Here is the first crop of photos from Tanzania. The page contains some of the wildlife images from our safari to the Serengeti and Ngorongoro. Not all of the photos are the best photographic quality. Shooting conditions in the Serengeti are challenging at best, but these are some of the better ones.
Summiting Mount Kilimanjaro (19,340 ft) September 24, 2007
We left camp and started for the summit Monday morning at 1:00 am (4:00 pm MST on Sunday). We summited at 9:45 am (12:45 am MST). The summit is Uruhu Peak, 19,340 feet — the tallest peak in Africa and the tallest free-standing mountain rise in the world. On the way down, we saw a family of colobus monkeys. They looked like skunks in a tree.
I don’t have much time, but a couple of things: (1) The animals come so close that binoculars are unnecessary. (2) It doesn’t look like the phone is going to work, so I won’t be in touch again until after the climb. But my gear is here!!!!!! I have to run to go get it.
By the way — today I saw giraffes, water buffalo, impala, baboons, monkeys, zebras, etc.
Well, I’m here — and using a Swiss keyboard. I’m at the hotel, safe, with my camera, but my luggage is somewhere between here and Atlanta — about a 6,000 mile stretch. I hope it shows up by tomorrow.
It’s time for this blog to start to earn its keep. I have a 10:40 appointment with an airplane this morning. The flight promises to be a lovely test of patience as I leave this morning and arrive in Arusha, Tanzania tomorrow evening at 8:00 p.m. Given the time difference, it looks to be about twenty two hours from the time I hit Salt Lake City International Airport until I touch down in Tanzania.
I read that Tanzania has its share of Internet cafes, so when possible I plan on posting from there. I’ve also read that there are places on the mountain with cell phone service, so I’ve borrowed my brother’s GMS cell phone and purchased a Tanzanian SIM chip. If the rumor is true, I hope to be calling in updates from the mountain to my brother Russell, who will post them here.
I got word yesterday that our group reached our fund-raising goal exceeding $100,000. (Click here if you don’t know about the fund-raiser) Thanks to all of you who supported this effort by contributing to one or more of our charitable organizations.