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This is Africa: On Safari in the Masai Mara Reserve – An Experience of Many Firsts

Our first trip to Africa started with a safari in the Masai Mara Reserve in Kenya. The game drives in this vast landscape provided the first views of many of the classic African animals we were hoping to see, along with many other memorable experiences. Continue reading “This is Africa: On Safari in the Masai Mara Reserve – An Experience of Many Firsts”

PhotoPOSTcard: A Symbiotic Relationship

The African cape buffalo and the yellow billed oxpecker form a symbiotic relationship. The oxpecker eats the tics and other insects that are attracted to this large wild bovine. The birds will also eat out the diseased portion of a wound on the buffalo, allowing it to heal. In addition, the oxpecker will start to hiss when it becomes alarmed, which alerts its host of potential danger. Not that this huge herd beast has many natural predators other than humans. With its big horns and unpredictable nature, it is a dangerous animal and can hold its own against Africa’s big predators. It takes a whole pride of lions to try and bring down one animal.

Thanks for visiting.

Rose

PhotoPOSTcard: An Attractive Male Agama Lizard

I discovered that Africa has creatures both great and small. We found this little male Agama lizard near the Mara river in Kenya. During mating season, the males become these bright, almost neon colors. The rest of the time, they are a drab tan color like the females. This little guy may have had one too many mating territorial fights since his tail looks chopped off.

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Rose

PhotoPOSTcard: The Queen of Beasts

Our first really good sighting of lions was from the heights of our early morning hot air balloon flight over Kenya’s Maasai Mara Reserve. We were able to quietly trail these two female lions for a little while before they went into the brush and out of sight. Even from far away, it was easy to see that they were healthy and powerful and quite well fed. Clearly the top of the food chain.

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Rose

PhotoPOSTcard: Elephants in Kenya’s Maasai Mara Reserve

In the first two hours of our first game drive in the Masai Mara Reserve in Kenya, we saw ostriches, zebras, a variety of gazelle, giraffes, cape buffalo, wilderbeests, a female lion and her juvenile cub, and my favorite, elephants. I would have been content after just this experience, but we still had ten more days of game viewing in Kenya and Tanzania. Could it really get much better?

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Rose

This is Africa: A Hot Air Balloon Safari in the Masai Mara

Our first African safari – a dream come true. My husband and I had been planning this trip for over a year and had included all of our wish list items. The only optional excursion offered on our tour was a hot air balloon safari in the Masai Mara. We decided to opt in for this activity, though I was very apprehensive going into it. I have a huge fear of heights and I was not sure if I would be able to handle the ride without getting a bad case of vertigo. I was really torn, because this would be a once in a lifetime activity and there was no turning back once it started.

Continue reading “This is Africa: A Hot Air Balloon Safari in the Masai Mara”

PhotoPOSTcard: Floating Above Kenya’s Maasai Mara

We started our first full day in Kenya’s Masai Mara Reserve with an early morning hot air balloon ride over the grasslands, floating softly over the landscape as the sun rose behind us. We looked down on these wilderbeests as they strutted along, their bodies half covered by the tall grasses that covered the landscape from horizon to horizon.

Such and amazing and memorable experience in an amazing  location.

Thanks for visiting.

Rose