Monday, October 23rd
It has been a while since I have been able to get online and ironically enough, I am leaving today to go back home for a few weeks before heading to Buenos Aires and then off to Hawaii.
The volunteer work I did was great, definitely not what I thought when I signed up but the people I met really made it worthwhile. Two weeks is plenty of time for what I did. I will write more later as I am limited with time on the internet before heading to the airport for the very long trip home.
I have some great stories to share, which I am sure I will share mostly with you in person but for those of you I don't see on a regular basis, I will update my blog with the rundown.
Africa is an amazing and magical place for so many reasons. I look forward to coming back to experience all that there is to offer.
Friday, October 6, 2006 - Cape Town
I am still in Cape Town riding solo, which is interesting. Definitely gives me LOTS of time to reflect on various life topics. Since Lindsey left, I have been keeping myself busy with various things. I have a "routine" which consists of drinking lots of wine, watching really bad So. African TV during my down time, waking up in the am for a long walk along the waterfront, and then trying discover something new about Cape Town. I also check email from work, which makes my head spin but more on that later.
Linds left last Sunday and I checked into my current home at the Peninsula Hotel which is more like a timeshare type of place. My room has a kitchenette and a few bad channels on TV that I have spent many a nights watching. The latest being the "Women's Mystery Book Store" series starring the ever-popular Kellie Martin as the owner-of-the-book-store-turned-detective. This is on the Hallmark Channel if that gives you any indication. But fear not, I have not spent my whole time in my hotel room... Remember, I am a social person and can only take so much "alone" time. So, here is what I have done:
Monday - Shopping at the V& A Waterfront for my sleeping bag, flashlight and sleeping pad for my time volunteering. Spent lots of money running around. Also had a pricey sushi lunch and wrote post cards to those whose address I knew by heart (so for most of you, sorry if you do not get one).
Tuesday - Went for a "Beauty Day" with Dune. I went for my long walk and then Dune picked me up with her baby, Ryder and off we went. I got my hair done, so Roots Chapman is but a faint memory. I then with her to a casting (as I mentioned before, she is a model) which was interesting. The funny part was that before we went to the casting, we got some wine and ate some food. Imagine that, a model eating before a meal... The kicker was showing up and she had her baby with her amongst all these young hopefuls.... it was like a record scratched when she walked in carrying this baby. And the great part is, she got the job!! After that, we (meaning me) had more wine while she breast fed the baby in the bar. (I am thinking of the line in the movie Sweet Home Alabama) It was all good but funny still. I think I finished off that evening watching The Wedding Date, which made me cry. You know those tear jerkers starring Debra Messing will get you every time! I am so emotional these days.
Wednesday - Went to Spier Winery. This is about 40 minutes from the hotel and I had a very nice, friendly driver who took me out there. This winery has more than just wine... it has a hotel, a CHEETAH project, horseback riding, an outdoor restaurant that has entertainers there, a great gift shop and beautiful scenery. I went there when I was in So. Africa before, so I was glad I could go back and enjoy some more time there. I first went to the Cheetah place (of course) and got to pet a 4 1/2 year old Cheetah who was purring when I approached him. But he stopped purring once I started petting him and then got up and walked away (is this a pattern with me???). But it was fun while it lasted. I guess he just needed to get to know me more....
I then went and spent some time talking to the woman who paints Ostrich Eggs. Her name is Erni and I remember her from when I was there last time. She has a great demeanor and was very easy to talk to so it was nice to just hear her story. I am hearing a lot of people's stories and it is amazing what you hear, learn and understand once you just listen to where people come from and their motivations.
I spent the majority of the afternoon at Moyo, the restaurant (surprise, surprise - me spending time eating!). I met my waiter, Felly, who was so sincere and sweet. He kept coming over to make sure that the American girl by herself was OK. He is from the Congo and has left very dire circumstances behind. But he always kept saying that he has lots to smile about. Amazing.
That night, I went to Kim's house (whom I met thru Rhett) for dinner. Her and her housemate (as they call it here) made me a homemade dinner. Something I have not had for a while. She picked me up after Spier and took me grocery shopping and then off to her house where her roommate entertained me with various impressions of "The Rich Cape Town Lady" (think someone from the higher eschelon of the OC high society), "The British Lady of Blah Blah that she used to work for in England" and various other entertaining impressions. But I was not prepared for the other colorful characters that showed up. There was the neighbor bull-dyke who definitely fit the term "Bull-Dyke" to a "T" and she really got off on the fact that I was from "The OC." And then her friend who showed up who is a gay activist in Cape Town and then Kim's sister who is also a lesbian but not nearly as masculine as the other two. They were nice but they went a bit far as the night wore on. Even Kim said that it got old and it was borderline bad taste. I think they were just trying to corrupt the very niave, hetero from 'The OC' who was wide-eyed but trying to act like it was all cool.
Thursday - Work Obsession Day. I checked emails from work and without going into it too much, I am not feeling like all is well on the work front. Really stressing me out since I know this is not going away. I wish I could let it go, but I cannot. That is all I have to say about that.
I went to dinner with the GM from the Peninsula, Chris, who I met through Lindsey. He is being very kind to me and making sure I am being taken care of while alone in Cape Town. We had dinner in the hotel restaurant. He is very perceptive and could tell I am searching for something (well, I guess you don't have to be that perceptive to see that a 30-something traveling by herself is searching for something.....) and that certain things are weighing heavily on my mind. We did discuss work and he was straight-forward about saying that I owe work nothing. It was an interesting conversation.
