Success! Research clearance granted.

We got our research clearance this morning - yay! Thermal images of elephants at Dzanga here we come.

Bangui is a bit more lively on Monday - yesterday it would be hard to know we were walking around the capital of Central African Republic. If all goes well, we drive to the southernmost tip of the country - and elephants. Hard to know what updates I will be able to give from here on out, but I will try when I can.

Peter meets Andrea in Bangui, CAR

At the beginning of a new adventure in Africa, I'm hanging out in Bangui, capital of the Central African Republic. A great pleasure to arrive with Andrea Turkalo - and somehow simultaneously amazing and yet so expected, she walks down the street in Bangui greeting people all along the street. I'm not particularly impressed by the city - quite a bit less well developed than Libreville in Gabon, or Brazzaville in Congo - but has a nice feel about it and Andrea said it is a bit like hometown.

Our hope is that tomorrow we get the research permit for our thermal-imaging project at Dzanga, then 14 hours driving southeast to Bayanga in the dry season dust. Fourteen hours given no unexpected delays at checkpoints or because of breakdown. For me this will be an incredible field trip because it will be entirely at the Dzanga Bai. I was at Dzanga previously, but only for a few days during the filming of the segment by CBS 60 Minutes a couple of years ago (hope you all had a chance to see the re-broadcast on the 22nd). So now I am anticipating the five weeks we will be working nearly every day (and night) at the Mecca for forest elephants.