This is Part 2 of my travel story to SW Uganda.  The first story was about the 2-Day Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park; a story worthy of a separate post. http://lindawebsterphotography.com/2019/01/29/uganda-january-2019/

The rest of our 9-day trip to Uganda was fabulous as well, so be prepared for a long story with lots of photos.  The trip we went on was organized by Penda Photo Tours  https://www.pendaphototours.com/  with Kaleel Zibe https://www.kaleelzibe.com/as our professional, hands-on photography instructor.  

The itinerary for this trip was fast-paced with tons of variety; lots of different animals and birds, landscapes, cities, villages, and people.  Rather than tell the story in chronological order, I will instead tell it using the major themes/impressions.  This is my second trip to Africa, the first being to Kenya in September 2016.  http://lindawebsterphotography.com/2016/10/01/maasai-mara-kenya-sept-2016/  and like I found when I went to Kenya, there is something magical about Africa.  The people, animals, and landscapes get into your heart and they never leave you.  

For our 9-day trip, we traveled counter-clockwise from Entebbe to Kibale National Park, to Queen Elizabeth National Park, to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, to Lake Mburo National Park and back to Entebbe.  

Driving through much of SW Uganda gave us an amazing glimpse into the way people live in this part of the country.   I observed that many of the homes and businesses were made from brick that was made using all the rich, red clay in the area.   There was electricity in nearly every village, along with satellite dishes,  and cell phones and service.  Water was usually hauled from a central well.  Markets and stores sold everything from fruits and vegetables to timber, bricks, laundry soap, tea, meat, clothing, and even coffins.  Various modes of transportation were seen, always overloaded with people and goods.  

Kibale National Park 

Our first big adventure was chimpaneze trekking in the Kibale National Park, just a short distance from our forest lodge, the Primate Lodge Kibale  

https://www.kibaleforestnationalpark.com/primate-lodge-kibale-uganda.html

Chimpanzee Trekking

We walked a total of 6 miles in a thick forest, some of which was on a well-worn trail, but much of it was spent bush-whacking.  Once the trackers located the chimpanzee families, we had to go where they went.  Chimps move very quickly and are often swinging from trees.  Add in  low light, the photography was very challenging.  I did manage to get a few photos that I liked.  

Other Primates

We saw many other species of monkeys during our trip to Uganda; Black and White Colobus, Red Colobus, Red-Tailed, Olive Baboons, and Vervet.   I think my favorite were the Red-Tailed Monkeys.  I just loved their sweet faces with the white fur on their cheeks.  In general, I loved all the primates for their very human use of their hands and feet.  

Bigodi Community Walk

While we were in the Kibale National Park area, we visited a local village.  This was a tourist-oriented tour (Bigodi Community Walk), but we thought it was one of the better ones we have visited during our trips to developing countries.  One big difference was the lack of a hard sell of the local crafts and foods.  We actually had to ask if we could purchase some baskets.  The local villagers gave demonstrations of coffee making and papyrus basket weaving.  We also  visited with the local medicine man.  One unplanned experience was when our guide climbed a jackfruit tree and picked a fruit for us.  He then cut it up and shared it with us.  He did all this in response to our comments about this huge and unfamiliar fruit.  

Antelopes of Queen Elizabeth and Lake Mburo National Parks

We saw several different species of antelope during our trip to Uganda, most of which we saw in Queen Elizabeth and Lake Mburo National Parks.  The only antelope species we did not see at all during our safaris in the Masai Mara region of Kenya was the Kob.  We also saw many more Waterbucks (Dafassa) and Impalas than we saw in Kenya but far fewer Topis.  No matter, it is always special to observe the behaviors of wild animals in their natural habitats.  

Birds

We saw several different species of birds during our trip to Uganda, most of which we saw in Queen Elizabeth and Lake Mburo National Parks.

Kazinga Channel- Queen Elizabeth National Park

One of our favorite activities while visiting Queen Elizabeth NP (QENP) was the boat trip in the Kazinga Channel.  We stayed at the Mweya Lodge which overlooked the Channel; a truly amazing location.   We saw more variety of animals and birds on this boat trip than anywhere during our time visiting Kenya or Uganda.  It was truly a sensory overload.  We were amazed at how many different species of animals, large and small,  seem to live symbiotically.  

More QENP Highlights

We saw a lot of elephants in Queen Elizabeth National Park; in the Kazinga Channel, in the Northern/Central sector and in the Ishasha sector.  One of the biggest adrenaline rushes of our trip was encountering a large bull elephant along the road in the park.  We spotted him along the road, stopped to watch him and take photos and all of sudden he became quite agitated.  He started facing off with our vehicle and started rocking back and forth and making very aggressive sounds.  Our quick-thinking guide, Nicolas pulled forward and let the elephant pass behind us.  Apparently, we had blocked his intended path across the road- nothing more than that.   Whew!!   We later saw a large family of elephants and observed many different behaviors including playfulness and nurturing. 

