Susan and I spent six weeks in Mumbai in early 2024. We enjoyed it so much that we decided to do it again, spending another six weeks in Mumbai, from the end of November until the beginning of January 2025.
Four days after arriving in India, we took a quick three-day trip to Nepal. The purpose was to meet two Nepali friends. While there we made a new friend, someone I perceived to be a brother that I was meeting for the first time.
Our first trip to East Africa was a great experience. The people were very open and hospitable. The safari logistics were performed without a hitch. But above all, the animals were amazing.
The gallery for this blog features the people, not the animals.
DISCLAIMER
My photo gallery for this blog is of varying quality. That is because many photos were taken from the moving jeep. Sometimes, the subjects were far away, such that expanding and cropping of the subject lowered the resolution. Some of the subjects were not happy with my having taken their photos. I tried to be unobtrusive when possible. Don’t forget to click the photos to expand them and see the short descriptions.
Our safari trip consisted of two weeks in Kenya and one week in Tanzania. It was nice to visit both countries for a broader perspective on how each is using its diverse animals to attract tourism.
Tanzania is larger than Kenya and has 125 different tribes, compared with Kenya's 45 different tribes.
DISCLAIMER
My photo gallery for this blog is of varying quality. That is because many photos were taken from the moving jeep. Sometimes, the subjects were far away, such that expanding and cropping of the subject lowered the resolution. Some of the subjects were not happy with my having taken their photos. I tried to be unobtrusive when possible. Don’t forget to click the photos to expand them and see the short descriptions.
I write my blogs to give my readers the vicarious pleasure of sharing my experiences via text and photos. During this first week in Kenya, I've taken hundreds of photos. I'll post the best ones, including shots of the various species of animals inhabiting Kenya's rich environment.
Be sure to click on individual photos in the gallery for fullscreen display! Enjoy!
Thousands of terracotta warriors were made and buried over two thousand years ago, but they were only discovered in 1974 when some farmers were digging a well. They are buried 2-3 meters deep. They were arranged in a classic large army formation, with the lowest rank soldiers in front, backed by archers and chariots, with the generals in the rear. This is a unique human creation in the world.
The inclusion of Lhasa, Tibet, in Viking's Wonders of China cruise was a big incentive for us to book this trip. Three nights and two full days of tours were only a superficial introduction to this ancient culture. But this was better than nothing. I don't think we otherwise would have ever planned a trip to Tibet. It's simply too isolated, and obtaining the required Chinese visa was expensive.
Chinese opera is a long-established unique Chinese cultural expression. The stage and costumes are over-the-top. The music is stunning...for non-Chinese an acquired taste.
Pandas are China's cultural symbol of its diplomatic efforts to promote peace through cultural exchanges. The US has hosted pandas on loan for many years, as well as pandas loaned to other countries. They are so cute. But we must remember that they are a species of bear. They are not aggressive. But they can be dangerous under certain circumstances.
Our Viking China cruise continued to three port cities I had never heard of before. The Chinese government seeks to increase tourism, and our cruise is one of the first collaborations with the Chinese government and Viking Cruises. The ship's staff is 100% Chinese, and the entertainers are all Chinese. So this particular cruise is different from the usual Viking multi-national staff.
Our ship, the Yi Dun, is named after the first Chinese commercial ship launched in 1872, the Yi Dun.