Movies and books as travel preparation

[Deleted User]

When we prepare for upcoming trips, partly for "research" and mostly to establish a connection with the area we'll be visiting, we look to movies and novels set in the locale. Sometimes music if it jumps out. So, here are some ideas we have for the Kenya & Tanzania safari (note, not listing documentaries or travel guides since those are another subject, entirely).

Since this forum allows edits to messages apparently forever, I'll keep this up-to-date with suggestions from others

Movies
Out of Africa (1985) - Karen Blixen in Africa with Meryl Streep and Robert Redford
The Lion (1962) - William Holden on a wildlife preserve in Kenya...and we'll be staying at his African retreat, now the Fairmont Mt. Kenya Safari Club
Hatari (1962) - for fun, John Wayne, Elsa Martinelli and Hardy Kruger capturing animals in Africa for zoos...no doubt not PC in current endangered species environment.
Born Free - recommended by Sealord (#3)
Ghost and the Darkness w/ Val Kilmer and Michael Douglas - recommended by millerjcat0418 (#5)

Books
Out of Africa - Isak Dinesen's (Karen Blixen) autobiography
Safari Guide to East African Animals by Jonathan and Angela Scott - recommended by joycesw (more details in post #4)

Music
Africa - Toto (what else!)

Please suggest additions.

British

Tauck always provides a link to Longitude books that lists 'essential' and 'recommended' books for each tour. There are novels included in this list. In addition, many of the tour guides on the actual tour provide a list of their personal movies and books. They often mean and make more sense once you have actually done the tour. Look for the link on this tour

Sealord

Portolan wrote:

When we prepare for upcoming trips, partly for "research" and mostly to establish a connection with the area we'll be visiting, we look to movies and novels set in the locale. Sometimes music if it jumps out. So, here are some ideas we have for the Kenya & Tanzania safari (note, not listing documentaries or travel guides since those are another subject, entirely).

Movies
Out of Africa (1985) - Karen Blixen in Africa with Meryl Streep and Robert Redford
The Lion (1962) - William Holden on a wildlife preserve in Kenya...and we'll be staying at his African retreat, now the Fairmont Mt. Kenya Safari Club
Hatari (1962) - for fun, John Wayne, Elsa Martinelli and Hardy Kruger capturing animals in Africa for zoos...no doubt not PC in current endangered species environment.

Books
Out of Africa - Isak Dinesen's (Karen Blixen) autobiography

Music
Africa - Toto (what else!)

So, that's a start. Please add your recommendations.

"Born Free" ... watched it last night, watched "Out of Africa two days ago. I will need to get some material for our twenty hour plane ride.

joycesw

When we were there in October, our TD had an outstanding reference book she used to identify the animals we saw. Another member of our group had purchased it at the Cultural Center in Arusha, and I found it at the lodge gift shop in Amboseli. The book is, Safari Guide to East African Animals by Jonathan and Angela Scott. The book is all in color with glossy pages (like all of the DK guide books) and it is an outstanding resource, with information, for the animals you will see. We could read about the animals in the evening during the safari, and then when we returned home and were organizing our photos it was an invaluable source in identifying each animal. Who could remember the Grant's Gazelle from the Thompson's Gazelle and the Eland from the Topi...well, you get the idea!! As our trip progressed, we noticed the gift shops were out of stock and a number of our fellow travelers were disappointed. I believe you can order it through Amazon. It is pricey, I paid about $40, but it was well worth the price!! It was a wonderful supplement to the enormous amount of information the local guides give you. To be frank, I expected to see the Big Five, but the number and variety of other animals I saw was beyond what I could have imagined, and this book certainly helped me to sort it all out!

millerjcat0418

The Ghost and the Darkness - w/ Val Kilmer and Michael Douglas

Sealord

Portolan wrote:

When we prepare for upcoming trips, partly for "research" and mostly to establish a connection with the area we'll be visiting, we look to movies and novels set in the locale. Sometimes music if it jumps out. So, here are some ideas we have for the Kenya & Tanzania safari (note, not listing documentaries or travel guides since those are another subject, entirely).

