Exotic Destinations for African Safaris

Masai Mara National Reserve
Image: maasaimara.com

An accomplished executive, Patrick O’Connell worked in the U.K. as the interim program and strategy director of High Speed Rail 2 Ltd. (HS2) and subsequently became chief of naval personnel for the United States Navy. In his leisure time, Patrick O’Connell enjoys going on exotic excursions like African safaris.

Some of Africa’s best safari destinations include Kenya, Uganda, and South Africa. Kenya’s most popular safari destination is the Masai Mara National Reserve, which is part of the Serengeti, where tourists can watch massive herds of animals migrate across the plains. Other parks that offer visitors abundant chances for wildlife viewing include the Great Rift Valley, which features a number of shallow soda lakes, and Lake Bogoria National Reserve.

Uganda has many primate reserves, such as the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and Ngamba Island, which offer visitors up-close looks at gorillas, chimpanzees, crocodiles, hippos, and exotic birds in their natural surroundings. In South Africa, a well-traveled country with a modern tourism infrastructure, visitors can view a variety of African animals in Kruger National Park, part of the largest conservation area in the world.

UK Environmental Efforts in Support of HS2 Rail System

 

High Speed Two
Image: gov.uk

The former High Speed Two (HS2) Ltd. interim program and strategic director, Patrick O’Connell currently serves within the US Navy as chief of naval personnel. In guiding his former company, HS2, Patrick O’Connell undertook complex planning for an $85-billion project slated to significantly extend the United Kingdom’s high-speed rail capacities.

Shaped as a Y, the HS2 project comprises two distinct phases and extends from London to Leeds and Manchester. As presented on the UK government website, unprecedented efforts in the conservation arena have recently begun, with new wildlife habitats under development in Warwickshire along the course of the planned line. Beginning in August 2017, construction was underway for the creation of a half dozen ponds as well as woodlands home to more than 6,000 shrubs and trees.

One of the project’s goals is to provide a new home for the myriad species of birds that live in the area and would otherwise be impacted. In addition, species such as the great crested newt are being targeted for protection. Ultimately, the plan is to plant approximately 7 million trees system-wide while creating a unified landscape of heathland, meadow, and wetland.

A Classic Route down the Nile in Upper Egypt

Nile
Image: cruisecritic.com

Patrick O’Connell is an operational management executive who recently served as director of program and strategy for London-based High Speed Two (HS2) Limited. When his interim leadership responsibilities with HS2 ended, Patrick O’Connell accepted a position with the US Navy as chief of naval personnel.

A world traveler, Mr. O’Connell spent more than 18 years living abroad and had a number of memorable travel experiences, from staying in an ice hotel in Jukkasjärvi, Sweden, to taking a cruise along the Nile.

Tourist excursions on the Upper Egypt segment of the Nile extend to 1869, when package holiday pioneer Thomas Cook took his first group along what is now considered a classic cruise route, spanning 120 miles between Luxor and Aswan. This stretch maximizes access to ancient monuments and archaeological sites, beginning with the Karnak Temple complex in Luxor and the Temple of Horus in Edfu, which is dedicated to the god of war. Other highlights of what is typically a weeklong journey include the Temple of Philae and its famous obelisk, which remains unfinished to this day.