Tree-Climbing Lions of QENP- Ishasha Sector

Our last few hours in Queen Elizabeth NP were spent looking for the famous Tree-Climbing lions.  Now, we had seen lions in trees in Kenya, so we didn’t think that was unusual, but apparently it is.  it is especially unusual to see male lions climbing trees.  We were incredibly fortunate to be able to see this.  We first saw a female in a tree, then we observed a male watching her and eventually joining her and their 2 cubs.  Then the male slowly made his way over to an incredibly beautiful tree and awkwardly climbed up into it.  He never appeared to be too comfortable, but stayed for longer we a very long time.  He was still up in the tree when we finally had to leave to keep on our schedule.  We only saw these 4 lions during our entire time in Uganda but what an amazing show they gave us!

Highlights of Mburo Lake National Park

The last national park we visited was Lake Mburo  National Park.  We stayed in a beautiful lodge, Mihingo Lodge, but unfortunately, we only had 1 night there.  

While in Mburo, we saw Zebras, Rothschild’s Giraffes, and Mongoose; the only place we saw these animals during our trip. 

Zebras

Other unique animal sightings in Mburo

We also saw more Cape Buffalo; such a different experience than Kazinga Channel. 

The Faces of Uganda

A trip is never complete for me without meeting and interacting with the local people.  It never ceases to amaze me how beautiful and welcoming people are all over the world.  I always come home having gained so much appreciation for the diversity that exists in the world while also being incredibly grateful for my very comfortable standard of living that I enjoy every day.  I am blessed to be able to travel to so many beautiful places.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We had to fly through Dubai on our way to Uganda, so we decided to stay an extra couple of days in order to explore this city.  We have heard a lot about Dubai and know several people who have gone there on vacation, so we were very curious.  We thought this was the perfect way to see it, as we didn’t really think we’d ever plan Dubai as a separate travel destination.  

We purchased a 2-day City Sightseeing bus (hop-on-hop-off) in advance.  There were multiple routes to choose from and the ticket was good for all of them.  We first chose the route that went to Historic Dubai (Red Route), although it was not really that old (less than 100 years old).  Once in Historic Dubai, we opted to go on a Dhow boat cruise on Dubai Creek, also included in our tour.  

We continued on the Red Route to the Spice Souk (market) and Gold Souk areas..  Dubai is supposed to be an excellent place to buy gold, but given our novice experience with gold as well as our general lack of interest in purchasing any, we just walked around.  We couldn’t imagine how anyone could actually navigate the hundreds of shops selling gold.  Who really had the best price and the best merchandise?  We just enjoyed watching the people and taking in all the cultural differences.  

Further along the Red Route, we stopped in the Dubai Creek Harbor area to walk along the creek and view the shipping activities in the area and to watch the people.  We were there at sunset and saw the beautiful glow illuminate the creek and the minaret of a nearby mosque. 

On the second day in Dubai, we rode the Yellow and Blue bus tour routes.  We were curious about the Palm Jumeirah area but found that it was difficult to really get the perspective of the palm-shaped,  man-made island from ground level.  The iconic Atlantis hotel at the end of the island was huge, but when we went inside, we didn’t find our way into the actual hotel area- it appeared to be off-limits to non-guests, but we weren’t curious enough to explore further- perhaps we were wrong.   We then walked along the Arabian Sea, but here again we were underwhelmed.  There was a huge breakwater rock barrier separating us from the sea; it felt very unwelcoming, but I’m sure it was functional.   We got back on the bus, transferred to the Blue route and didn’t get off again until we got to the Jumereth Mosque.  Jumereth Mosque is one of the only two mosques in Dubai which are open to non-Muslims.  Sadly, we did not plan our visit in time to hit one of the times open for visits (10 and 2).  We walked around the outside instead. 

Both of our days in Dubai ended at the  Burj Khalifa, the one main attraction we prioritized for our visit to Dubai.  There is something about going up the tallest building in the world that beckoned us.  Burj Khalifa stands at a total height of 829.8 m (2,722 ft).  At the end of the first day, we watched the Dubai Fountain show; (from their website : The fountain is choreographed to music, the  water shooting as high as 500 feet.  Designed by creators of the Fountains of Bellagio in Vegas, Dubai Fountain Performances occur daily on the 30-acre Burj Khalifa Lake.  We also enjoyed the laser lighting of the Burj Khalifa from the outdoor mall area below the Burj.  We then enjoyed a nice Lebanese meal at  Abd el Wahab which overlooked Burj Khalifa Lake.  

On the second night, we bought tickets to the Top of the Burj Khalifa (at least  to the highest level they allow visitors -148th floor).   The tickets were quite pricey (about $100USD/person).  They boasted that they included refreshments and snacks, but in reality, it was no more than a small glass of fruit juice and a bite size appetizer.  We went hungry and left even more so.  The view was nice, but not as spectacular as I expected.  I think being up so high actually made the view less impressive.   

