How Doug came to know what Australian for "lion" is....Zimbabwe 2016

[pault]

Getting better and better! What a day that last one was. Truly a most excellent adventure. Phew!

[JulieM]

Getting better and better! What a day that last one was. Truly a most excellent adventure. Phew!

It sure was a great day!

[JulieM]

Lions calling all night meant we had to see if we could find them the next morning. Doug (of course) had an idea where they were, so we headed off to an area that was very open for the most part, but with a central bushy area. I was still getting used to this walking idea, and was not yet fully relaxed in the setting. We walked around and around, following tracks where we could, and just as I started to relax, thinking we weren't going to find any lions, there was that low guttural growl that only meant one thing - lion! Luckily they see us before we see them (I think), so after making his displeasure known, this lovely male lion took off back into the bushes.

 

 

We retreated to an area with a gully between him and us to see if he would return, but he didn't so we headed back to the car. As we drove away, we spotted a different male in the open area.

 

 

This male had a female with him (but for some reason I didn't take a shot of her).

 

We decided to head to a pond where we might get a shot of hippos with hats, seeing this buffalo herd along the way.

 

 

We settled in next to this pool, full of lilies, waiting for the hippo to put his head up, so that he would have a hat of the green lily leaves, but he must have had a snorkel down there because he never came up. Instead we watched a nyala family come for a drink, and a surfing heron.

 

 

 

It was another dog-day afternoon - the same pack still. Initially sleeping, then hopping up and heading away to hunt.

 

 

 

They took off at pace, and we headed to where we thought they might come out and hunt. We caught a fleeting glimpse of them running at speed chasing something, but then they disappeared again, heading off in a different direction. There's nothing for it when that happens but to have a beer!

 

[Atravelynn]

Great happenings! Even nyala. Lots of lions! Visuals and you got the audio!

 

Murray provided some great photo ops.

 

"Turns out carmines are pretty, but not very cooperative!! They didn't use our logs at all." My experience exactly.

 

Your buffalo herd in the floodplains was nothing to joke at. (We had made some jokes about the herd we saw.)

 

I love the mirrored photo with Doug too. Very creative!

Edited December 2, 2016 by Atravelynn

[JulieM]

Our last full day in Zimbabwe

 

The elephants were out in the morning light.

 

 

 

I've been trying to get this kind of shot of a zebra for a while - lucky I had a cooperative subject!

 

 

We headed back up river to see if the carmines had learned about the pretty log yet. They hadn't and in fact there were hardly any around at all. I did find some little bee-eaters though.

 

 

And it's not a trip to Africa without a picture of a fish eagle.

 

 

There was quite the commotion in the water not far from the carmine colony, which we suspect may have disturbed them. A dead hippo was the main attraction for about 150 crocodiles! It was quite a spectacle.

 

 

 

 

We watched for ages, until it was time to head back for lunch. We spotted this little guy along the way.

 

 

In the afternoon we drove down the floodplains to see what we could see. On our last afternoon, who should turn up?

 

 

Boswell!

 

While he didn't do any acrobatics, it was lovely following along behind him as he meandered down the plain. There was no-one else there. It was a fantastic way to end our safari.

 

 

It was Mr Koala's first outing on the Pith too. He did well hanging on up there!

 

 

 

 

 

Why use a big camera when you have an iPhone??

 

 

Boswell shook this tree to get the pods to drop.

 

We walked back to the car as the sun was going down. A beautiful sunset was the backdrop to our sundowners, and to our last night in Zim. We'll be back for sure!

 

[JulieM]

We had time for a quick wander in the morning. Nothing scary happened - phew!

 

 

We found Boswell again.

 

 

Camp hippo was too tired to wave goodbye.

 

 

But the wild dogs popped their heads up to see us off.

 

 

On the way to the airstrip to meet @@SafariChick and her travel buddies, we made sure we had located some lions for them to see at the beginning of their adventure with Doug.

 

 

Here they come!

 

 

And there was a Safaritalk GTG of two on the airstrip!

 

 

We wished them well on their trip, knowing that they would have a great time. We flew off, as they headed to get @@Atravelynn and then on to Chitake Springs.

 

Harare was our last stop.

 

 

We landed here, waited for a few hours and then flew to Johannesburg. From there, we did the gorilla trek. A top safari to be sure!

