Saturday, June 29, 2013

Victoria Falls, Livingstone, Zambia

The falls on the right fall into a deep gorge and create mist that soaks you to the bone.

Double rainbow created by the mist when the water crashes to the bottom of the deep gorge.

The falls is so wide, I couldn't get it in one picture.

Victoria Falls is one of the seven wonders of the world and is magnificent.

They refer to it as the "smoke that thunders"

This is below the falls looking down to the river below.  The guy with his arms spread just bungee jumped.

Here goes another guy just below the cage.  They go head first with their feet connected to the cord.

The helper sometimes has to give them a slight push, so he is connected to the cage.

This is the view from the bridge that separates Zambia from Zimbabwe.

This is a giant baobab tree that has a view point on it.

You can see the mist from the falls behind us.  We are on the lookout deck in the tree.


We took a sunset cruise on the Zambezi River.  It was so wide and peaceful.

We saw elephants along the banks as we sailed along.

We got a more up close and personal view of the hippos than we have ever had before.

We really enjoyed it so much.  A wonderful evening with a beautiful view.

This is the David Livingstone hotel from which we cruised, but we didn't stay there.

We slept under mosquito net the first night, but this is dry season and so no mosquitoes were out.

This is why it is called the Sunset cruise.  It was beautiful!!

We had such a wonderful time at Victoria Falls.  We gave the lodge owner a Book of Mormon and met lovely people.

Thursday, June 20, 2013

Check out the size of the Rhino we chipped

Hercules was one big Rhino.  He is bleeding from the dart in his rear, and note the notches in his ear for identification.
Lft-rgt-Diane Donnelly, Elder and Sister Kraczek, Doc Hoffman, Bryant Hinckley (intern from BYU Law school), Elder and Sister DaBell, Sister Hoffman (white hat), Vet, Elder and Sister Knudsen, Larson's granddaughter, Sister Larson and husband of granddaughter (newly weds on honeymoon), Elder and Sister Rose, Sister and President Renlund, Sister Bowman.
Helicopter coming in for a landing after the Rhino was down.

We had to go at sun-up while the Rhino's were out and eating.

We passed through citrus farms with bags of grapefruit and oranges--delicious and very inexpensive.

Citrus groves just planted.  Drakenburg mountain range in background.

The beautiful Drakenburg Mountains

Cute entrance to a store--Old woman who lived in a shoe.

Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Other animals from our Rhino adventure


Cheetahs from the Game reserve


A sable in Kruger Park

Monday, June 17, 2013

Rhino Capture to prevent poaching

The Ranger explained that if the Rhino tried to go into the bush, then someone had to get the lasso under his foot and all the men would need to pull to keep him from going.

My task was to put a blanket over his eyes so that our movement as we worked to chip his horn would not excite him.

The helicopter herded a single Rhino from the herd and then radioed to us and we raced across the bush to the Rhino.
This is the gun the Vet used to shoot the dart from the helicopter into the hind-end of the Rhino

The Ranger and I approached the Rhino as he went down so that I could cover his eyes.



Once he was ready, the work to implant the chip, take DNA samples, check respiration, etc. began.

We had to be sure that his respiration didn't go too low.  

It's quite a thrill to be up close and personal with a 2 1/2 ton Rhino

The task that no one wanted--inserting the rectal thermometer!

When our job was done, I got to assist the Vet by injecting the drug to awaken the rhino--then run like all heck. I was faster than the Vet.

He got up slowly and we watched from our jeeps.

You are never sure if he will charge the vehicles or just walk off to find his herd.  He walked off!

We stayed in a nice lodge with individual cabanas--clean and so quiet--except at night when you can hear the lions, hyenas and jackals cry out.

We had wonderful BBQ meals each night and then had sacrament service together before returning to Joburg.

It was very special to worship the Lord  while viewing the wonders of His creation.

Saturday, June 1, 2013

Visit to Gold Reef City Gold Mine

We went with Elder and Sister  Curtis to an underground Gold mine today.

We couldn't believe the working conditions & danger to all those who work in mines.  

The mine is located inside the Gold Reef City Amusement Park and Casino

They showed the process of extracting the gold and pouring into Ingots.  This is worth 1/2 million dollars.