Pictures and Memories

It is a standing joke that after returning from a long vacation you invite your friends and family over and torture them with a slide show.  Everyone is crowded into the living room the lights are turned off and the host, in a monotone voice, narrates slide after slide.  Hopefully after the show the lucky invitees, after they wake from a coma and wipe the drool from their chins, will still be your friends, and your family didn't disown you. Well in modern times a blog or Facebook tells the story and friends and family are invited via e-mail to view vacation slide shows and in that spirit I sent out Kodak Share e-mail invitations to all my friends and family.  If I missed someone or you know someone who would like to see my photos please send me their e-mail and I will send them invitations. (gaferraro@knology.net) So it would be less overwhelming I divided my photos into albums so you can view an album here and there and not be overwhelmed.  I hope you enjoy my pictures and viewing my slide show will still be my friends and family after all is said and done.

Reflections Out of Africa!

Three and a half weeks and three countries it is hard to believe that after all the planning and anticipation the adventure is over. This morning I woke up in my own bed still a little jet lagged but no worse for the wear. It is hard to believe that we were in South Africa, Lesotho, and Swaziland! Even harder to believe is that even though Lesotho and Swaziland are smaller then most US states they could not be more different then South Africa which dominates and surrounds both countries. Lesotho is landlocked inside South Africa and Swaziland is boarded on three sides by South Africa and on one side Mozambique. The one thing they all had in common was how friendly and welcoming the people were. Before Will and I left we heard all about how high the crime rate was in all three countries esp. South Africa. We were told to make sure we didn’t drive or walk about alone at night, to make sure we left nothing on the seat in the car to put everything in the boot (trunk). Thankfully we were spared and did not see that side of these wonderful countries. What I did notice is that things we as Americans would see as negatives they see as the norm. People in South Africa all live behind a wall called security. As you drive along the streets you don’t see sprawling lawns you see walls topped with either barbed wire or electric fence (or both), a security gate and signs warning that not only is there an alarm but armed force will respond to the alarm. Hotels, guest houses, bed and breakfasts advertise that they have security guarding the parking lots to keep your car safe. Stop signs are superseded by signs telling you not to stop because it is a high crime area. In America these would be things that would keep people away, but somehow it doesn‘t keep tourists away, heck we went. We went to a place where animals roam free and are protected and signs warn people of their presence but also not to molest them and it is the people who live behind security walls. Yet despite that we had a remarkable adventure one that was thus far the trip of a life time which is now over and we are left with pictures, memories and souvenirs to help us recall our time spent in Africa! After three flights totaling ~20 hours we arrived home safe and sound. What I do know is that my experience in Africa was exceptional and one that has left me with a lifetime of memories. I am better for having been there. I am not sure what our next adventure will be but I can say this that it will be have to be phenomenal to surpass Africa, but I am willing to give it a go! It is late and I am off to bed tomorrow there will not be a breakfast basket at my door but after living out of a suit case for three and a half weeks what I can also say it is nice to be home! Good night!

Day 25 11/05/10

The world travelers have arrived, right now I am sitting in the Delta Sky Club. We left yesterday for the airport at 08:00 South African Time (+7 central) our first flight on South African Airlines to Johannesburg departed at 10:50, 19:10 Johannesburg to Atlanta and we finally arrived in Atlanta at 05:51. One more flight to go 11:12 Atlanta to Huntsville and we will finally be home. We have been through security 4 different times to include a full body pat down. All in all we are exhausted and as the saying goes, “There’s no place like home, There’s no place like home.” Would that it could be so easy to click your ruby slippers and bam you are home! Vacations or holidays as they call it in South Africa are a blast, to bad travel sucks the life from your very soul. I am so glad to have the rest of today and the weekend to recover! I wouldn’t trade my experiences for the world, it was a remarkable vacation, one that will be difficult to top, but I am game to try! Now I have to lose all the extra baggage and I don’t mean my luggage! I think, no I know I ate my way through three countries. I am not even sure that I am up to Thanksgiving this year after this three week binge! Signing off!

