gillettehunter
AH legend
So I have avoided doing this for a variety of reasons. Probably the best excuse is the pics are all on my computer at work. So I didn't want to come in on a day off. I also didn't want to type forever to try and get it all done. I type slowly.......Soooo I'm going to give you my reports that I e-mailed home to family and friends. I'll add a few pics, some of which I have posted before. MaryAnn is my wife. Kirsten is a friend on her first big game hunt that gets along well with us. I hope you enjoy:
Arrived safely in Jo-berg yesterday. Almost 15 hours from Atlanta. 2
meals and a snack onboard. I slept some. MaryAnn and Kirsten both
watched movies almost non-stop. Good flight and lost no baggage. Customs
went smoothly
Had a great meal and nice accommodations at the African sky guest
house. Flew via British air into Victoria Falls today. Had to check a
couple of small roll ons as they only allow 1 per client in economy.
Dead last off plane and a 40 min wait in line for visas. Driver
waiting and took us straight to the lodge. Monkeys and Impala seen on
the way.
This place is rather nice. About 12-15 min from the falls via car. We
are in the national park. Water hole about 300 yds below the lodge. This
aftn there was a bull elephant there ! Got MaryAnn and Kirsten rather
excited. Also some warthogs and storks there.
On the way to walk around the falls we got a very good look at some
Impala. Have seen some monkeys several times. The falls are at high
water. More impressive, but harder to see due all the mist. Spent about
1.5 hrs at the falls as the sun went down. Clear day. Had a good
rainbow. Have to use a raincoat at parts because the rain and mist from
the falls gets rather heavy at times depending on the wind.
Then went to see the grounds of a 5 star hotel next to the falls while the full moon came
out. Lots of mounts... Some very good ones too. Kirsten may of added
blue wilderbeast to her animal list.....
Then back to Vic falls to see the elusive "moonbow". Very few places in
the world have enough mist to get a "rainbow" caused by the moon.
Maryann got some good pics.
Got back to lodge for,dinner at 8:45 or so. Rather late. They have a
spotlight on the waterhole. 6 elephants there for 45 min. w hile we had
dinner. Then a rather good looking kudu snuck thru. Heard a hyena
"barking". Rather odd sound. Busy day today. Tomorrow off to a village
for pics and to deliver some school supplies.
Sometimes you get lucky and have one of those magical days. Maybe you
only get one every few years. Today was one of those. Got up early for
breakfast. Watching the waterhole while eating was cool. We saw
3 Impala Rams, 7 crocodiles, a warthog and lots of storks and egrets.
Plus a big flock of guinea fowl.
Went to visit a local village with no electricity.
Floors are made of compacted cow dung......... They burn elephant turds
at night inside their boma as a mosquito repellant. Rely on mostly
grown crops for food. No real sugar. Makes one grateful.
Weight bench/workout center...
Then on to the village school. About 300 kids. 2 semesters. Costs $10
/ child per semester. Today was the first day of school. Only 2 had
paid. Everyone sent home to get the $$. Average worker in this part
of Zim earns $400/ month. Small regular houses in town cost $450/
month to rent. So often 3 families in each.
This is a typical classroom. No chalkboards. Learning English was considered important so they could be employed in the lucrative "tourist trade".
On the way to the village we bought some groceries to give for thanks
for showing us their home. Everything is in U.S. Dollars. Their
currency is so bad as to be basically worthless. So they use the dollars
for most purchases. Interesting to see 1kilo bars of wash soap for
clothes.
I'll continue on the next page so I don't get too many photo's to upload at one time....
Arrived safely in Jo-berg yesterday. Almost 15 hours from Atlanta. 2
meals and a snack onboard. I slept some. MaryAnn and Kirsten both
watched movies almost non-stop. Good flight and lost no baggage. Customs
went smoothly
Had a great meal and nice accommodations at the African sky guest
house. Flew via British air into Victoria Falls today. Had to check a
couple of small roll ons as they only allow 1 per client in economy.
Dead last off plane and a 40 min wait in line for visas. Driver
waiting and took us straight to the lodge. Monkeys and Impala seen on
the way.
This place is rather nice. About 12-15 min from the falls via car. We
are in the national park. Water hole about 300 yds below the lodge. This
aftn there was a bull elephant there ! Got MaryAnn and Kirsten rather
excited. Also some warthogs and storks there.
On the way to walk around the falls we got a very good look at some
Impala. Have seen some monkeys several times. The falls are at high
water. More impressive, but harder to see due all the mist. Spent about
1.5 hrs at the falls as the sun went down. Clear day. Had a good
rainbow. Have to use a raincoat at parts because the rain and mist from
the falls gets rather heavy at times depending on the wind.
out. Lots of mounts... Some very good ones too. Kirsten may of added
blue wilderbeast to her animal list.....
Then back to Vic falls to see the elusive "moonbow". Very few places in
the world have enough mist to get a "rainbow" caused by the moon.
Maryann got some good pics.
Got back to lodge for,dinner at 8:45 or so. Rather late. They have a
spotlight on the waterhole. 6 elephants there for 45 min. w hile we had
dinner. Then a rather good looking kudu snuck thru. Heard a hyena
"barking". Rather odd sound. Busy day today. Tomorrow off to a village
for pics and to deliver some school supplies.
Sometimes you get lucky and have one of those magical days. Maybe you
only get one every few years. Today was one of those. Got up early for
breakfast. Watching the waterhole while eating was cool. We saw
3 Impala Rams, 7 crocodiles, a warthog and lots of storks and egrets.
Plus a big flock of guinea fowl.
Went to visit a local village with no electricity.
Floors are made of compacted cow dung......... They burn elephant turds
at night inside their boma as a mosquito repellant. Rely on mostly
grown crops for food. No real sugar. Makes one grateful.
Weight bench/workout center...
Then on to the village school. About 300 kids. 2 semesters. Costs $10
/ child per semester. Today was the first day of school. Only 2 had
paid. Everyone sent home to get the $$. Average worker in this part
of Zim earns $400/ month. Small regular houses in town cost $450/
month to rent. So often 3 families in each.
This is a typical classroom. No chalkboards. Learning English was considered important so they could be employed in the lucrative "tourist trade".
On the way to the village we bought some groceries to give for thanks
for showing us their home. Everything is in U.S. Dollars. Their
currency is so bad as to be basically worthless. So they use the dollars
for most purchases. Interesting to see 1kilo bars of wash soap for
clothes.
I'll continue on the next page so I don't get too many photo's to upload at one time....