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Lynda S. | profile | all galleries >> Africa 2009 >> Maasai Mara - Bateleur Camp - May 30, 2009 tree view | thumbnails | slideshow

Maasai Mara - Bateleur Camp - May 30, 2009

Getting up this morning was no problem - it was the day of our balloon ride! There really is nothing quite like the silence of being in a hot air balloon surveying the world below. And, the breakfast after, as usual, was the best tasting breakfast of the trip. On the game run after the breakfast, we witnessed one of the most extraordinary sights of nature - a cheetah kill with a happy ending for the intended victim. We watched as the cheetah stalked his prey, as the chase developed and then, right before our eyes we witnessed a baboon chase the cheetah away and save the Thompson's Gazelle! You just never knows what happens in nature!
Our balloon pilot - David
Our balloon pilot - David		 Inflating the balloon
Inflating the balloon 		Almost ready for us to get in!
Almost ready for us to get in!		 Of course some of us need more help than others to get in! I had the whole crew helping me.
Of course some of us need more help than others to get in! I had the whole crew helping me.
As we took off, the sun was just beginning to rise
As we took off, the sun was just beginning to rise		 The sunrise shot
The sunrise shot		 A herd of elephants pass below
A herd of elephants pass below		 Topi
Topi
Waterbuck
Waterbuck		 Crocodile
Crocodile		 Vultures in the tree top - we don't often get this view!
Vultures in the tree top - we don't often get this view!		 Our souvenir balloon photo from 2009
Our souvenir balloon photo from 2009
The Mara River
The Mara River		 Jim and Jamie - a great father/son moment
Jim and Jamie - a great father/son moment		 The Mara River
The Mara River		 This is my favorite photo!
This is my favorite photo!
Black rhino sighting!
Black rhino sighting!		 Coming in for a landing - setting up breakfast at the Lone Tree
Coming in for a landing - setting up breakfast at the Lone Tree		 Dismantling the balloon
Dismantling the balloon		 One of the couples in the balloon that were staying at Governor's were married yesterday!
One of the couples in the balloon that were staying at Governor's were married yesterday!
A champagne breakfast (full meal deal) on the Serengeti
A champagne breakfast (full meal deal) on the Serengeti		 This year they had a 'loo' for the ladies - cool! Even water & soap for your hands.
This year they had a 'loo' for the ladies - cool! Even water & soap for your hands.		 We landed about 100 feet from this guy
We landed about 100 feet from this guy		 Jackal
Jackal
A family of jackals
A family of jackals		 Scanning to see what's for lunch - looking left......
Scanning to see what's for lunch - looking left......		 Looking right.......
Looking right.......		 The chase begins....
The chase begins....
21. Run, Tommy, Run! (Masai Mara)
21. Run, Tommy, Run! (Masai Mara)		 The Thompsons gazelle is the second fastest animal in the Mara
The Thompsons gazelle is the second fastest animal in the Mara		 Too bad he's being chased by the fastest animal in the Mara!
Too bad he's being chased by the fastest animal in the Mara!		 The chase continues
The chase continues
Cheetah makes the final lunge!
Cheetah makes the final lunge!		 Contact! The cheetah brings down the Tommie to the ground...
Contact! The cheetah brings down the Tommie to the ground...		 BUT a baboon runs over to the kill .......
BUT a baboon runs over to the kill .......		 And chases the cheetah away!!! That is some lucky Tommie!
And chases the cheetah away!!! That is some lucky Tommie!
The cheetah runs like he's being chased by a ghost
The cheetah runs like he's being chased by a ghost		 After clearing a distance, he looks back - none of us (including the cheetah) can believe what we saw!
After clearing a distance, he looks back - none of us (including the cheetah) can believe what we saw!		 What just happened there?
"What just happened there?"		 The baboon, after giving chase, makes sure the cheetah doesn't come back
The baboon, after giving chase, makes sure the cheetah doesn't come back
A topi on guard duty
A topi on guard duty		 Hyena
Hyena		 'Glad I wasn't on the menu'
'Glad I wasn't on the menu'		 These guys were oblivious to the whole drama
These guys were oblivious to the whole drama
Baglafecht weaver
Baglafecht weaver		 This was a really curious bird!
This was a really curious bird!		 No drought here in the Mara at the moment, that's for sure!
No drought here in the Mara at the moment, that's for sure!		 Hippo
Hippo
Close up of the hippo
Close up of the hippo		 Crocodile sunning himself
Crocodile sunning himself		 Secretary bird
Secretary bird		 Our butler/server at Bateleur - Wilfred welcomes us to lunch
Our butler/server at Bateleur - Wilfred welcomes us to lunch
Jim relaxes outside at Bateleur
Jim relaxes outside at Bateleur		 Local Samburu entertain in the evening
Local Samburu entertain in the evening 		The staff sang Jambo Bwana to Jamie for his birthday (even though it was last Sunday!)
The staff sang Jambo Bwana to Jamie for his birthday (even though it was last Sunday!)		 And, they even had a cake for him!
And, they even had a cake for him!

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Brian K. H. Yim27-Sep-2015 17:49
An extremely nice gallery. Vote :-)
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