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marg

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What a macabre dance you witnessed. That leopard looks very unhappy to see you. It appears this first report got its start while you were still on safari. That's motivation!

 

You are off to a very exciting start.

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@@Atravelynn...actually I thought about it while we were there, but we have been home for several weeks. I had to do photos first, then get two books uploaded with My Publisher. Now, I feel like I am writing a book about the trip for ST. I hope that I am not over doing it and boring everyone. All I can say is that the best it yet to come...in a while. Thanks!

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A dog / lion confrontation, lions eating a hippo...and the best is yet to come?!

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@@marg You are setting the bar high for future South Luangwa safaris...

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@@Game Warden...and I was worried because the latest TRs prior to this have been so good. Another thanks!

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@@marg

 

The best is yet to come you say.....I am wondering how you can top the sightings so far. Tremendous stuff!

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@@marg You are setting the bar high for future South Luangwa safaris...

 

3 weeks time......How can I improve on this!

I'll let the guide(s) already know they will be somewhat under pressure :)

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@@Atravelynn...actually I thought about it while we were there, but we have been home for several weeks. I had to do photos first, then get two books uploaded with My Publisher. Now, I feel like I am writing a book about the trip for ST. I hope that I am not over doing it and boring everyone. All I can say is that the best it yet to come...in a while. Thanks!

Love is never having to say you're sorry. Safaritalk trip reporting is never having to worry about overdoing it.

 

Readers can pick and choose what to read. When considering a destination and planning a trip, more available info is better.

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one item that intrigued me...Luci lights. Two years ago in a couple of camps there were solar lights in Mason jars. I thought that they were nifty. This time at our first two camps we had Lucis. Plastic containers with a handle and solar strips on top, lights on the bottom. You push a button for the light, another push for brighter and another push for blinking. They are lightweight and unbreakable. We took them off of their hooks and placed them around as we needed.

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a few other photos...puku and there were many in the area. And, late one afternoon we watched two younger male elephants tussle.

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The sunrises are beautiful. Our last morning drive here and we spot two handsome lions. They were at the end of a gully and we drove around to get a closer look. We then saw a herd of buffalo drinking. Our hopes were high. Not to be.

 

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It's hard to say goodbye after five nights here, but we do and are on our way after lunch to go to Kuyenda. This is the first trip where we have road transfers rather than fly. We like it. The packing is less precise and it is easy to stop along the way...and we did. It took us just over two hours. Big yellow baboon and elephants crossing the river. To get to the camp we drive over the dry river bed. Our "hut" which is what was decided it should be called......

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our home for four nights....It's a bucket shower. And, the bathroom floor is sand! There is a mat between the bathroom area and the bedroom area so we are not tracking it too much. But, I was going to have sand on my feet! I continue to see in my mind the photo of Graceland in flip flops. I wondered how she could put up with the sand. I now can do it too and started to wear my Tevas around camp. post-17651-0-87179000-1444326537_thumb.jpgpost-17651-0-02530400-1444326579_thumb.jpgpost-17651-0-35264100-1444326627_thumb.jpgpost-17651-0-67068400-1444326680_thumb.jpg

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@@marg

That's the same "hut" that we used when we stayed at Kuyenda in 2011, and that my sister and family had last year. Kuyenda is such a wonderful camp, I hope you enjoyed it!

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I'm really enjoying this TR. You were certainly lucky with leopards and dogs - so many wonderful sightings. I like the photo of the dwarf mongoose peering over the log.

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@@Treepol..thanks! We were very fortunate to at many times be in the right place or to hear the alarms and get to the right place.

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We really did not need to get into the vehicle to go on a game drive. We overlooked a grassland and the animals came to us. We would sit in the chairs outside and just watch. One afternoon there were six very large bull elephants. They came so close and my hubby just sat there and watched. There were also visits of buffalo and zebra. He saw a leopard in the distance one afternoon. And, at night nearly everything came through camp....leopard, hyena, lion and elephant. Our first night we did not get our door latched. When he got up in the middle of the night, the door was wide open. Warning...be certain to lock the door. We could have been the camp's first casualties.

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the temperatures are still hot, mid 90's. Last year the rains did not come until after Christmas. Now, the gullies are either dry or have very little water in them and the river is low. There is huge concern for the animals in October as the water sources dry up, especially the hippos The predators will eat well. Photo of a gully with barely enough water for the hippo but he comes out when we approach. On the other hand it is hard to imagine what it looks like here when nearly everything is under water. Kuyenda gets disassembled at the end of the season, then it takes nearly two months to put it back together.

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fictionauthor

@@marg loving each and every entry here! That leopard face, the mongoose, the lion with the hippo, the zebra in profile - all wonderful. Details like the solar lights are very interesting.

 

There's something especially exciting about a trip report that is going on now! Wishing you more exciting sightings.

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@@fictionauthor..we are home. But as I go through my journal and the photos to do this TR, I am reliving the entire trip. I always HATE to leave!!!

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the sounds, alarm calls, here are incredible...early evening, in the middle of the night, early morning and other times as well. Elephants, baboons, hyenas, lions. One evening when we returned home from the game drive,we were told to stay in the vehicle and others climbed in. They had just heard lions roaring, a leopard and a bushbuck all very close to camp. We went looking but did not find them. Another evening as we were eating dinner under the stars both Phil and our guide had to chase two elephants out of camp.

 

two mornings we walked...through a gully, through trees and through savannah. We were at eye level with zebra and impala, but stayed clear of elephant.

 

afternoon game drive...giraffe sightings

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and always elephants...

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Great stuff...I've always thought the image of a hippo trapped in a tiny, muddy pool with receeding tidemark was a classic image of both the season changing and the harshness of winter on herbivores.

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Crowned Cranes

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We loved our visit to Kuyenda. Our time spent with Phil Berry and Babette Alfieri was a treat and the entire experience was great. We WILL return!

 

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p.s. battery charging: At Chindeni it is done in the kitchen. The guys take them in and bring them back. Each time we went for a meal I exchanged batteries. At Kuyenda is is done in the dining area.

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on the road again.....We leave early to drive to Tena Tena. The first sight is a leopard hunting. Then, as we get on the main road many vehicles, self drivers and from camps. We have been spoiled. We stop above a lagoon where there is an incredible number and variety of birds especially Yellow-billed Storks, and a lone hyena in the distance.

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When we get to the crossing point of the river, we see Bertram on the other side waving. The boat comes to get us. We say goodbye and get ready for another adventure. Bertram was our first guide on our first trip to Africa at the old Tena Tena eight years ago. He is now the camp manager and also guides. We are very happy to see him again.

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our tent for four nights....

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there are outlets for charging batteries and lights with switches or pulls

 

and the main tent

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and the moon...it is full

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