Day 24 11/04/10

Our basket was outside our door for the last time this morning! So sad to see it go! We had to be up and out very early to get to the airport for our the first leg of our flight from Cape Town to Johannesburg. When we arrived we paid to have our bags wrapped in plastic, yes you read correctly it is apparently a security measure to prevent theft! Luckily when we checked in they could check our bags all the way through to our final destination even though it was South African Airlines (SAA) transferring to Delta. I hope when I finish the long journey home my bag will be there too. Well any way back to SAA when we got to the gate they not only check the bag size but also weigh the bag, my carry on had to be gate checked. I have fragile glass animals from Swaziland in the bag, I was in a panic, but they wouldn't budge. My bag went off all wrapped in a large plastic bag and sealed with security stickers. My bag did make it but I haven’t opened the boxes, I will save that until I get home. Will thinks they will be fine as they were so carefully wrapped and padded with paper they should be fine. I hope everything is in one piece. Keep your fingers crossed. When we got to the airport we gassed up and returned the rental car, and started the long walk from the rental cars return to the terminal. Will checked a bag in stored baggage so we went to retrieve it and repack which was quite an ordeal. We keep forgetting that we are not in the US and that most places don’t take credit cards and if they do most times the dial up doesn’t connect! After repacking the bag we headed off to check the bag, surprise, Delta doesn’t open until 4 and is now 2 o’clock! Off to eat lunch but wait, we order and what, what you may ask, bam their credit card machine is down no service. Off to the ATM around the world and back to pay for lunch. Now I have Rand I don’t need because I had to take out a minimum of 50 rand increments! Ok no biggie I can find something to purchase. Delta finally opens we check the bag and head to security and passport control. That went well which is always a relief! We went to get our refund on our VAT, they would only give us a check in rand. What good is that, well they direct us to the Western Union next door, they will cash and convert they check. Then the hammer falls I had a check for ~76 rand after the fee I was left with 50 rand, I didn’t bother converting to dollars since that was an additional fee. Will was hopping mad, he didn’t cash the check he is going to wait until he gets home to cash it at Wells Fargo, I cashed mine because Redstone Federal Credit Union doesn’t cash foreign checks, so my rand went to purchase a bag of M&Ms and a Toblerone bar, so in the end chocolate made the whole thing better! I am now sitting in the Air France First Class lounge waiting to board my flight. My journey is ending and I will be home tomorrow. I have the weekend to recover and perhaps work on pictures. Until tomorrow!

Day 23 11/03/10

This morning once again our breakfast was delivered in a basket outside our door! I could get accustomed to this very easily!!!! It was overcast this morning and a bit cool so we ate breakfast in the room. We then researched wineries in the local area to see if there were any that served sulfite free wine. We found one, only one!!!! I guess if I want to drink wine I am going to have to start stomping my own grapes. We made a pit stop along the way to process our VAT refund, what fun that is, more to come! After all the fun at the VAT refund we were off to the winery. There are countless wineries in the Cape Town area. I would have never guessed. Villiera Wines the one place I thought I could enjoy a good wine tasting, but alas they only had one, that’s right one wine, actually a sparking wine which did not contain sulfites. It was not that good so Will continued tasting while I waited and watched. The staff directed us to two other wineries in the area that supposedly had sulfite free wines but they too were a bust, they had organic, ladybug wines but none which were sulfite free! On to lunch at a Lebanese restaurant located in the middle of Stellenbosch wine capital of South Africa! Go figure in a town which is predominantly Afrikaans we would find Arabic food. But we did!!!! LOL Since it was not much fun for me or Will to go wine tasting when I couldn’t taste we headed back to Cape Town. Along the way we stopped at the Century City Mall. I think it is bigger the Bridge Street, Parkway Place and Madison Square combined. They were starting to put out their Christmas decorations, and I bet it is going to be spectacular. I do not think I could even estimate how much it cost to build the mall much less decorate it! The evening after we returned was kind of slow, which was good as we are weary from travel. We packed our bags and had dinner in a café down the block from the guest house! Tomorrow all the fun at the airport and three plane rides home! Happy, happy, joy, joy!!!

