Where the Wild Things Are

Mole National Park is a must when you come to Ghana.  The dry season is the best time for wildlife since there are fewer water holes and so the animals stick to a few specific ones and are more easily seen.  

After a lovely drive in a pick up truck Ellen, her husband Brent, Matt and I arrived at Mole ready to see some animals. It didn't take long.  This baboon and her baby were there saying hello minutes after our arrival. 

 (monkey and baby monkey)

(couple of baboons)

The baboons hang around the hotel and, I am told, can be quite a nuisance sometimes.  After lunch, the four of us decided to go have a bit of a nap before heading out on a 3 hour walk through the wilderness to see elephants.  While we were resting one of the baboons came right up to our room door and checked to see if it was open.  Luckily, we had locked it.  I bet though, if it hadn't been, we would have had a baboon rummaging through our stuff in a matter of seconds.  

 (some elephant's bones laid out near the tour guide office)

Day 1 afternoon walk

(hello!) 

(walking not so quietly in a line through the woods) 

(dry season means dried rivers and being able to walk in them) 

(monkeys through the grass) 

(jackpot - first elephant sighting) 

(elephant)

So it appears that when I want to get nice photos I forget that getting too close to wild animals is a bad thing.  When I was about 50 feet away from the elephants the guide said "So how close do you actually want to get to the elephant?"  Literally, the first sarcastic remark I have heard out of a Ghanian's mouth since I have arrived here.  I sort of backed away but inched in as close as he would let me get a few minutes later. 

(dust bath) 

(can I get closer? PLEASE!!!) 

(green leaf)

After our walk, I showed this photo (above) to the guide to show him why I wanted to get so close.  His reaction "Its not even nice!"  He did not like the green leaf and thought it would be better without it.  Oh well! 

(this is my, is the guide understanding my camera? will he get a nice picture? wow it is hot out here!, face)

(this is Jacob, our guide, who did not like my photo)  

(this is a boy elephant) 

(footprint) 

(goodbye) 

(elephant in a tree) 

(one last bush buck before heading in for the day)

Matt's assessment of the day (among other things) - "I am a long way from London England"  What an amazing experience. In the evening we sat and had a meal together by the pool.  Matt ate a Ghanian size portion of jollof rice plus some of mine. I told them a childhood story about red rice and play it again Mitch. We laughed. We talked about movies and actors and somehow could never think of the names of the actors that were in them.  We just ended up playing that guessing game that starts with "You know she is tall, brown hair, she played in that other movie about..."  The answer, in the end, was, among others, Sandra Bullock.  Off to bed we went. Oh but wait there is more the next day...

Day 2 morning walk

(a monkey to start day 2) 

(then a bush buck) 

(and the elephants at play)

While we were quietly watching these elephants they decided to start walking and came really really close to us.  It was incredible.  The guide on the second day was less keen on telling us to back away so I got these upcoming shots.  I'm pretty happy about how they turned out.

(golden) 

(this one was sooo huge) 

(Brent far left, elephant, Ellen far middle, Matt front right)

(bromance)

I think Matt and I could have stayed there for hours and hours just following them through the trees.  They are truly majestic creatures.  "So what did you do this weekend?"  "Oh I hung out with elephants"  Just another casual weekend.  Uhm NO it was wonderful, extraordinary, relaxing, centering.  But, we did have to go back.  On our walk to the hotel we suddenly heard some loud noises and leaves rustling in the not to far distance.  Monkeys!!! and lots of them.  They came storming through a little ways off.  It was very cool BUT, even though I wanted to get closer and closer to the elephants, I did NOT want to be in the middle of a crowd of monkeys.  They seem to be more mischievous than elephants.  Finally, at the hotel in time for some lunch and to see some elephants in the water hole.  We watched.  They played. 

(one last monkey for the road)

There it is - ELEPHANTS!!!