tockoloshe

A great read (as usual), missed this in November, just catching up! Have you considered writing a guide book??

atravelynn

Thank you, Tockoloshe. All guidance is done travel forums. No books in the works, but thanks!

pampam

I don't need the link after all because I will be going with my zoo and they will take care of everything which I like because then I AM not worried about how to get to all the different places. At the end I let them handle the extra trip to Meru so I won't need to figure out flights over there for that either. What you wrote for my other questions helped. I think I'll go to some of these places but I don't like to write about it when I get back.

narob

atravelynn,

Fascinating reading for me, since I haven't visited that part of eastern Africa since the 70's. When do you leave for India? Maybe we'll be some place where we can break bread or have a drink together, if we have the same time table. Keep in touch!

atravelynn

I'm sure things were far different in the 70s in Kenya. Maybe we can break chapati! Late March to mid-April are my dates. I think I saw your departure as early March. I fear I'll be sweating more than you. You can email me for more specifics. It's on my profile. Have a great trip if I don't see you for chapati.

Iowa_Redhead

Thank you for the fantastic trip report and all of the helpful links!

live_aloha

atravelynn,
What a fantastic trip report! What a gift for writing and story telling you have-- Just the right amount of detail and information balanced with humor that I'm sure so many of us could relate to (conversation starters that go no where, things we do when the readings glasses aren't close by, Laugh-in decor and antics).

Loved reading about all of your adventures, and especially liked the cheetahs and the tale of the agama lizard rescue.

For some reason I couldn't open the links to your photos though. Hmmm,,,I'm not only directionally impaired but have a certain knack for IT screw ups. (I'm still trying to figure out how to post my pictures from Kenya trip last August). I wonder if something I did (really wouldn't surprise me) is preventing me from being able to open the link for your picures since I keep getting the home page of Picasa but nothing else.

I do want to visit Meru after reading your trip report, but for some reason a trip to Tanzania is calling for this next one.

atravelynn

Thank you so much Live Aloha and I am glad you found the ratio of nonsense to useful stuff to be acceptable.

I clicked the photo links on two different computers, one using Firefox and one using Explorer and they worked for me. You can try copying and pasting the links. Sometimes computers just have a mind of their own.

Googling this phrase from the title "# of vehicles per sighting, budget bandas, birds, and more" will bring up this report on another Africa forum that not only allows photos withinin the report, but there might be someone who knows the answer to your basket question.

As for posting your photos, have you put them into an online album yet?

If Tanzania is calling, maybe you'd like the Flycatchers trip I am going on that includes Serengeti and Southern Tanzania.

live_aloha

Wow! Great pictures--Thanks for sharing the alternative links so I could see them.

Loved the expression on the face of the rescued baby agama--so indignant ("damn toilet")!

I checked out the Flycatchers website and the Serengeti and Southern Tanzania itinerary---looks like something I would be interested in. Have you used this tour group in the past?

atravelynn

Flycatchers will be a first for me. I know of other people who used them and were satisfied.

I noticed you were in Kenya about the same time I was, Live Aloha. Please post a little more about your trip. There are lots of people who can help you make your photos available in the report.

There's another recent report on Meru "over there," with Postcards in the title and lots of photos.

live_aloha

I've really wanted to post my trip report, but
(a) didn't want to do it without also attaching a few of the pictures I really liked (especially the one of the mama lion who called out for her little ones, and about 7 came out of the bush running to her and the other female lion) and
(b) couldn't figure out how to post the pictures (and didn't have the patience or the time to work on it)

So, for the Flycatchers trip--what time of the year are you going? Are you joining a group or going solo once again?

Femi

Aloha, as Lynn has said in the past , all it takes to post a report is a photo link, an itinerary and 100 words
For the photos you could consider uploading them to a web album like Picasa http://picasa.google.com/

DonTopaz

Thanks both to atravelynn for the wealth of useful information and to whoever revived this thread. I was off on some adventure in Asia and the Rhone Valley when this first appeared; I'm very happy to have found it now.

twaffle

Rizzuto, it is an excellent report, as you say. Fantastic for planning future visits as well.

atravelynn

Femi, those words are familiar.

Thanks Twaffle and Rizzuto.

Live Aloha, you already have a start to your report with that wonderful description which contains 30% of the 100-word requirement. Picasa is a nice free source. Kodak is good too, but requires an occasional purchase of prints from any of your albums.

The Flycatcher trip is in Sept 2011 and is a group departure of 4 people max. I don't know the other participants. I think there are 2 others, though not certain. You can email me on hotmail with this name for more info.

live_aloha

Thanks to all of you for your encouraging words on the trip report and photo uploading....will check it out this weekend.

atravelyn, I'll touch base with you via hotmail

mahalo!

billymead

Your insights are amazing. One need not read much further about a safari then your posts. I must make one exception regarding clothing and your "any thing goes" attitude. Do you want to add to the international "Ugly American" image? Two gospels of travel are travel light, stay long. I have traveled extensively throughout Latin America on the "Gringo Trail". Always six weeks plus. My backpack never exceeded 17 pounds! Always super lite, quick drying clothes. Convertible pants/shorts an absolute must. Three changes of clothes cuts it every time. 2 gallon zip-lock bags and a length of rope another another must. A Hawaii shirt works in Oahu you blend in. Neutral/earthy colors IMHO are the only way to go in a 3rd world country. No jewelry other then a cheap watch. I carry a fanny pack with out of date passport, out of date credit cards and perhaps $50 worth of local currency. I also have a belly pouch beneath my underwear that contains my current passport & credit cards. In addition I also have money belt, photo copies of passport, reservations, credit cards. My e-mail contact list records all relevant info about insurance, flights, lodging, credit cards.

Lynn, you have a great talent. I believe all you need to do to get published would be to recoup all of your Fodor postings and their replies and present them to a publisher.

We are not rich but like you have simply made our priorities. I enjoy a 5 star lodging as much as a hostel.

atravelynn

Thanks Billymead. I love your decoy fanny pack! The email to self is a great idea too.

Funny you should mention ugly American clothing because the Hawaiian shirt and red basketball jersey netting were worn by Kenyan guides, the ruffled skirt I saw was on an Australian (who was not at all ugly), the flowing chiffon veils were on an Asian lady who may or may not have been American, the black and white checks were on a young Japanese girl, the blues and pinks were on Indians, the gold lamé was on a woman speaking a language I did not understand, and the bejeweled sandals seemed to be rage for all the ladies.

I prefer neutral colors, though, like you.

Femi

"...the Hawaiian shirt and red basketball jersey netting were worn by Kenyan guides" LOL!

live_aloha

And I thought my shoes were a great gift....if only I had known about the Hawaiian shirt! There's always next time.