Pangolin Retrospective - Part 1

[Pangolin]

Due to popular demand (not really), I have started rummaging through the archives of my old safaris, and found that we have scanned a few more slides than I thought. I will therefore torture you with mercifully short summaries of my pre-Safaritalk safaris (that would be all of them - 5 in total). These summaries will in no way be in the same league as the Twaffle memoirs.

 

First up is of course my first safari - a mobile to Zimbabwe in September 1993. Mrs. Pangolin, Mom-in-Law Pangolin, and I were the only tourists on the trip, but along with our guide and camp helpers, WS sent along one of their JoBurg staff in a tourist capacity.

 

You'll find the scanned images to be relatively low quality, but this is about memories, not artistic perfection. On to the show......

 

Our first safari started of course with a two night stay at Victoria Falls:

 

I still remember how excited we were when were awakened in the middle of the night by the sound of buffalo pulling up the grass outside our window at the Ilala Lodge.

 

Then it was a relatively short drive to Hwange, where we camped at a spot recently visited by other Safaritalkers:

 

This spot was quite near to a very noisy gathering place:

 

 

Mom-in-law Pangolin could have died and gone to heaven(?) happily on our third morning when we finally got a good look at a pride of 15 lions:

 

After three nights in Hwange we drove pretty much all day to Chizarira, where we stayed at the lodge just outside the park. Alas, I have no good pictures from Chizarira. We went on a number of walks, tracking, but not catching up to rhino and leopard. I did see an elephant shrew however.

 

After two nights at Chizarira, another long drive to Matusadona, stopping for a fancy lunch along the way:

 

Before reaching camp:

 

We saw dancing elephants:

 

A few of Twaffle's cousins:

 

And some smoke and dust enhanced sunsets:

 

After three nights it was time to board the ferry to take us across Lake Kariba:

 

And get in our canoes for a trip down to and along Mana Pools. Three days with a scary moment or two along the way:

 

And some luxury camping on islands as well:

We shared that very small island with a hippo and three elephants.

 

The typical "elephant from canoe" picture:

 

And my often used "mother-in-law and elephant butt" comment:

(with her complete knowledge and permission, of course)

 

And of course, when you find yourself in water full of hippos and crocs, what do you do? Stop for a swim of course!

 

And so ends the 1993 adventure. We had a great time, but in looking back objectively, it would probably rate number 4 or 5 out of 5 safaris on the "awesome sighting" scale.

 

Stay tuned for the next week's episode, Mobile Botswana - 1996. That one ranks number 1 or 2 out of 5.

[twaffle]

Thanks Pangolin. The 'luxury' camping looks wonderful

 

Your mother in law is obviously good natured! I am well connected with relatives everywhere although I've never met any of the mountain ones!

[madaboutcheetah]

Thanks, Pangolin. Can't wait for the second episode!

[Pangolin]

My pleasure. It is actually fun going through the old pictures, if a bit frustrating looking at the quality of the scans.

[Atravelynn]

A delightful trip down memory lane--or river as the case may be--for us all! You got started on this a year before I did!

[Leely]

Great report. Something about the scanned photos makes it seem very very long ago. Nice job.

[Pangolin]

Something about the scanned photos makes it seem very very long ago.

Must be (1) the relatively low quality scanner, (2) the obvious dirt on the scanner and slides, and (3) not photoshopping the scans.

 

In my mind, it is like yesterday (well, maybe last week). My body is a different story.

[Nyamera]

Thanks Pangolin! 1993 was a long time ago. I'm staying tuned for 1996.

[Leely]

Something about the scanned photos makes it seem very very long ago.

Must be (1) the relatively low quality scanner, (2) the obvious dirt on the scanner and slides, and (3) not photoshopping the scans.

Oh I meant this as a compliment. I like photos like these that convey a strong sense of time and place, particularly evocative with a country like Zimbabwe but perhaps anywhere.

[Bugs]

Thanks Pangolin,

 

Brings back memories. It was also about the some time that I did my first visit to Zimbabwe. I lost all my photos in the car crash.

 

Those Kariba sunsets are so special.

[Pangolin]

Oh I meant this as a compliment. I like photos like these that convey a strong sense of time and place, particularly evocative with a country like Zimbabwe but perhaps anywhere.

No worries. I never thought otherwise. We'll soon see how the 1996 scans compare.

 

Dikdik-

 

Sorry you lost your photos. I indeed enjoyed the Kariba sunsets, as well as those at Chizarira. A huge fire burned to within meters of our lodge, so the sunsets were beautiful, even if the air quality was poor.

[basto]

Great report, fantastic to see those photos. Look forward to Botswana!