nyama

Small correction to the elephant story. It should be
"Meanwhile the calf had managed to get out of the mudd pool and began to follow the vehicle..."
Of course the calf wasn't in the vehicle.

nyama

Dennis -- no, they didn't tell me about this, maybe because the old management team had left.

The rocks and logs barrier at the pool was under contstant pressure and had to be repaired each day. One morning we found some brown "balls" at the bottom of the pool, and some elephant tracks on the pool steps. Obviously a small elephant had fallen into the pool at night but managed to free himself.

Btw, Foster doesn't work permanently anymore for ABC, he's now free-lancing. Currently he has a contract with The Hide, driving these Animal Planet people around.

cw

You had some amazing experiences. I'm enjoying reading your accounts and insights about Zim.

Though I don't know what's worse--the proliferation of plunge pools or the Animal Planet reality show.

CW

OnlyMeOirish

WOW Nyama, It must have been such a thrill rescuing that baby Ellie AND dealing with the upset Mom!!! Can't wait to read all about your other encounters .. More, More .....

Imelda

nyama

CW -- "Big 5 Challence" will soon be part of history, however the plunge pools will stay forever...

I guess some time in the future there will be no room left for adventures which I just experienced...

afrigalah

Nyama,

Great story! And you tell it so b***** well Glad the rescue ended happily.

Animal Planet! Typical human attitude to the world of wildlife.

What was the main problem with the DO lens?

John

nyama

John -- main problem with the DO was the mm-range. You can't make good photos of a group of people and the surrounding landscape with 70 mm - at least not on a walking safari. So I decided to make good pictures of the walk with the 28-135 and not of the animals. I only regretted that once when we tracked down the leopard.

The walks with Nick were much shorter and specifically after wild dogs (and I was the only client) - no problem with carrying the 100-400 + 1.4x combination then.

GeoffG

Everyone involved with that Animal Planet escapade should be lined up and shot.

It's a b***** disgrace.

Geoff.

afrigalah

Nyama,

You didn't try the DO on wildlife at full zoom at any stage?

I can understand why you'd favour the 28-135 for photos of the walk...that kind of thing and landscapes is what I would use my 24-105 on, mainly. Though I managed some reasonable walk images with a Tokina 80-200/2.8 when with Leon back in '98. That was a fairly heavy lens, if I remember correctly about the same as the 100-400 IS, maybe a bit lighter. It certainly is not a problem toting the 100-400 with monopod and flash-on-bracket on walks if the country is fairly flat (a la Selinda).

John

HariS

"Btw, free your mind! Africa has so much to offer and you shouldn't always stay at the same places"~ Nyama

Nyama,

Where do you suggest i go on safari?

Nice story with the elephants at the waterhole - good adrenaline rush, i'm sure!!!

Hari

HariS

ttt,

Nyama : i'm going with friends to Pench national park - November 9th from here ...... must see parts of my own country that i haven't previously!!! So, here's a start

Cheers,
Hari