You only need to run faster then the slowest one in the herd

Ngoromgoro, Tanzania. December 2011

It was the end of an ok safari. The clients were happy so I couldn't tell them that the sightings weren't as expected. I even survived almost the whole tour without cursing the person who stole my camera a few safaris ago. An ok safari can be handled with the ok camera that I borrowed from a friend due to the lack of time to buy another one. There were 10 vehicles in the group so it also made sense that everyone would come back with a different experience every evening. But in Ngorongoro we still didn't have the chance to spread the "herd of vehicles" around the park. We just finished descending into the crater when we saw a lioness coming towards us, looking very interested at the warthogs standing behind us. As she got closer a heard of Buffalos began running our direction as well, followed by the rest of the lionesses pride. Within a short time 2 young buffalo were taken down. Hyenas started to join the celebration from all around, scaring the lions away. We stayed for almost 2 hours, all 10 vehicles in perfect positions to watch it all. We all had a successful kill that day- lions, hyenas and photographers.

Well they do say that in Africa, every morning the lion gets up, knowing that it only needs to run faster then the slowest buffalo, and every morning in Africa a buffalo gets up, knowing that it only needs to run faster then the slowest buffalo in the herd...

Canopies

Praslin, Seychelles. November 2011

During November 2007 the company I was working for had charter flights to Seychelles. With great generosity 10 guides were selected to go for a week holiday. At that time I had stayed away from Africa for a full year and was missing it terribly and I just got my new digital camera to play with but saw no real opportunity to enjoy it if it wasn't for wildlife.

Seychelles start from the point we approached it looked from the air like a paradise. The green forest on the dark rocks of Mahe, looked like nothing I had ever seen before. And there I was, traveling in this paradise, trying my new toy, diving, cycling, swimming, meeting a friend from Kenya and loving every minute of it.

By the 3^rd day of course, like every beginner, I have mistakably erased all my beautiful photographs.

By the 4^th day I had almost the same amount I have erased just to cover up for the fuc up.

But by the 6^th day I found myself walking in the strange forest of Coco de mer with a friend. As most of the plants there resembled house plants of Israel, ones we grow in small pots and get small results, this canopy of huge leaves was like a dwarf tour in the land of giants. I was trying to photograph but felt like I was playing around. Just as I was going to pack my camera and give up, I heard a sound from the dry leaves covering the floor of the forest. I sent away my friend and was waiting to see what's coming out. For at least half an hour I was lying and waiting and sure enough, from the thick dry cover, came out a rodent with a long nose, like a Shrew. It was there only for a moment, the moment I needed to catch it in the frame. We looked at each other, smiled, and it went away. I wasn't in the wild savanna of Africa nor was I watching a pride of Lions but this small Shrew made me feel at home. In different times of our lives we may wear different hats but some hats will always be more comfortable. Although I was never a wildlife photographer by training nor by the type of equipment I was using, it was always the hat I felt most comfortable under.

It took years to be able to set a routine in my life which Africa is a big part again. It felt like a long way to cover up for the years of distance. But that small Shrew was one of the first steps just by reminding me of a feeling I lost and wished to have again.  

They Call it a Game Drive

Samburu, Kenya. September 2011

They call it a game drive and a game it is. You are going to look for wild life. You might see a lot or see nothing.

Well, this group went out of the plane in Kenya announcing that I should not worry. They came for 8 days, they intent to see everything and they have luck, always. They looked serious but…considering the 15 years of guiding safaris well…I've heard it all before.

Mount Kenya, first day.

Samburu, Second day.

 Going out for the first game drive and just as we headed back to the lodge after a plesent afternoon, a Leopard appears in the bushes. We barely saw it coming but all of a sudden it was by our car, running full speed, catching  a Hare, carrying it and disappear into the thick bushes. It was so quick but so near to the car.

Next morning we went out of Samburu lodge into a group of Wild dogs. Although there is a group known to visit Samburu a few times a year, I myself haven't seen those for 20 years. Just the site of these 12 Dogs was shocking to me and I could do nothing but laugh when from the back of the car we heard 8 years old Yuval complaining that she wants to see a Hyena and not just a Dogs!!!!

 But the real shocking part was a few hours later, to see them killing- Twice. Those poor little Dik Diks didn't stand a chance.

Trying to go back to the lodge that same same game drive, we bumped into another good site of Leopard, and then a Caracal.

So yes they do call it a game drive, but I'm afraid this game was a sold game..…..