Day 22 11/02/10

This morning our breakfast was delivered in a basket outside our door! Yogurt, croissants, hard boiled eggs, mini multigrain bread loaves, cheese, cold cuts, the guest house also puts our coffee, tea, juice, cereal, in the kitchen. The basket is so you don’t have to get dressed and or showered and eat in your room or you can take it and enjoy your breakfast on the roof deck. We opted for the latter and enjoyed a beautiful sunny morning with a view of table and signal mountains! After breakfast we hit the open air flea markets and shops in the local area! Will once again proved without a doubt that he is the master of the deal. If this were Vegas his face would be posted all over town to let the merchants know to beware. After a whirlwind tour we headed back to the room to regroup. We decided to have lunch at Victoria and Alfred waterfront we ate at Quay Four, we sat right on the boardwalk and not only enjoyed the view but found out how friendly the local birds can be! LOL two kept trying to steal my chips (French fries). After lunch we had ice cream Hagen Das YUM, then it was a ferry ride to Robben Island (Robben means seal in Dutch). Robben Island is where the South African Government imprisoned political prisoners fighting against Apartheid. Nelson Mandela being one of the most notable, as you know he later after being released became president of South Africa. It was a fascinating tour, we started on a bus tour, the guide was extremely knowledgeable and hilarious at the same time. Robben island has been used as a penal colony by the Dutch, English, South Africans, as well as a leper colony, during World War II the prisoners were removed and the military move on to the island to defend the cape coast. In 1962 it was once again used to as a prison and the prison which stands today as a museum was built. The last political prisoners were released in 1991. Today due to the wisdom of Nelson Mandela who preaches “reconciliation” which means “to not take revenge” South Africa is rebuilding itself to be a country which is inclusive and tolerant, this done for the sake of its children and the greater good and future of this country. Today the same political prisoners are the tour guides at the prison and they use their unique and very personal stories to provide a unique and powerful insight to life in this notorious prison. After the tour we took the ferry back to Cape Town and had dinner at the City Grille, Will had kudu and I had springbok followed by desert! Tomorrow is our last day our adventure is coming to a close, one last day to explore this unique City! Hard to believe it is almost time to fly home!

Day 21 11/01/10

The wind died down a bit this morning so before breakfast Will and I went on a walk down the beach to see the penguins. It was early and I think the penguins were as tired as we were!! When we returned breakfast was served on our beach front porch outside our room! It was so nice to enjoy a hearty breakfast while watching the waves crash on the beach! It looked so nice we took a picture to remember, two eggs over easy, bacon, tomatoes, mushrooms, a fried banana, toast, and juice, somehow tasted better al fresco! We headed back to Cape Town after breakfast so we could check into the B&B and get settled. 17 on Loader is a modern located in DeWaterkant. The owner explained that DeWaterkant means “waterfront” and the name of the street Loader is so named because it was the main street used to unload the ships in the harbor. Through land fill and expansion DeWaterkant and Loader no longer sit on the harbor but the name and the history tell story of a time gone by! After checking in we took a walk around the neighborhood and had lunch at Tank a sushi restaurant. Luckily for us they were have half price sushi and cocktail lunch special, BONUS!! We spent the rest of the day exploring the shops and took in a movie. We ate dinner at the Greek Fisherman on Victoria and Alfred Warf, Will had Norwegian Salmon and prawns I had the grilled calamari! It was a great way to end a wonderful day in Cape Town!

