Adventures of my Electronic Equipment, Part 874

So, I’ve told you about my iTouch and cell phone adventures (parts I and II). Now let me tell you about the adventures of my digital camera.

Leaning out of the vehicle to photograph a sleepy lioness

On Safari, I took lots of pictures (more on facebook, previous posts and the pictures page of this blog). Most of these, I took from a Land Cruiser that had pop up roof. While driving around the Serengeti, I stood on my seat with my head and arms outside the vehicle. When the vehicle stopped so we could observe animals or take in a pretty view, I lifted myself out of the car and sat on the roof. At some point during one of our morning drives, I sat on the roof, and my camera fell out of my pocket, onto the ground.

When our vehicle stopped for breakfast, I searched the car to make sure the camera hadn’t fallen into a seat crack. Our drivers also searched the car, to no avail. The reality sunk in deep: my careless ways had finally gotten the best of me. My camera was gone, lost forever on the plains of the Serengeti, a toy for the hyenas.

I was pretty sulky the rest of our morning drive-- thinking about all the beautiful scenes I was unable to capture on my camera: the lovely waterproof, dustproof, and shockproof Pentax that I call my “Africa-proof” camera. It had been so good to me since I first arrived in Niger last October.

With one of our drivers, who helped find my camera

After lunch at camp, our guide told me he was going to look for the camera before our afternoon drive. Embarrassed, I thanked him for the effort, although I realized the likelihood of finding the camera was small. Still, I couldn’t help but hope. By the time four o’clock rolled around I figured the search party must have had no luck. As I walked towards the group I saw our guide and shrugged, “No luck?”

“Here it is!” he said triumphantly handing over my camera. After three hours of searching the plains, they found it!

I’d like to say I have learned my lesson. But, I also thought I had learned my lesson after the iTouch incident, and the telephone incidents. The problem is, with the sort of luck I’m having, I think I’m becoming more careless.