Thanks everyone!
Divewop-that is the first of the red velvet mites I had ever seen. The guy at Lion Encounter said when they all hatch the ground is covered and it looks like a red carpet. pretty cool!

Incredible pictures, Dennis! They were just AMAZING - the signs, the accomodations, the wild dogs (I really hadn't seen such good photos of wild dogs before!), the python & the impala (did it swallow the impala?), the amzing pictures at the waterhole, the bat eared foxes, the genet - but most of all the Lion Encounter!

Now I really can't say for 100% for sure until I meet them in person, but I think, from looking into their eyes in the photos, that yes, the lions there are happy. Very happy.

Can you snuzzle into their fur? (my new word since the cheetah hug...) Mind you, if I do snuzzle into their fur will I find a mite - does those bright red things live on the lions?

Lynda, no ... those bright red things live in Angola! They just visit once a year. Sorry, I just can't resist!

Thanks Lynda! Glad you enjoyed them. No snuzzling allowed unfortunately. Weren't supposed to kneel down in front of them or walk in front of them either. They loved their bellies rubbed! It was a very cool experience!

Dennis, you have some wonderful photographs. I love the giraffe drinking, the zebra running and those singn / posters!! nd those dogs just seemed to pose for you!!

Imelda

Aloha Dennis

Really enjoyed your pics.

On your return to Zam 2006
the red flowers - <i> Leonotis spp</i>
are &quot;Lion's Ear&quot; not &quot;Lion's tail&quot;
sorry to spoil your sequence with the real tail...
on the second row the yellow flower looks like <i> Hibiscus </i> i may be able to define it more specifically later

aby

sorry to disagree aby, but it's the Leonotis Leonurus, lion's tail or wild dagga, one of the &quot;green five&quot; also smoked in south africa for the similar effects of marijuana.

Dennis:
I enjoyed your pictures. I can see why you liked Hwange and Somalisa so much.

Wow, for being &quot;bad at birds,&quot; you sure got some spectacular pics. How do you get them before the birds take flight, same with all the insects, the dragongflies??

The crocs looked extremely creepy, and will have to work at NOT thinking about that python. The 4 hippos, too funny.

Loved the temper tantrum ellie in Chobe, you can sense his angst! But, the ellies as far as the eye can see, worth the trip in itself.

For having animal evasion problems, capturing the signs made for hilarious alternative entertainment. Clearly, you make every minute count.

Thanks for the trip!!! Deb

Thanks Deb! I think the birds felt sorry for us as all the animals left for Angola, so they and the insects stood still long enough to take a picture.

Dennis, I somehow missed these and just wanted to let you know they're fantastic! Very, very few look at all washed out to me. A lovely collection. The dogs are dazzling. The python/impala--yuck but interesting and you captured it well.

Thanks Dennis, a lovely collection of photos. For someone who's afraid of snakes, you deserve a medal for capturing the python-impala situation - my favourite pictures for sure and you were extremely lucky to see such an amazing thing.

Gaurang

:D

Agreed....

thanks Leely, Gaurang and Hari! I still have nightmares of the snake-I'd rather get eaten by a hippo than get close to a snake, but I do want to see one of those ones that stand on their tail(?) but from a distance!