Wow, did the Half Moon Resort have beautiful landscaping and gardens.  Lush greenery and flowering plants were everywhere you looked.  I saw two colors of ginger flower, many different varieties of hibiscus, as well as other tropical flowers, not to mention the amazing shades of green found in the foliage throughout the resort. 

The gardens surrounding the Fern Tree Spa also included gorgeous water features- a pool and a wall fountain.  The running water is a clever way to make the treatment rooms restful, as other sounds are smoothed over by the relaxing sounds of the fountains.  At the back of the spa garden, there is also a labyrinth laid out in stone.  What a peaceful spot!

Heading out from Nairobi, our first stop in Kenya was Tortilis Camp, which is located in a conservancy adjoining Amboseli National Park.  Amboseli is known for its large herds of elephants.  Cynthia Moss has studied the elephant families in the park for generations and many elephants in the park are followed closely by researchers.  Amboseli is also noted for the incredible views of Mount Kilimanjaro, which is on the border of Kenya and Tanzania.  However, depending on the cloud cover, you will not always be able to see the mountain.  We were lucky to get several really good views while we were there.  Tortilis Camp has some beautiful vantage points of Kilimanjaro, and due to the clear weather, we were often able to see it from the main dining area and bar.

The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, located inside Nairobi National Park, is one of the most moving places I have ever been.  It is an orphanage for young elephants who have been rescued all over Kenya and brought to Nairobi.  Baby elephants are not able to survive without their mothers' milk, so the staff at Sheldrick feed them a special formula that mimics elephant milk.  (Milk from cows will cause them to die.)  Unfortunately, Sheldrick receives more and more baby elephants all the time due to poaching.  The baby elephants eventually move to another park in Kenya where they are slowly introduced to other elephants in order to join a wild herd.  They have had amazing success with these transitions. The keepers' dedication and love for elephants is heartening.  They feed the babies, teach them to browse for food, and even sleep in the stalls at night!

One of the best things we did on our New Year's trip to Whitefish, Montana was go on a dog sled ride through the beautiful Stillwater National Forest. It was amazing!  I found Dog Sled Adventures, in Olney, Montana, after reading a few blogs and some TripAdvisor reviews of things to do in the Whitefish area.  I was also thrilled to find a dog sled ride outfit that was owned by a fellow animal lover.  The dogs at Dog Sled Adventures were mainly rescue dogs and were all treated well.  Even the dogs that could no longer work remained in the dog yard and were taken care of.