Chapter 4: Africa 2006 Photo Gallery by Jim & Cynthia at pbase.com

Chapter 4: Africa 2006

A Year of 4's: 4 years, 4 friends, 4 camps, 4 leopards!
As usual, we began thinking about our next trip to Africa about 5 minutes after returning home from our previous one. We didn't really get serious until we chatted to our dear friends Ellen and Ron, who had previously mentioned that they would be interested in going to Africa with us someday. They subsequently decided that this year would be it, which was thrilling news for us.
Our discussions with Bushtracks began once again, and once again they were invaluable, providing all the help we needed with our planning.
. . . . . . .

Please see Cynthia's book of travel essays that accompany these beautiful photographs:
http://www.amazon.com/Letters-Africa-Travel-Stories-Adventuresome/dp/0595531237/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1233348001&sr=1-2

Our usual "before" photo (taken by Diana)	Getting into our limo (provided by Bushtracks as thanks for years of travel!)	Picking up Ellen and Ron from their home	Jim at SFO, ready to check in (5 hours early)	The girls get a pedicure while waiting
The gang takes the usual photo in the elevator's reflection	Cynthia calling the kids for a tearful good-bye	In Heathrow, Jim and Cyn with the usual (vodka, chocolate, and scrabble)	Getting to the airport early helped us get bulkhead seats	Ellen and Ron look comfy
Crossing the equator!!	Sunrise over Zambia	Our arrival at Lusaka ... on African soil once more	Yes ...	Organizing our luggage at Lusaka airport
Hopping on our flight from Lusaka to Mfuwe	We arrive in Mfuwe once again!	Enjoying the sights at the Mfuwe Lodge during transit	Into the National Park ...	... and onto our first camp, Kapamba!
View of the main sitting room from the Kapamba River	Welcome to our chalet at Kapamba!	Gorgeous bedroom	and, the entrance to the bathroom	Which is lovely and elegant!
The bathroom is open towards the river	So we can have decadent baths ...	Looking out across our porch to the river	The main sitting room	Complete bar (with Ollie, the host)
A perfect spot for Jim's solar panels	Going on safari!	The gang and Dean, our guide	Taking a few snaps	And videos!
One of our safari jeeps	Where did the people GO?!?	Into the river, of course!	Just a normal part of the walking safaris at Kapamba	Ellen and Ron like it, too
Watching a baboon troop cross in front of us	Lion tracks ...	Compared to genet tracks!	Stopping for snacks and tea while our scout Christian watches over us	Sitting in holes made from elephant feet in mud
There were gorgeous bee-eaters in the lagoon	Walking back through mopane forest	Checking out more tracks	Arriving back at camp to cool, scented face cloths	Off for a drive through the woods
Jim is already looking "bushy"	A burned area of mopane forest	Christian ready with his weapon	Ellen and Ron following Christian and Dean	Our walk followed along the river
"thorn" tree (no kidding)	Stopping for a short break	This is fun!	Sundowners IN the river!	The happy couple
Interesting river bank on our way to our next camp ...	Kuyenda Camp!	Our chalet is nestled in the trees	Welcome to our chalet at Kuyenda!	Our lovely bed
And the outdoor shower	With a babe in it!	Our gracious bartender	Our amazing cook	And our charming server
Delectable meals	Another kind staff member with the bird bath	The whole gang!	And the other gang	We decorated our hats with feathers and grasses
Jim collects wild lavendar	Isaiah, our scout, and Phil, our guide	Learning a lot during our walks	My handsome man!	Cyn looking at birds, Ron recording it all
Relaxing by the river	Phil serves us delicious tea and cookies	Wonderful tall grasses by the Luangwa River	Cyn tries "western" medicine for the tsetse bites	But nothing seems to help the inflammation
Coming across elephants on our walk	The hat is looking nice!	Phil demonstrates why we shouldn't drive UNDER a sausage fruit tree	Jim displays his Rommel goggles	Phil serves us tea and cookies again
So sweet	Rhino-shaped cookies	The girls climb onto the jeep	Enjoying a small gully	Bird watching?
Shopping in the camp's "shop"	Babette decorates the table for every occassion	Lovely dinner table	Elegant table setting, out under the stars	Cutting sausage fruit ...
... to decrease inflammation of my tsetse bites (it works!)	Our next camp: Bilimungwe! ("chameleon")	Welcome to our chalet at Bilimungwe!	This nice room has TWO beds	View to our bathroom
A simple little puff adder (near our tents, yikes!)	The main bar	Looking from the main room out over the lagoon	This life is so stressful, isn't it?	More incredible meals
Amarula sundowner preparation on the jeep hood	Prince and Jim toast each other	Alfred in the kitchen	Sam ironing our clothes (with hot coals)	Joseph preparing our dinner
Juwa serves us delicious concoctions	Teddy keeps our rooms spotless	The whole gang!	Leopard tracks	Manda discusses dung
While Jim records	Buffalo skull with horn moths	Hippo skull	Author of "Letters from africa: Travel Stories from an Adventurous Soul"	The intrepid Cynthia
The intrepid Jim	Taking copious notes	Jim watching hippos	And Cyn and Ellen love hippos too	Carefully recording for history
Returning from a "girls' errand"	"Joe's Bistro" that Joseph built for honored guests!	JIM'S BIRTHDAY CAKE!	Gorgeous sweeping views on our way out of the Park	Into the town of Mfuwe
I LOVE the kids!	One boy was always smiling, the other never did	Hair styling	The Mfuwe market	Cyn buys more ibuprofen
Jason waving to his friends	Bicycles all around	Visiting Jason's house	Loo and bathing room	Stopping for shopping
Lovely batiks for sale	Leaving Mfuwe airport	On our cool plane	All aboard	Royal Zambezi airstrip
Landing at Royal	Our jeep is waiting; we love the red dirt!	Our next National Park	Welcome to our chalet at Chiawa!	Our tent is open and inviting
The front porch, overlooking the Zambezi River	Our comfy bed	Open outdoor bathroom	Cyn relaxing in her bathrobe	Nice touch
Jim birdwatching while showering!	The fire circle for breakfast and evening drinks	The buffaloes arrive at siesta time	Followed by an elie!	The elephant comes right into camp
He is REALLY big	A lovely champagne brunch out on the river	This IS the life	Jim getting ready for a walking safari?	Jim being Rommel again
Our perfect bracelets	The happy couple on safari	Daniel and Cynthia relaxing	Ellen and Ron enjoying a tea break	And Cyn loves the tall grasses
The intent birdwatcher	Can't even put down her water	Fun trip up the river	To the "Grand Canyon" of the Zambezi (looks like Utah)	Into a canoe!
Jim is in charge here	While Cyn takes care of photography	Bee-eater homes along the river bank	Back home to Chiawa	Sundowners were waiting ... with Grant!
The happy couple	Another birthday cake for Jim (this one is elephant dung!)	Saying "goodbye" to Chiawa to go upriver ...	Welcome to our chalet at Chongwe!	Enticing bedroom
Gorgeous bathroom	All stone and thatch, with sky for a ceiling	And the elephants come right into camp	(including a sick one who needed a rest)	View of the Chongwe River from our chalet
Going on more safari drives	Enjoying the Grand Canyon again	A visit to "Chongwe House" up the river	Fascinating architecture	This would be a fun place to stay
A local frog (loved hearing them at night)	Breakfast out by the river	Taking more notes	Looking out at the socialized impala, "Silky"	A nice view of Silky and our tent
Jim and Ian Scott with their HUGE equipment	Ahh, this IS the life	An interrupted shower ...	Jim mentions there's something outside the thatch ...	"Africa from behind"!
Lovely red cliffs nearby camp	Crawshears zebras		A baby!!
	Another baby!		Cape buffalo
	Elephants!!
and a baby!!				sand bath
	SHOOTING water into his mouth	Sniffing us		Babies tussling
				Bluff and bluster
Flapping ears to warn us away		Muddy baby!
Getting ready ...	... to cross the river!	Wallowing in mud
				TINY baby!