Since this forum allows edits to messages apparently forever, I'll keep this up-to-date with suggestions from others

Movies
Out of Africa (1985) - Karen Blixen in Africa with Meryl Streep and Robert Redford
The Lion (1962) - William Holden on a wildlife preserve in Kenya...and we'll be staying at his African retreat, now the Fairmont Mt. Kenya Safari Club
Hatari (1962) - for fun, John Wayne, Elsa Martinelli and Hardy Kruger capturing animals in Africa for zoos...no doubt not PC in current endangered species environment.
Born Free - recommended by Sealord (#3)
Ghost and the Darkness w/ Val Kilmer and Michael Douglas - recommended by millerjcat0418 (#5)

Books
Out of Africa - Isak Dinesen's (Karen Blixen) autobiography
Safari Guide to East African Animals by Jonathan and Angela Scott - recommended by joycesw (more details in post #4)

Music
Africa - Toto (what else!)

Please suggest additions.

Watched some ...
Out of Africa ... Two thumbs up
Born Free ... Two thumbs up
The Lion ... Very dated and sad
The Ghost and the Darkness ... Had to get my wife out from under the bed ... not sure she wants to go on safari anymore.

Leo M

We have recently returned from our 4th safari in two years. Our first safari was a Tauck safari which planted the seeds of fascination in the African bush. After we returned, we produced a blog on each trip. The blogs are listed below with the most recent listed first. Each blog has between 250-350 embedded pictures to supplement the narrative.

If you have never been on safari before, you may wish to look at the "Tanzania/Kenya Safari (January 2012) first. The reason is that we compiled all the suggestions we received from the readers of the Tauck Forum on what to take and what to expect during our trip. These lists may help you in your preparations.

LEO BLOGS:

Big Cats & the Great Migration (1/24/14 to 2/1/14)
http://blog.travelpod.com/travel-blog/leomcyr/6/tpod.html

Kenya Cats, Dogs & the Migration Calving Season (2/1/14/ - 2/10/14)
http://blog.travelpod.com/travel-blog/leomcyr/7/tpod.html

Zambia-Botswana-Zimbabwe Safari (June-July 2013)
http://blog.travelpod.com/travel-blog/leomcyr/5/tpod.html

Remote Tanzania (October 2012)
http://blog.travelpod.com/travel-blog/leomcyr/3/tpod.html

2012 Tanzania / Kenya Safari (January 2012)
http://blog.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/leomcyr/1/1326885220/pod.html

A special "hello again" to Jan Durkin. I saw your May 3rd post about Jomo Kenyatta Airport in Nairobi. So true! However, on our most recent trip, we arrived a full 2 hours before the flight and had no problems whatever. That was in mid-February and followed some minor disturbance at an airport café. Even so, everything operated as smoothly as we have always hoped it someday would. Hope it stays that way....Best to All...Leo

AlanS

Leo- I get a blank screen with "Site Down" when attempting to follow any of your links. Are they still good? Thanks.

jdurkin

Hi Leo,

Thanks for that information. I'm glad your recent experience was a positive one. That information certainly widens my planning scope.

Off now to look at your blog! Can't wait.

Cheers,

Jan

Edit: Like Alan, I might have to wait a little longer to experience the migration again. I'll check back later.

AlanS

Leo, I finally got it to work, mostly, before the site went down again. Good thing I'd already seen it before, but it was great to go through it again. Fabulous photos and blog!

Leo M

Jan & Alan...Sorry the links did not work for you. I just tested them in both the Preview and the Post mode and they worked from here.

I can send the links directly to you if you wish. Send email to leo@leomcyr.com and I will respond ASAP.

Jan...this year's safari was the most exciting yet. We were truly in the bush with all of God's creatures around us.

Best regards...Leo

jdurkin

Hi Leo,

The link worked. Oh, and it was worth the wait. You have some fabulous shots. I didn't have time just now to look at everything … I've bookmarked them for later. But the leopards! Just stunning. Just … oh, my……

Where are you off to next? The Okavango?

You won't know yourself if you ever get to the Galapagos. The critters almost pose for you there! No hamburger interruptions! ))

Cheers,

Jan

Leo M

Hello Again Jan...Thank you for the kind remarks on our most recent blog and photos. We learned a lot from our guides, trackers and wildlife biologist. I wish I had had the benefit of their experience from the very beginning. You may find three of their suggestions helpful on your next safari.

First, leave camp early in the morning...preferably before first light. Most of the predation takes place in that first hour of light. We had never gone out so early before and I hate to think how much we missed. I can tell you we had never witnessed a predator kill in three previous safaris. This time...we saw 12.