After 2 days in Dubai, we were ready to leave.  We are really glad we went, but don’t want to go back.  Our impressions?:

-Very modern collection of tall glass & metal skyscraper; very interesting shapes.   Most of the city was built within the last 50 years (oil was only discovered in 1966).  

-Retail shopping is King! 

-Beaches seemed to be clean (we didn’t check them out)

-Clean, orderly, formal, conservative

-Lacked emotion/soul

-Vegas-like without the glitz and debauchery

-Construction everywhere!!  Apparently, the city is only 10% complete, per the vision of the Sheikh.  

 

We recently traveled to Uganda with the primary goal of trekking to see endangered Mountain Gorillas.   While we saw so much more during our 9-day visit to Uganda, I will start this story with our 2 days of gorilla trekking.   See separate Travel Story for a summary of the rest of our trip which included visits to Kibale National Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park, and Lake Mburo National Park. 

(The following excerpt is from a blog written by Will Archer of Will Archer Photography https://www.willarcherphotography.com/ with some of my contributions and which was posted by  Penda Photo Tour to their website https://www.pendaphototours.com/mountain-gorilla-photography-workshop-experience/  in March 2019)

ABOUT MOUNTAIN GORILLAS

The Mountain Gorilla is one of two subspecies of the Eastern Gorilla and only around 1,000 of them remain, divided into two populations. One population lives in the Virunga Mountains which straddle Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The second population can be found in Bwindi (BINP) and these are the gorillas which we sought out.

Mountain Gorillas have shorter arms and thicker fur than their lowland counterparts and they are on the list of critically endangered species although recent conservation efforts have resulted in stabilization, and even growth, of their population. Today there are around 1000 of these beautiful animals in total. Attempts to breed these beautiful animals in captivity have failed. In fact, none have even survived in captivity so preservation of their natural habitat and conservation of these gorillas is critical.

GORILLA TREKKING

We undertook two jungle treks on consecutive days and the fees which we paid are used to help in the conservation efforts. Some of the gorilla families have been habituated so that they have become used to humans, which makes the visits possible. Others have been kept more remote to ensure that they remain wild and are protected from human diseases and other possible side effects of human interaction

We signed up for two days of gorilla trekking because we thought that would maximize our chances of getting close to some gorillas and of capturing some great photographs. We are so glad that we did two treks as they were very different in several ways, including the fact that we saw a different gorilla family on each of the two days.

The Briefing

Each trekking day began with a pre-sunrise drive from our lodging to the assembly point at a National Park visitor center, high in the mountains.

 

At the visitor center we were briefed on how to behave around the gorillas; don’t approach them within 7 meters (it’s ok if they come towards you), no food near the gorillas, no hiking poles or sticks when near the animals and coughs and sneezes to be directed away from them. After the briefing, we were treated to singing and dancing by local groups and then we were assigned to our trek leaders and the gorilla family which we would visit that day. This is also when we were assigned porters, if we requested one, and the majority of people did. These porters carry your rain gear, extra equipment and much needed water and any food that you might take. They also act as support when climbing or descending steep hills in the jungle. We highly recommend engaging the services of a porter as these treks are very strenuous and it is nice not to have to carry a heavy pack.

 

Each trek had 6-8 tourists plus porters and guides. There was also an armed guard ready to ward off any aggressive forest elephants or other dangerous animals that might cross our path.  Once everyone had been assigned treks we headed off to begin the hike in search of gorillas. In some cases, this involves a ride to the trailhead and in others a short hike to begin the trek.

Gorilla Trek, Day One 

So off we went full of anticipation. On day one we went in search of the “Oruzogo” group of gorillas, a family of 19 gorillas of all ages from immature up to and including several adults, named after their silverback leader. Advance trackers had gone out into the jungle early in the day to find the group, beginning their search at their last known location. The trackers maintained radio contact with our trek telling our trek leader where to go.

Our trek began in a tea plantation and then switched to a fairly typical hiking trail but before long the trail ended and we headed deeper into the jungle, led by our trek leader who was hacking the way through the undergrowth with a machete. We navigated uphill and downhill through thick tangles of vines, ferns, thorns and roots, heading in the direction where the group of gorillas had been spotted. Add in the fact that elevations in the park range from 1,190 to 2,607 meters (3,904 to 8,553 ft), these treks can be very challenging.

 

The Oruzogo Gorilla Group

We were informed that the Oruzogo group had been spotted but that they were continually moving through the trees. We picked up the pace as best we could and eventually caught up with the gorillas, some on the ground but most in the trees eating berries and spread out over quite a wide area. Once we had caught up with the gorilla group we excitedly began to take photographs.

