Rich and Debbie Behling presented a program on their recent trip to Africa

Rich and Debbie Behling went on a trip to Africa recently. Rich showed many of his photos and, with Debbie, described their interesting experiences.



Debbie and Rich Behling model T-shirts brought back from their recent trip to Africa. The back of Rich’s shirt shows the route map. Debbie’s shirt sleeve has flags of the four countries visited.

They traveled first to Johannesburg, SA and from there by small plane to Victoria Falls. From there they flew to four camps in four wildlife preserves. Tourists slept in eight huts with canvas walls. Open bathrooms were behind the tents. There was a common dining area with at least one wall and a bar where there was a happy-hour every evening. Temperature reached 104 Fahrenheit most days.

Travel was by small single engine planes but some travel was by boat. Debbie told of a native making flower necklaces – “he hoped the romance would last as long as the flowers.” They traveled on “game drives” in Jeeps (safari vehicles) which carried three rows of people.

From their tent Debbie and Rich could watch animals at a water hole. Animals arrived by kind - elephants, Cape buffalo, etc.

They saw many species of animals. They photographed animals: antelope, hyenas, baboons, wart hogs, monkeys, crocodiles, monitor lizards, a bat, painted red frogs, ostriches with babies, lions, termites and more. The trip was taken in the dry season and had more animals. In the wet season, there would be more birds. Travelers frequently got very close to lions by stayed quietly in the open jeep. They saw two lions attach and kill a Cape buffalo which had foolishly strayed from the herd.

Victoria Falls, twice as big as Niagara Falls, had low water because it was the dry season. They walked on a trail to view the falls and also took a helicopter ride to see the falls. One of their photos showed a beautiful rainbow made by the mist from the falls.

They went for an “up-close-and-personal” walk with 6-18 month old lions (a sort of “tourist trap”). Debbie grabbed a lion by the tail and let it drag her along. A photographer took the obligatory group picture of the 13 travelers (3 were single, the rest couples).

During the cultural day, they visited local people living in a village and learned their customs. Natives live in huts with walls made from termite mound “dung” which hardens like concrete. There was a girl playing” jacks” using natural objects like seeds for the jacks. Photos showed how natives carry babies and other items. There was a tour of the school, which is sponsored by Grand Circle Foundation. Multiple bathrooms by grade and sex are provided and each class grade maintains their own bathroom. Students are taught English. They used a beach ball globe to study geography.

Villagers eat lunch in a common hut with men sitting on seats and women sitting on the floor. Women prepare and serve meals ordered by men. Debbie was selected by the Chief to help the native women so she cooked and served Rich, kneeling as she presented him the food he asked for.

Because Kiwanis has the ELIMINATE project, Debbie asked a village nurse whether they vaccinate women for tetanus. She answered that they do vaccinate pregnant women if they can travel to the clinic.

The trip was managed by Overseas Adventure Tours, which is part of Grand Circle Tours. Click here to learn more.