Friday - I did the usual - made breakfast and went for a long walk. The walk is very thereaputic and helps me clear my head. I was not sure what to do today (go to the beach? go to Robben Island? Hang out at the Waterfront?)... So, I just played it by ear. I went to the Waterfront with plans of going to Robben Island but I also had to run a few errands. Spent the day wandering through the Waterfront and trying to get my iPod fixed, got a mani/pedi, did a little work from an internet cafe, etc. I then got takeout from an Italian Restaurant from a waiter named Welcome. (I am finding that a lot of the Africans are named after very positive words -- Happiness, Nice, Welcome... I am waiting to meet someone named Love, Giggles, or Fun) Welcome was very entertaining, much like his name! And that is where I am at now. Sitting here in the bar of the hotel writing this long blog amidst a large party of So. African people who just arrived singing away and inviting me to join them. They have a really cool stereo system playing the tunes while dorky me is on the computer. Miss you all!
People have been asking me about my where abouts for the next couple of weeks. Here you go:
Depart Cape Town on Sunday AM and arrive in Joburg for a night.
Go to Hoedspruit on Monday for my volunteer work. I will be there from 10/09 - 10/30. From 10/30 - 11/6 I am not sure what I am doing. 11/7 - 11/15 Buenos Aires. 11/16 - 11/20 HOME! 11/20 - 11/27 - Hawaii for Steph's wedding and a CKE site inspection.
One of the places we stayed in Tanzania. Looks like the hobbit.
Our staff at our mobile camp in the middle of the Serengethi. For three people, the ratio is pretty good. We took a "back of the house" tour which was really interesting considering you are camping.
The lions in Ngorogoro Crater. They had just made a kill and had feasted as you can see by the engorged stomach of the lioness. There were about 10 lions in the pride that were feasting on the kill. The lions liked napping under the shade of the many jeeps surrounding them.
Nancy and Peter Jones our guide and the owner of Tanganika a tour company. I met Peter when I was last in Tanzania through Rebecca. Peter is teaching Nancy about her camera at our private camp in the middle of the Serengeti. What you can't see is the Giraffe less than 15 feet away grazing on a tree while we wait for the sun to set.
"Baru Nancy" when we realized we were at the wrong airport in Tanzania. Apparently I forgot that the Mt. Kilimanjaro airport is where we were supposed to be. We spent about 4 hours at the Flamingo Lounge, which is nowhere as cool as it sounds but it was the first time I beat Nancy at Crazy Eights!!!
Nancy's favoite accessory-the head lamp. I love that she is asleep right now so I can upload all the photos I want .....from LSU
Our friend we met at On the Rocks in Positano. Her fiance (he proposed this night) is a dead ringer of "Bo" from Days of Our Lives.
The men at The Drunken Ship, a bar in Rome. This bar was reminescent of Sharkeez. Just like home!
The Italian version of Sharkeez! And where Nancy and I met lots of characters.
Lindsey's last night! We went out with Rhett and his very sweet girlfiend Dune.
Lindsey, Nancy and Dune at the restaurant "TANK".
This is our lovely cook that I wrote about while in Italy. He proudly posed for Lindsey and as you can see, he was smoking away!!
Our guide in Tanzania, Jombi with Lindsey and me.
Saturday, September 30th - Cape Town
I have not really updated my blog since arriving in Cape Town. Cape Town is great! It reminds me a lot of Newport Beach/San Francisco. It is right on the water and offers all sorts of great shopping, dining, activities, etc. We got here last Sunday and went and had dinner with Rhett, a friend of the Ueberroth's from Hawaii, who lives in Cape Town. He is a very interesting, fun guy who is quite a character and has been really great to both of us.
We spent two nights at the Waterfront at The Table Bay Hotel, which is connected to a mall. That was great since the first full day we were here, it rained. So, I spent some time in the mall checking out the So. African Spring Fashions.
We then moved to The Twelve Apostles Hotel, which is more of a relaxed setting. The hotel is very nice and we have settled into it quite nicely. It is the one place we have stayed for more than two nights, so it is a relief to not have to pack our bags up after two nights and move.
While here, we have gone to see the Whales at Hermanus Bay, (it is whale season and we saw about 5 whales - from the shore) gotten massages and facials at the Sanctuary Spa here at the hotel, visited the wine country, cruised around some of the various areas around here and basically relaxed.
We went to Rhett's for dinner one night at his house and he has the most adorable cat that looks exactly like Mr. Big (except for the fact that he weighs a lot less than the real Mr. Big) whose name is Manzo. He is also full of personality, or lots of catnip, and I immediately took to the little devil. Well, at the end of the night I picked him up to say good bye and he did not take a liking to that so he pretty much mauled me on my face.... and drew blood. I have three very attractive scabs on my face to prove it. Manzo went gonzo!
I have met some really great people whom I hope to hook up with during my week here on my own. I am a little nervous to be on my own here but I do have people to call and meet with. There is Lou Rood who is a very colorful man that I am sure I will try to meet up with. He kept me in stitches from the moment I sat down with he and Lindsey (who were meeting abot hotel stuff). Then there is Kim who is a friend/coworker of Rhett's. She is very cool and has a great aura about her. She went out on the town with us last night to a place called Wakame, which is a very popular spot for the "beautiful people" of South Africa. We had sushi there and then went upstairs to the bar. I had hopes of meeting a very hot South African man but seeing that this is the 2nd largest population for gay men, those hopes were soon deflated. Rhett's girlfriend, Dune, is also someone who I really enjoy being around. She used to live in California and New York where she modeled and also did some acting. She has some great stories about some of the actors she came across. She is very sweet and wants to take me for a day of beauty, which I need very badly but she doesn't.