On this particular day, the Oruzgo gorilla group was actively moving as they foraged for food. This presented the challenge of capturing photographs of moving subjects in a heavily forested area so we had to be patient and anticipate where the gorillas were heading so that we could try to catch them in more open areas. The gorillas on the ground were somewhat easier to photograph as they were nearer to us and there were more clearings in the jungle.

The Challenges of Gorilla Photography

The gorillas in the trees presented a number of different challenges; They swung from tree to tree at higher speeds, they were a long way off and many times they were back-lit. Camera settings required sufficiently high ISO to allow taking shots at a high enough speed to ensure that moving gorillas were not blurred, and, for the gorillas high in the trees, we used exposure compensation to ensure that the darker gorillas were adequately exposed against the much brighter sky. Treks are allowed to spend no more than one hour with a gorilla group on any given day so once the hour was competed we headed out and made the trek back out of the jungle.

GORILLA TREKKING, DAY TWO

For our day two trek, we were assigned to the “Mukiza” group, again named after their leader. This group is smaller, consisting of 12 gorillas including two infants. For this trek, we first took a short drive to a trail head from where we began our hike. This time we began by hiking down through a somewhat open forest along a well-worn trail. We were all commenting how easy it was going down but reminding ourselves that the return trip uphill would be much more strenuous.

 

After a couple of miles, we received word that the Mukiza group had been located so we headed off the trail with our leader again hacking the way through the dense undergrowth. This time we hiked down a very steep slope covered in bracken. It was a challenge to stay on our feet due to the damp, slippery foliage on the ground.

Finding the Mukiza Gorilla Group

Once we reached the valley floor we had to climb back up the other side which was, again, steep and slippery. Unfortunately, some of the members of or trek this time were less able to negotiate the terrain and also needed to stop for frequent rests. This resulted in us having to make a longer trek because as we were moving towards the gorilla group, they kept moving ahead of us. We did, eventually, catch up with them and, to our delight they were all on the ground and very close to us.

On this occasion, the heavy undergrowth meant that it was quite dark so cameras had to be set at very high ISO (12,800 typically) in order to attain a reasonable shutter speed. But the proximity of the gorillas was amazing and the interactions of the infants with the silverback, the mothers and their surroundings was enchanting.

With the gorillas so close longer zoom lenses were often too long to allow a wide enough angle for the shot so this is where the second camera with a wider-angle lens came into play.

Observing Gorillas from Up Close

At the end of each trek certificates of completion are handed out and a feeling of immense satisfaction and amazement descended over us. We were also very tired after 6-8 hours of hiking over rough terrain and through dense jungle. Each of our treks was about 6 miles in length but it was worth every step. We felt truly blessed and privileged to see what we had seen.

The gorillas are wonderful animals and to see them up close is a fantastic experience. Being able to watch them interact, from the watchful eyes of the silverbacks, to the nurturing of the mothers to the playfulness of the young, it is all beautiful.  I was particularly drawn to their hands, how they used them and how human they looked.  And their eyes-Wow, such intensity!!

 

 

Visited in July 2017- My trips to England are becoming more frequent now that I’m engaged to a Brit living in the U.S.  I don’t mind!  I love being able to explore Great Britain a little at a time.  We often take a few days to explore on our own in between visits with family.  A wedding of one of my fiance’s friends was the primary reason for this trip.   We arrived several days early, flying into London and driving northwest first to  the Cotswolds via Oxford.  The University of Oxford complex was gorgeous!!

As the oldest university in the English-speaking world, Oxford is a unique and historic institution. There is no clear date of foundation, but teaching existed at Oxford in some form in 1096 and developed rapidly from 1167, when Henry II banned English students from attending the University of Paris. Source: Oxford University website http://www.ox.ac.uk/

We then drove on to Great Rissington in the Cotswolds and checked into the Daisy Cottage, a quaint bed & breakfast that was absolutely darling- so quintessential English!  We explored several little villages throughout the Cotswolds during our visit, including Great Rissington, Lower and Upper Slaughter, Bourton-on-the-Water,  Broadwell, Stow-in-the-Wold, Moreton-in-Marsh, Chipping Campden, Broadway and Bampton.  I love all those descriptive names!   We hiked between Bourton-on-the-Water and the Slaughters (both Lower and Upper) via the Gloucestershire Way Public Bridleway.  It was fun walking through the knee-high grain fields.   In Chipping Campden, I loved the thatched roofs on many of the homes.  Then in Broadway, we arrived just in time to see the beautiful blooming lavender fields.  

One of the many things I love about England are all the beautiful churches.  Every small village in the Cotswolds had a church and many dated back to the 12th century with typical Romanesque  architecture of large, rounded arches over doors, windows and in the nave of the church. I also loved walking around the graveyards, trying to find a tombstone dating back several hundred years that I could still read.  Most of the readable inscriptions were found inside the churches on the floors and walls.  

