Pink Boots and a Machete (14 page)

This worm, found on Mount Roraima and weighing a third of a pound, is the biggest I have ever seen. Can you imagine the fish you could catch with this thing?

 

I have yet to meet kids, such as these in an Amerindian village in Guyana, who don't love to pose for the camera.

 

Don't let the cage fool you on this expedition to study great white sharks in Baja California. The opening was wide enough for the shark to swim in but not for it to turn and swim out. See why I needed a frying pan?

 

One of the most epic journeys of my life—a 1,000-mile expedition across Tanzania for the 2009 reality show
Expedition Africa
—began on this ancient boat, which sailed us from Zanzibar to Tanzania.

 

Here I am at one of our Tanzania camps. It's the simple moments in the bush—savoring a cup of tea, watching wildlife, or basking in the African sun—that I miss most when I'm back in “civilization.”

 

The two Maasai warriors who accompanied us for protection, Rafael and Lesordo, would stay up well into the night, keeping watch for lions and other predators.

 

Seems more often than not we found ourselves trudging through swamps, trying to avoid the crocodiles in the tall grasses.

 

This picture is classic. Just look at the faces on these guys as they argue. Kevin's jaw is clenched and his arms are crossed, Benedict is waving his hands in frustration, and Pasquale is staring at the ground contemplating murder. Also look at the Maasai sitting patiently, waiting for them to quit bickering.

 

My most cherished memory of the trek across Tanzania is captured here—time spent with Maasai tribesmen and Benedict Allen, modern-day Indiana Jones and kindred spirit.

 

This was my favorite part of the day. The African sun is starting to set, and after many hours of trekking, we would soon set up camp for the night.

 

I'm clinging to Rafael, dreading our goodbye. He gave me his warrior shield, which now hangs in my living room.

 

My favorite team picture. This was taken the moment we finally arrived at the very spot—in Ujiji in modern-day Tanzania—that Stanley shook hands with Livingstone. We had come a long way. Left to right: Benedict, me, Pasquale, and Kevin.

 

Watching gorillas can sometimes feel voyeuristic. Here I am observing the male silverback Kingo in the northern Congo jungle.