Memorial Day weekend 2008. The weekend that I was coming home to see family, and take a walk down Memory Lane. An event that I was very much looking forward to, and the chance to see some family members that I hadn't seen since the mid 1980's. In our family, we have this standing joke "the family gets together for weddings and funerals". Thankfully, this weekend, wasn't either! My plane landed at Tucson International Airport. I had rented a convertible, and was looking forward to driving around in it with the top down. I was shocked to see that it was [View Full Entry]

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I've always been fascinated with hot air balloons. Perhaps to some, it is another way to travel, for others, it may be for business or pleasure. Me? I guess it is both, it is a way to travel, not just physically, but mentally, and spiritually. Pleasure, ahhh, there's not enough languages in pleasure to speak of hot air balloons. I went on a hot air balloon excursion over Napa Valley in 1995. We went up a thousand or so feet, the air was still, peaceful, and calming. Every once in awhile, I could feel a bit of warm air on the [View Full Entry]

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As you well know, all good things must come to an end and I have yet to figure out why vacations go so quickly and the typical work day seems to last forever. Perhaps it is because as adults we still have the child in us that wants to never quit playing. We leave Botswana and enter Zambia by the way of the Kazangula border, a point where the four countries of Botswana, Zambia, Nambia, and Zimbabwe meet. We were to stay at the Natural Mystic Lodge, however our camp was changed to Chundukwa which is located in Livingstone and a [View Full Entry]

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I am thrilled to share my pictures with each of you and it makes my day a little bit special when I know everyone enjoys them. I am so grateful for the eyes that have been given to me to see the people, the animals, and the vast regions of Africa. I am so grateful for the ears in which I can hear the different sounds of birds and animals, as well as the laughter of children. I am so grateful to have the tongue in which I can speak of my experiences with great passion! To the northeast of the [View Full Entry]

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One thing I can say about this vacation, there was never a dull moment! Between the beauty of the sunsets, the glaze of the milky way, the sounds and sights of the animals, I had grown quite fond of Africa. I must warn you, that when you go to Africa, there is a part of Africa that never leaves your spirit, or so they say. I have come to believe that. As you all know, I have a great passion for the outdoors, animals, and travel, and to photograph nature, for me it is a labor of love. One of the [View Full Entry]

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We took a "puddle jumper" to Savuti Camp, it was a little over an hour & half flight! I'd say the plane was smaller than the Concorde, and slower than a Snail in a quick crawl. It was fun though, especially when we hit some turbulence. Our arrival at Savuti Camp was a little on the wet side as an afternoon shower developed. Yours truly, my lower lip began to extend out because in the back of my mind, were we going to have one of those Texas showers that can go on forever, or would we have a "quickie". My [View Full Entry]

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Our 3rd camp is located in the Moremi Game Reserve, which is actually located in the Okavango. Described as "the river which never finds the sea", the Okavango in northwestern Botswana disappears into a 6,000-square-mile maze of lagoons, channels, and islands. The river system brings more than 2 million tons of sand and silt into the Delta each year, yet less than three percent of the water emerges at the other end to either flood Lake Ngami or cross another 300 miles of the Kalahari, then to enter Lake Xau and the Makgadikgadi Pans. The Okavango Delta, in the midst of [View Full Entry]

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We drove to our second camp, which is located in the Nxai Pan National Park. This park is a 2 hour drive from the Kalahari Desert, and there is a bit of change in the landscape. On the main road, we thought we had seen an incredible billboard, when all of a sudden, I said "stop the truck". Lo and behold, there was a bull elephant snacking on the side of the main road! He was around 40-45 years old, a solitary lad at that. Many bull elephants lead a solitary life. In observing the elephants, they walk on their tip [View Full Entry]

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April 20th I arrived safe and sound in Johannesburg airport after a 21 hour flight! The last 2 hours of the flight, I was starting to get a little stir crazy and was wondering when I could actually lay down and get some serious sleep. I stayed the night at Southern Sun Johannesburg, it is a very nice hotel. April 21st - 22nd I took a puddle jumper up to Maun to meet up with the rest of the people that would be on this safari. Helga from Luxemburg (age 64 - this was her 9th safari in Africa); Mark and [View Full Entry]

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I went to go see my sister over the 4th of July weekend in 2005. I hadn't seen Sis and her family in 4 years. Before I got to Seattle, I asked her if she would mind if my nephew, Will would be able to come to Victoria with me for an overnight trip. I figured he would be happy to see a change in scenery and it would give us the chance to catch up over the years that we've missed. Both were delighted at the opportunity and I was happy to play tour guide. Will and I left Seattle [View Full Entry]

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