Together Again

Anne and Yasent arrived in Kodiak today after two months away. Their extra three weeks in Africa were spent on a private preserve and in and around Cape Town. Yasent got to have a week of board lessons in the wonderful South African surf.


The travelers came laden with African gifts. Here Maya poses with her beaded headband, her wooden animal necklace, and her vuvuzela.

There were vuvuzelas for everyone and after a brief practice inside the house the children were sent outside to see if the sound would echo off the lake. I'm sure the neighbors near and far will soon be clamoring for more.

And a Few More

It is too hard to limit all the photos to a favorite few but I'll give it a try. Here are two young impala

I love this giraffe photo because of the golden tones of giraffe and leaves.

Could be a matched set of kudu.

I have to give Anne credit for this fantastic waterbuck photo.


This kudu had the typical impressive horns

Some of my Favorites

We have left South Africa but are still basking in the warm glow of the fantastic hospitality we were shown, the memories of thousands of animal sightings, and the extreme pleasure of sharing it all with family members. Here are a few of my favorite photos that Anne took.


The black-backed jackel followed the lioness all over. He was probably hoping for some left-overs.



There were seven giraffes crossing in a line. They didn't all make the photo.

I love the way Anne caught the water pouring from their mouths.

Up Close with the Critters

Conveniently just down the road from our cottage was a reptile park, practically walking distance. Yasent first enjoyed a bit of crocodile wrestling.

Seriously the croc above is made of concrete. But the boa that Yasent has draped around his neck is very much alive. Note the tail of the snake beneath his right arm.

Feeding an ostrich can be a bit intimidating.

This is a close-up of one of the bateleurs we got to see and pet. Bill holds Yasent so he can reach the bird.


Here is the very young spotted hyena that we were able to see at the rehabilitation center. He is being hand-raised.