A new club at the Ranch – Armchair Travel Club

Linda Shannon-Hills and Carol Fielding

Many residents in SaddleBrooke Ranch take unique trips to places around the world, in the United States and in our local area around the Southwest and Tucson. Many in the community have expressed interest in learning more about places to go and experience. Carol Fielding and Linda Shannon-Hills have started a new club gathering monthly to show the many wonders of our world. We came up with the name, “SBR Armchair Travel.” At each gathering there will be either one or two presentations lasting about 30-45 minutes each allowing us to be transported to a destination without actually leaving our seat. Discover new places to add to your travel bucket lists or just come to learn about our wonderful world.

The first gathering will be on Saturday, January 27, at 5:00 p.m. in La Mesa and Montana rooms. We have asked Mark and Arlene Wong to give the first talk on their Africa and Italy trip.

Arlene and Mark Wong planned their trip doing a Tanzania Safari in Africa. They immersed themselves in the local culture throug.isits to schools, shops.illages and with families in the area. They were also fortunate to experience a unique and fun-filled “day in the life” of a Maasa.illage.

Throughout the trip they experienced pre-dawn and sunset gam.iewing drives where they witnessed magnificent spectacles of nature including prides of lions protecting their newborn cubs, cheetah sisters on the lookout for prey, multi-generational elephant families munching on the gree.egetation and zebra, wildebeest, gazelle, monkeys and warthogs all side by side drinking from a watering hole. Of course, they saw giraffes, water buffalo, baboons, hippos plus so much more.

At night they joined their group as they gathered for wonderful meals and storytelling of the day’s sights and adventures and then retired to unique an.aried lodgings in comfortable surroundings.

In the famous Serengeti National Park they enjoyed a four-night stay at a private tented camp in the Serengeti, which was set up on location based on the animals’ seasonal migration patterns. They would wake up near cape buffalo and elephant herds and then explore th.ast expanse of the Serengeti, a gem of wild beauty, picturesque savannahs and where wildlife sightings were numerous. Additionally the.isited the Tarangire National Park, Lake Buronge, Ngorongoro crater and highlands and Oldupai Gorge.

Following their time in Tanzania they spent three weeks in the Northern Italian lakes district. A perfect ending to a special and memorable trip.

Arlene and Mark Wong’s love of travel and of animals has been the basis for their ongoing interest in experiencing the African plains, culture, people and wildlife.

The Bistro Veinte will be open on Saturdays for food and drink, so bring in your favorite beverage and enjoy.