We have just returned from a trip to Tanzania and Rwanda, watching primates. The hikes were sometimes long and itchy, because of the vegetation, but we took some amazing pictures of jungle landscapes with chimpanzees, gorillas, and a lot of other animals. It will be a lot harder to fill the pages of this Phanhabs book, because the jungle hides it's inhabitants well. The tracks and the sounds...
The story behind the elephant picture which was used for our christmas card is a family story. When we visited Samburu National Reserve in Kenya, last October, we witnessed this beautiful scene on the river on an evening game drive. Most elephant families come down to drink and cool off in the river around midday. Therefore we were thrilled to witness this event in the beautiful evening light....
We had a great time in the bush camp of Steve and Annabelle, Laikipia Wilderness Camp. We loved the bushy feel, the lovely staff, the great food, the beautiful setting, the wildlife and the dogs! Not only the wild dogs, but also Buster, the bush dog. Buster is an adventures, sweet, little dog, who gives the camp a homely feel. As a pup he used to challenge leopards, but now he prefers to stay on...
One of the great things about safari is to sit around a campfire. Somehow humans like to keep this tradition going from far gone times. At home we copy it to our courtyard and gather around our BBQ. In the bush it is a bit more romantic though. The sounds of the african night and the stars add an extra dimension. A knowledgeable guide might even tell you something about the stars. Although...
Bumpy days are soon to come. On our safari we are likely to enjoy some bumpy rides among the clouds again. My stomach does not like them at all. I arm myself with travel-sickness-chewing-gum or -pills if the flights are longer. But the pills make you drowsy, and I don't want to miss anything, meaning the stunning views and any ever so unlikely emergency. I guess traveling in these little planes...
At the end of September I will be joining the Dekkers to the Samburu National Park in Kenya Africa, where we will research a new adventure of Tata&Squack. I will at last meet the plant, animal and bird life of a part of Africa which is especially known for it's elephant population. The Samburu elephants have been researched by Ian Douglas-Hamilton and his team of "Save the Elephants" for a long...
A few months on the fertile volcanic soil near the Ngorongoro Crater have made the wildebeest healthy and strong. They have moved on towards the Grumeti river. By now temperatures are rising and dust filles the air. Feeling good, the males want to show off their strength and court the females. Hoping to win a girl-gnu for their harem, the wildebeest "flirt" by grunting and jumping wildly,...
Eat and be eaten. We all know about the circle of life, but still it is harsh to see a group of lions actually kill and eat an animal. At that point I remind myself that lions have to feed their children too. The chances of a lion cub reaching adulthood are very small. Feeding them is merely one of the challenges. They are often killed by competing male lions or rivaling predators. Food is...
