Whenever someone asks me where my favorite place in the world is or what’s the best trip I’ve ever taken, I really hesitate to answer. I have a hard time narrowing it down because I’ve been fortunate to have had many incredible travels. For instance, taking my mom to Europe when she was sick with cancer is definitely in the Top 5 Back-to-back around-the-world trips with my wife is up there and so is taking my kids on their first European cruise.
When it comes to where to go, it all depends on the time of year and what you’re interested in. But when someone asks me about my best travel experience or tour, without a doubt I say a hot air balloon safari, which I did in both South Africa and Tanzania. I’m afraid of heights and I really did not enjoy my hot air balloon ride in Albuquerque, New Mexico because we went so high.
But when doing a hot air balloon safari, you don’t go that high because the whole point is to be able to see the animals down below. Most of the time, you’re just hovering quietly over the treetops which is surreal – especially when there are incredible and exotic animals below.
Seeing animals in their natural habitat is amazing, which is why my family and I love watching documentaries like PBS’ miniseries Spy in the Ocean.
While uploading one of my latest travel tips on YouTube, I came across this fascinating video below of porcupine parents protecting their babies from a hungry leopard.
The video embedded above was uploaded last year and has over 10 million views. The description reads in part, “On the road in front of me, a porcupine mother emerged from the culvert with two youngsters. They were shortly followed by the male porcupine. Then a leopard! The same leopard we had been searching for that morning had now found us and was in the middle of a hunt. I hurried my guest to the safety of the vehicle and watched on in awe.
Porcupines are typically mute creatures and are not frequently observed vocalizing. The deep grunt that was audible was a definite warning of danger and a sign that the porcupines were under the stress of some kind.
At first, I thought the leopard would quickly overpower the porcupines. As I watched the scene unfold, I was in awe of their determination and bravery. The porcupine couple worked together, using their sharp quills as a weapon against the leopard. The leopard tried to pounce, but each time it did, the porcupines would turn their backs and raise their quills. Successfully deterring the leopard from attacking.”
“The parents made sure that the two youngsters were always in the middle and out of reach of the leopard. After a few minutes, the leopard eventually gave up and retreated into the bush. The porcupine family was able to continue on their way, safe and unharmed.”
Moments like these serve as a reminder that we share this beautiful land with a diverse and fascinating array of wildlife. It’s up to us to protect and preserve it for future generations.”
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–What you need to know about renewing or getting an emergency passport in the U.S.
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