It's been so long since my real last entry...
I've been extremely busy, not just because of work but also because we have had so many other errands to take care of. Like finally getting a Illinois drivers license and starting the immigration process...
Our African trip is not so fresh in my memory anymore .... But wanted to list some of the amazing things that we saw there if only to help us remember later.
Today, I'll start with the lions.
1. We had three really amazing encounters with lions. The first encounter took place on our last day in Duma Tau where we came upon pride of ten lions. The two alpha males of the pride were feasting on a warthog while the others looked on. We didn't get to see the kill itself (which I am grateful for but which I think Josh regrets not having been able to see), but the dynamics between the two (alpha) males and the females and young ones vying for a piece of meat was quite memorable.
1. We had three really amazing encounters with lions. The first encounter took place on our last day in Duma Tau where we came upon pride of ten lions. The two alpha males of the pride were feasting on a warthog while the others looked on. We didn't get to see the kill itself (which I am grateful for but which I think Josh regrets not having been able to see), but the dynamics between the two (alpha) males and the females and young ones vying for a piece of meat was quite memorable.
Here are 8 of them lying in the shade:
And the two males were feeding:
We also got to see the alpha male drinking water, which looked like something from Aesop's fables:
2. Lucky for us, we also had the fortune to come across a fight between two females and a pride of 4 young males the first night in Little Kwara. Our guides told us that that is quite a rare occurrence - males fighting with females. We didn't get to see the ferocious "fight" portion of that quibble, but we were fortunate to come across the whole pride of lions roaring at the same time with the females joining in the roar. The guides told us that the group roar is to show that they are there. It was bar none the most deafening and fear-inspiring sound that I have ever heard in my life.
The pictures from this night did not turn out too well since it was taken in the dark (albeit with some spotlight). But we ran into one of the females the next day. Here she is:
Here is a pic of all four lions together:
The pictures from this night did not turn out too well since it was taken in the dark (albeit with some spotlight). But we ran into one of the females the next day. Here she is:
2. The second amazing lion encounter was the very next day with the same pride of young male lions from the fight the night before.
We didn't spot them at first. In fact, we were initially looking at the scores of giraffes, zebras and impalas grazing on this one vast field. Then all of a sudden all the animals looked in one direction and stood petrified. You could hear all the hearts beat but nothing else. No one was moving even an inch. Not even batting an eyelid.
When we turned our eyes toward the direction where everyone was looking at we saw the four male lions walking toward us. The lions didn't do anything too special this day, but the reaction of all the animals to the lions was really extraordinary and unexpected.
You can see the giraffes looking at the lions in this pic:
(Also note the cuts on the lion's leg. It's from a swat from a female the night before)
Here is a pic of all four lions together:
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