There is an old saying that to really discover a city, you should let yourself get lost in everything it has to offer. It can definitely be true and we have had a couple of instances where we literally got lost while exploring the city. Needless to say, you still have to be cogniscent of your surroundings and make sure that you don’t put yourself in danger. These days it is a little harder to truly get lost since you can always pull up a map on your smart phone, but knowing where you are on a map doesn’t always mean that you actually know where you are. Getting lost can often lead to little surprises that make for incredible memories.
Eiffel Tower in AutumnHouses in NeighborhoodThe Streets that We Walked in Paris
Walking the Streets of Paris – Not only was this the first time that we managed to get lost while walking the streets of a city, but it was actually our first trip to Europe many years ago and before the days of smart phones. It truly did make for some incredible memories, including finding a rare book store that had a first edition Don Quixote that we actually considered buying, but our common sense took over and kept us from making the purchase. There were little shops selling crepes and all sorts of different stores. We did end up buying a small porcelain statue of a boy and girl on a sled that always reminds of us of our time in Paris. We have been back to Paris since then, but this first trip was truly magical.
Winding Streets Below from the Seville CathedralThe Driver that Got Lost in SevilleSeville Cathedral in Seville, Spain
Getting Lost in Seville, Spain – We didn’t just get lost once when we visited Seville, but actually got lost a total of three times. The first was just driving into Seville and trying to find our hotel. There were roads closed due to a parade that made it difficult to find with all of the one way streets. The second was when we tried to go back to a shop that we had found earlier in the day, but couldn’t seem to find it again. It did allow us to enjoy all of the narrow streets in the Old Jewish Quarter. It was after finally getting back to the cathedral after being lost that we ate dinner and then decided to take a carriage ride. Little did we know that once again closed streets would cause our driver to get lost and we would end up having a wonderful time just enjoying the moments in the city, although our driver wasn’t particularly happy.
Fountain in ParisSeville Cathedral
Getting lost in a city doesn’t guarantee you wonderful memories, but you might be surprised by what you see if let yourself get off of the beaten track. We also got lost in Lima, Peru, but as soon as we reached a part of the city where we didn’t feel comfortable, we quickly back tracked to a place that we recognized. Although it takes a leap of faith to do, you might just see some wonderful sights that aren’t talked about in the travel books that you might have read.
Needless to say, there are many different places to stay when going on a safari and those places are dependent on your guides and the price that you are willing to pay. We did what is considered a mid-tier safari, which is different than what you would expect from a luxury safari, but we found it to be more than adequate. The places that we stayed at varied as we traversed the migration path through the various national parks and reserves in Kenya and Tanzania. Some were in the parks themselves, some were just outside the parks, they included tents, lodges, and bungalows. They all had restaurants and a bar that served refreshments, but again the styles varied greatly.
Our Tent at Zebra Plains Amboseli CampThey Certainly Made Us Feel WelcomeFirepits Were Quite Common to Sit and Enjoy the ViewsThe Bar at Zebra PlainsRestaurant AreaWe Had the EssentialsTrail Through the Camp at Amboseli
Our trip started with a two night stay at the Zebra Plains Amboseli Camp. As with many of the places where we stayed, you weren’t allowed to be out at dark without having one of the guards at the camp escorting you. We certainly understood why after our first night at the camp as we heard a hyena on our front porch and heard elephants and other animals as they made their way through the camp to the watering hole that was located next to the camp. Although the camp is technically located outside of the Amboseli National Park, there are no fences and the wildlife can be found outside of the park as much as inside. It certainly made for an excellent start to our safari adventure.
Our Room at Pamoja Africa LodgeBar at the Pamoja Africa LodgeAn Actual Dining Room at PamojaHome Grown Herbs at the Pamoja Africa LodgeOur Bungalow at Bougainvillea Lodge Our Room at Bougainvillea LodgeCozy Fireplace and Sitting Area in Our Room at Bougainvillea LodgeBar at the Bougainvillea Lodge
From Amboseli National Park, we headed to Lake Manyara and Ngorongoro Crater. Although both locations are accessible from the same small town, we stayed at two different locations for the two nights that we spent there. The first was at the Pamoja Africa Lodge, which was definitely a change of pace from the tent at Amboseli. Because we were in a town, there wasn’t any wildlife at the lodges and the accommodations were closer to a hotel than some of the other places where we stayed. The second night we stayed at the Bougainvillea Lodge where we had more of a bungalow and even had a fireplace in our room that the staff lit for us. It was a level of comfort that we wouldn’t get again for a few days.
