Hello!, I am currently at Heathrow airport waiting for my flight.Africa was fabulous.I took about 700 photos and was able to get close-ups of three male lions,a rare view of a Serval
(small cat)and had two great hikes/climbs.I will post more later my trip report may be long I have a rough draft of about 6-7 pages without two major topics covered! "talk" to you soon.RR

Welcome back Robert! I look forward to hearing all about it!!

Welcome back! Can't wait to read the report and especially see the photos.. I have a feeling you will get me planning a trip soon!

Welcome back Robert. I want to hear all about the trip. How was the hiking? I'm starting to plan our trip to SW Africa so I'd love to hear about your experiences.

The Mt. Meru climb was fabulous.It was 4 days,
with one hard day where you go from the 2nd hut to the summit and then back to the lower hut
for the night.It involved some scrambling in the dark and in my case over wet rock as it had rained through the night and into the morning of the climb.my wife did about half of it,the summit is just short of 15,000 feet.There were great views of Kilimanjaro throughout as well as the ash cone of mt meru.The lower slopes were full of wildlife-giraffe,elephant,baboon
buffalo,warthog etc.The climb is done with the assistance of porters a cook and a armed guide.
Photos soon RR

Robert,

I'm glad to hear you had a great trip. I worked for a safari company for a couple years and had the opportunity to travel to Tanzania. It is an amazing country with wonderful people, amazing scenery and incredible wildlife. I look forward to reading your trip report.

-Mary

The Photos are posted on slowtrips photo gallery under Africa about 150 in all.RR

Robert, your photos are gorgeous! Thank you very much. It looked as if you were having a wonderful time. Yes, I can see why you felt the need to specify that one of your sunset shots wasn't photoshopped.

My mom, who is a birder, would get a real chuckle out of someone using "tropical bird" as a heading for a photo. It's a Red-billed Hornbill.

I know about the bird I just didn't think people would be interested we saw 63 different birds.
Ps Photoshop may be ok for manipulating photos
into differnet files etc but not to doctor otherwise weak photography skills RR

Marvelous photos Robert! Looks like you had a fantastic trip. Love Peg's headgear!

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Originally posted by Robert Rainey:
I know about the bird I just didn't think people would be interested we saw 63 different birds.RR

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well you Robert I'd be interested in the birds!! Do you have any other bird photos? I love the flamingo shots.

More birds! I have a few more I'll post them
asap. RR

3 more posted of birds.RR

Thanks Robert! That silhouetted one looks like some sort of eagle...very cool. Gotta get me there one day. But first comes Rome in April...then the Peruvian Amazon this summer. Maybe safari next summer!

Robert, your photos brought back so many visual memories--all special. As you have learned, Africa is a land that permeates your soul and who you are. Your pictures are lovely--great lion shots and, I like your weaver picture as I tried very hard to get one but each time their movements were so rapid, I couldn't click in time. Wasn't is spectacular the first time you saw the elephant and the lion and the giraffe? Did you meet people and groups to distribute the things you brought with you? My husband and I talk about going back and doing some work in the schools.
Janet, you mention both Africa and Peru--you might find some good stuff for you on my website--pictures and narratives that give some insights into how special these places are.

We gave almost everything we brought including 9 dozen pens,6 stuffed animals and 2 large duffle bags of clothes and shoes some to our porters but mostly to the Arusha Childrens trust.
RR

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Originally posted by Jane:
Janet, you mention both Africa and Peru--you might find some good stuff for you on my website--pictures and narratives that give some insights into how special these places are.

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Hi Jane, I've looked at your site before, reading about your wonderful trips...I will be sure to read about your Peru trip. We are booked to go on an Amazon cruise but we are having second thoughts about that and I'm now investigating changing the trip to go to Machu Picchu and other montane areas with a birding guide. One way or another we are going to Peru this summer, though...we already have the tickets!