Tonight is Linds' last night here in Cape Town and then she is off to London and various other places. It has been such an amazing experience to be able to travel with your best friend and to share laughs, experiences and deep thoughts with. She has put up with me and my random pet peeves, crankiness when I am sick and my talking in my sleep. I think anyone else would have probably committed some sort of bodily harm to me at this point but not Lindsey. She always has a great outlook on any situation and is game for anything. I feel incredibly lucky to do and share this, I am sad she is leaving. But a new chapter awaits, so I will continue to keep those of you who are interested posted.
Hi Everyone - I finally get a chance to be a guest on Nancy's blog so I thought I would fill you in on some of the highlights or funny memories from my end. I will try to dowload as many photo's as possible to add to the commentary.
For starters the trip has been amazing and it has been so much fun to travel with a friend instead of by myself. As you can imagine when you have this much time to spend with someone you cover just about every topic under the sun and get to know things about someone you didn't know before even though they are your best friend. Some conversations are deep and thought provoking, some random and some just down right silly(aka blonde). We have covered everything from world politics & poaching to "would you rather be stung continuously be tse tse flies or wade into the hippo pool full of hippo crap"! I am sure there are several "you had to be there" conversations but a few of the more entertaining ones included Nancy explaining to me how jet lagged worked (and she was very serious)! That was truly a eye opener for me as I rarely travel:) Another one took place just last night after dinner at my friend Rhett's house. When we got back to the hotel we decided to grab a glass of wine in the Leopard Lounge at our hotel and Nancy decided to open up and let me know that she is truly a social person that needs to get out and be around people! I almost fell out of my chair-can you belive our friend Nancy is social and not a hermit:)?! The thing you learn about yourself when you travel are limitless! As you can tell those are just a few of the silly ones, but there have been many amazing people, places, stories and conversations that really have made such an impact on me.
I think Nancy has done such an amazing job of recapping the things we have done so my job as guest blogger is to fill you in on some of the more silly things, happenings and people we have met that may not have made it into the blog. Nancy has been very kind and not highlighted the many obsessions and neurosis that I apparently have and come out when I travel so I will make sure I include those as well to keep things fair. So here are a few highlights, favorite stories and updates.
Things I have learned about Nancy:
- Her dreams change and adapt to the environment she is in. Gone are the days of dreaming about Mathew McConahot. She now dreams about bush bandits breaking into our camp and dragging her away!
- Ms. Accessorize has traded in dangly earrings for her new favorite accessory- her head lamp!
- She met the Spanish Mr. Big (not the cat but the guy) in Seville, but unfortnately he doesn't drive around in a town car.
- She will overlook badly dressed/80's wanna be men if they are good dancers (She met this gem at On the Rocks in Positano and if I can find a picture I will post it), but think acid wash zipper jeans!
- She hates the words poop and pee, so once I found this out I tried to use them as frequently as possible:)
- She met another Mr. Big (this time it was a cat and a dead ringer look alike), but while attempting to hug and squeeze him like she does the real Mr. Big he mauled her. Blood was drawn, but I told her no worries "its just a flesh wound".
- She is obsessed with the circumcision rituals of the Masai Warriors (but I am too-it is just crazy when you hear about these things)
- She is a social person:)
Things I have learned about myself:
- I wish I had a head lamp of my own.
- I apparetnly talk too fast for foreigners, which I neer knew before.
- I am obssessed with condiments and apparently remember the meals I have at hotels more than any other aspect.
- Stay away from house cats that look like yours but don't want to be squeezed like yours.
- When I drink wine my foreign language skills increase dramatically.
- I am not directionally challenged in foreign countries.
- I sleep with my mouth open -even in public places! Nice touch huh
Things I have learned in general during the trip:
- Forget weight watchers when travelling through Spain and Italy! Just enjoy the wine.
- Police officers are good for two things in Spain-blocking traffic and giving bad directions.
- Everyone has an amazing story to tell so ask lots of questions.
- I LOVE Capri, but beware of Lemoncello.
- Befriend anyone named Salvatore or Juan.
- If you can brave it rent a SMART car they are hysterical.
- Animals in Africa will never bore you.
- When stranded at an airport and being asked to pay overage on your luggage weight allowance, but have no cash (and no access to an ATM or credit card), aks for them to drive you the nearest ATM...they will waive that fee.
Ok-more to come later. I have to run, but promise to fill you in on stories and things I know I have forgotten. Pictures to follow.
September 25, 2006 - South Africa
Today is Monday, a holiday in South Africa -- Heritage Day, so it has been a very busy traveling weekend. After our plans for Zambia fell through, we ended up staying in Johannesburg for three nights and catching up on emails, phone calls, getting back to civilization, etc. The first night we got to Jo'burg, after arriving at the Saxon very dusty, smelly and "rustic," we opted for room service and just some down time. It was very nice just to relax in our nice hotel room and not do much of anything. I read and Lindsey watched a movie.
Jo'burg, pretty much consisted of catching up and not doing a whole lot. We did, however, take a trip into Soweto, which is famous for a number of reasons: the student uprising back in '94, Nelson Mandella, Desmond Tutu, the townships there. Soweto's population is about 3 million people, 99.9% of which are native Africans (there are some white folks that have moved in but the driver told us it was about 4 families).
