Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe
Hwange National Park! This was our first exposure to the wilds of southern Africa, and it didn't disappoint. I knew we were in for something special when we transferred to Toyota Land Rovers and were told that we would be at the camp in two hours (and we were told to prepare for an "African massage"... a bouncy ride). On the way to the camp, we saw baboons, a giraffe, impalas, and a few elephants. Wow! We made the guide stop at every one. Little did we know that his kind smile (not a smirk) was because we were going through what probably every tourist goes through before they've seen their 100th elephant. We were driving on sandy "roads" (Kalahari sand), and I noticed a single railway line to the side. I suddenly had an epiphany, and I asked Kingsley, the guide driving us, "Have you heard of Cecil the Lion ?" "Yes," he replied, "We are close to where he was killed." Cecil was a 12+ year old male lio...