Second, when in the open savannah, watch the behavior of and listen to the sounds being made by the grazers, especially the topi and impala, for signs of impending action. If there is a predator in the area, the entire herd will be facing toward that predator and watching intently.

Third, be patient. Most safari vehicles simply drive until they see wildlife and then pause to take a few pictures before moving on. In our blog, you will see how we staked out a Serengeti waterhole that was perfect for an ambush. We actually saw the ears and top of a lioness' head as she lay in wait. Many small groups of zebra came down to drink but she never moved. Finally, she identified her target and attacked. It was over in a few seconds. In the meantime, I bet ten safari vehicles had driven past. They missed everything!

What are we going to do next? For the first time in three years, I don't really know. Since we returned in February, we have downsized our living quarters and are now starting on several other long delayed projects. Once we get caught up on our "responsibilities", I'm sure our thoughts will turn again to travel.

Each safari we have taken or organized has gotten increasingly primitive. We have, of course, kept our itineraries appropriate for our age group. I'll not be climbing Kilimanjaro any time soon. People we know in our area have hinted that we should lead another safari ourselves. They seem to like our approach of getting close to nature while still eating and sleeping well. I guess we'll have to see where life takes us. Be sure I will let you know when we decide.

Best regards...Leo

Sealord

Leo M wrote:

We have recently returned from our 4th safari in two years. Our first safari was a Tauck safari which planted the seeds of fascination in the African bush. After we returned, we produced a blog on each trip. The blogs are listed below with the most recent listed first. Each blog has between 250-350 embedded pictures to supplement the narrative.

If you have never been on safari before, you may wish to look at the "Tanzania/Kenya Safari (January 2012) first. The reason is that we compiled all the suggestions we received from the readers of the Tauck Forum on what to take and what to expect during our trip. These lists may help you in your preparations.

LEO BLOGS:

Big Cats & the Great Migration (1/24/14 to 2/1/14)
http://blog.travelpod.com/travel-blog/leomcyr/6/tpod.html

Kenya Cats, Dogs & the Migration Calving Season (2/1/14/ - 2/10/14)
http://blog.travelpod.com/travel-blog/leomcyr/7/tpod.html

Zambia-Botswana-Zimbabwe Safari (June-July 2013)
http://blog.travelpod.com/travel-blog/leomcyr/5/tpod.html

Remote Tanzania (October 2012)
http://blog.travelpod.com/travel-blog/leomcyr/3/tpod.html

2012 Tanzania / Kenya Safari (January 2012)
http://blog.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/leomcyr/1/1326885220/pod.html

A special "hello again" to Jan Durkin. I saw your May 3rd post about Jomo Kenyatta Airport in Nairobi. So true! However, on our most recent trip, we arrived a full 2 hours before the flight and had no problems whatever. That was in mid-February and followed some minor disturbance at an airport café. Even so, everything operated as smoothly as we have always hoped it someday would. Hope it stays that way....Best to All...Leo

Just read your Tanzania/Kenya blog. Our excitement and anticipation have now reached 'overwhelming'. (;-)

jdurkin

Hi Leo,

As always, thank you for your wonderful advice. It's stacked away in the brain box for future reference. And good luck with your other projects. Ah …. life, other plans …… Mmmm. For my next number ….

Cheers,

Jan

Leo M

Sealord...Glad our blog could get the juices flowing for you. I can assure you I have never exaggerated a single statement in any of our African blogs. There was never any need. Africa is the most wonderful addiction you can ever contract...and I have it BAD. You will have an amazing time with memories that will never fade.

Jan...Where are you headed next? Beth and I follow your adventures vicariously through the Forum and are always anxious to read your advice.

Leo M.

jdurkin

Hi Leo,

After concentrating, mostly, on North America for the past 9 years, I'm heading back to Europe this time. Although I know Europe pretty well, contrary to the song, I haven't been every where and there are so many places I just have do over. Same set of eyes, older set of legs but hopefully all the wiser for the repeat experience … at least, that's why I travel. Education is a wonderful thing, and travelling is one of the most enjoyable ways to learn about the world around us. And that life long sub to National Geographic, of course.

As for my advice … oh, Leo ….. you should get out more.

Cheers,

Jan