We walked around one of the townships (which they called squatters camp), which was very interesting. We were lead by a resident there, Lawrence, who is 22 and lives in a one-bedroom makeshift home with no electricity, no bathrooms, no running water, with his family of 8. He was very eloquent and very open about his roots. We took a short walk down the dusty path that on either side sat dilapidated homes with families too large to house them but somehow, they manage. They try to grow their own food, they share a water source and some even have the luxury of cupboards. As with Lawrence, there is no electricity, no running water and no private bathrooms. They have an outhouse that is shared by about 200 people per area. They try to find work on a daily basis to buy food, etc. but I feel like for most of them, this is all they know, so therefore it is OK. It was sad but there was a sense of community amongst them. They all watch out for each other and for some reason, it did not illicit feelings of guilt or sadness.... it is just life for them and they do manage. We also went by the house that Nelson Mandela had there, Desmond Tutu and Winnie Mandela (Winnie and Tutu both still have homes there).
That evening we went to Orient, a trendy restaurant in the "Melrose" area. I was so excited to have sushi and Lindsey was equally, if not more excited, to have some spicy Asian dishes. The interesting part of that evening was being approached by an Asian woman who was offering up massages while you wait for dinner. At first we declined but then Lindsey, always the one up for a little bit more spice and adventure, decided it would be a good story to tell. So, sure enough, we beckoned her over to work some magic on our very sore shoulders (keep in mind, we are lugging over 100 lbs of luggage to and fro, albeit with the help of drivers and bellman but still...). Lindsey was first and our very sweet and demure massuese dug in! I was next and as odd as it was, it was very therapuetic. Sure enough, people at the next table were ordering her very nimble hands to loosen them up before digging into their Bang Bang Duck!
We finally maganged to find flights to Cape Town (it is like trying to book a flight t0 Vegas on Super Bowl Weekend) on Sunday and we were off to a new destination! Cape Town is a cross between Newport Beach and San Francisco. It offers lots of restaurants, night life, shopping, beautiful people, sports cars and it is right on the ocean. Our first night out, we met with Rhett, who is a friend of Lindsey's family from Hawaii. Rhett was on the swim team at U of H and he ended up living in their backhouse when (I think) he was helping Casey with swim team at his high school. At any rate, Rhett, now lives in Cape Town and is very fond of the Ueberroth family and acts as sort of an older brother to Lindsey. He took us out to what he calls a "spunky"bar in Cape Town and boy was it spunky! We drive up to a very crowded bar that is reminiscent of a cross between Sharkeez/Landshark on a Thursday night. The line was long, so we went next door for a few cocktails and then made our way into the bar late night. No matter where you are at, the nightlife is still the same. Lots of drunk people (present company exlcuded of course), loud music, longingly looks in people to meet someone.... typical. I really did feel like I was home (minus my comfortable bed that Deb is now sleeping in, my cuddly cats -- that Deb is now sleeping with and the name Quiet Woman outdoors on the bar or on the matchbooks). But it was fun to go out and see the "spunky" bar and have a great introduction to Cape Town.
Today, I cruised around the shopping mall and had my first "Mexican" meal in a long time. The menu did not exactly reflect an El Torito-salsa stained-menu but I was just happy to see guacamole on the list of supposed "authentic" Mexican cuisine. WhenI asked the sweet African waitress named Rosetta ( I should have known, an African Woman with the name Rosetta at a Mexican Restaurant -- ah the deception!), what was on the Vegetarian Burrito, I got a list of ingredients that sounded like they were on the menu of Daphne's (a Greek restaurant for those who are not familiar with it) instead. So, I took matters in my own hands and created what I wanted. When I told her I wanted a burrito with beans, cheese, salsa, and guacamole, Rosetta looked at me like I had just told her Nelson Mandellla was a porn star. I so wish I could have captured this look and posted it on the website. She could not understand why I wanted beans wrapped in a tortilla with just those ingredients. I finally told her to throw in veggies so that we could say it truly was a veggie burrito. It was not quite like home but close enough. I did have to convince her that this was indeed they way the Mexicans did it. She just stared back with a look of complete disbelief.
Despite a somewhat Mexican meal, I am becoming a bit tired and little bit home sick. Eating three meals out a day from restaurants or hotels, packing your bags to move from hotel to hotel, destination to destination, and a fear of the unknown sort of gets to you (esp at the ripe old age of 29.... well most of you know my real age). Some of my plans are not quite unfolding the way I had planned, so I am now looking at Plan B. I know all will work out but I am a bit stressed. I guess it is the planner in me of the unknown but this is part of the reason I embarked on this adventure, to shake things up! I do miss the routine of my daily life in NB -- working out, having a kitchen, the welcome laughter of Zach/Katie and being greeted by Anne every day after work, are things that I really miss. Don't get me wrong, I am so grateful for this opportunity but I think I am allowed a little time to miss home and the comforts of what has become my normal schedule. OK, enough of this!!
Tomorrow we are going to the Twelve Apostles Hotel, which will be very nice. (
http://www.12apostleshotel.com/) It is pretty much right on the ocean (and it is whale season right now, so we will see lots of whales!) and has a great spa! The rest of the time that Lindsey is here (she leaves on 10/1) we plan on going whale watching, wine tasting and spending more time with Rhett. Should be fun!
The large male leopard perched in a tree in Ndutu.
The children of the Maasai Tribe we visited at Ndarakwai.
