Guest Blog - A Non-Photographic Perspective
Hello all,
It's taken a while to write... but here it is;
I just returned home from my first photographic safari. I've been on other safaris before but this was a very new experience for me because, well, I'm not really a 'photographer!' :)
Apart from my iPhone, I don't own a camera. I don't use those enormous cameras and lenses that Deji, my husband enjoys shooting with. I probably couldn't tell a 70-200 from a macro lens!! And you know what? I'm completely comfortable with that.
Here is a testimony from my husband Deji;
"This Big Cats and Tuskers safari was easily one of the best I’ve ever done.
Trying to pick the most thrilling of the four destinations is a tough but sweet task.
Boating around Lake Naivasha was an unexpected delight. We observed and shoot a stunning number and variety of birdlife. We saw countless pelicans, kingfishers, cormorants, herons and several other species on and around the lake.
Lake Nakuru National Park served up an even larger, richer visual feast. From the lake and its surrounding escarpment and ridges to the fever tree forests and Makalia waterfall, we were immersed in a kaleidoscope of rhino, giraffe, buffalo, lion and a ton of other mammals and birds in their glorious natural habitats. I saw (and shot) a striped hyena for the first (and only) time. We were also treated to the incredible sight of an overambitious leopard being harassed by a troop of pissed-off baboons.
I thought I knew what to expect from the Masai Mara - this was my fourth trip (my first visit outside the migration crossing season). Somehow, the bloody place still managed to amaze, astonish and overdeliver. In February, the Mara’s mantle of vegetation is strikingly distinct from its appearance in August. Time and again, I was stunned by how this incredible place was so familiar and yet, so different. By the way, you haven’t lived until you’ve seen silhouetted Giraffes cantering across enormous grasslands bathed in dawn colours and light. When you have a terrific guide like Michael, you will capture images which will continue to refresh your soul long after the trip’s done.
Without taking anything away from the other 3 destinations, my most endearing memories were forged at Amboseli. I swear, some dawns or evenings, Amboseli’s vistas almost made me weep. Unless your soul is totally dead, you will be overcome with emotion when you sit in the presence of a gigantic bull elephant strolling directly towards you across vast plains, under enormous skies in the shadow of the magnificent snow-capped Mount Kilimanjaro.
And that’s just one of the five distinct habitats that Amboseli is blessed with. Each one unique. Every one is glorious. This place is beyond incredible.
Wildlife experiences can be enhanced or diminished by the people one travels with. My non-photographer wife only shot with her iPhone but I think she enjoyed the trip even more than I did; she definitely came away with memories and images no less precious than mine. I’ll never forget the absolute delight on her face as she touched down after the balloon ride over the Mara - it was like she's seen heaven.
Sammy, our driver was delightful from start to finish. Witty, chatty, cheerful and endlessly accommodating, we didn’t have a dull moment in our truck. Another measure of a truly successful safari are the friendships formed; getting to meet, know, and stay in touch with Manfred, Robin and Barbara, our fellow guests, is a truly special delight. Our kinship continues to endure months after we said our goodbyes at the airport.
I can’t say enough great things about Michael’s guiding. He’s knowledgeable, patient, attentive and tirelessly devoted to creating and enhancing his guests’ experience. He gave me space to shoot familiar scenes in familiar ways and encouraged me to step outside my normal capture and process routines and try different things. I’m convinced that if you have to do only ONE safari in your life, you can’t go wrong doing this one. If you’ve done a dozen and are becoming jaded, do this one, it’ll rekindle your spirit and re-fire your passion."
Thank you for taking the time to read my blog.
Keep well and bye bye.
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From humble beginnings, we have grown our service levels and destination offerings to span across six out of the seven continents, and across 25 different countries. Be it by way of scheduled tours, custom itineraries or privately guided safaris, we appeal to nature lovers, photographers, adventurers and travel enthusiasts the world over!
