Our usual "before" photo (taken by Diana) |
Getting into our limo (provided by Bushtracks as thanks for years of travel!) |
Picking up Ellen and Ron from their home |
Jim at SFO, ready to check in (5 hours early) |
The girls get a pedicure while waiting |
The gang takes the usual photo in the elevator's reflection |
Cynthia calling the kids for a tearful good-bye |
In Heathrow, Jim and Cyn with the usual (vodka, chocolate, and scrabble) |
Getting to the airport early helped us get bulkhead seats |
Ellen and Ron look comfy |
Crossing the equator!! |
Sunrise over Zambia |
Our arrival at Lusaka ... on African soil once more |
Yes ... |
Organizing our luggage at Lusaka airport |
Hopping on our flight from Lusaka to Mfuwe |
We arrive in Mfuwe once again! |
Enjoying the sights at the Mfuwe Lodge during transit |
Into the National Park ... |
... and onto our first camp, Kapamba! |
View of the main sitting room from the Kapamba River |
Welcome to our chalet at Kapamba! |
Gorgeous bedroom |
and, the entrance to the bathroom |
Which is lovely and elegant! |
The bathroom is open towards the river |
So we can have decadent baths ... |
Looking out across our porch to the river |
The main sitting room |
Complete bar (with Ollie, the host) |
A perfect spot for Jim's solar panels |
Going on safari! |
The gang and Dean, our guide |
Taking a few snaps |
And videos! |
One of our safari jeeps |
Where did the people GO?!? |
Into the river, of course! |
Just a normal part of the walking safaris at Kapamba |
Ellen and Ron like it, too |
Watching a baboon troop cross in front of us |
Lion tracks ... |
Compared to genet tracks! |
Stopping for snacks and tea while our scout Christian watches over us |
Sitting in holes made from elephant feet in mud |
There were gorgeous bee-eaters in the lagoon |
Walking back through mopane forest |
Checking out more tracks |
Arriving back at camp to cool, scented face cloths |
Off for a drive through the woods |
Jim is already looking "bushy" |
A burned area of mopane forest |
Christian ready with his weapon |
Ellen and Ron following Christian and Dean |
Our walk followed along the river |
"thorn" tree (no kidding) |
Stopping for a short break |
This is fun! |
Sundowners IN the river! |
The happy couple |
Interesting river bank on our way to our next camp ... |
Kuyenda Camp! |
Our chalet is nestled in the trees |
Welcome to our chalet at Kuyenda! |
Our lovely bed |
And the outdoor shower |
With a babe in it! |
Our gracious bartender |
Our amazing cook |
And our charming server |
Delectable meals |
Another kind staff member with the bird bath |
The whole gang! |
And the other gang |
We decorated our hats with feathers and grasses |
Jim collects wild lavendar |
Isaiah, our scout, and Phil, our guide |
Learning a lot during our walks |
My handsome man! |
Cyn looking at birds, Ron recording it all |
Relaxing by the river |
Phil serves us delicious tea and cookies |
Wonderful tall grasses by the Luangwa River |
Cyn tries "western" medicine for the tsetse bites |
But nothing seems to help the inflammation |
Coming across elephants on our walk |
The hat is looking nice! |
Phil demonstrates why we shouldn't drive UNDER a sausage fruit tree |
Jim displays his Rommel goggles |
Phil serves us tea and cookies again |
So sweet |
Rhino-shaped cookies |
The girls climb onto the jeep |
Enjoying a small gully |
Bird watching? |
Shopping in the camp's "shop" |
Babette decorates the table for every occassion |
Lovely dinner table |
Elegant table setting, out under the stars |
Cutting sausage fruit ... |
... to decrease inflammation of my tsetse bites (it works!) |
Our next camp: Bilimungwe! ("chameleon") |
Welcome to our chalet at Bilimungwe! |
This nice room has TWO beds |
View to our bathroom |
A simple little puff adder (near our tents, yikes!) |
The main bar |
Looking from the main room out over the lagoon |
This life is so stressful, isn't it? |
More incredible meals |
Amarula sundowner preparation on the jeep hood |
Prince and Jim toast each other |
Alfred in the kitchen |
Sam ironing our clothes (with hot coals) |
Joseph preparing our dinner |
Juwa serves us delicious concoctions |
Teddy keeps our rooms spotless |
The whole gang! |
Leopard tracks |
Manda discusses dung |
While Jim records |
Buffalo skull with horn moths |
Hippo skull |
Author of "Letters from africa: Travel Stories from an Adventurous Soul" |
The intrepid Cynthia |
The intrepid Jim |
Taking copious notes |
Jim watching hippos |
And Cyn and Ellen love hippos too |
Carefully recording for history |
Returning from a "girls' errand" |
"Joe's Bistro" that Joseph built for honored guests! |
JIM'S BIRTHDAY CAKE! |
Gorgeous sweeping views on our way out of the Park |
Into the town of Mfuwe |
I LOVE the kids! |
One boy was always smiling, the other never did |
Hair styling |
The Mfuwe market |
Cyn buys more ibuprofen |
Jason waving to his friends |
Bicycles all around |
Visiting Jason's house |
Loo and bathing room |
Stopping for shopping |
Lovely batiks for sale |
Leaving Mfuwe airport |
On our cool plane |
All aboard |
Royal Zambezi airstrip |
Landing at Royal |
Our jeep is waiting; we love the red dirt! |
Our next National Park |
Welcome to our chalet at Chiawa! |
Our tent is open and inviting |
The front porch, overlooking the Zambezi River |
Our comfy bed |
Open outdoor bathroom |
Cyn relaxing in her bathrobe |
Nice touch |
Jim birdwatching while showering! |
The fire circle for breakfast and evening drinks |
The buffaloes arrive at siesta time |