Saturday, September 16 – Thursday, September 21 - Ineffable beauty
We FINALLY made it to the camp!!! We were very tired after being in 4 countries (Italy, Paris, South Africa and Tanzania) so when we landed in Dar es Salaam in Tanzania, after being on a plane for over 24 hours, we discovered there was no one there to pick us up. So, we called our contact who said that sure enough, there was someone there….. we finally realized we were at the wrong airport! We should have been at Kilimanjaro but instead we were at Dar es Salaam (which is an 8 hour drive from where we were supposed to be).This airport is not your typical airport, you feel like you have gone back about 20 years in terms of the conveniences we are used to in the US and there are loads of cab drivers everywhere who want to know your story and help you. So, when two blondes (who were very tired) had these confused looks on our faces, they all wanted to know what was going on and how they could help. We managed to find an airline that could take us there at 6p (it was about 3p when we discovered we were at the wrong airport). A VERY helpful and sweet guy named Yonas bent over backwards for us and helped us get our tickets to Kilimanjaro and told us to go upstairs and get something to drink and eat – we would be safe there. We definitely did not feel in any danger but I could see that there were a few guys who wanted to chat with us and we just were not up to it. One of the very inquisitive cab drivers, who was listening in on our dilemma when we were talking to Yonas managed to get his “cousin” over to help us with our many bags upstairs to the restaurant. His cousin was in the Maasai tribe and was wearing the traditional garb.It was sort of an odd thing to see but also very entertaining.
We did make it to Ndarakwai camp and were very happy to arrive! The camp is definitely out in the bush and is very rustic but very nice. We were desperate to take showers, so after they escorted us to our camp and told us to beware of animals on our walk back, they filled our water tanks with warm water. Little did I know that you had to really monitor your time in the shower, so the water ran out while I had soap all over me and conditioner in my hair. I was just happy to be clean, who cares if you have a little soap residue and conditioner still in your hair?
We had a very nice dinner and really enjoyed the peacefulness around us. It was such a contrast to our time in Europe. We had a great time there but this is such a polar opposite experience. The sounds around us were the bush babies running around, the monkeys hollowing, and wrestling bushes that some creature was nibbling on, but there was a peaceful silence to it that puts you in such a relaxed mode.
The tent I stayed in was called Chui (Swahili for leopard) and it was just that, a tent but a nice one. It did not have electricity in it (I arrived at about 9:15p that evening, so you can just imagine the whole shower scenario) but it did have candlelight and lanterns. Thank God I had my headlamp! (Dave if you are reading this, you know what I am talking about). This was my lifesaver! I got it for my volunteer work but was so happy it was useful for my time at this camp.
At any rate, they heat your bed with hot water bottles and you feel like you are in something out of “Out of Africa.” I literally went to sleep with the sounds of the African bush so close to my ear but it was so calming and relaxing. I know there was some large 4-legged creature just outside my tent that night but it did not bother me (yet I was too scared to look).
I woke up the next morning to Blue Monkeys right on my porch. The one was definitely a large male that I named Bart. He was very curious about what was in my tent but luckily when he saw me, he ran away (like most men!).
We went out on a game drive with Thomas, the manager of the camp that Peter Jones (who Lindsey knows) owns and runs. Thomas is in the Maasia tribe and learned English through a researcher who came to his village. He taught himself how to read and write and now wants to a write a book about the Maasaid tribe. He says most books are incorrect or do not give the whole picture. He is still very traditional about practicing but says he also has a foot in the western world. He has the earlobes with the hole cut out of it and he also has gone through the stages of being a Maasai (circumcision when he was between 14- 21 to become a warrior and now he is considered an “elder” in the tribe – at 42!). But he also doesn’t practice a lot of the tradition. He has a job, has been to the US, wears Western clothes and has one wife.
Thomas was a great host and took us out on a game drive. We saw elephants, zebra, impala, kudu, bushbuck, very pretty birds, and some wildebeest. Later that afternoon, we went to the watering hole and watched the elephants drink, bathe and play in the water. I loved that. We were up on a perch and the sun provided such a beautiful glow to what was below us. A few elephants got in the mud and rolled around and one even was rubbing its rather large derriere up against the back of another elephants that was wallowing in the mud. It was so hysterical, it looked like they were doing some sort of booty shaking!
Later that evening, we went to visit a Maasai family. It was a very small one but we were able to go due to Thomas, who is still very much respected in the Maasai tribe even though he has learned English, is working full time as a manager of camp, and has only one wife. The children greeted us with huge grins and head butts (the greeting for children is to put their heads out and the other person touches the top of their head). The kids had pure joy on their faces and such beautiful smiles. Their lifestyle is so different than ours. For one, they literally LIVE amongst the cattle and goats. Yes, that means they have their mud huts that are right next to where the sheep and cattle are. The place we went to had two brothers and I think five wives, multiple children, and LOTS of cattle, and goats. The children were so adorable and really loved Lindsey’s digital camera…. They kept screaming “look at me” in Maasai every time we showed them a picture. Next thing you know, the kids are running off taking pictures with the camera. It was unadultered pleasure for them and we were happy to provide the entertainment! These kids do not have a lot. They maybe have one pair of sandals, a few garbs, maybe a toy (there was one sweet girl who had a homemade doll that she carried on her back) and that is it. Yet they are so happy. They do not even know what a computer is (although some of the men have cell phones) yet they are happy in their simple world. They do find entertainment by wallowing in the manure and throwing chunks of cattle and goat dung at each other.... hmmmm. But each village is different in size, etc. and this one was pretty small. Not sure if this is the common practice in all of them.
The next day we got up and drove to Arusha to meet our guide Jombi. Arusha is a very busy town with crazy drivers and bustling streets but you still saw people from the Maasai tribe wondering the streets in their traditional garb.
