I have been to Africa a number of times and always gravitate towards the sub-Saharan eastern part of the continent. One of the greatest thrills on the planet is to be on a big game safari in Africa. The wildlife is prolific at times from parts of Kenya down through South Africa but especially in the Serengeti - with herds of wildebeest, plenty of giraffe, elephants and other rarer sightings. But until now, a visit to see gorillas in the wild … [Read more...]
How to Get Licked by a Giraffe
I'm about to be licked by a giraffe. It sounds silly but it's happening. She leans forward to get closer to me, her massive head moving to within a few centimeters of my face. I can feel her heavy breath on my cheek as she extends her enormous 45-cm (18 in) long tongue straight at me. I cringe and smile in delight at the same time. The anticipation is too much and, against every impulse, I shut my eyes. Wow, is this really happening?! Where am … [Read more...]
A Guide To Africa’s Great Migration
The Great Migration of Africa is one of the most fascinating events of the wild that a wildlife lover can witness. It is the great annual journey of 1.5 million wildebeest along with nearly 200,000 Zebras and some other animals like antelopes from the plains of the Serengeti in Tanzania to the grasslands of Maasai Mara in Kenya. This great journey begins as the lands of south Serengeti become dry and the animals head north in search of food … [Read more...]
Something for Everyone: 4 Types of Tourists in Africa
People travel to distant and exotic climes for a variety of reasons: a box on their bucket list, inner personal experience, cross-cultural understanding, or simple rest and relaxation. East Africa, and Tanzania in particular, gives its visitors everything they could wish in a single trip; then, leaves them coming back for more. Whether you’ve saved for months and planned your trip to Africa down to the last detail or just hopped on the next … [Read more...]
The Global Scavenger Hunt Entry Deadline Nears
The 2015 Travel World Championship EventEntry Deadline Approaches SANTA MONICA, USA The deadline to enter the 2015 edition of the travel world championship, The Global Scavenger Hunt, is February 1st with only a few spots open for those wanting to compete for “The World’s Greatest Travelers” title and trophy--and chance to earn a free trip around the world with their triumph. Serious travelers are a competitive breed, … [Read more...]
Lariam Dreams: Malaria or Madness?
John M. Edwards wonders whether taking the world’s strongest antimalarial drug might be worse than getting the dread eldritch disease itself? “I dared to dream with my eyes wide open. . . .” --T.E. Lawrence, The Seven Pillars of Wisdom In Nairobi, Kenya, a man from Philadelphia loses it and leaps from a hotel’s second-story window. . . . He is now a paraplegic. At a Waldenbooks store, an ex Peace Corps worker goes … [Read more...]
An Exceptional Tour with Nicholas, owner of Daintree Safaris Queensland
A day in the Daintree Rainforest with Nicholas Fox, proprietor of Daintree Safaris is an educational experience you will not soon forget. He has been guiding in this part of Northern Queensland for well over 20 years. Originally from the United Kingdom, but born in Madrid and schooled at a early age in Kenya he arrived in Queensland in his 20's during a trip around the world. He never left! Part character, part dry humorist and certainly a … [Read more...]
The Lost Girls
The Lost Girls by Jennifer Baggett, Holly C. Corbett and Amanda Pressner The odds that these three girls would all meet and then decide they would travel together for a year in 2006 (by the way, they were still friends at the end of the trip), all while busy building careers in New York - and then write a book about their adventures is slim to none! But this is exactly what Jennifer, Holly and Amanda accomplished with the release of this book … [Read more...]
The Kenya Not Many See
When I was in Kenya this May, I didn't go on a tourist's safari. I didn’t ride in a Jeep with a group of other people, traveling across wide open plains, snapping pictures of dozens of wild African animals. I experienced that seven years ago, and though I would love to do it again sometime, this year there was neither time nor money in the budget. You may be asking yourself, “So why did you go to Kenya? Doesn’t everyone go for the … [Read more...]
What you’re missing while looking for the Big Five
When animal spotting on safari, people tend to get obsessed with the Big Five game, as though they matter above all else. I’m not going to stand here and talk down the beauty of the lion, elephant, buffalo, leopard and rhinoceros, but I will say our admiration for the Big Five can distract us from the other equally wondrous creatures in our midst. So let’s imagine you’re on a luxury African safari with the view to collecting all five of the … [Read more...]