Pythons in Trees!

Some travelers might question why would you want to move around from place to place instead of staying the week in one lodge?  The answer to that is because the lodges and conservation areas are all different habitats.  They range from dry lowlands with little vegetation to wet, lush and sometimes hilly jungle-like vegetation.  And accordingly, the animals and birds differ slightly.  In Tanzania, we visited about three different habitats.  The first ones included areas with the infamous Baobob Trees.  These trees can be thousands of years old.  They look like upside down trees, the roots growing upward.  They, like the acacia trees, symbolize the African vistas we see in the media.  We did not see these trees in Kenya, but did find them in Tanzania.  We also saw a different variety of birds that lived around the salt water lakes. 
While on a game drive one morning, I asked our new driver/naturalist Yusef if there were any pythons in the trees at this park.  I had read that this park had the only ones known to climb trees.  He said he had not seen any and did not know if they existed.  Just a few minutes later as we passed by a large tree, I saw something moving there.  As you do while on safari, you say "STOP!"  Whenever you see something you want to go back to, you just say STOP and the driver stops and backs up to see what was there.  I did see something!
There in the tree was this huge Python!  He was slowing making his way down the tree, moving from branch to branch downward.  I got my digital video camera out and documented his downward slide.  He was very careful to balance his long body on the tree while his head slowly moved closer to the ground.  He was preparing for a drop eventually, but he wanted to make it as easy as possible.  His head hit the ground first, his body slowly moving along a lower limb until most of his weight was on the ground, then PLOP, he was grounded!  That when Richard said, "Let's get going!"  We left there quickly so he couldn't decide to join us in our vehicle.  That was an exciting discovery.  Again, you never know what you will see next!
Travel Connections had done a great job picking our drivers/naturalists.  First we had Stanley in Kenya, and now Yusef in Tanzania.  Both were very knowledgable and friendly.  They took excellent care of us each day and made sure we saw the animals and birds we came to view.  I have attached a picture of me with Yusef having our picnic breakfast one day in the Bush.  What a treat!