Africa Safari -5- The Elepants are coming

Underneath an Iron Tree, hung with nests of the
weaver bird, this young "Jumbo"
wonders what we are up to.

You really must view this pictures
in the larger format.

He (or she) just finished having a little bath...
but only up to her hips.

There is a world of difference between
confronting this young elephant and just
looking at his picture.

Africa Safari (4) "Jumbo"

In total disregard of our presence, this elephant
casually browses the tree next to our camp site.

a better view of our tents and this visitor.

Over time we received several of these behemoths visiting our various camps.
It seems that they know that they are in no danger
from these puny humans.

...strolling right along...
well, why not. This is his place and we are the intruders.

Safari - Africa - 2011 (3)

You're getting a little too big for this. Don't you think?

Swimming in these waters is not recommended.

A "Yellowbilled Hornbill" poses for this picture.

This "Jumbo" casually strolls through our camp site.
At the far right is my tent. He stopped there,
looked at it for a while as if pondering what this could be
and if he should step on it...
then he decided to just carry on.

Welcoming Committee - Hwange, Zimbabwe

We had just crossed into Hwange National Park,
Zimbabwe's largest game preserve
when this "welcoming committe"
graciously received us.

Casually, this elephant strolls through our camp site.
and came a little too close for comfort.

This happens to be my tent.
John's was right next to it.
Three meters over...
an elephant brousing.

SAFARI AFRICA - 2011

As all my friends know, I've spent a month in Africa ! Last two weeks of April and first two weeks in May of 2011 I roamed around Zimbabwe and Botswana.
In Zimbabwe it was "Hwange National Park" ! With over 14,000 square kilometers, it is the largest game preserve in Zim. For comparison, (for my Canadian readers) Algonquin Park consists of about 7,800 km2,
and for my Austrian followers ( who all speak English) that's twice the size of the province of Salzburg.
Hwange has everything. Lakes, Rivers, Forests, Bush, and open Savana like areas. Any African animal you care to mention, you can almost be sure (with few exceptions) that you may find it there.
A few kilometers after we had entered the Park, a giraffe stuck its head on the long neck out from between some dense bushes, and a Zebra stood right beside it. It seemed like the official "Welcoming committee" had just come out to see us. (there'll be a pix of this couple)
First night's camp site was visited by an elephant, who casually drifted a couple of meters past our tent.
I cannot begin to number and mention all the animals we spotted, some of them at close quarters.
I'll post a few pictures and will talk to you again later.
Bertstravels.

The First Images of Africa

To begin with, I will post just a few scenery images.

the fact, of course, is, that it is impossible to
capture the beauty of this land on a photograph.

I have tried....

I will post a few other hopefully interesting images here over
the next little while.

The Big Dilemma ???!!!

Well, it really isn't a dilemma. In fact, 10 wild horses could not keep me from my trip to Africa. Why then am I talking about a dilemma? Well, you have no idea what gorgeous spring we are havin here. In Poertschach am Woerthersee (P. on Lake Woerther) the mercury touched 29.5 degrees. In Bleiburg, it was a truly wonderful 25.5 degrees. The Forsythia, the Magnolia, the Japanese Cherries, and all the lesser trees, such as Cherry and Apple etc etc ..are in full gorgeous bloom. The meadows are a deep green and there is only a small cloud here and there on an otherwise blue blue sky. The forests, covering the rolling hills all around us are turning a gentle green. The mountain tops still have a little sugar coating, or is it a snow covering? It is just a most beautiful time of the year. Nevertheless: At 6AM on Monday the plane leaves from Klagenfurt to Munich, then to Jo'burg and onward to Harare. Let the adventure begin. Keep your fingers crossed for me.