We left the Cotswolds for the north of England to visit family and attend the wedding in Warkworth.  The wedding was held in the beautiful 12th century St. Lawrence Church.  In between events, we were able to explore Warkworth a bit; a key highlight being the Warkworth Castle.

Source: Wikipedia: Warkworth Castle is a ruined medieval building in the village of the same name in the English county of Northumberland. The village and castle occupy a loop of the River Coquet, less than a mile from England’s north-east coast. When the castle was founded is uncertain: traditionally its construction has been ascribed to Prince Henry of Scotland in the mid-12th century, but it may have been built by King Henry II of England when he took control of England’s northern counties. Warkworth Castle was first documented in a charter of 1157–1164 when Henry II granted it to Roger fitz Richard. The timber castle was considered “feeble”, and was left undefended when the Scots invaded in 1173. 

On our way back to London, we stopped in York for a couple of hours… it is all we could spare!  We prioritized York Minster Cathedral and I’m so glad we did.  Again, we could have spent a lot more time in the Cathedral; there was so much to see!  I put on my wide angle lens and had a blast taking photos of the large columns, gothic arches, and stained-glass windows; endless shapes and textures!  

Source: Wikipedia:  The Cathedral and Metropolitical Church of Saint Peter in York, commonly known as York Minster, is the cathedral of York, England, and is one of the largest of its kind in Northern Europe. The minster is the seat of the Archbishop of York, the third-highest office of the Church of England(after the monarch as Supreme Governor and the Archbishop of Canterbury), and is the mother church for the Diocese of York and the Province of York. It is run by a dean and chapter, under the Dean of York. The title “minster” is attributed to churches established in the Anglo-Saxon period as missionary teaching churches, and serves now as an honorific title.Services in the minster are sometimes regarded as on the High Church or Anglo-Catholic end of the Anglican continuum.

In what little time we had left before we had to leave for Heathrow, we spent walking through The Shambles area with lots of quaint shops and restaurants.  

Source: Wikipedia:  The Shambles is an old street in York, England, with overhanging timber-framed buildings, some dating back as far as the fourteenth century. It was once known as The Great Flesh Shambles, probably from the Anglo-Saxon Fleshammels (literally ‘flesh-shelves’), the word for the shelves that butchers used to display their meat. As recently as 1872 twenty-five butchers’ shops were located along the street, but now none remain.

We ended up having more time than we thought before we had to head to Heathrow,  so we decided to have dinner in Windsor.  We just had enough time to walk around the outside of Windsor Castle and enjoy a beautiful sunset along the Thames.  What a wonderful way to end another trip to England.   

  

We traveled to the Maasai Mara region in Kenya in September 2016.  We went as part of a photo safari led by Kaleel Zibe http://www.kaleelzibe.com/ and Alan Hewitt http://alanhewittphotography.co.uk/.  This was my first trip to Africa and as I hope you’ll see, it was one of the most amazing experiences of my life!  I was in awe of the vastness and openness of the savannah, but it was the close encounters with the animals and observing their behaviors in their natural habitat that I will never forget.  I also made new friends with the others in our group as well as with our Maasai safari leaders and met many other wonderful people there whom I will also never forget.  They love their country and are working hard to preserve the animal habitats and find ways for farmers/ranchers to co-exist in a way that preserves the land and the animals.

I have often heard from others who have traveled to Africa, that it gets in your heart and you know you must return one day.  Now I understand!!!  It happened to me!  I will attempt to show you the wonder of this place, but nothing compares to being there!  

Our adventure started in Newcastle, UK where we flew to Nairobi via Amsterdam…. not too much new yet!  But to get to our ultimate destination of The House in the Wild http://www.houseinthewild.co.ke/  in Narok, Enonkishu Conservancy, we flew on a small plane operated by Safarilink.   We landed at the Ngerende airstrip about an hour after taking off from  Nairobi.  We were greeted by our safari leaders for the next 9 days, Moses and Boston, who helped us load up baggage for the 30 minute trip to our home for the week.

The next day started early as did all our safari game drives; up each morning at 5:30 am, grab a quick cup of coffee and a biscuit, and load up the vehicles and leave by 6:15.  We had to bundle up in 3-4 layers of clothing and blankets due to the cold temperatures and the wind chill from riding in an open vehicle in the open savannah.   Afterall, the elevation was about 5300 feet. We slowly pulled off layers and by 10 am were in our short sleeves and wishing for the cooler temps of the morning.  We stayed close to our camp the first couple of days in the Enonkishu Conservancy; we saw SO many different animals!!    I’ll never forget the adrenaline rush of seeing these amazing animals up close, in their natural habitat for the very first time. The only way I can describe this to other people is I felt like I was in the movie, Jurassic Park.

