Thursday, March 29, 2007

Africa or Bust!

Well, it's really happening. I'm going to Africa! How cool is that? I still can't quite believe it. Here's how it came to be: my mother-in-law is good friends with an eminent animal behaviorist and author. He was in town last month visiting her, en route to Yellowstone National Park to observe big cats.

At any rate, he leads safaris a couple of times a year. At our dinner gathering, he was working hard to convince my maw-in-law that she should go with him to South Africa this August. At one point he turned to me and said, "you should come too!" Though it was sort of a conversational lark, it planted a seed in my head. I took a chance and emailed him, he and I traded a few emails, and lo-and-behold I'm part of the expedition!

Here's a picture of where I'm staying - the Little Muck Lodge.

This year's trip is focused on researching wild dogs of South Africa, though we will observe all manner of wildlife on the expansive game preserve in Limpopo. He sent me a CD with a lot of pictures. I'll upload a few soon.

2 comments:

Pernox said...

Wow, sounds like fun!

I've not been big on going to Africa, there are a ton of other places I would like to see first, but I've known quite a few people who have gone who have amazing stories and pictures.

Knight of Nothing said...

I hesitate to use the term, "once in a lifetime chance," but this as near qualifies to that as any chance I've ever had.

Africa isn't the number one destination on my "list" either, but it is on there. And my mother-in-law is unlikely to go again. And who knows if Peter, the guide, will ever have an open spot on another of his expeditions. Finally, my wife is too busy this year to do any traveling, and since Africa is not really on her list, she's given the trip her blessing.

One must strike when the iron is hot!