optic image stabilisation on the side of the lens.

Drive Setting

I choose CM; I find it the happy medium, pardon the pun, as the burst rate is perfect for action, not too slow that I miss the action, and not to fast that I reach the buffer limit too quickly.

Shutter Type, "MS"; Flicker reduction "On"; Iso auto setting I set to base Iso 200 and max sensitivity to 6400.

Minimum Shutter speed 1/500, I would love Fujifilm to have 1/1000 as the minimum shutter speed.

This setting is essential for sharp images "Is Mode" must be set to "Shooting Only" for still images as "Continuous" mode is for video only and your still images will be soft if set to this mode.

Screen Mode

Leave all at factory setting except, Image Disp turn "Off" irritating if left on as every picture captured will show in EVF as you press the shutter.

Preview EXP, WB in Manual mode; Preview EXP/WB.

Button/Dial Setting

Focus Lever Setting "On",

Function (Fn) Settings we all have different "Fn" buttons set up to whatever our priorities may be.

I use back focus, make sure the AF-On button is set to "AF". I am a fan of the back focus button as it allows me to create compositions without losing focus on the subject. How I wish Fujifilm would make this button bigger!

Power Management, set to "Boost" this can be activated on the battery grip.

Metering mode I leave on "Multi" mode metering the majority of the time; however, in some tricky lighting situations, I may use spot metering to get a more accurate exposure.

If you are photographing action/wildlife, remember to switch camera focusing to "C" continuous to keep track of focus of moving subjects.

I think I have covered everything of importance there may be another setting you use and you may not agree with my way of shooting, and that is fine, whatever works for you, it is the results that matter.

Lastly, I want to discuss some valuable tips and tricks to help you get the best photographs while on safari.

Be ready! Have your camera switched "on" with correct settings? The last thing you want to happen is to have the camera switched off and with wrong settings when the action kicks off.

Charge your batteries, carry spare batteries. Nothing worse while in the field photographing and you run out of battery power.

Make sure you format your memory card to your camera body. Always carry spare memory cards.

Always use lens hoods, avoid unnecessary lens flare and dust. Carry at least two lenses, one telephoto and one wide angle. Know how to switch on the lens stabilisation mode,

Know your Fstops from your Bus stops.

Use a stable platform whenever possible; avoid hand holding unless you have no choice.

Blurr busy backgrounds by shooting wide open this will focus the viewer's eye on the subject and not distracting background.

Always try and focus on the eye of the subject to make an engaging portrait. Use your wide angle lens to show "the animal within its environment." Sounds easy, but it can be challenging to create an exciting photo showing the subject and its environs.

Learn all the rules of composition, not just the rule of thirds. There are many guides, rules and aids to help you make an engaging composition. Once you have mastered them, then your photography will reach the next level.

Shoot low, shoot high, cover all focal lengths and angles. The biggest mistake by photographers is photographing from the same position all the time, go low or high and see how your angle and perspective changes, makes for rewarding images.

Be different, don't always be shooting tight portraits and the same old unimaginative images. It is not easy to be different and come up with a unique photograph. Most of your attempts will fail, but when you get it right, your photo will have the "wow" factor.

The more you know about your subject, their behaviour, their habits and actions, this will help you to get into the right position to capture a great photograph.

Patience is critical for successful wildlife photography, be calm, but always be ready.

If you are on a self- drive safari When you park your car, keep in mind a few things, the direction of light, the direction of animals approaching and leaving, space for you to turn your vehicle around if something unexpected happens.

Goes without saying, turn your engine off or photos will suffer from camera shake. Keep windows open, listen for sounds of the bush. Alarm calls especially.

Don't be that photographer that makes the zebra or giraffe run or have someone chase them for you.

Do not shout or make noises to get a reaction from your subject. Do not change the behaviour of the animals to get a photograph. Do not endanger yourself or the subject.

Some times as photographers we are guilty of hiding behind our camera too much, not wanting to miss any photo opportunity.

We forget to a look around and us and soak in the smells and atmosphere, Mow and again, put the camera down, sit back and relax and enjoy the incredible wilderness surrounding you. But have the camera switched on just in case.

Author Peter Delaney

#Art of Safari with Fujifilm #Tips on using fujifilm cameras on Safari

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