One of the things I loved about this trip was observing natural animal behaviors that you could never see in the zoo- like watching a lionness hunt and then tenderly care for her cubs or a male ostrich sitting on a nest (who knew this was the job of the male) or the scavenging by the hyenas and vultures.   And the wildebeest migration…. lots more on this to come!!   I also loved the Acacia Trees; like an umbrella in the middle of the savannah!

Our Day 3 was wild!!  We ventured quite a bit further to the main Mara National Reserve with the hope of seeing the Wildebeest crossing of the Mara River.  We were not disappointed.  This was the most amazing thing I’ve ever witnessed.  I even saw a National Geographic video of this before I came and it still couldn’t compare to being there.  During the great migration, hundreds of thousands of wildebeest travel around the Mara and Serengeti ecosystem in search of fresh grass; sometimes this means crossing the Mara River.  It is a scary and frenzied time for the Wildebeest as they are vulnerable to the waiting jaws of crocodiles waiting downstream.  We witnessed a croc taking down 3 different wildebeests.  It is a bit unnerving to witness such carnage, but it is all part of the natural animal world and one that is necessary for the survival of all.

If seeing the Wildebeest crossing wasn’t enough, Day 3 was packed full of other new animal encounters and experiences.  Since we were out all day, we stopped to eat our lunch (always gourmet- no packed sandwiches for us!),  in the Marsh area somewhere between our camp and the Mara National Reserve.   The Marsh was full of a variety of animals; truly a menagerie.  This was where we saw Cape Buffalo for the first time.  What was particularly surprising to me was how so many different species lived in harmony here.  As we learned, cats rule and every other animal is prey, so they often help each other out!  We also saw lots of other animals on the way to and from the Mara National Reserve, including Cheetahs in Enonkishu Conservancy, near where we were staying.

Day 5 was a big day for cats and elephants!!  We saw so many sides of the lion, particularly the lioness.  She is majestic and beautiful, playful, and loving and gentle with her cubs!  Then there was the scary encounter with the herd of elephants and the male lion protecting his harem- one of the many adrenaline rushes we experienced during this trip.

Day 6 was another exciting day!!  The start of it was a bit more exciting than I would have wished for with a flat tire in the middle of the savannah.    But Boston was champion (a term I learned from all my British traveling companions) and got us going quickly.  My job was to watch for warthogs emerging from the hole we were parked next too.  Luckily none were seen!   We were soon on our way, spotting some new animals along the way to our lunch spot.   A couple favorites were the Red-Headed Agama  (aka. Spiderman Lizard) and the Common Drongo, which I was delighted to capture in flight.   We also saw a tightly corralled herd of cattle near a village.   The corral helps to protect the cattle and other domestic animals from the cats in the area- it’s all about the cats! 

After lunch,  we had the privilege of visiting a small village,  Olchorro Oirowua, which was home to Moses’ sister.  We were treated to a gathering of the entire village.  They welcomed us by performing the “jumping dance”, giving us a tour of their village, and selling us some of their local crafts.   While some of the men showed off their fire-making skills, I took some portrait-style photographs of the women.  They seemed to enjoy seeing their beautiful faces on the back of my camera.  I sent Moses all the photos so he could share them with the villagers.   Thank you Moses!  

Later that same day, we continued our game drive, seeing lots more lions and cheetahs and of course, the daily sunset with the iconic Acacia trees. 

Day 7 was filled with some new encounters (like the Bush Hyrax, Yellow-Throated Longclaw, Hamerkop, and Lilac-Breasted Roller), some very close and scary like we experienced with a large bull elephant who faced off with one of our vehicles.  Also, we saw more lions with 1 month old cubs.   

Day 8 started like most of the others, early morning game drive.  But, as we came to understand, no 2 days are the same.  You might see the same type of animals, but never in the same place nor behaving in the same way.  The House in the Wild really surprised us this morning with a full cooked breakfast that they prepared off-site on the bank of the Mara River overlooking a “crash” of about 50 hippos.  It was a spectacular site to behold from a safe distance!  Then for our evening cocktail hour around the fire, Moses invited several of his Maasai friends to perform the jumping dance for us.  In between these 2 amazing experiences, we saw more beautiful animals and some not so beautiful, but certainly interesting (warthogs).  

Day 9 was spent in the Lemek Conservancy where we finally spotted a Leopard.  Leopards are very elusive and we tried all week to find one.  Our guides were communicating with other guides about a freshly killed gazelle that was up in a tree.  We learned that leopards will kill and drag their prey up into a tree to protect it from scavengers.   Later in the day, we saw a zebra skeleton in a different tree from a much earlier leopard hunt.   We also finally witnessed a lionness hunting and killing a Thomson Gazelle, another lionness gently moving her trailing cub along and then a trio of cheetah brothers attempting but failing a group hunt.   What a fantastic day!!  And to finish it off, we had a spectacular sunset with beers in hand and some impromptu fun with our guides while practicing our flash photography. 