 

Roll on 2018, when we do our epic overlanding trip for 4 months. Already a plan is taking shape, with Doug's expert assistance....only 444 days to go!

[xelas]

What trip, one that only an epic one can surpass!

[optig]

@@JulieM I have to say that your photos of the legendary Boswell are just fantastic. I'm amazed that after all these years he escaped the attention of poachers for so many years. As we all know too well so many of Mana Pools's legendary big tuskers have fallen prey to poachers or be shot by hunters. Furthermore,I just love your shots of wild dogs because they're simply my favorite animals. I

[Atravelynn]

The Doug and your husband shot rival the Boswell shots! Nice "JulieM & SafariChick" pic too. I heard about those crocs on the hippo. What a spectacle!

 

So that's how they found the lions. The full circle of your trip is making sense, as it launched the beginning of our trip that started with lions and sunglasses before I arrived. This also gives an idea of what Doug's life on safari is like, from one group to the next.

 

I see you are planning another Doug safari. It wil have stiff competition after this one!

Edited December 3, 2016 by Atravelynn

[JulieM]

We're hoping to have Doug guide us in Tanzania at the start of our next trip, but he is also helping us plan the rest of the 4 months. It's going to be fab!

[Geoff]

Good stuff. Excellent images. Especially liked the Carmine bee-eaters in post #70.

 

Your Little Bee-eaters in post #80 are actually White-fronted Bee-eaters.

[JulieM]

Good stuff. Excellent images. Especially liked the Carmine bee-eaters in post #70.

 

Your Little Bee-eaters in post #80 are actually White-fronted Bee-eaters.

Ah yes, my mistake! (I'm not much of a twitcher!).

[SafariChick]

@@JulieM great report! You got fabulous photos of Mr. B there in the end, and the crocs on the hippo, wow - yes we did hear about that from Doug and agree with @@Atravelynn that it's interesting to imagine how Doug's life is going from one group to the next. And nice to see the photo of us as your Zim trip was ending and ours beginning - and those are the famous glasses that broke at the beginning of Lynn's and my TR!

[JulieM]

@@JulieM great report! You got fabulous photos of Mr. B there in the end, and the crocs on the hippo, wow - yes we did hear about that from Doug and agree with @@Atravelynn that it's interesting to imagine how Doug's life is going from one group to the next. And nice to see the photo of us as your Zim trip was ending and ours beginning - and those are the famous glasses that broke at the beginning of Lynn's and my TR!

 

 

Thanks @@SafariChick! Maybe we'll cross paths some time again one day.

[Atravelynn]

Per Doug, the White Fronted Bee Eaters are actually more attractive and colorful than the Carmines.

[JulieM]

I'm a sucker for any bee-eater!

[Geoff]

Per Doug, the White Fronted Bee Eaters are actually more attractive and colorful than the Carmines.

 

@@Atravelynn ...and Little bee-eaters are prettier still. (But Australia's Rainbow bee-eaters are the prettiest. )

[Atravelynn]

 

Per Doug, the White Fronted Bee Eaters are actually more attractive and colorful than the Carmines.

 

@@Atravelynn ...and Little bee-eaters are prettier still. (But Australia's Rainbow bee-eaters are the prettiest. )

 

And they have the most attractive name! Yes, those Rainbow bee-eaters are lovely. I just looked at some pics of them.

 

You'll have to post the itinerary of your upcoming African odyssey, JulieM when it is finalized.

[JulieM]

It's still very much a work in progress, but when it's firmed up I'll post it.

[mtanenbaum]

Your trip reports are fantastic! I really enjoy seeing your photography and also your stories. Zimbabwe is on my list for a future trip....

[optig]

@@JulieM I just love the sequence of photos of the crocodiles devouring a dead. All of your other photos were awesome as well. I'm looking forward to going to Zakouma next year with Doug and at some point in the future to Rwanda and the DRC.

[JulieM]

Your trip reports are fantastic! I really enjoy seeing your photography and also your stories. Zimbabwe is on my list for a future trip....

Thank you!

[JulieM]

@@JulieM I just love the sequence of photos of the crocodiles devouring a dead. All of your other photos were awesome as well. I'm looking forward to going to Zakouma next year with Doug and at some point in the future to Rwanda and the DRC.

 

Those crocodiles were quite something to watch! Have a great trip next year!