Saturday, September 16, 2006

Lions and Tigers and Bears OH MY!

"Reminds me of my safari in Africa. Somebody forgot the corkscrew, and for several days we had to live on nothing but food and water."



Ok, so there are no bears, or tigers for that matter. But, there were lions, cheetahs, and elephants OH MY! As well as numerous other animals that I hunted down with a camera in my hand. So I am very disappointed to report that animation many posts ago, is incorrect. Tigers are not in Kenya. I think I need to write the creators.

My safari took place in the Masa Mara, which is a protected area that the animals migrate to after the winter from the Serengeti.

It was a very cool place. The long grass of the Savannah reminded me of that end scene in Gladiator, where the main guy is dying and floating over a plain of long grass and everything is sepia and blue toned. It really looked like that, but with more sepia and less blue tones.

So, in a van flying through the Savannah at 80+ km/hr. We spot a zebra and halt to a stop. We all ooo and ahhh about how pretty they are. Same thing happens with a lioness. Too bad they were both so far away, it was hard to get a picture.

Little did we all know (well I'm sure the guide knew) we would see hundreds more zebras, wildebeest, gazelle and giraffes. As well as dozens more lions. We even got to see some lions hunt, which when I look back at the pictures I do not know why I took them. They are really bloody and disgusting.

At times, like the lions hunting, there were five or more tour vans around. It was like the tour vans were a heard of animal all their own. They were all the same style van and all were white. One person on our tour asked if the animals think the vans are just a bigger animal that hangs around. And, you sort of have to think about them that way. In such a place otherwise untouched by man, you start feeling very intrusive and wrong being there unless you think of these vans as animals. At times I would even find myself watching the vans and how they moved together and would heard around a kill (a good photo op).

Though, I took no pictures of the vans.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Makes me want to be there! Got you postcard- thanks for thinking of us. Can't wait to see yourpics.
Love,
Jill & Jim