After shopping at a cultural center, I met Jombi, our guide. He is 29-years old and is from the Maasai (although he does not have the earlobes with the large hole in it) tribe as well. He says he is of the “new generation” of Maasai because he was educated away from his village and works full time (not as a herder), speaks English and does not want an arranged marriage. Yet, he went through the circumcision ceremony at 14 and definitely still maintains some of the traditions. Jombi really gave us some interesting information about the Maasai Tribe, which is very present in Tanzania and Kenya. It is fascinating to me that they still practice so much of what they did hundreds of years ago. They live in villages with mud huts amongst their cattle, sheep and goats. Their wealth is based on how many cattle they own and they live off their land. They drink cows blood, get circumcised between the ages of 14 – 21 (every 7 years) for BOTH the males and females. For those of you who are not familiar with this practice, they do this as a sign of becoming a man (a warrior). It is a huge ceremony with lots of pomp and circumstance. When they perform this procedure, the men cannot move even a finger because that is a sign of weakness and warriors are not weak. After the circumcision, the Maasai have elaborate ceremonies where the men who did not go through the painful procedure, dance by jumping up and down repeatedly, the village eats a sacrificial cow and drink its blood. I had seen a National Geographic special about it before but did not realize they circumcised both the boys and girls. In their world, women should not have pleasure, just the man. Their thinking is that women will go out and be prostitutes if they enjoy it. However, the funny thing is that both the men and women have “boyfriends and girlfriends” outside of their marriages and it is common knowledge that this happens. When a spear is pitched outside a hut that means that the woman is having relations with another man and that the husband should stay away. However, with this is the speard of AIDS and the Maassi do not understand why they are sick when they get the full blown disease. They think they have cattle disease, so they continue to have unprotected sex, share knifes, and have babies and soon whole families are wiped out. It is very sad. Jombi has a friend who tries to educate them but they still do not grasp the modern idea that a disease could be caused by this. His friend gets very depressed about it but wants to continue to help. They are trying to do this by educating the younger generation.
We went to Lake Manyara with Jombi and went on a game drive en route. We saw lots of game and realy enjoyed getting so much information from Jombi. He knows so much and has such interesting information and facts. (He worked with National Geographic on a feature called The Heartbreak of the Serengeti which came out afer the Africa issue, he is quoted in it, check it out if you can). We then checked into the CC Africa property called The Lodge at Lake Manyara (
http://www.ccafrica.com/) which was incredible. You are greeted by the entire staff when you arrive and you check into a room that is a stand alone bungalow with an outside shower, bear claw tub, four poster bed with a mosquito net and electricity! (a huge bonus to use a hair dryer since we had not for the past few days.) The staff was great and I loved hanging out in their outside common area and reading their ecological journals about the game at the various camps that CC Africa owns (which is also a conservation society, so it is ecologically sound too). Sadly, we had to check out the next day but we did go on a very cool game drive where we saw all sorts of great game. The only bummer was not seeing their famous “tree lions” – the lions climb the trees and tend to go up there to nap which is not typical. We did catch a quick glimpse of a leopard which was very cool.
After lots of driving and bouncing around in the four wheel drive (the roads here are not paved and are very bumpy), we made it to Ngorogoro Crater Lodge. It is also a CC Africa property but different than the last one we stayed it. It sits atop the Ngorogoro Crater and looked like something out of the Hobbit. Little cottages set amidst a mountainous setting. I enjoyed a nice long shower (you get so dirty with all the dust and elements you encounter) and then made it to dinner. It is typical for the guests to gather for drinks and then seat you when you are ready to eat. We met a host of characters from all over -- a missionary, an investment banker who was an avid Safari Junkie, a photographer, a guide, hunters (not my pick of people to converse with at that time), a couple from Texas, another couple who we could not figure out if they were married or not (even though they told us they were on their honeymoon but neither was wearing a ring). But we shared some great conversation and tips with one another and then we sat down for dinner with Jombi. We had so much fun just chatting about his perception of the Western world. He is very smart but makes it very simple - like many of us, he cannot make sense of the war. I asked about what he saw from 9/11 and he said he was on Safari at the time and heard about it when he got back. He said he immediately did all he could to find out about it. He had to take a recording of what happened on 9/11 to his motherand hook it up to solar electricity so she could see what happened. He said she cried and began praying for all those innocent victims. He says overall, the opinion of Bush is very bad and they follow the politics very closely. It was interesting to get his perspective on it. And the overall feeling the Tanzanian peope have towards our politics, which like most people outside of the US, they follow very closely and know so much.
The Ngorogoro Crater was bizarre. Ngorongoro Crater is the world's largest intact caldera (collapsed volcano). The crater was formed some eight million years ago when the cone of an active volcano estimated to be larger than Kilimanjaro collapsed. This formed a crater more than 600 metres (2,000 ft.) deep and 20 kms (12 miles) in diameter with a crater floor area of approx. 265 sq kms. The volcanic nature of the soils and plentiful water supplies transformed the volcanic cone into a spectacular sanctuary to the many species of wild game and birds that inhabit it today. There is so much wildlife concentrated in this area so it is a great place to see wildlife but the bizarre part is that is much like an African Disneyland. There are so many jeeps and people that you come across and you cannot drive off the roads, so you feel like you are just passing all these jeeps and on sides of the road is a pride of lions feasting on a kill, which is exactly what we saw.