Don't Be a Victim

Mljet, Croatia. September 2011

Born with a very energetic temper, I always had a sportive look. But I never found something to put myself into. I grew up in a village so obviously HAD to play basketball as a kid, although now at my top height I am maybe 157 cm, on a good day… I use to hike long hiking trips as a teenager but never regularly. Yoga was better in a later stage in my life, and my great Mountain Bikes are at times begging to be used.

But when I sat in a kayak the first time I knew this is it. Though I am not a fast or strong paddler, I try and paddle every day when not guiding groups.  I do my best to get better and as a part of that effort (and of course because it is fun), I never miss the annual Symposium in Optimist club in Israel, in which guides are coming from various countries and teach. It is an amazing atmosphere with great energy, many Kayaks and Kayakers in the water for 4 days, morning till the afternoon.

 In one of those I have joined a clinic with Jeff Allen on handling difficult situations in high sea. Jeff suggested, if anyone comes to rescue you, don't just wait but help to be rescued. He called it- Don't be a victim. I then understood something about me and sport, physical difficulty always use to bring me to the point of starting to feel sorry for myself, and then I would be angry with myself and spend the rest of my energy there. And so I adopted Jeff's ideal and even in personal life, when things got rough, I would find myself reminding myself- Don't Be a Victim.

Last week I went paddling with a friend for a week around Mljet area, Croatia. It was a magical week in a paradise for kayakers and we both liked the place a lot. Days were not so short and I was happy to find that I do keep up.  In one of the evenings we were heading to camp a little too late in quite a bumpy sea. As the waves were shaking me from side to side I was happy as a kid in Disney World. We played close to the rocks, caching the most energetic point of the waves to move faster and were taking a lot of Photographs. But as the day started to end and dark started to take over, I wasn't so happy. I knew we still had quite a way ahead of us. It wasn't something to worry about but as time went by I was trying to see what could we have done to plan the day better. It was a long dialog with myself as I was quietly paddling along my friend. I then felt a familiar feeling sneaking in and taking all my energy. Yes…I was starting to feel sorry for myself.

Hey, psps, I heard Jeff Allan's deep voice coming out of the dark. Don't be a Victim.

Boy was I happy for the remindment!!!  I told myself to gather some more energy and paddle. No one will bring me to camp if I don’t bring myself. And of course, the evening finished well in a safe place.

As I saw my brother a while ago preparing for his first Iron Man I asked him what comes to his head when things go rough. He said he then thinks of something one of our previous Generals of the army said in one of the battles, that when it's raining, everyone get wet. I told him about Jeff's" Don’t be a victim". He said he liked it and will consider adopting it…

Missing all the magic

Summer 2011

Ishan Kilise was built by Georgians that kept a Christian island, surrounded by a Muslim crowd in the 7th century. It's still there, built high up, watching the beautiful view of Kackar Mountains, enjoying a privilege that we no longer have.

I was guiding in Turkey 5 good years. I have enjoyed the view of the Kackar Mountains and the bright white pillars of capadokia. I have enjoyed driving or hiking, swimming in the cold spring water everywhere and taking my groups to places that I just got to know with the help of our Turkish team. I have enjoyed learning about the great Ataturk and give a part of his legacy to visitors. I have enjoyed a hot burek from the bakery of Artvin, or fish served wrapped with vine leaves on the Kuprulu river. I love the view, I love the size and the beauty of it, but I mostly love the people and the Turkish hospitality.  I had never come across such hospitality anywhere else in the world.
Although I am sure it is still there, I know it shell never be the same for me. Working in a place is not like being a visitor. You get to know people along the route and can follow the changing of the seasons. The awakening of the mountains after the snow melts, the great flowers that are flowering higher in altitude as time goes, and the people preparing themselves for the winter. Collecting firewood, harvesting the crops, drying fruits everywhere they can. Like a huge nest of busy aunts, working hard but still having the time to smile and welcome travelers to drink a small hot cup of tea with them.

I heard blames coming from both sides in a very unfair way. I heard remarks said out of the situation that Israel and Turkey found themselves in. Some of the remarks were ignorant, some resist. But all was telling me one thing- it will take years to heal, if at all.

