23 December 2014
The (very) early morning balloon safari was a real treat. It was a totally different view of the wildlife (if rather distant), and the landscapes dominated the experience.
The Balloon
 |
| Ready for our trip -- the balloon is inflating behind us. |
 |
| Inflation is started with two large fans. The basket is on its side, and 16 passengers enter before it is tipped upright by the balloon. |
 |
| The air in the balloon is heated with a propane burner. |
 |
| Two balloons flew the day we did our trip. This view of the second balloon shows passengers in the basket and the burner lit. |
 |
| Floating above the Serengeti plain. |
 |
| The second balloon is in the distance. The shadow is from our balloon. |
 |
| Enjoying our ride. |
 |
| Our pilot, after landing. |
 |
| Following balloon tradition, a successful ride is toasted with champagne. The tradition goes back to the early days of ballooning in France, when champagne was offered to farmers, whose fields were frequently set afire by the hot burner of the balloon when it landed. |
 |
| We had a full hot breakfast on the plain afterwards. Each balloon had its own table. |
The Wildlife
The balloon and the early morning light give a different view of wildlife. The shadows add drama to every view.
 |
| Thomsons gazelles |
 |
| Zebras. The balloon itself didn't distract the wildlife too much, when the roar of the burner sent most animals fleeing. Apparently the balloon looks to be a giant head roaring in the sky, and prudence dictates as much distance as possible. |
 |
| A closer view of zebras. |
 |
| A lone hippo leaves a track on the plain. |
 |
| Even though we were at quite a distance, you could see the oxpeckers (birds) on the hippo. |
 |
| A male lion. One of two we saw -- both in the Serengeti. |
The Landscape
For me, the landscape dominated the experience. An aerial, but intimate view of the earth.
 |
| A small water drainage area. |
 |
| A small, but growing gorge. |
 |
| Built upon a kopje (rock outcropping), the Serengeti Wildlife Lodge will be our "home" for the next two nights. |
 |
| An 8-photo panoramic view of the Serengeti plain. The balloon shadow is in the lower right. |
No comments:
Post a Comment