Our Excellent Adventure in Africa

Bink's Take on Things ... When I was a teenager, I can remember seeing a photo of an African township. The shacks were made out of cardboard, fiberboard, and sheets of tin, a very depressing sight - but coming out of many of the rooftops were television antennas. I remember thinking about the awesome power of television and the impact that the medium had even in remote parts of the world. I think that realization had something to do with my decision to go into TV as a profession. The photo also gave me the desire to go to Africa and see things for myself - the trip that Bob and I took this summer was the fulfillment of that dream. It was better that I ever expected. We set out with the idea of getting an overview of this enormous continent made up of 52 separate and distinct countries. We visited only six - Kenya, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, and South Africa. It's a little mind boggling because each country uses different currency (although everyone loves our dollars), and there are dozens of languages spoken (although almost everyone speaks English). We wanted to see lots of animals - so we visited seven game parks where they'd wake us up about 6:00am with coffee and cookies or pastries. By 6:30, we were in a 4-wheel drive vehicle with our guides, looking for wildlife. We'd be back for breakfast and go out again. Then back for lunch, out for a third time and back for dinner - our days were filled with game drives and food - not a bad way to spend time. We saw thousands of animals, over 100 species. I think we went on over 50 drives, tours, walks, and boat trips. In addition to finding animals, we also wanted to get to know the people. We were lucky enough to visit two primary schools, businesses big and small, and private homes. The people were warm, inviting, open, and wonderful. Our guides were terrifically helpful, knowledgeable and as curious about us as we were about them. Everybody wanted to talk. Most of the people we met are hopeful for their future, and resilient to the fluctuations in weather that affect their crop output and the varying political situations. Even Idi Amin couldn't mess up the Ugandan people's rosy outlook. The third purpose of our trip was to see the scenery - we saw rain forests, desert, the Mara, fields, farms, mountains, canyons, coastlines - every imaginable vista. This is a drop dead gorgeous continent - ranging from luscious greenery to barren desert - but it's all beautiful, and mostly unspoiled. My favorite was Uganda - we went for days without seeing a paved road, a telephone pole, or a power line. I loved that. I thought that the coastline of central California was stunning until we drove along the coast of South Africa which is greener, rockier and goes for 400 miles! By the way, the townships still exist, but the TV antennas seem to be gone - most don't have electricity or even running water. Apartheid is gone and so are the colonists, but much of Africa is still very poor. Our day in Soweto was one of our most interesting side trips - parts of it look like the San Fernando Valley in LA, parts are shanty towns. Over the 38 days, we took 21 airplane flights and checked into 20 hotels and resorts, visited big cities (Nairobi, Entebbe, Johannesburg, Port Elizabeth, Cape Town) and a slew of small ones that you've probably never heard of. We moved around a lot, never staying in one place for more than three nights. Bob and I hope you enjoy our photos and that we are able to pass along some of the joy of this terrific place. We tried to show the reality of Africa, the good and some of the bad, but I admit to choosing a preponderance of our favorite memories, while trying to give you an overview. So, you'll find sections on people and animals - that's the good stuff. If you want to get the entire picture, go to the Slide Show - or do both. Enjoy. Bianca
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Bink's Take on Things ...

When I was a teenager, I can remember seeing a photo of an African township. The shacks were made out of cardboard, fiberboard, and sheets of tin, a very depressing sight - but coming out of many of the rooftops were television antennas. I remember thinking about the awesome power of television and the impact that the medium had even in remote parts of the world. I think that realization had something to do with my decision to go into TV as a profession.

The photo also gave me the desire to go to Africa and see things for myself - the trip that Bob and I took this summer was the fulfillment of that dream. It was better that I ever expected.

We set out with the idea of getting an overview of this enormous continent made up of 52 separate and distinct countries. We visited only six - Kenya, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, and South Africa. It's a little mind boggling because each country uses different currency (although everyone loves our dollars), and there are dozens of languages spoken (although almost everyone speaks English).

We wanted to see lots of animals - so we visited seven game parks where they'd wake us up about 6:00am with coffee and cookies or pastries. By 6:30, we were in a 4-wheel drive vehicle with our guides, looking for wildlife. We'd be back for breakfast and go out again. Then back for lunch, out for a third time and back for dinner - our days were filled with game drives and food - not a bad way to spend time. We saw thousands of animals, over 100 species. I think we went on over 50 drives, tours, walks, and boat trips.

In addition to finding animals, we also wanted to get to know the people. We were lucky enough to visit two primary schools, businesses big and small, and private homes. The people were warm, inviting, open, and wonderful. Our guides were terrifically helpful, knowledgeable and as curious about us as we were about them. Everybody wanted to talk. Most of the people we met are hopeful for their future, and resilient to the fluctuations in weather that affect their crop output and the varying political situations. Even Idi Amin couldn't mess up the Ugandan people's rosy outlook.

The third purpose of our trip was to see the scenery - we saw rain forests, desert, the Mara, fields, farms, mountains, canyons, coastlines - every imaginable vista. This is a drop dead gorgeous continent - ranging from luscious greenery to barren desert - but it's all beautiful, and mostly unspoiled. My favorite was Uganda - we went for days without seeing a paved road, a telephone pole, or a power line. I loved that. I thought that the coastline of central California was stunning until we drove along the coast of South Africa which is greener, rockier and goes for 400 miles!

By the way, the townships still exist, but the TV antennas seem to be gone - most don't have electricity or even running water. Apartheid is gone and so are the colonists, but much of Africa is still very poor. Our day in Soweto was one of our most interesting side trips - parts of it look like the San Fernando Valley in LA, parts are shanty towns.

Over the 38 days, we took 21 airplane flights and checked into 20 hotels and resorts, visited big cities (Nairobi, Entebbe, Johannesburg, Port Elizabeth, Cape Town) and a slew of small ones that you've probably never heard of. We moved around a lot, never staying in one place for more than three nights.

Bob and I hope you enjoy our photos and that we are able to pass along some of the joy of this terrific place. We tried to show the reality of Africa, the good and some of the bad, but I admit to choosing a preponderance of our favorite memories, while trying to give you an overview. So, you'll find sections on people and animals - that's the good stuff. If you want to get the entire picture, go to the Slide Show - or do both.

Enjoy.

Bianca

Home Page