Some times while being in a situation you can't imagine it'll ever end. But when it does, you'd give much to return to a specific moment, to a simple thing that you use to have in your everyday life. To a morning walk in Rose valey before the day in Cappadokia is becoming  too hot, or a free afternoon in Ayder when the group is in the hot spring. To a conversation with my dear friend Mehmet, his broken English with my broken Turkish. To a drive with Shaban that knows the roads of Kackar better than anyone. To Lunch at Ibo when the Firtina strong current is taking over the conversation around the table and you can only listen and eat hot hot Muhlame, to a visit up in Ishan Killise that strikes you with the beauty of it. The small and the big things and the magic of it all.  

Lion's Print

Samburu, Kenya. July 2011

It was just another good hot morning in Masai Mara. Must have been somewhere around March of 1998. I went out with a friend on a footpath we use to walk quite often just outside of the Lodge he lived in and there was a Lion footprint in the fresh mud. We both came up with the idea to cast it with plaster and went to get some plaster to do it. We didn’t estimate the size well and mixed too little, we poured more, adding a new mix to the already dried plaster in the footprint. In short, we made what we call in Hebrew- BALAGAN, a total mess.

When waiting for it to dry we started to learn from out lesson and planed to make many more, but when lifting it- it was perfect. I still have it in my house, and that plastered lion print takes me right back to that hot morning in Masai Mara so many years ago.

Yes, we had tried to make more, I have a box full of them put away somewhere. Nothing came out like thiat first one.

While guiding groups in Africa I have little chance to play in the mud with plaster, though every good footprint brings up the wish, so occasionally I photograph them.

This Lion footprint was taken in Samburu- July 2011. Just looking at it made me think of the one I have at home and wondered if my friend that is still leaving in Mara had ever tried again to cast a good print.

This photograph is also the last one that was taken and stayed with me when my camera was stolen. A good Masai would say that as long as it was in the camera, the power of the Lion  protected it from being taken away.

No Image

Kenya. July 2011

I would have liked to put a very good photograph that I took above this post, but I am afraid it will be impossible. It is no longer  in my possession. I can still see it very clear though, so clear that if I had good drawing skills I would have been able to recover it perfectly.

I have arrived to Samburu R. in Kenya as a safari guide of a very nice group. On the first day I had asked every member of the group what would he like to see the most during the next 8 days safari. People came up with their wishes. Leopard, Cheetah, Giraffes, the big migration of Wildbeasts and Zebras that started to come into Masai Mara just that month.

For myself, I wished for the ultimate photograph. One of those that while clicking you already know that it is one of the best you ever took, one that holds the moment in a perfect way and can hand it well even to someone that wasn't there when you took it.

Our Second day in Samburu, while watching 4 Grevy's Zebras grazing I had that chance. From nowhere came a big male Zebra looking for his females. He run around them kicking and barking and took a sharp turn while facing our vehicle. There was a moment there that his striped body leaned to the side due to the sharp fast turn, clouds of dust came up from his fast run and his nostrils were wide open.  I could hear my own click and felt that my smile is from my head to toes. I was in the perfect position and was just playing with the settings of my camera to try something new. It was perfect and I knew it even before looking at it.  

For the next 2 days that this photograph was in my possession I was looking at it so many times that I can still see it in my eyes very clearly. I admired this photograph and felt that my mission was accomplished. I also had a growing fear of loosing it. Little did I know that my camera along with all my photographs in it was going to be stolen only 2 days later.
3 years I have traveled with this camera everywhere I went. I has became my traveling body until someone in Lake Naivasha Country Club has decided that he would be better off with it.

Theft is a strange thing.  Someone is going through your personal stuff, taking things that might mean money for him, but mean much more to you. As someone that can get sentimental even to hair band that had traveled with me somewhere special, yes I admit- I was very sentimental about this camera. It was a very big part of my life. And along with loosing it, I lost a week of photography and I lost my perfect photograph.

The next 2 days I spent between my group's activities and taking care of paper work. The management of Lake Naivasha Country Club was more worried about their reputation then about the well being of their client and made it an even bigger head ace.

I use to say that the most perfect shots are the ones stuck in your mind after having missed them. The ones you never took. Wrong setting, wrong position, battery died on you or you just didn't have it with you. We all know those frustrating moments so much that it seems like we are ever ready. But I can say now that the best shot might be one that you took perfectly, but will never be able to enjoy again.

Yoga for Elephants

Samburu, Kenya. August 2010

Samburu N.P can give you the best Elephants show around. Young clumsy babies are everywhere, big happy families are moving gently in the thick bush showing no signs of stress, that is, if you can read the signs well. Of all those, young Elephants never fail to amuse. They look as if they can barely control their directions or manage to walk without stepping on their own trunk. One thing about a young Elephant, as amusing as this sweet baby can be, it always have a BIG worried mom somewhere within site.

