We saw giraffes all throughout our time in Kenya and Tanzania, but our first encounters with them was in Amboseli National Park. Many of the giraffes that we saw weren’t actually in the parks themselves but outside of the parks where there were often more trees. Due to delays in our flight to Nairobi, we ended up getting to Amboseli at dusk and we ended up seeing our first giraffe with the sun setting behind the acacia trees. We were completely exhausted from being up for 48 hours, so we didn’t pull out our camera and capture the image. We did, however, have our guide, David, take us back out to the trees that surrounded our camp at sunset the following night in order to try and recreate the experience. We were lucky enough to see a family of giraffes amongst the trees as we watched an incredible sunset, one of many that we would end up seeing.
Many Giraffes Amongst Other Animals During the DayGiraffe with the Sun Behind UsOne of the Young Giraffes with the Sunset in the BackgroundGiraffe Eating LeavesBrilliant SunsetBaby Giraffe While We Waited for SunsetLooking at Us
We’re sure that we drove our guide crazy as we had him move our Land Cruiser to different spots around the many giraffes that were enjoying a late dinner in order to catch them in different lighting and angles. At this point of our trip, we had no idea how many giraffes we would ultimately end up seeing, but the experience of watching the young giraffes with the sun setting in the background was certainly a highlight. We even got a photograph of a giraffe at sunrise on the following morning, which only added to our memories of Amboseli. Wherever we saw giraffes, it was clear that they kept a watchful eye on us to make sure that we didn’t move towards them, but that just gave us the opportunity to make eye-contact with them. It certainly made us wonder what they were thinking about us as we stood in our vehicle taking pictures of them.
Sun Setting as We Watched the GiraffesGiraffe the Following MorningAnother Image of the SunsetGiraffe at SunriseMaking Eye-ContactThe Very First Giraffe that We Saw on Our First Full DayVery Curious
We are officially 14 days away from our trip to Kenya and Tanzania. We have to admit that we are sitting on pins and needles as the days go by and we keep our fingers crossed that nothing happens to interrupt this incredible trip. It has been over a year and a half since our last meaningful trip and there have been so many changes over that period of time. We still have to get a COVID test within 72 hours of traveling, but otherwise we have all of the vaccinations necessary. We also have to fill out a travel surveillance form, which is specific to Kenya, and provides evidence that we travelled directly from the United States to Kenya.
We Even Have a Countdown App Counting Down for the TripColorado Sunset
Even though our trip hasn’t even begun yet, it has already been an adventure. We originally booked our flights with British Airways who partners with American Airlines. Since our original booking, we had different legs of the flight cancelled causing us to rearrange the entire itinerary twice. Then, a week ago, all but one leg of the flight was cancelled, leaving us no choice but to cancel the flights and request a refund. We then booked flights with United who partners with Lufthansa. All we can do now is wait and hope that we have no new surprises.
Sunset Over the Nile RiverBirds on the Treetops Watching the Sunset
In addition to all of the wildlife that we’re expecting to see, food that we hoping to try, and people that we looking forward to meeting, we know that we are going to see some wonderful sunrises and sunsets. We have seen many pictures taken from safaris and almost every one of them has a beautiful sunset, so we are definitely looking forward to capturing some of our own. As we have sat at home, waiting for our trip, we have seen a few colorful sunsets here as well, which just wets our appetite for our upcoming trip. To say that we are excited would be an extreme understatement.
If you are looking for a relaxing stay along the Pacific coast in California, then visiting Carlsbad might just be the perfect choice for you. Located about 30 miles north of San Diego, Carlsbad is a resort town with many restaurants, public beaches, and a very walk-able downtown area which is called Carlsbad Village. We spent close to a week there and enjoyed walking the beach, watching sunsets, and even went on a wine tasting tour. On Wednesday’s, the heart of the village shuts down to allow for a farmer’s market with a variety of fresh fruit, vegetables, art work, and other local items for sale. We also happened to be there the weekend before Halloween and the local shops provide candy and a safe environment for families to go trick-or-treating.
Beach Style ArchitectureVineyards in TemeculaFarmer’s MarketOne of the SunsetsEuropean Style Architecture
Carlsbad Village is certainly charming with a variety of architecture from typical beach-style buildings to some old-world type buildings. There are many different shops offering boutique clothing, beach clothes, gift items, as well as unique artwork. There are as many restaurants as there are shops offering a variety of meal choices. Although you can certainly find any type of food that you might want, the majority of restaurants offered seafood, Mexican food, and Italian. We had some wonderful meals during our stay.
Busy Beach on the WeekendFresh Vegetables at the Farmer’s MarketAnother Sunset on the BeachShopping AreaTown Sign
Clearly the beach is the highlight of going to Carlsbad and if you are a surfer, you won’t be disappointed. It was a little too cool while we were there to swim in the ocean as the fog rolled in every morning and didn’t always burn completely off keeping the temperatures low. That didn’t keep us from walking along the beach though, watching the surfers, and making sure to catch some beautiful sunsets. Even in the off-season, the town got quite busy on the weekend as people from the surrounding areas come to take advantage of their beach properties.
Surfers on the BeachWalking the BeachNot Too Busy During the WeekFresh Seafood at the Farmer’s MarketTropical Flower
We took a wine tour in Temecula where we visited four different wineries and tasted a wonderful variety of wines. Napa Valley certainly has the best known reputation for producing quality wines, but Temecula certainly has a right to be proud of their growing reputation. Not only do they have a lot of vineyards currently, the hillsides are being covered with new ones as the city has approved additional vineyards to be started. Although you can certainly drive yourself on a wine tour, it is best to let someone else do the driving. We tasted up to six types of wine at each vineyard, which even in small amounts is a lot of wine.
Temecula has a Tuscan FeelVineyard About a Month After HarvestWine CasksLooking Up the HillsideNew Vineyard in the Distance
Carlsbad Village is definitely an enjoyable destination with a relaxing atmosphere. Beautiful beaches, friendly people, and all of the food and shopping make staying their a wonderful experience. There is also a train called the Coaster that will take you into San Diego if you want to spend some time their and go to Sea World, the world famous zoo, and other museums. Legoland is also a highlight of Carlsbad for those with children or just a child at heart.
People Out for HalloweenKids and CandyLast Glimpse of the SunMore ArchitectureJust Another Day at the Beach
