The Amazing Birds of East Africa

On October 4, 2021February 29, 2024 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Africa, Kenya, TanzaniaLeave a comment

As much as we enjoyed seeing all of the large animals in East Africa, we also saw an amazing assortment of birds. Whether the fascinating ostriches, different waterfowl like the flamingos, or other colorful birds, it was as interesting seeing all of the different birds as it was to see lions, rhinos, and giraffes. It wasn’t until we arrived back home and had time to go through all of our photographs that we realized how many different birds we were able to capture images of. We knew before we went to Tanzania and Kenya that we would see ostriches and flamingos, but the sheer number of colorful and interesting birds that we saw was almost overwhelming.

Just like all of the animals that we saw during our safari, the birds really didn’t care about the presence of humans as they went about their business. Whether it were the flocks of helmeted guineafowl, the grey crowned cranes, or even the vultures chasing away a hyena to get their fill of a fresh kill, seeing the birds in their natural environment was quite fascinating. Even seeing something as simple as the lovebirds as they flocked to a tree was amazing in the surroundings of the African grasslands.

Red-and-Yellow Barbet Sitting on a Bench

Pair of African Fish Eagles in the Setting Sun

Even though there is nothing like seeing the large cats and other large animals in the wild, seeing all of these different birds was special in their own way. Some of the birds were quirky, some traditional, and others down right scary, they are all part of the ecosystem that makes East Africa unique. Many of them actually ride on the backs of the larger animals like elephants and hippos as they wait for them to disrupt the insects and cause them to leap into the air for the birds to catch.

Taking the Scenic Crescent Lift to See the Changing Leaves in Park City, Utah

On October 1, 2021October 1, 2021 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Utah3 Comments

During the summer and autumn months in Park City, there are a few lifts that will take you into the mountains where you can have amazing views. There are less lifts available in the autumn season, but with the leaves changing, it is absolutely stunning. The scenic crescent lift is located at the adventure park with the mountain coaster, alpine slide, and other family activities. The lift is used for transporting mountain bikers and their bikes as well as hikers or those just wanting to enjoy the views to mid-mountain.

Unfortunately for us, to get tickets for the scenic crescent lift you have to wait in the same line as the people getting tickets for all of the other activities at the mountain adventure park, which took us about thirty minutes. Fortunately, once we had our tickets, there was no line to get on the lift and we were quickly on our way up the side of the mountain to enjoy the amazing views. The lines for the other activities were much longer as it was a Saturday and families were taking advantage of everything that the adventure park had to offer.

Looking Off to the Left from the Chair Lift

Unless you decide to hike all of the way down, you take the lift back down to the base of the mountain, which provides a completely different view than those on the way up the mountain. The leaves were still in the process of changing, so there was quite a variety of colors as we we rode the lift and when we walked around after getting off at mid-mountain. Although it was worth the wait in order to get our tickets, we probably would have preferred to go on a weekday had we known about the crowds.

The View of the Steep Descent to the Base

Historic Main Street in the Heart of Park City, Utah

On September 29, 2021September 29, 2021 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Utah3 Comments

When visiting Park City in Utah, it is mostly about outdoor activities whether in the summer with hiking and biking or in the winter with skiing and snowboarding. When the day is over though, the place to be is on historic main street with all of the local shops and an abundance of restaurants to choose from. The architecture is what you’d expect from a historic mountain town and even in the off-season, like when we went, the streets will be busy with tourists. Most of the resorts are either in the Mountain Village, which is just a few blocks away from main street or in Canyons Village, which is where we stayed. Regardless of where you are staying, the town of Park City provides free bus transportation to get you around.

View from the Center of Historic Main Street

We went to historic main street a couple of times during our week-long stay in Park City and there were so many options of places to see. Whether you want to do window shopping or go into one of the many art galleries and novelty stores, you can definitely find something interesting to take home with you if you desire. At least for us, it was all about finding unique places to grab a bite to eat and there are more than a couple of dozen choices on or just off of main street to choose from. When visiting Utah, it is important to understand that their liquor laws are different than most other states. For example, if the establishment only has a restaurant liquor license and not a bar liquor license, you are required to get food if you want an adult beverage.

Regardless of whether you want to shop, eat at a restaurant, or just people watch, there is plenty to keep you occupied on historic main street. Sitting in the valley and surrounded by the mountains, the views are wonderful both of the town as well as the surrounding tree-lined ski slopes. Since it is autumn, the trees had changed, making the scenery even more dramatic as we walked along the street. Our last day was on a Saturday and although we drove down main street, we chose not to stop as the crowds were a little bit more than what we prefer to deal with.