Lions - II (Sasan Gir, Gujarat, India)

During our approx 36 hours on the preserve, we went out on four "sessions".

Sessions are 06:00-09:00, 09:00-noon, and 15:00-18:00.

This little green fellow is a Bee Eater, sitting on a limb, about 2m away. 

For the morning session, you meet at the entrance center about an hour before sunrise.

Several jeeps reach the inner gate.  There were lion tracks just 10 feet inside this gate.

Really cool, we parked alongside a lake as the sky brightened.  The dam was built many years ago to help provide water for people and livestock in this area which is very dry during the 6-month Dry Season.

Avi and Shardul enjoy the quiet of the dawn.
A beautiful, peaceful lake, with an 8 ft (2.4m) crocodile gliding silently on the surface.

 The sun creeps ever higher, almost reaching the horizon.

 Roaming around...looking for lions.

 Two females came up to a watering hole.

A crowd favorite, a lioness came up and flopped down, 
like a (very) big kitty, only about 25m in front of us.  

And then, her cub came walking up after her, and prepared to exchange greetings with mom.

"Ah geez, Mom !"

My favorite pic of the trip.

Y'all take care,
-Mark 

Foggy Morning Ride ...

Took a very early morning flight from Mumbai to Rajkot, in Gujarat.
We landed at 06:00 and started driving toward Jamnagar, 
in a heavy, pre-dawn fog...

Out on the more open roadway, between towns, there wasn't much happening,.  
We just slowed down to 20 mph (30-40 kph) and put the flashers on.

Zipping along through the thick, cool air, 
you can see some interesting things, like this tree, passing in a blur,

...but then you get a quick snap back to reality...

 ...when you slide by one of these, driving slowly along the shoulder.


There were plenty of things on the road to avoid...

But especially, when passing through the small towns, one needs to remember...

...this is India.   

              As I tell people from time to time, 

 ...we don't slow down when we go around a corner 
                          because there might be something in the road...

 We slow down because there is something in the road !

 As the sky finally brightened, we were into and out of thick patches of fog.

I think this photo is pretty much emblematic of driving in India.
On a clear day, it can be exciting.  It's a little nerve wracking in the fog.

But, not without its photo opportunities !

Y'all take care,
-Mark