As I was watching this young Eli displaying its yoga abilities, I remembered an old story. A French photographer was working in Samburu N.P some years ago and was following Elephants much of his time. One morning he was watching a baby Elephant for such a long time that when they got use to each other and felt comfortable enough, the small calf came closer to the car. The photographer was happily organizing himself for close up shooting, little did he care about the mother. But as it turned, she didn't like the situation. She came rushing in, causing great damaged to his vehicle and equipment. He was left with the cloth to his body, his camera and his great new photographs. Every now and then it's good to be reminded of our place in all this…

The Nomads of Morocco

Atlas, Morocco. May 2010

In a country occupied by many different empires during the history and with such a big variety of landscapes and geographical conditions, people live where they can. Being strong meant that you could keep yourself in the fertile areas of this big country but then had to protect yourself from invasions of the inhabitants of the less fertile areas. The weaker you were the closest to the Sahara you found yourself as a place to live.

In Morocco, as many other African countries, identity is more by the ethnic group you come from then from the fact you live in Morocco.

There are the Arab Moroccans and the Berbers and even these are divided into different ethnic groups one can recognize by the different languages.

There is white and there is black.

There are farmers and there are nomads. Those that live in the most difficult areas, having no land of their own and hardly any property.

During 2010 I was guiding quite a lot in Morocco and met Aisha's family quite a lot. I started to stop with my groups to visit her. Most cases her husband wasn't around and she felt quite comfortable with the people sitting in her tent, playing with her kids. On my second visit she marked on her belly and explained she was pregnant. 2 month later she wasn't and there was no baby around. The Moroccan guide working with me said the woman in these areas never rest, one baby goes out, second being conceived.

Aisha and her kids seemed to be very happy to have their photos taken and watch it with us on the camera screen, never once did I hear her asking for those photos but I have organized a small photo album to give on my last tour before the winter started. Not much for a family that has almost nothing but something that I thought they would be happy to have. The morning of that last tour up the Atlas mountain was very cold and I started to have my doubts about spending the winter so high. Although everyone kept telling me that they normally stay around even in winter, we didn't find Aisha and her family that day. They might have moved to the lower part of the Atlas for the long cold winter, or found shelter in one of the caves in the area. Whatever it was, that wasn't their first winter to survive in such harsh conditions. Thinking of them while sitting in my small hut back at home in the mild winters we have in Israel, I thought how these people redefine for me the meaning of have or don't have. And how having too much takes down your appreciation to what you have.

The Rocks of My Childhood

Faran Vady, Israel. February 2011

As a kid I have joined kid's activities, involving nature walks and studies. It very much paved my way on. Environmental Studying High School, Guiding kids on nature tours during my army service, then finding my way to Africa.

Last weekend, I had an invitation from one of the kids I use to hike with, to relive the adventure almost 30 years after we started these hikes. The invitation was for a hike in the southern part of Israel, the dry desert of Israel, the Negev. I have hikes in the Negev during the past few years several times but there was something different in this hike. We both lived in other places in the world since we last hiked together in this area, and changed a lot the way we hike. No more running, heavy duty carrying and counting k'm. Just a calm walk, quiet and pleasant. More exploring than running through an area.

Taking this photo it was suppose to show me as a silhouette on the desert's impressive rocks. But looking at it I thought it looks more like me image was curved out from the rocks. That set me thinking of the rocks of my childhood, and the place they took in building my personality and my path in life.

Painful Dance

Arusha N.P, Tanzania. December 2010

It does look like a well choreographed dance- Necking. 2 mail Giraffs, bouncing around, pushing, hitting neck to neck in their fights. A Giraff head is quite heavy and the swing of the long neck looks almost unnatural. It accelerates the movement and the hit of the neck is very powerful.  Sometimes you can hear the sound from a distance and as much as it is beautiful to watch, it never seem to be a pleasure to take part in it

These 2 males were in Arusha N.P. We stood by them for a long time wondering whether what we are watching was a proper necking. They were very gentle with each other, very nicely rubbing each another's neck as it was for the attention rather than a fight. We left them dancing and went around the park. When returning an hour later it started to warm up a bit and sound more like a fight. As we were on the way to catch our flight out of Tanzania, we didn't have the chance to see the end of it and congratulate the winner…

A World of Sands

Sahara, Morocco. 2010

Sahara. Ask anyone what comes in his mind when he hears the word and most of the people will picture sand dunes, Huge ones. Truth about the Sahara is more in what the Tuareg call it. The thousands deserts. Sand dunes are just a part of it, but a great part indeed.

