Scorpions in the bathtub, baboons on the porch!

Mole National Park, Ghana

I stepped into the bathtub and just before I put my foot down--I saw it out of the corner of my eye--was that a big bug? ( I am not fond of any type of bugs)---and (horrors!)was that a scorpion? it sure looked like one...but it wasn't as big as the ones you saw on those discovery channel tv shows--in fact it was only 2-3 " long---but it sure was alive and so I went a got one of the hotel workers--he took one look and said, "scorpion--the sting is very painfull" and then matter of factly killed it--after that I never even walked into the bathroom without looking around carefully....

We stayed in the only hotel in Mole National Park--where the warthogs

and baboons

were hanging around the hotel grounds---just curious as could be---or after food. The baboons came onto the porch in front of the rooms--and one even opened the door to two of the older boy's room--much to the boy's dismay and delight!

We arose at daybreak
to "trek" out into the bush with a guide to view the local wild animals. As it grew hotter and hotter (temps were in the high 90's there at midday and humid) we walked and walked through the parched land--it was not the rainy season---so the ground was dry and cracked, although some of the underbrush and trees were still green--as you can see in this photo
we saw a few antelope and bush bucks, saw some baboons, and a small monkey---


after following our guide awhile with the heat shimmering around us, (with sweat pouring off me)--we came to a "watering hole" and there they were!--two big elephants cavorting with the water---scooping the water up into their trunks and squirting it over each other...


They both eventually got down into the water and splashed around for awhile....we watched them for quite awhile then returned to the hotel via a steep hill---the climb in the heat almost did me in! but back at the hotel we all quickly put on our bathing suits and jumped into the swimming pool to cool off...

Later that day 4 of us went on a "safari" in a jeep--with a driver and guide--again searching for the elusive elephants--and other animals. In the jeep we took narrow red dirt roads way out into the park --we saw a flock of small parakeet and many other birds, plus numerous antelopes and other deer-like animals, and finally one very big elephant in the bushes--rather hidden. When we got out of the jeep and approached it on foot--the elephant disappeared off into the underbrush and trees. It was a fine day riding in the jeep in Africa--with the wind rushing through the open windows to cool us off....and the immense African land all around us, with bird calls and startled herds of antelopes gracefully leaping away...

I have to say--I have never been much of a wildlife photographer---so these are the best ones of all the photos I took in the park with my little point and shoot digital Canon camera. I am now back in my hometown, Portland---and will be blogging about my trip to Ghana for the next week or so..I hope you enjoy my African travelogue!