the flight to Amsterdam was good we had seats in premium economy and it was like having your own plane

We arrived a hour early which means 5 hours to kill in the airport. Lots of different lounge areas to sit and relax or sleep. They are very cilvilized here you can buy a beer from the stores and walk around the airport without being arrested lol

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Murchison Falls National Park

The flight from Amsterdam to Entebbe arrived early and when we got to our accommodation it was not \240one in our \240itinerary. It worked out fine as we were \240only there to sleep a few hours. Our flight to Baker’s Lodge was on a private jet and I got to be the copilot.

We landed on a dirt airstrip in the middle of nowhere. We were met by out private guide and driver Sula. We did a after noon game drive and we \240several different animals. These are the ones taken with my cellphone

Yesterday morning we went on another game drive. Once we crossed the river we saw two baboons one was eating from a bag of carrots another was going through the garbage bin before jumping into a Jeep and stealing some food from the Jeep. They are very agile and quick

We saw a lion

On our 3rd day in Murchison Falls we did a Delta cruise on the Victoria Nile to Lake Victoria. In the afternoon we visited Murchison Falls. It’s quite a experience to sit by the riverbank watching and listening to hippos and monkeys.

Elephants by the riverbank

Murchison Falls

Monkeys by our cabin

Our cabin 30 feet from the nile

The hippos sleep near our cabin and you hear them grunting all through the night

Some of the birds from the delta river cruise

The sign outside our cabin. At night when shining the flashlight along the shoreline you could see his red eyes.

Murchison Falls

Monkeys by our cabin

Blue balls

On our way to the airstrip our guide took us on a drive through the local community. People who are not working at the lodges farm the land to feed themselves and sell to the local lodges. Bananas growing by the roadside

Typical huts

Our plane for the flight back to Entebbe

We visited the Entebbe zoo before heading to the airport for the flight to Nairobi

The elusive and rare Shoebill

Feeding time for the chimpanzee’s

This tree is over 100 years old

Today we left behind the crazy drivers of Nairobi and headed to the Samburu National Reserve. It was a full days drive stopping for lunch at a trout farm. When we reached the reserve we had a 2 1/2 hour game drive before getting to our tented camp after dark. The sunrise and sunset are pretty consistent since we are close to the equator. Sunrise is \240at 630 am sunset is at \240630pm. Along the highway is several small towns with vendors on the roadside selling everything from clothing fresh fruits and vegetables to wooden bed frames.

A monkey from the restaurant we had lunch at

Camels being herded along the highway

A small herd of elephants

We came across 2 lioness with their cubs

They walked right by my opened window but I guess they were not hungry

This morning we got up at 530 am for a early morning game drive in Sumburu National Reserve.

There must have been at least 30 monkeys going by us

Can you spot the cheetah? When taking pictures on the iPhone or iPad it’s hard to see them.

The 2 lioness with their \240cubs.

The monkeys walking by our vehicle

After we got back to our lodge we were taking pictures of these monkeys as we walked to our tent and they started to surround us and attack us. We found out they see something in your hand they think you have food. Linda was using the video camera and I had my iPhone in one had and the backpack in the other. They were baring their teeth and nipping at our ankles if we had our back to them. I was swinging my backpack and yelling at them before security came and chased them away with a stick. The security guard then gave us a stick to swing at them if they came after us again and told us not to carry anything in your hand and to show the monkeys your open hand so they know you have no food. We can laugh about it now put it was pretty scary for awhile there.

On the \240afternoon game drive we spotted a small crocodile on a sand bank. One of the most amazing sights was when we had come up to the top of a hill and spotted a few baboons beside the road. We stopped beside the road to take some photos and more and more baboons just kept coming over the small ridge. The youngest babies clinging to the bellies of their mothers while older babies ride on back of their mom like we would ride a horse. When you looked back down the hill we came up the troop of baboons were spread out going down the hill and crossing the bridge. There must have been between 75 to 100 baboons in the troop. Unfortunately for everyone back home I never took a picture as it was one of those moments that you just had to watch unfold in front of you. We also came across a cheetah just chilling in a tree. They blend in so well that it’s hard to see them. Just as dusk was upon us we came across a herd of elephants with one consuming a tree for dinner.

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Today’s lodge is the Rift Valley on Lake Elementeita a salt water lake and attracts pink flamingos, pelicans, and other smaller birds. We saw herds of zebras, cape buffaloes, elands which are the largest of the antelope family, a warthog, Thompson’s gazelle, jackels, a Sykes monkey, impalas which have the spiral antlers and a long crested eagle

Linda and I at the equator

At least a hundred zebras in this herd spread out the conservancy

There’s are not berries

A few left over bones from someone’s dinner

Pelicans

Cape buffaloes

Our game drive was at this park today

The back of our Jeep a

Baboons

A rare spotting a tourtist on the side of the road.

Baboon drinking from a dripping water tap

I encountered a baboon like this one \240at the back of our Jeep when we stopped once. I was at the back of the Jeep and stood up and turned around to take some pictures just as he jumped on the rear tire and then the back rack on our Jeep I think we scared the crap out of each other. They like to jump into the jeeps and steal any food.

How much do you spend for a mud bath at your spa. The mud cools them down and helps keep the bugs away

The back of our Jeep

Mum and baby

Skulls of two Cape buffalo.

Our tent.

The bathroom off to the left the shower one faucet was normal the other a rain shower one

Mongoose

Breakfast. The lioness is feasting on a wilderbeast

We are finished the safari portion of our Africa trip and are now in Stone Town Zanzibar.

Our Zanzibar resort