Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Sydney's a little shy at first...


How adorable is this little guy?




More of Sydney's frisbee friends

Simon refereeing the football game...

Sydney's frisbee lessons


Eva receiving kanga from Mbahe students


Mbahe Welcome songs...happiest day of my life!

Yippeeee...figured out how to load videos to our blog!  Oops...spoke to soon. Video is too long so will have to shorten then post!  Stay tuned...

We survived our 40 hour commute!

Hip hip hooray!  If we can do that and still be smiling, we can do anything!  That's it for now from the 4 Traveling Johnston's...thanks for coming along for the ride!

Sleep is the key to surviving a 16 hour flight!




Our departure committe in Zimbabwe


These baboons were so amusing to watch...the video is hilarious of them chasing each other up and down trees and jumping on each others heads!  Just like kids rough housing with each other!  The top photo is a baby baboon perched on top of a water spigot getting a drink.

How to kill time on yet another layover!


Michael and Sydney playing games in the Mwangaa airport in Zambia - so cute!

Mopani worms...a Kenyan delicacy!



Sydney and Connor were determined to eat the Mopai worms but both gagged and gave up!  Michael and I did not even try!

Boma African dinner show



This was our last night in Zimbabwe and Michael booked dinner at this African Boma dinner/show and it was amazing.  I was worried because the kids were tired and wanted to stay at the hotel but the entertainment was so fantastic they forgot about how tired they were!

Zambezi hippo's



Sleepy momma and very new baby with mom enjoying the sunset on the Zambezi river with us.  This pod of hippo's put on quite a show for us!

Our new friend and student, Taurai

Taurai is studying tourism and we were lucky enough to meet him while he was on a school/work assignment in Victoria Falls.  Once again...so impressed by this young man's dedication to his education and the sacrifices his parents are making to send him to University!  We hope that someday his wish to visit the U.S. comes true and that he will visit us here in SoCal!  Blessings to you, Taurai!

Sunset Cruise on the Zambezi River



This was another beautiful experience where we made new friends and enjoyed the beautiful setting of the Zambezi river, which separates Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Last day/travel pix coming...

Dead slow

This was a street sign near our hotel in Zimbabwe that I have never seen anywhere else in the world!

Meeting Mandela

The beaded version, in the Johannesburg airport! Amazing detail!

Stork in flight

On the lookout...

Connor and I scanning the horizon for some action!

Pink on the horizon

I may have already posted these but could not locate the post so at the risk of duplicating, here are the flamingoes in the Ngorongoro crater!

Sun rise on the Serengeti

This was a look back at our tents pre-sunrise and the photos Michael took as the sun rose.

Perfect camouflage

Dinner show

This was our pre-dinner entertainment at the Karen Blixen Camp. These Maasai dancers were awesome!

Seeing stripes!

Michael loved photographing the zebras! What amazing creatures up close...no two alike! Just like a human fingerprint!

Our boat safari

Ha...shortest boat cruise ever but very fun!

How cute is this!

Baby giraffes are so cute! Notice the third "horn" in the middle of his head. Actually, giraffes don't have horns...they are a material similar to our fingernails but very hard. The furry balls at the end of their horns look like pom-poms!

Our photographer is amazing!

These were two different photos taken on different days!

Our smallest and prettiest safari find

Kissing cousins

Our muddy landing

Our hot air balloon pilot was in search of a flat place to land but due to heavy rains, the flat area was wet and boggy! Safe landing and, thankfully, our basket did not tip us over into the mud! But, our jeep did spin out and sprayed us all before our driver got out and put the flaps down to protect us! The kids and I were loving the mud but the other parents and Michael, not so much!