We saw a large group of cars on the hill and knew we had to check it out, so when we approached we were excited to come across a large pride of lions gorging on a wildebeest. I could see out of the large amber grass the legs of the wildebeest protruding and jerking back and forth. This was the cause of about 6 lions (lions, lionesses and cubs) deavouring their meal. There were probably about 10 lions. Some were feasting on the kill while the others, with stomachs protruding, where napping underneath the jeeps. It was sort of surreal to see these "wild" animals so comfortable amongst the crowd of jeeps surrounding them with the people in them yelling in different languages and the sounds of clicking camers. At one point, one of the jeeps tried to leave but the lion laying next to it would not budge. He was that used to the vehicles!! They all were. The lion even started to play with the wheel of jeep similar to a cat plays with a dangling string.
We decided to leave the Crater and continue our very long and bumpy ride to the next lodge in the Serengeti. Our typical days were now comprised in the back of the Mercedes Jeep from about 8a - 6p. I have this bizarre theory that all the bumping and bouncing around has some sort of weight loss ability. Not sure if this theory is true but wishful thinking has always helped me rationalize not exercising and eating three full meals a day!
On our way to the lodge, I spotted a figure in the tall grass. Jombi said it was a cheetah! We stopped and waited and soon a female cheetah and her 5 cubs happily bounced out of the grass! It was sublime to see this since 50% of cheetah cubs don't survive past a certain age and these were all on the older side. Their mortality rate is pretty high due to the fact that the Cheetah females are solo (not within a pride like lions) and they go out during the day to hunt and oftern their cubs are captured by other predators or scavengers. Jombi said that this was a very good mother and it was rare to see that many cubs with her. Cheetahs are the most endangered of the cats, so it is encouraging to see that.
We arriveed at Serena Lodge in the Serengeti where Jombi handed us over to Peter Jones, the owner of Ndarakwai and the Safari company. Lindsey met him when she was here on a safari a few years back with Rebecca and Mac. He helped Lindsey scout some exotic camps and set up a safari for the two of us. Peter is a very interesting person. He is British, but grew up in Afghanastan, was educated at Oxford where he studied Anthropology and then decided to travel the world and started in Tanzania and never left. He has a wealth of knowledge about Tanzania, the wildlife, archeology, anthropology, photography, etc. I could listen to his stories all night but I think we both wore him out with our inquisition. He never got impatient and was a great host during our three days with him.
We went out on game drives with him every day and saw so many amazing scenes. Some tragic, all of them breathtaking. Some of the highlights were spotting a new born baby giraffe (maybe a week old) but that hard part of that was that it was all alone with the mother no where within eyesight of us. It stood very still and was probabaly about 10 feet away from us camaflouged in the trees. We at first thought maybe it was injured but we did see it move all its legs. I left feeling so sad if the baby was on its own. It was getting dark and predators take full advantage of these vulnerable offspring. But Peter said giraffes have excellent eyesight, so the mother could very well be out of our eyesight but within the calf's.
Some other moments included spotting a male lion on the side of the road only to discover on the other side of the road was a male and female, the stronger male courting the lioness. Peter said that the two lions were brothers and they will fight for the lioness. The lioness will choose the lion with the larger mane (a sign of strength and therefore a stronger litter). The lion was just waiting for the sign from the lioness who clearly ran the show. We watched as she got up, him following closely behind her, and sauntered to a rock that was warm from the morning sun. She lounged up there as he tentatively followed behind her. He tried making his move but she gave out a snarl that clearly told him she was not in the mood. We waited about 15 - 2o minutes and watched. The other male, meanwhile got up and crossed the road, keeping an eye on both. Not sure if he was just waiting for his brother or hoping to move in onthe territory. He didn't seem really bothered and just lounged underneath a bush and watched. Pretty soon, the lioness got up and laid down close to the rock and the lion approached her and climbed on her. This all took place within about a matter of a minute. Peter said they will mate every 20 minutes. We of course made some jokes about that -- where was the cigarette and drink afterwards? What about cuddle time?
We also came upon a hyena that was chilling out in a mud puddle in the middle of the dirt road. We got really close to him and he barely twiched. He was clearly enjoying his afternoon nap sunning and did not want to be bothered by cameras and curious onlookers.
I think two of the most memorable sightings were of a leopard and some lion cubs. This all happened within about an hour on our last day. Lindsey spotted the leopard, a very large robust male that was sitting in the grass. It was a good spot since they camaflouge themselves so well and are so elusive. We were able to go off the road at this particular park (Ndutu), so we cautiously approached him. He sort of glanced at us every once in a while but other than that didn't seemed to be too bothered with us, which was great because we could get up close to this remarkable cat. Peter pointed out that he was a very successful male due to his size, lack of markings from encounters with other predators/scavengers and he even had a few fat folds. It was rare to spot a leopard in this particular area but we happily watched as he snuck through the grass, stared down some distant impala, sniffed around and then eventually climbed the tree. It is extraordinary to watch this strong spotted cat climb up this tree with such ease. He then found a comfortable position and perched in the tree with the setting sun in the background. A remarkable sight.
Peter said we needed to head back since we could not be out in this park past dark, so we bid farewell to this leopard who we knew would continue to survive out in this unforgiving landscape. On our way back, I spotted some small movement amidst the dusk and dust. I realized they were lion cubs and alerted Peter immediately. I was so excited since I really wanted to see more of the lions cubs and this was our last day. But what we came upon, at first thinking was so sweet was ultimately very tragic. We approached five lion cubs that were in the middle of the road of this barren landscape, with no lioness in sight. Peter said the lioness would never leave her cubs out of sight like this. We got a closer look and they all looked very thin and malnourished. It broke my heart. Unfortunately in Tanzania, they do not have any rescue/rehabilitation programs, so if the rangers come across an injured or orphaned animal, they will do nothing. They will interfere if it is caused by something manmade in the park (for example, a baby elephant fell down a manmade water well and they rescued it) but other than that, it is illegal to do anything. Their thinking is that this is nature and we as humans are not to interfere. Something that I would like to see change. Peter said he is working on it but there is a lot of red tape and could take a while.