Our Tent at Thorn Tree CampOur Covered Bed at Thorn TreeSitting by the Firepit at Thorn Tree CampSun Setting and the Restaurant Tent at Thorn TreeJust One of the Sunsets from the Camp in the Serengeti National ParkOur Friendly Bartender at Thorn Tree CampDinner at Thorn Tree Camp
Our next stop was to the heart of the Serengeti National Park where we would stay two nights at the Thorn Tree Camp. Located in the center of the park, this camp would definitely be more rustic than the previous two lodges. It didn’t mean that they didn’t try there best to make us comfortable and the staff were extremely nice. They set chairs up for us around the firepit where we could sit and watch the amazing sunsets. We saw several different animals wandering through the camp and could see herds of zebras and wildebeest from our tent. Being as secluded as we were, we were able to enjoy looking up at the night sky with all of the brilliant stars. We really felt like we were on safari while we stayed at Thorn Tree Camp.
Inside of Our Tent at Maasai MaraView from Our Porch at Zebra Plains Mara CampFirepit and Amazing Views of Maasai Mara from the CampMaasai Warriors Performing at the CampAreas to Relax at the Mara CampPath to Our Tent at Zebra Plains Mara CampDining Rooms at the Mara Camp
After leaving the Serengeti National Park, we headed north to the Maasai Mara where we would spend two nights at Zebra Plains Mara Camp, which is a sister property to the Zebra Plains Amboseli Camp. After the couple of days in the tents in the Serengeti, it was quite refreshing to stay at the camp in Maasai Mara. Not only was the staff extremely friendly, the Maasai warriors even gave us a demonstration of their traditional warrior dances and songs. We were still surrounded by wildlife and we had a water buffalo who decided to feed outside of our tent and just after we went to bed on the first night,and a leopard decided to wander through the restaurant. Although we weren’t required to have an escort after dark, there were warriors posted all around the camp to ensure that everyone was safe.
Front of the Lake Naivasha Country ClubAnimals on the Lawn of Lake NaivashaOur Room at Lake NakuruLounge and Bar at the Lake Nakuru LodgeThe Pool at Lake NakuruView from Our Porch at Lake NakuruRestaurant with an Amazing View at Lake NakuruInside Restaurant at the Lake Nakuru Lodge
On our last two nights, we were treated to a couple of locations that were more upscale than staying at the camps in the parks. First we stayed at the Lake Naivasha Country Club where we relaxed and simply enjoyed the beautiful scenery. There were views of the lake and antelopes and zebras wandered the grounds. There was a large buffet for both dinner and breakfast where you could find a wide variety of offerings. Our last night was spent at the Lake Nakuru Lodge, which was truly a wonderful way to end our safari. Not only does the lodge have everything that you could want, including a pool, but the staff was extremely friendly and helpful. The views of the lake from our room and the wildlife wandering all around us made it one of our favorite places that we stayed at during the ten night safari trip.
We have been fortunate enough to take several trips into the Amazon Rainforest and to say that it is amazing is certainly an understatement. One of the most obvious things about visiting a rainforest is that you are likely to get rained on. Even when it isn’t raining, you are going to experience heat and humidity, so having proper clothing, what we refer to as our “jungle clothes”, is an absolute necessity. The other interesting thing is that the humidity will often cause the clouds to wrap themselves around the treetops and settle into the jungle itself while above them it is more clear.
Heading Down Towards the RainforestEerie ViewsClouds Hanging on the HillsidesBarely Able to See the Bird on the Tree
Because of the pockets of humidity, clouds, and changes in altitude, the views can be both ominous and beautiful. We obviously take lots of photographs during our trips and some of the pictures where we are actually above the clouds and not in an airplane are eerie, yet calming. Whether driving through the mountains or climbing to the top of the canopy, seeing the clouds floating below you is quite fascinating.
Above the CloudsStanding with Our Guide, Clouds More Visible than UsClouds Drifting Downward Towards the RainforestAbove the Scarlet Macaws as the Clouds Lift
At the time, of course, the clouds seemed like a bit of nuisance as we’re trying to scan the trees for birds, monkeys, sloths, or other wildlife. Looking back, however, the photographs seem interesting as the clouds contrast the dark jungle foliage. We have shared just a few of our pictures that we took from above the clouds during our time in the Amazon Rainforest.
Clouds Blanketing a VillageContrasting ViewsColorful Scenery if You Could See ItView Driving Down Death Road
