Africa!!

Here are some of the images from my recent trip to Botswana, Namibia and Zimbabwe! I had such an amazing time and feel so fortunate to have had the opportunity to visit such beautiful places!

Elephant sniffing!

Loved the elephant herds! 

I couldn't stop taking photos of them! 

At one point our vehicle had a herd of over 200 elephants pass. 

Images can not capture that! They just kept coming!

View from Baobab Lodge, Chobe National Park, Botswana

My first Giraffe!

Tracking Lions! The guides at each camp visited are brilliant! 

They explained how they can tell if a track is fresh... 

and how they use the surrounding grass etc to locate the wildlife.

Not a great photo... but I saw warthogs!!! 

Each lodge had the Safari necessities. 

1. Doom spray - kills bugs almost immediately. I had to test it out on some wasps. 

2. Foghorn - only for medical emergency... or if baboons break into your tent. 

Fortunately never had to test that!

3. Peaceful Sleep Spray - powerful body bug spray. Used regularly!

Impala - seen everywhere - but still very exciting for me!

Such a graceful animal.

Hippos, Chobe River Cruise

I was happy to see one almost out of water. I'm glad we weren't much closer!

And more elephants!I had to have someone take a photo of me too! Proof that I was there!

The not so friendly and not so pretty Cape Buffalo. 

One morning I had two of these guys outside my tent.

Not something you want to see at 5:30am!

I had to hide out until they were gone. Nasty!

Sunset at Baobab Lodge

A beautiful face met along the way...

We took small planes (6 passenger) from place to place... often landing on a dirt airstrip.

These images are all above the Chobe National Park. 

I just loved the shapes created by water and trees...

Our small plane! The following photos were taken in Namibia.

Sunset Cruise on the Kasane River

The water was so still it was like a mirror - this is a reflection.
Africa had some of the most beautiful sunsets I've ever seen.
There was a storm off in the distance, creating these incredible clouds.

More Africa!

The images below are of a typical homestead in Namibia. 

A structure like this might be a dining area or a bedroom.

Cooking Lunch

Some of the most beautiful faces... the kids were very eager to have their photos taken. 

Worked out well for me! It was so much fun showing them their photos.

I asked to have my photo taken with some of the kids. 

They were all so curious about me and all wanted to touch my hair.

Mokorro on the Chobe River (with Rhinos and Crocodiles!)

I took these photos while in a Mokoroo. Not easy!

Tented Lodge in Zimbabwe

And a visitor outside my room

This is how close he was!

Just thought this road sign was hilarious.

Wild cat on the hunt!

And pounce!

Elephant Dirt Bath

even more Africa!

Here come the lions!

We came across this herd of 9 lions as they were

just starting to wake up for the evening hunt.

Run impala! Run. These two young male lions were just watching their dinner.

They weren't ready to hunt yet. 

It was exciting to see this - I'm not sure if I would have wanted to see an actual hunt!

The guides said the lions see the vehicle as one thing - not the individuals. 

They only notice you if you were standing or making a lot of noise. 

I felt like the lions were staring right at me like I was a snack before dinner.

These photos were taken with only a slight zoom lens - we were close!

They were so amazing. I could have watched them for hours.

and even more Africa!!

Off to Zimbabwe. 

The pilots were kind enough to fly close together 

(extremely close together) 

for us to be able to photograph the other plane in the air.

I loved the zebra! They were not so easy to photograph. 

They kept moving away from me!

In Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe, 

I was able to get out of the vehicle to photograph. How cool is that? 

Of course at one point I was taking a shot of a giraffe and 

heard a nearby twig snap. I jumped back in that truck so fast! 

Of course the guide would not have allowed me 

out of our truck had their been a predator near by. 

This is probably one of my favorite shots. The light was so beautiful. 

We were close enough to this elephant to hear him drinking. 

And of course when he walked towards us, 

creating this reflection... it just all lined up!

This is at a homestead in Zimbabwe. 

And a visit to the Ngamo School... all the kids love Obama! 

Wildebeest!

As one of our guides said - a face only a mother could love.

Rhino Rhino Rhino! 

Victoria Falls Zimbabwe. The falls are huge and stunning. 

Pictures do not do it justice. 

Unfortunately due to the recent rains - 

my pictures are mostly of the spray!