Habari za Jioni
(good evening)
Back Again!
Today is my first hot air balloon ride, but what makes it special is that it is over the Lower Mara.
We got to the launch pad a 6:00 AM for preflight and our instructions on what positions to take upon landing so that no one gets hurt but it was all for nothing because we had very light winds so the landing was just like stepping out of your car, when it is stopped of course,. The lift off was amazing and the views of the wildlife and landscape from the air was breathtaking. After touchdown we were treated to a champagne breakfast, man it is rough out here, out in the Mara under a huge Acacia tree that earlier in the morning had a Leopard sleeping in it, but unfortunately he was gone.
After breakfast we continued on with our morning game drive and as expected saw more Lions and huge herds of migrating animals. We had lunch and relaxed for a couple of hours before our evening game drive. The evening game drives differ from the AM drives in the respect that the animals like Lions and Leopards usually rest or sleep during the hot part of the day and as the sun begins to set the predators begin to stir.
We saw some amazing things not the least of which was a huge, I would guess at least 4,000 lbs, hippo grazing in a field with, really no water in sight, when we noticed in the grass 3 male lions stalking this hippo. We thought this would be incredible photographs if we could witness this attack. After a few minutes of re-positioning themselves I think the Lions thought better than to try and take on this monster and the hippo went on to graze on the grasses. I don't think 3 Lions could have brought down that hippo anyway.
We thought that was the highlight of the day and started back to the Lodge, since it was getting dark, when our driver David spotted something in a tree by a stream. As we got closer, there it was, my first wild Leopard sighting in the wild, see the attached photo for proof, (no picture no fish). Leopards are simply beautiful animals and that was definitely, for me anyway, the highlight of the trip so far but according to others who have been here before the best is yet to come. So stay tuned
HATA SISI SEMA TENA
(until we speak again)
Doug on Safari
No comments:
Post a Comment