10.22.2007 | 2:10 pm | National Parks, Tanzania, Serengeti National Park, Ngorongoro Cons Area
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.
Let me just say what a tremendous time we had! For four days Linda and I, and our jeep-mates Bill and Diane (more about the rest of our group in an upcoming post), drove around the Serengeti and Ngorongoro crater watching wildlife and taking pictures from the open top of an africanized - very strong suspension, very tough - Toyota Land Cruiser. Several times we were so close to lions that we could hear the bones crunch. It was one National Geographic moment after another. We seldom went more than five or ten minutes during the day without seeing some type of wildlife. It was also seldom that we went more than five or ten minutes during the night without hearing some sort of wildlfe noise from our tent!
Our great thanks to our host and guide Kambona for the amazing safari and climb that he put on. His vast experience and knowledge were evident in every detail of the trip. His pleasant and relaxed nature (hakuna matata) made the trip comfortable and trouble free for us. If there was any detail of the trip he didn’t have covered, I didn’t notice it. If you ever contemplate traveling to Tanzania or other destinations in Africa you need to contact Kambona. Everything about his operation is top notch and first class. I’ll be explaining more about this in a future post.
Also thanks to Saimon, our driver, who waited patiently and without complaint each time I lingered to photograph animals that he undoubtedly thought to be ordinary and mundane (like zebras and giraffes).
I hope these photos give you a feel for the variety and proximity of the wildlife we encountered.
Begin humming National Geographic theme music now… (click)
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09.26.2007 | 9:00 am | General Info, Tanzania, Kilimanjaro
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.
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09.20.2007 | 9:13 am | General Info, Tanzania
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.
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09.20.2007 | 9:06 am | General Info, Tanzania
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.
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09.16.2007 | 5:39 am | General Info, Tanzania
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.
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