Day 10 Our final day (so sad!).  We went out for one last morning game drive and were rewarded with an amazing experience photographing a Dik Dik.  We saw these tiny antelope darting through the thick brush and trees all week, but could never get a good photograph.  This one posed for us for over 10 minutes, all while being back lit by the morning light.  We also saw a couple of hyenas that showed their best side- these are as pretty as they get.  Then sadly, we boarded our bush plane for  Nairobi and home.  We took with us the most amazing memories and some new friends!   We also have a much deeper connection with the animals and the people of the Maasai Mara and a great appreciation for the conservation work they are doing!  Thank you Kenya!

 

 

 

I have dreamed of traveling to India for a few years and my dream finally came true.  I love to travel and want to see so many places in this world, but I have recently found a true passion for visiting developing countries.  The people are so beautiful and the history is so rich.  I also wanted to go to India with one of my best friends who is originally from India and is also a fellow photographer.  My friend organized the trip which started and ended in Delhi and included Agra, Jaipur, Jodhpur, and Jaisalmer.  As a bonus, there were 3 couples in our small group, all of us friends! What a wonderful time we had!!  I decided to write this blog in a little different way than my previous ones.  Instead of retelling the journey in chronological order, I am going to tell the story of India in themes.  Much of what I experienced surprised me and enthralled me.  This is what I want to share most.

First were the beautiful faces of the people we met along the way.  Most were very friendly and enjoyed having their pictures taken.

The Faces of India:

The architecture was another fascination for me.  One of the iconic sites I dreamed of seeing was the Taj Mahal. Nothing could have prepared me for this amazing structure.  I will share more of the various architectural wonders we visited on our trip, but the Taj Mahal deserves a separate section.  I learned that one of the great Mughal kings, Shah Jahan commissioned the Taj Mahal in memory of his favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal in 1632.  The entire structure is a mausoleum!!  It rained during our first two days of our trip which started in Delhi.  It rained on our bus ride from Delhi to Agra and all I kept thinking was that I was going to miss capturing the Taj Mahal in perfect conditions… whatever that is!!  The rain slowly cleared and by the time we arrived at the Taj, it was a beautiful day.  The leftover clouds in the sky made for the perfect photos.  The sunset was one of the most spectacular our local guide had ever seen.  What luck!!!  When we returned the next morning, it was raining again, but this allowed us to capture a more moody side of the Taj Mahal.

Taj Mahal:

We saw many other beautiful beautiful forts, mosques, and palaces on our trip.  In Delhi, we visited the Jama Masjid mosque.  It rained the day we went which made for some interesting photos.  Jama Masjid is the largest mosque in India.  It was designed by Shah Jahan and built by a workforce of 5000 people between 1644 and 1656. The three bulbous marble domes crowning the main prayer hall faces Mecca and the open courtyard in front holds 25,000 worshippers.  We climbed the narrow, winding stairs to the top of one of the minarets for a view of Old Delhi.

 

Architectural Highlights- Delhi, Agra, Jaipur, Jodhpur, and Jaisalmer:

We also visited India Gate and Qutb Minar while in Delhi.  We visited these at the end of our trip- no rain!  India Gate was designed in 1921 to commemorate 90,000 Indian soldiers killed fighting for the British in World War I.  It also bears the names of over 3000 British and Indian soldiers who died on the Northwest frontier and in the Afghan War of 1919.  A memorial beneath the arch honors those who lost their lives in the Indo-Pakistan War of 1971.

The Qutb Minar Complex are the first monuments of Muslim India.  One of Delhi’s most famous landmarks, the red sandstone, 72 m tower of the Qutb Minar tapers upwards among the ruins of several other buildings.  The tower is covered with intricate carvings and inscribed verses of the Koran.  Work started on the Qutb Minar in 1202 and was Qutb-ud-Din Aibak’s victory tower, celebrating the advent of the Muslim dominance of Delhi and much of the rest of India which endured until 1857.

From Delhi, we traveled by bus to Agra where we visited the Taj Mahal (I shared this earlier- just couldn’t wait!) and Agra Fort.  Agra Fort lies to the northwest of the Taj Mahal and was founded by Akbar on the remains of the earlier Rajput fortifications.  This major citadel developed as the seat and stronghold of the Mughal empire for several generations.  Akbar laid the foundations between 1565 and 1573, with the rest of the walls, gates, buildings and ramparts being completed by his son, Shah Jahan and grandson, Aurangzeb.  Interestingly, Aurangzeb siezed power from his father and had him incarcerated at Agra Fort where Shah Jahan was able to gaze out at the Taj Mahal where his wife was buried.

On the way from Agra to Jaipur, we visited Fatehpur Sikri, ghost city and former imperial capital of the great Mughal emperor, Akbar.   The city was built here between 1569 and 1585, fusing Hindu and Muslim architectural elements, speaking to the religious and cultural tolerance of Akbar’s reign.  The reasons for the city’s abandonment are not known.

