Roger_Miller

I've finally had a chance to get through our 1,500+ pictures (curse of the digital camera)and have begun weeding out the many that will not make the final cut for our albums and walls.

http://www.snapfish.com/slideshow/Al...408/t_=6651351

My wife gave a presentation to our 3 yr old's pre-school class this week...thus, a driving force to actually select a number pics.

Our itinerary was:

3 nites Capetown - 1 day with Selwyn & 1 day with his brother Rob - both were outstanding and provided different pts of view

1 nite Victoria Falls

3 nites canoing Mana Pools, Zimbabwe - my wife will not do again after listening to our guide's stories of "close calls", although our 5 yr old wants to go when he's 10

2 nites Selinda
3 nites Chitabe Trails
2 nites Vumbura

Kavey

Unable to access your images without a username and password. Do you have one we could use or do we have to each register?

Many thanks

Roger_Miller

Use the following id/password:

email address = [email protected]

pw = kingzin

http://www.snapfish.com/slideshow/Al...408/t_=6651351

Kavey

Thanks - that worked.
I remember the Fruit for Trash program - we were lucky enough to be there for the very first run! And we really enjoyed meeting the people of Kayamundi with Selwyn.
I like your aerial shot of CT - that's superb. The open-mouthed hippo out on the grass is also excellent. The golden light on your buffalo and egret shot is beautiful. Leopard shot is also great and again a wonderful light. And you really captured the moment of that cheetah kill of the impala - it's a really emotional moment in time. PLus lots more lovely shots of lions, eles, birds and everything.

The little furry rock critter is known as a Rock Dassie, also called a Hyrax.

Thanks so much for sharing - what a wonderful trip you have had!

Chris_GA_Atl

Thanks for sharing the pictures! We did a similar trip to yours (Botswana, Vic Falls, then Cape Town with Selwyn). We also had a chance to meet -- and play a practical joke on -- Selwyn's brother, which was one of many highlights of the trip.
Thanks again!

wallybrenda

Hi Roger,
Wonderful photo's..thank you for taking the time share them. I especially loved the humor that you captured in some of the animals.
What type of equipment did you shoot with ? Any photo tips you can share would be greatly appreciated.

Also, would you tell me more about your visit to Capetown..we are planning to start our May 2005 trip with 4 days in Capetown.

Roger_Miller

Wallybrenda,

Primary photo equip:

Nikon D70 w/ 3 batteries + charger
Nikon 18-70 DX zoom (part of D70 kit)
Nikon 70-200 f/2.8 VR zoom (worth every penny)
Nikon 1.7 teleconverter
Nikon SB-600 flash

Backup Camera - Canon G2

Compact flash cards
- 2 1 gig 80x (primary)
- 1 512 MB (backup)
- 2 256 MB (backup)

Photo Storage Device - Archo Gmini 20 gig (portable harddrve)

I exclusively used my Nikon gear and the 1 gig compact flash cards. When one filled up, I slipped in the 2nd and immediately downloaded the pics from the first onto the Archo Gmini.

As for photo tips, search the discussion forums hear for previous threads, and also check out the Nikonians discussion forums:

http://www.nikonians.org/cgi-bin/dcf...conf=DCConfID5

Capetown Thoughts

I would have loved to have at least another 2 days in Capetown / surrounding environs. My wife & I highly recommend hiring Selwyn and/or his brother Rob

http://ilovecapetown.com/

http://users.iafrica.com/r/ro/robair/tours.htm).

Both provided great insight to Capetown & South Africa. They are both opinionated (which I really appreciate - no fence sitting) and really care about their homeland.

Visiting Kayamundi with Selwyn and meeting the children and some of the people there was a highlight of our time in Capetown, as well as our entire trip.

I would have like to had more time to spend in the winelands (1-2 days) going to different wineries and doing some light hiking.

Since our time was fairly short there, I would suggest getting in contact with Selwyn/Rob. Based on your interests, they will help you determine how to most efficiently use your 4 days.

Kavey

Good to see another Nikon D70 owner. That was what we took on the long trip in May and June (though I haven't sorted through the pics yet) and it's a pleasure to use isn't it?

Roger_Miller

I love using the D70, especially with the 70-200 VR lens. Besides our trip, I've been using it to take pictures at my 5 yr old's soccer games - the speed of the lens is phenomenal, even during foggy mornings like we have here occasionally in the SF bay area.

Getting through all the pics is hard in that it consumes so much time, especially when you start cropping to enhance the composition. I haven't got that far along yet, just weeding down to the raw good/great pics.

Kavey

Absolutely - even very minor Photoshop work takes time!

I'm so wanting a VR lens but they are very expensive and I just don't think we can justify it at the moment - even with the OIALT trip we're about to leave on.

wallybrenda

Hey Roger,
Thanks for all the info. We really need to purchase a photo storage device.
Can you tell me how old yours is and if it can still be purchased.
Sounds like you had a incredible trip !
Brenda

wallybrenda

Me again...can you tell us more about the Mana Pools portion of your trip.
Who did you do your trip with ?
Thanks...

Roccco

Roger,

Thanks for those wonderful pics. My favorites were that majestic Baobab Tree, the Cheetah suffocating the impala, the monitor lizard hissing, and the croc within 10' from your canoe.

Like the previous poster, I would be more interested in hearing more about your 3 nights at Mana Pools. While I am seriously considering booking 3 nights at Chikwenya (Wilderness Safaris), I do know that there are more adventurous options, as well. While those options may not be appropriate for my family (my wife, my mom and my sister are coming along), I may just want to send them to Cape Town while I enjoy a 3 night canoeing safari in Mana Pools.

Please let me know which company you used for your 3 night canoeing safari and your final impressions of that portion of your trip.

Thanks.

Liz_Frazier

Kavey-
What is OIALT? What about your tooth and stitches? Sorry to break in here, but what is it? Liz

Kavey

Dear Liz
Sorry, OIALT is Once In A Life Time!
And as for lip and tooth? Well I went to the dentist again today and he checked out the lip too - the cut was totally healed but the stitch thread was still attached so he kindly cut it away for me. And when I got home afterwards the last huge remaining scab on my lip came away too. As for dental - he finished the root canal and took the impressions for the crown I'll be getting on the 19th, just before we go away. There's also a small chance the tooth next to it was sufficiently hard hit that the root there may also die and need a root canal but it may heal so it's wait and see time. I'm looking back to normal except for some shiny pink new skin - hope it eventually goes brown like the rest of me. In my lip I have this large solid area - doesn't show but feels very strange. Apparently it's down to damage to the saliva glands and will take several months to shrink away. It doesn't hurt so I can live with that.

Roccco

Roger,

Did you do your 3 night Mana Pools Canoeing Safari through Wilderness Safaris???

If so, if you could do it over again, would you have spent a night at Ruckomechi prior to the beginning, and possibly a night at Chikwenya upon the completion?

I am considering the 3 night Mana Pools Canoeing expedition for myself after first spending time at Matetsi and Makalolo Plains and then sending the rest of my group onto Cape Town.

I have heard that Ruckomechi is excellent for leopards and lions, and that Chikwenya is just incredibly beautiful.

If I do not do the canoeing expedition then I would probably visit Chikwenya for 3 nights with my entire group.

On a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rate the experience of your Mana Pools canoeing expedition???

Thanks.

Roccco

Roger,

One last thing. Were there any single travelers in your particular Mana Pools canoeing expedition, and if so,
were they grouped with the guide or with one of the staff, or, instead, were they alone in their own canoe?

Thanks.