I left heartbroken and distraught. Peter has a friend that lives close by that has done extensive research on cheetahs and the lion pride in this area. He thought he may know about what happened to the lioness but his friend was not there. I am waiting to hear if there were any updates.
Tired, emotional and dirty, we made it back to camp. The camps we stayed during our time in the Serengeti varied from lodges to actual tents with no electricity to very simple rooms with hot showers allowed during certain times. I am fine with this since they are trying to maintain the integrity of the Serengeti. This is important since so much of the wildlife's land is being taken away from them. The environment is an issue that urgently needs to be addressed. Global warming has had its affect on Mount Kilimanjaro (the glacier is melting) and animlas are dying off due to droughts or flooding (as well as poaching and hunting). It is an issue that needs to be addressed in our lifetime. Not our children's or grandchildren's but ours. So much I am learning is being threatened and within ten years, we could be in some serious danger. Species can go extinct, weather can cause major catastrophies and the land is being eaten up by trash -- a very real threat. This is something we don't see when we are lounging at the beach in Newport or enjoying the view of the sunset during cocktails but it is real and I have had a personal experience with it now and hope to do some small thing to improve it.
Alas we said "see you later" to Peter (since I have a feeling I will be back to Tanzania) and boarded a chartered flight out of the Serengeti on a small 3-seater Cessna (our luggage took up most of the space), flew to Kilimanjaro airport, landed in Dar es Salaam and flew to Jo'burg. Long tiring day but it was nice to be greeted by our driver who had a great smile and loved to chat with us. I cannot recall his exact name but it meant respect in one of the 11 languages spoken in South Africa. He spoke 8 of the 11 languages, including the clicking language which they use clicking noises with their tongue. Really cool to hear.
We arrived at the Saxon, a far cry from the tents of the Serengeti. This is where Oprah stays when she is in Joburg, as well as Nelson Mandela, Will Smith (ok, those two have few similarities except for their fame). And hey, if Oprah stays here, I am more than happy to take advantage o the high-end accomodations. The rooms here are beautiful and classy. As much as I absolutely loved the experience in Tanzania, I really did enjoy the warm shower, plush robes and the feeling of being clean of the dirt and dust.
I have now spent the last two hours typing away and am ready to see Johannesburg. I miss my family, friends and the everyday routine of home but this is an experience I am so fortunate and pleased I am taking. Please send me emails and comments on the blog. I love hearing even the slightest updates from home. Hopefully I have not bored you with all the details but it really moved me and I hope to illustrate all the emotion and beauty I encountered.
Our car we rented in Positano to cruise the Amalfi Coast.
Definitely not the US standard of an SUV!
September 13 - Long Journey
I am sitting in the Johannesburg airport right now awaiting my flight to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania and then a long drive to our camp. But I am very excited to begin this new chapter in my journey.
Europe was great! We had a lot of fun, met some great people and saw some amazing things. Rome was more beautiful and interesting the second time around and I would love to go back and spend more time there. There is so much to see and do. It is an amazing city that is full of energy, history, and beauty.
We arrived in Rome after being in Salerno. Not a big fan of Salerno but as usual, we managed to find some humor and entertainment amongst the confusion, crowds and small alleyways that we managed to get lost in. The restaurant we finally plopped ourselves down at after walking up and down the many streets to find something other than pasta... was in fact, a pasta/pizza place. The owner/manager at first would not speak to us since we did not speak Italian but we finally managed to get his attention and order. Shortly after ordering, I glanced upstairs in the kitchen to find the cook at the restaurant cooking food with a cigarette dangling from his mouth gingerly with about an inch long ash just waiting to pepper our food. This was after we got the bottle of wine with no label and lots of sediment. We just laughed it off and decided to make the best of it. The owner/manager warmed up to us and we got some great shots of the cook puffing away as he is preparing the meals.
We left Salerno and flew to Rome, which is such an amazing city with so many stories to tell. I wish we could have stayed longer but we got Rome 101 the following day. We had a driver take us around Rome whose name is Alfredo. Alfredo looked like an Italian movie star (which we later found out he is in the industry as a location scout) and was very Italian and had the most contagious laugh! He thought we were hilarious and he would bellow out this high-pitched laugh that always ended with a snort. He loved to talk but in typical Italian style, would look at you while he was talking and use his hands a lot. Keep in mind, we are in the backseat and he is in the front driving us in the very confusing and busy streets of Rome. Drivers in Rome are blessed with having the Pope live in their city. They all drive like lunatics but manage to never get in accidents. I just kept telling the drivers that we definitely do not drive like this in California.
At any rate, Alfredo took us around and we went in and got a very interesting (and free -- the tour guide made a point of telling us that after every anecdote) tour of the St. Peters and then checked out the Pantheon, Coliseum, Old Rome, and the keyhole (for those of you who do not know what this is, it is a keyhold that you look through at the top of Old Rome and it offers you a perfectly framed picture of the top of St. Peters outlined by trees that are on the other side of the door of the keyhole you are looking through.
After flying from Rome to Paris to Johannesburg, it has been a very long journey and an expensive one! Air France charged me 500 euros (the equivalent of $630 US) for my luggage!! Not happy about that. I have to log off now to catch my flight but will continue on later! I am most likely going to be offline for a while but hope to have some great updates and pictures for you next time!
Ciao!