In Jaipur, we made a very quick photo stop to capture the Hawa Mahal.  This palace was built in 1799 to enable the women of the court to watch street processions while remaining in strict purdah. It is actually a facade, one room deep in most parts and with over 590 finely screened windows and balconies.

Amber Fort in Jaipur was another wonderful experience.  Perched on top of a rocky hill, Amber Fort was the capital of the leading Rajput clan, Kachchwaha from 1037 to 1728 when Jai Singh established his new city at Jaipur.  To reach the entrance of the fort, we rode painted elephants for an unforgettable experience.  The architectural style of Amber Fort is primarily Rajput, although some Mughal elements are mixed in, such as the Mirrored Palace with its mirrored mosaics.  Also of interest is are marble rooms decorated with blue, yellow, and red vases that were cooled by water channeled through small conduits carved into the walls, an early form of air conditioning.

Back to city center, Jaipur, we stopped at City Palace.  The palace was originally built by Jai Singh between 1729 and 1732.  The royal family still occupies part of the palace.  One of my favorite parts of the palace was the “Peacock Courtyard”, adorned with 4 ornately decorated doors representing the 4 seasons.

Next stop, Jodhpur.  We made a short visit to Umaid Bhawan Palace, commissioned by Maharaja Umaid Singh in 1929 as a famine relief project. More than 3000 laborers spent 16 years building this palace.

We then went on to visit  Mehrangarh Fort, also in Jodhpur.  The fort is situated 400 ft above the city and is enclosed by imposing thick walls. There are seven gates, which include Jai Pol (meaning victory), built by Maharaja Man Singh to commemorate his victories over Jaipur and Bikaner armies. The imprints of cannonball hits by attacking armies of Jaipur can still be seen on the second gate.  Loha Pol, which is the final gate into the main part of the fort complex is marked by handprints of Maharaja Man Singh’s widows, who in 1843 committed suicide by fire (sati) on his funeral pyre.  From the fort, there are some wonderful views of the “Blue City” below.  The blue originally denoted a high-caste Brahmin residence.  Indigo whitewash was thought to protect the buildings from insects and to keep them cool in summer.

From Jodhpur, we continued west to Jaisalmer.  Here we visited the Jaisalmer Fort built in 1156.  Over 2000 people currently live in the fort, which made this a very different experience from all the other forts we visited.  It was a continuous maze of narrow, winding streets filled with merchants everywhere.  Also notable were a number of Hindu and Jain Temples throughout the fort.  I took a separate tour of the Jain Temple.  One of the symbols we saw throughout our trip was the swastika.  It was a bit unnerving to see this symbol but I learned it is an ancient symbol that has been found worldwide, but it is especially common in India. Its name comes the Sanskrit word svasti (sv = well;asti = is), meaning good fortune, luck and well-being.   Jaisalmer is also known for its numerous havelis, or private mansions.

Holi Festival- Jaipur

We were in Jaipur in time for the annual Holi Festival.  Holi is a spring festival, also known as the festival of colors or the festival of love. It is an ancient Hindu religious festival that is now celebrated in many parts of the world.  In preparation for the Holi celebration, we purchased plain, white Kurti pajamas and colored powder.  We “played” Holi at the City Palace with a band of musicians.   We had a blast and undoubtedly made some memories for those around us who were all taking photos of us dancing and rubbing colored powder on each other.  We also got to play Holi with a few people in the streets.  Later in our trip, we saw signs of Holi celebrations everywhere.  What a fun and joyous time!

More windows,doors and arches:

One of my favorite subjects to shoot were windows,doors and arches.  I shared some already in the architectural highlights, but wanted to share a few more of my favorites shots.

 Shopping: 

We had so much fun shopping and bargaining for local treasures.   One to three hundred rubees was enough to buy most of the jewelry, trinkets, spices, and food  we saw.  For 1000-3000 rubees, clothing and blankets could be purchased.  The people were very creative in finding ways to make money. The markets were a bustling cacophony of sights and sounds… a sensory overload!

Cows and more….

We never stopped being surprised by the cows…. everywhere.   There was a peaceful co-existence between pedestrians, motorcycles, auto rickshaws, cars, buses, cows, bulls, goats, dogs, camels, monkeys, peacocks, and carts…. amazing that we saw no accidents. Honking horns were everywhere; more to help keep traffic moving, and keeping pedestrians on guard.

 Thar Desert:

One of the best experiences of our trip was taking a camel cart ride out into the Thar Desert at sunset.  It took about 1 hour by bus from Jaisalmer to reach a small village in the Thar Desert.  The village people then took us further into the desert on camel carts.  Our group of six took 2 camel carts and 1 camel on a 45 minute trip out to a beautiful dune area, passing village women gathering water.  After photographing silhouettes at sunset, we rode the camel carts back to the village where we then enjoyed a delicious dinner prepared by the village women.