Every time I have a group coming down to the Sahara, we spend a night in a nice camp planted in the middle of the sand dunes. It is a way to get all the luxury services tourists want and still feel that you are out there. In the evening we can sit out under a canopy of endless sky, it's beautiful. The morning in the Sahara is my favorite morning of the tour. I get up early before the sun does. Some clients join for a walk to see the sunrise, other prefer to sleep on, but I am going for a hunt. The great hunt of photos. About half an hour after the sun is up, it shines on the dunes in a angle that brings up all the beauty of it. It can last for long or just stay there for half an hour, depends on the weather, wind and season. But it's there. I was once walking for my morning hunt with one of the clients. He was an engineer in some big hi-teck company and never spent a night out in nature before. Sahara was a revelation for him. But when he saw me looking with my camera to the same direction, selecting the right angel to frame the right photo, he couldn’t understand it. He kept asking what was I looking for. I found that I can hardly answer that question so I finally said- Perfection. 2 days later he looked at all the sand photos on my computer and said he never saw it there, when it was unframed.

I have thousands of photos of sand dunes from my morning hunts in the Sahara, selecting those 6 wasn't easy. Perfection is in the eye of the beholder.

A weekend around and across the Sea of Galilee

Sea of Galilee, Israel. January 2011

Every year we paddle around the Sea of Galilee and when the current in the Jordan River allows us, we go upstream. This year, during the night in between the 2 days of the trip, the famous eastern wind came for a visit, and never left. As it was too strong, we have decided to go across the lake rather than complete the way around, and so we did. We took a lift on the wind, all the way across.  

The King's Pride

Masai Mara, November 2001

I can only hope for any one of you, that you ever had the chance to hear a Lion roaring in nature a close distance. And if it happened at night time, you will surely remember it forever. If you are sitting in the right spot, downwind and quite close, you don't just hear the sound but you feel it in every part of your body.

I don't know why, but the average person who knows Lions from nature movies of various productions, will still believe that the MGM Lion is roaring. It is indeed an impressive movement but it is more yawning than roaring. Lion roaring, like the one in this photo, is taking all the air it can in the shortest time and so spends a lot of energy while doing so. All his muscles are there to assist. If he is strong, the advertisement will work every night, quite frequent and the other Lions will be able to hear the sound from a great distance. (Depends on the wind but in good conditions about 6 km')

Lion's roaring is the greatest sound that the savannah can offer you at night. Escorted by Hyenas that will often join, Jackals calling their partners or Zebras barking to each other, it is a perfect symphony.

Sounds travel better at night and so most of these sounds will be heard at night. But a cloudy day or an early morning tour can sometimes surprise you. The pride of the area of which I lived in Mara had 2 big beautiful dominant males. I had followed these Lions 5 years day and night and knew where they were most of the time. 2 years after I got to know their pride, at night, we were watching one male with 3 females when another big male appeared from the darkness. Everyone was excited, but it was a surprising excitement. One would expect the whole pride to chase this stranger away, but they welcomed him like a long lost family member. Maina, a good friend that use to join our tours as the armed policeman, said that when they have started, they were 3 males and that might be the 3^rd one who was always with a bit more nomadic character. The third Lion stayed around and we had to leave. The next morning we found him lying around with 2 females leaning on his back. But the big world called him to leave. He sat proud, roared his goodbye and walked away. I never saw him again.

Crossings

September 2000. Masai Mara

It's like a flowing river and you never know when it starts or when it ends.

When living in Masai Mara, my camp was less than half an hour drive from one of the most used spots for crossing the Mara river by the big migration. During the "crossing season" I would spend most of my time by the river, waiting. It could happen when I expected it the least or after hours of anticipation, but it is always one of the most exciting phenomenon. A river of Wildbeasts and Zebras rushing down to the water. Clouds of dust, water spray from the river, and them calling each other. You can see and hear a crossing happening from a distance, and you can feel the excitement hanged above it.

This photo was taken in one of the most memorable crossing seasons, for me. During the 'big migration' , 2000. And that specific crossing was one of the bests I had ever seen and lasted for a long time.