Elephant Tracking....

In both the rainy and dry seasons, massive herds of elephants move across Zimbabwe, leaving signs of their passage everywhere.

It's hard to imagine the size of Save Valley's elephants when you see prints this massive in dry riverbeds.

And the tell-tale signs of recent passage...

And if you're lucky, you'll come across an impressive bull elephant; if you're extra lucky, you'll track him from the air.

Or stumble across the leader of a breeding herd of elephants.

Even if you're in the midst of the rainy season and the elephants are difficult to find, these are always around.

I continue to be amazed at their (strong, eeek) smell and sheer size.

And even if tracking elephants ends in disappointment (or awesome herds!),
the destruction they leave on trees make for utterly fascinating trees.

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Take My Breath Away

After some fantastic safaris in Save Valley, we climbed decided it was time to watch a Zimbabwe sunset.

We traveled up this path to a kopje and I couldn't help but wonder: would it live up to the stunning Senegalese sunsets?

And then the sun started to descend over the mountains in southeastern Zimbabwe.

And the wildlife seemed to all pause and watch too.

And sometimes the beauty of nature reminds you of poetry.

“You cannot leave Africa,” Africa said.

“It is always with you, There inside your head.

Our rivers run in currents in the swirl

Of your thumbprints; our drumbeats counting out your pulse,

Our coastline, the silhouette of your soul.”

So Africa smiled a little....

Full text of the poem:

                                                        Africa Smiled

                                                                       dedicated to Madiba

                                                                      (Nelson Mandela)

                                                                      Bridget Dore

                                                                       Africa smiled

                                                                       A little

                                                                       When you left.

                                                                      “We know you,”

                                                                       Africa said,

                                                                      “We have seen

                                                                      And watched you,

                                                                      We can learn

                                                                      To live

                                                                      Without you,

                                                                      But

                                                                      We know

                                                                      We needn’t

                                                                      Yet.”

                                                                      And Africa smiled

                                                                      A little

                                                                      When you left.

                                                                      “You cannot

                                                                      Leave Africa,”

                                                                      Africa said.

                                                                      “It is always with you,

                                                                      There inside your head.

                                                                      Our rivers run

                                                                      In currents

                                                                      In the swirl

                                                                      Of your thumbprints;

                                                                      Our drumbeats

                                                                      Counting out your pulse,

                                                                      Our coastline,

                                                                      The silhouette of your soul.”

                                                                      So Africa smiled

                                                                      A little

                                                                      When you left.

                                                                      “We are in you,”

                                                                      Africa said.

                                                                      “You have not

                                                                      Left us,

                                                                      Yet.”

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Moving through the valley...

Wildebeest running through the Save Valley in southeastern Zimbabwe, Africa.

Eland moving through the valley.

Birds in flight moving through the valley.

A baobab in Save Valley.  Oh! How I miss the baobabs of Senegal.

A hunter's hide on the Hammond Ranch in the Save Valley Conservancy.

A stork in flight through the valley.

One of the pans.

A zebra moving through the valley.

Anyone who knows me knows I love, love, love (borderline obsessed with?) people jumping photos.

Apparently this transfers to impalas leap, leap, leaping!

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The Save Valley Animal Smorgasbord

Elands in Save Valley Conservancy in southeastern Zimbabwe.

Wildebeast running through Save Valley.

Zazu!!  Or better known as a red-billed hornbil.

Zimbabwe is famous for its rock formations.

A kedu leaping.

We watched the sunset from this amazing perch on some rock formations.

Save Valley.

Hello, impalas!

The types of roads taken while on safari in Save Valley.

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Giraffes!! (An Ode to ALDB)

In honor of my wonderful niece who loves giraffes, 

a post on the beautiful giraffes of Save Valley Conservancy in southeastern Zimbabwe.

A mama and baby giraffe.

Before Zimbabwe, I never truly understood the grace and beauty of these animals.

It's ridiculously impressive how easily they blend into the landscape.

Baby giraffe!!

This one says hi to ALDB!

Baby giraffes are almost as cute as baby elephants...almost.

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Snapshots From the Air: Zimbabwe Safari Style!

Taking an awesome ultralight flight over the Save Valley Conservancy in southeastern Zimbabwe, 

it is impossible not to be stunned by the country's beauty.

Apparently when you swoop over a bull elephant, he's not so much a fan of it...!

I went up in the air just after day break and the blueness reminded me of my beloved Blue Ridge Mountains near Charlottesville, Virginia.

Why hello, Zebra!

An elephant herd.

Impalas----don't they look a bit trippy?  It's a lot harder than I expected to photograph from an ultralight with the wind whipping all around

and trying not to whack the pilot in the head with my telephoto lens.  

At least that's how I am explaining how strange but cool this photo came out.

Impalas looking a bit more realistic. Sadly all my photos of giraffes came out so poorly I would be embarrassed to share them!

What Hammond Ranch Safari Lodge looks like from the air.

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An Ultralight Adventure!!

I'm either insane or adventurous (take your pick) when Hammond Ranch offered
to take me up in this ultralight aircraft flying safari and I said: bien sur!  I like to think adventurous.  

The airport at Hammond Ranch's concession in the Save Valley Conservancy in Zimbabwe.

The landing strip.

Proof that I went up in the ultralight...which was an awesome experience.
(Thank you, friends, for humoring me by taking photos of the flight.)

It was possibly one of the most amazing experiences, to feel the wind all around you,
to swoop down among the giraffes and the elephants, to glide on the air...

Coming in for a landing!!

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