Puku			A baby!
	Kudu			Impala

Waterbuck		Bushbuck		Baboon with baby!

				Mating!

		Monkey		Eating a wild mango flower
Lion!			Eating a warthog
		Flat lions?
	Hyena	Leopard!!
		Impala at night	Warthog
Giraffe				Baby!
Lots of babies!		Crocodile	White-browed sparrow weaver's nest	Lilac-breasted roller
		Brown-hooded kingfisher	Francolins
Guinea fowl	Crested crane		Crested cranes flying	Carmine bee-eaters
Malachite kingfisher	Pied wagtail	Saddle-billed stork		Yellow-billed stork
	Goliath heron	Egyptian goose	3-banded plover	Crowned lapwing
	Lourie ("go-away bird")		Fish eagle
Jacana ("jesus bird")	Baobabs			Scrambled egg tree
Sausage fruit tree		Combretum	Flaming combretum	Wild mango tree
Hippo			baby!

Hyena at night	Baby!		White-tailed mongoose
Bush hare	Baby giraffe at night	Genet	Leopard at night
Mozambique night jar	Pel's fishing owl	Waterbuck at night	Sunsets (always fantastic)
				Kalulu (the rabbit in the moon)
Sundowners!
	Our last amarul	The happy couple	Back at Lusaka	Back at Heathrow
Traditions must be repeated	Coming home	We're back!!

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