First, my apologies to the subscribers of our blog. The emailed version of my most recent post was missing the image of the huge African rock python that was the subject of the post entitled Serengeti Serpent. There is some sort of a bug in WordPress, where an “innocent” change I made caused all sorts of image display issues. Hopefully, things are fixed now and you will see the sunset image that I am writing about here.
Today I just want to talk a bit about East African sunsets. The ones I’ve seen on TV and in magazines made me want to capture some of my own. We were in Africa last July, and it was just tough getting to the right place at the right time, especially considering that we were with a group and everyone had their own agenda.
I did manage to capture a few nice sunset images this time, thanks to our guides Arnold Makinda in Tanzania and Christopher Musyoka in Kenya who knew the precise time and place to position their safari vehicles for great shots.
This Acacia Tree sunset was taken in the Maasai Mara of Kenya, where Lake Victoria provided enough moisture to bring us some evening clouds and a few showers.
I was caught up in camera settings and framings to get a good shot. In retrospect though, it seemed best to just experience the moment. Pausing for sunset, the relentless noise of diesel engines and rattling Land Cruisers came to a silent halt. With the evening rains, we could smell wonderful grassland scents and feel the cool evening air enveloping us after a bright equatorial day. I am resisting the urge to drift too sentimental in my descriptions, so I will just stop here to say that it was a great moment!
Meanwhile, if these recent blog entries have whet your appetite for a trip to Africa, I would like to put in a plug for our guide Arnold Makinda, His university degree is that of a naturalist and he has worked as a safari guide for many years and served as a leader of the Tanzanian Guides Association. Recently, he began ramping up his own family business called Instinct Tours. We’ve used Makinda twice and we’ve found him to be a most excellent, knowledgeable guide with a wonderful disposition. With his experience and connections, Makinda knows how to put together the very best safari experience. Take a moment to check out his website here. (His site is in ongoing development, but please check it out and if you are interested, you should contact him directly via the site for details).
