My almost- 40 birthday retreat- on a safari !

Safari West established in 1989, consists of 400 acres of over 400 exotic mammals and birds in the heart of California's wine country. Safari West is part of the American Zoo and Aquarium Association, one of only six private facilities in North America to belong to that prestigious organization.

With Gramma in town, we took advantage of our British nanny and reserved an overnight stay in a 5 star tent/lodge overlooking a lake teaming with chicken eating catfish. (See the video!) This was a great place to reminisce of our safari adventure in Kenya in 1995, and I ached to do another safari once more. And I would have to say, it brought back a lot of good memories. I love Africa- and I can't wait to take Kai there again to do another safari and climb Mt. Kilimanjaro once more!
Video: Our Accomodations


You can creep up on these (metal) giraffes easily.

On check-in, we loaded our bags into their 4-wheel drive and were taken to our tent-lodge
.
Gramma was lucky to get her own tent-lodge next door. There she would have privacy and some shut-eye away from Kai (who hollered half the time for "Gramma!" from our porch to hers)

Blue and red macaws, perched outside quite content. Just don't walk under their roost- you may lose a digit, or other body part!

Kai finds a big hole to squat in. Is he toilet training himself again? or hiding from this cheetah?

Cheetah focused attention on Kai alright. Lemur painting to mark our tent-lodge. Who needs house numbers when you got a great painting?

Stork-looking thing with knees that bend backwards, it apparantly was comfortable sitting like that for quite a long time.

Hornbill and tortoise.

Video: The Hornbill Beak Fight!

Gramma and Kai hold hands on their way down to grab some grub at the food hut!

Tonight, we eat a catered meal outdoors with roasted and succulent chicken. YUM!
Kai made several trips to the lemonade table and was tall enough to grab a cup and serve himself. I had a lot of exercise trying to deter him from doing so. The birds begin to roost for the night...

Vulture roosts next to its buddy the tortoise. Makes me think of that B.C. comic of the bird on the turtles back!

...while the noctornal animals come out from in-hiding, such as these porcupines.

After dinner we feed quartered raw chicken to hungry catfish! I never knew they could eat big chunks like that- I don't think I will be swimming in that lake.

Video: Catfish eat Chicken?