Followed by an elie! |
The elephant comes right into camp |
He is REALLY big |
A lovely champagne brunch out on the river |
This IS the life |
Jim getting ready for a walking safari? |
Jim being Rommel again |
Our perfect bracelets |
The happy couple on safari |
Daniel and Cynthia relaxing |
Ellen and Ron enjoying a tea break |
And Cyn loves the tall grasses |
The intent birdwatcher |
Can't even put down her water |
Fun trip up the river |
To the "Grand Canyon" of the Zambezi (looks like Utah) |
Into a canoe! |
Jim is in charge here |
While Cyn takes care of photography |
Bee-eater homes along the river bank |
Back home to Chiawa |
Sundowners were waiting ... with Grant! |
The happy couple |
Another birthday cake for Jim (this one is elephant dung!) |
Saying "goodbye" to Chiawa to go upriver ... |
Welcome to our chalet at Chongwe! |
Enticing bedroom |
Gorgeous bathroom |
All stone and thatch, with sky for a ceiling |
And the elephants come right into camp |
(including a sick one who needed a rest) |
View of the Chongwe River from our chalet |
Going on more safari drives |
Enjoying the Grand Canyon again |
A visit to "Chongwe House" up the river |
Fascinating architecture |
This would be a fun place to stay |
A local frog (loved hearing them at night) |
Breakfast out by the river |
Taking more notes |
Looking out at the socialized impala, "Silky" |
A nice view of Silky and our tent |
Jim and Ian Scott with their HUGE equipment |
Ahh, this IS the life |
An interrupted shower ... |
Jim mentions there's something outside the thatch ... |
"Africa from behind"! |
Lovely red cliffs nearby camp |
Crawshears zebras |
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A baby!! |
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Another baby! |
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Cape buffalo |
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Elephants!! |
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and a baby!! |
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sand bath |
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SHOOTING water into his mouth |
Sniffing us |
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Babies tussling |
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Bluff and bluster |
Flapping ears to warn us away |
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Muddy baby! |
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Getting ready ... |
... to cross the river! |
Wallowing in mud |
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TINY baby! |
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Puku |
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A baby! |
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Kudu |
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Impala |
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Waterbuck |
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Bushbuck |
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Baboon with baby! |
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Mating! |
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Monkey |
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Eating a wild mango flower |
Lion! |
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Eating a warthog |
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Flat lions? |
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Hyena |
Leopard!! |
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Impala at night |
Warthog |
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Giraffe |
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Baby! |
Lots of babies! |
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Crocodile |
White-browed sparrow weaver's nest |
Lilac-breasted roller |
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Brown-hooded kingfisher |
Francolins |
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Guinea fowl |
Crested crane |
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Crested cranes flying |
Carmine bee-eaters |
Malachite kingfisher |
Pied wagtail |
Saddle-billed stork |
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Yellow-billed stork |
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Goliath heron |
Egyptian goose |
3-banded plover |
Crowned lapwing |
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Lourie ("go-away bird") |
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Fish eagle |
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Jacana ("jesus bird") |
Baobabs |
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Scrambled egg tree |
Sausage fruit tree |
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Combretum |
Flaming combretum |
Wild mango tree |
Hippo |
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baby! |
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Hyena at night |
Baby! |
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White-tailed mongoose |
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Bush hare |
Baby giraffe at night |
Genet |
Leopard at night |
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Mozambique night jar |
Pel's fishing owl |
Waterbuck at night |
Sunsets (always fantastic) |
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Kalulu (the rabbit in the moon) |
Sundowners! |
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Our last amarul |
The happy couple |
Back at Lusaka |
Back at Heathrow |
Traditions must be repeated |
Coming home |
We're back!! |