i've done a fair amount of things in my life thus far but i'd say going on safari is at the top of that list. above finding my career early, skydiving, buying a house, shark cage diving, and (dare i say it was better than this...) dining at all of Thomas Keller's restaurants, safari has surpassed those experiences. it was a ridiculously incredible experience that i can't even put into words. there's something about nature that really gets me. i think it's the lack of control or enforcement. whatever happens happens. if a lion is hungry, it goes on a hunt. if it doesn't catch anything for an extended time, it dies. nobody is feeding it or making sure it gets it's daily dose of nutrients. to hear a lion's roar in the wild is exponentially more genuine and ferocious than hearing it when a trainer signals it at the circus and then tosses him a morsel of meat. aside from seeing the animals, there's also something about the chase while on safari. you never know what you're going to see or miss. you could drive by ten cheetahs without ever having known it because they were hiding in brush, so when you finally spot one your heart beats quickly and there is no greater satisfaction. here is a sample of just a glimpse into what i saw while on safari in Maasai Mara, Kenya.
the wildebeests were supposed to already have migrated but this year they stuck around for a bit longer. we were lucky enough to catch them while they were still here to see some of the migration.
family!
like, is there anything cuter? (answer: yes, lion cubs are far cuter)
Cape Buffalo
Hyena family! first we just saw the two hyenas and then this little guy popped up out of nowhere. SO cute and unexpected.
the mysterious Leopard. this was so damn cool to see!
zebra and child. notice the adult is quiiiiiiite excited to see us. haha!
Masai Giraffe. the pattern is different from the giraffes i'll bet you're used to seeing at the zoo.
amazing sunsets in Africa. seriously, the flat plains make for some awesome unobstructed shots of the sky
aaaaand the money shot! this is pretty much exactly the shot i wanted to get while in Kenya. it'd be even better with a silhouette of a large animal but this'll do. plus, thos little specks you see over yonder are likely wildebeests anyhow.
sunrise hot air balloon ride!
gross pic of me but i had to have one shot.
the dark lines you see forming on the bottom portion of this image are a line of wildebeests
wildebeest tread. they pave patterns while walking in lines behind one another
deflation
lion cubs!!! wish i were closer but they were adorable.
don't they look regal? or maybe that's the Lion King thing conjuring up ideas in my brain.
mom, lookin out.
jackals!!
jackal pup! soooo effing cute! i want.
so romantic, guys! i mean, get a room! i'm gonna go ahead and say that i witnessed Simba and Nala when he finally made a move.
all sorts of awesomeness.
why so smug? but seriously, male lions look like they just own the place.
another hyena
cheetah! i was SO happy i got to see a cheetah. didn't think it was going to end up happening.
beautiful beings.
i'm going to pretend this is mid-roar but he's just yawning
doesn't this look like a 70's painting?
oh, hello!
i <3 kenya="" p="">
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