The Sigma 10-20 mm is a very good lens at a reasonable price. It should satisfy your needs.

Harbor cruise is excellent. The "Step on Step off" open top tour bus takes you around the city with lots of photo ops. China town is interesting also.

Cool idea. Had I not discarded, traded or sold all of the cameras that I have owned , over the years, I could have built a wall like that!!

I remember, as an Air Force second lieutenant of southern heritage, having difficulty not calling some older sergeants that I worked with "sir"...force of habit. They cured me of that habit fairly quickly by responding, "Don't call me sir, lieutenant, I work for a living!".

One thing I noticed during my two Africa trips was how healthy the animals look in their natural habitat. It was like an army of "groomers" was on one side of the road brushing them all down and then aiming them toward the safari vehicles.

Since there have been a few requests for "What equipment to take
on Safari" lately, why don't you gives some insight as to what you took. What did you take that you did not need and what do you wish you had taken, but didn't?

I asked the same question before an Africa trip a few years ago. One responder asked "How close do you want to be to a hungry lion?". I suggest the 24-70 for shots where distance isn't and issue. Take the 70-200 and the 200-500 for closeups when shooting photos of game from your safari vehicle. Recommend taking two bodies, since a camera problem out in the "boonies" is not easily remedied. Take a "bean bag" to steady your camera when shooting from the vehicle. Bee7474 made a good suggestion regarding the Canon SX50. Take that and forget about the extra body. Another plus with the SX50 is not having to change lenses in dusty conditions. Have fun. It is a great experience. Have been there twice and would do it again in a heart beat!

Let this be a lesson to all of us. If you have a good local store, you must patronize it or it will be gone. You would think that in a town the size of Birmingham, AL would have at least one locally owned camera store, but not any more. There is one Wolf Camera left, but it may be on its way out. The last time I was there, they did not appear to have the stock that used to have in years past.

While the D.O.D is earmarked as the culprit in this outrageous overspending issue, it should be noted that the decision makers were from the civilian component and I believe appointed civilians rather than civil service members. The reference to the "military" is a bit misleading. I doubt that the military had any say as where this team was housed.

Maybe borrow someone's Canon SX50 or SX60. Plenty of reach without the measurement issues.

Thanks to all for the positive comments. Sometimes there is no substitute for dumb luck, when it comes to getting a good shot!

Might just do that. Thanks!

Thanks Dhutch!

Not onboard. Just nearby.

A great photo op when this boat docked across from a Natchez, MS riverside restaurant where we were having lunch.

American Cruise Lines Paddle Wheeler

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