Day 20 10/31/10

After breakfast we checked out of the Fountain Hotel to start our travels down the Cape! Much to our surprise we not only awoke to a fine sunny day but Table Mountain was clear, not a cloud in the sky. We quickly re-planned and headed over to Table Top. We took the cable car to the top and there spread before us a 360 deg view of Cape town as far as the eye can see to include as far away as the Cape of Good Hope/Cape Point. It was breath taking! It took about 45 minutes to walk around the top, the mountain is ~1073 meters above sea level! We then headed to Camps Bay. Camps Bay is Cape Town’s equivalent to Malibu or Caramel Beach. Beautiful white sand beaches and surfers hitting the waves, but most importantly a spectacular view of the Twelve Apostles, a twelve mountains. Will had Camps Bay marked as the perfect spot to take pictures of the Twelve Apostles and he was correct. We then headed on down to the Cape Point Ostrich Farm. It is a breeding farm with 40 breeding pairs, we were a week early to see the new chicks but we had a great tour! They are fascinating birds. We had lunch, ostrich medallions served with sun dried tomatoes and a caper cream sauce, delicious, and our first time trying ostrich. We then took a tour. The tour included the hatchery where they incubate the eggs, they take them away from the nest to keep the baboons from stealing and eating them. The eggs are marked and coded with the parents information. When it is time for them to hatch the babies start kicking, in the wild the mother uses her breast bone to break the shell, in the hatchery they use a hammer. If the mother or someone with a hammer doesn’t help the baby cannot break through the shell, it is so strong a person can stand on one and it won’t break. After the tour we bought some beautifully carved ostrich eggs as souvenirs! FYI one ostrich egg can feed seven people! The next stop, Cape of Good Hope. The second southern most point on the African continent! We took a funicular to the light house, the whole day it was a bit windy but wow, at one point at the top hear the lighthouse I thought the wind was going to blow me off into the ocean. Oh, not to mention as a bonus we saw humpback whales. We also saw baboons and they were everywhere, they are very bold, while having coffee at the restaurant a few actually entered the restaurant to steel food. And if you think a cat walking across your car leaving prints is bad how about baboons sitting on your car! It is kind of freaky because there are signs all over that say how dangerous they are, not to feed them to not get out of the car or roll down the windows and then boom there they are on your car, and in the restaurant! We then headed off to our B&B Froggy Pond! The owners Derek and Ann are charming and welcoming and the room has a view of the ocean and the penguins. Yes the penguins, Will and I went on a long walk along the beach and yes they are everywhere! You can get so close but they do bite as Will found out as he tried to boop their beak! One was so fascinated with Will’s camera strap he walked right up and started biting at it! We then headed off to Boulder’s Beach and had a great dinner at Bertha’s a seafood restaurant on the bay, False Bay! We had African style spring rolls served with a mint yogurt, I had dorado fish and Will had blue fish, we both had malva pudding with caramel sauce and ice cream, YUM. Right now the wind is howling loudly outside our windows but we are safe and sound and both exhausted inside so let the wind blow! It is getting late so I will sign off, tomorrow we head back to Cape Town! I hope I have internet access so I can update you all! Until then!

Day 19 10/30/10

We made it, we are in Cape Town! The flight from Joburg went very smoothly. We made sure that we got to the airport early so we could return the car and have our bags wrapped with plastic. The bag is put into a clamp, the machine then spins the bag and bam the bag is wrapped! All in all smooth sailing through the airport, and we didn’t even have to take our shoes off. After checking into our hotel we headed off to Table Mountain. Table Mountain is smack dab in the middle of Cape Town it can be seen from all over the city! Well any way when we arrived they just closed down due to high winds which makes it unsafe to run the cable car and also the table cloth, a thick cloud layer which looks like well a table cloth, was too dense! So we regrouped and drove down to the Victoria and Albert water front. It is a wonderful place filled with stores, restaurants, street performers and people enjoying life! After wandering around the waterfront and in and out of countless shops we built up quite the appetite so we began browsing menus! Each restaurant keeps a copy or copies of their menus outside and the staff stands by waiting to help you decide to dine at their establishment. We finally decided to have dinner at a South African restaurant named Karibu which means welcome in Swahili! I had the “line fish of the day” white salmon pan seared with putu and chakalaka which is a traditional dish of beans over a white corn meal. Will had the white salmon grilled with the putu chakalaka we both followed up with decadent deserts, or puddings as they call them here! Tomorrow we are heading down to the Cape Point and the Cape of Good Hope. Penguins and ostriches await!

Day 18 10/29/10

We left Thaba Tsweni after breakfast and headed down to Graskop to stop by the art gallery. Will and I were there the day before and purchased a few small sculpture pieces. Will wanted to purchase additional items but wanted to sleep on it, I knew we would return. After the art gallery we got on our way to Johannesburg. We stopped at Pilgrim’s Rest which is a tourist town setup to look like an old time mine town. It was OK but there really wasn’t much to see or do, it had the usual old time general store, and shops but it was mostly a tourist trap. When we arrived in Jburg we headed over to the airport to check on the baggage storage area and to check in with South African Airways to clarify the checked luggage weight limit. We were then off to the Hilton Sandton for a night of luxury before we start the next phase of our adventure in Cape Town. Cathy and Michelle picked us up for dinner, we had a very nice time at Spurs a local establishment with a home town feel. It was a very nice meal and best of all great company and conversation. Hopefully they will have a chance to come to the States so we can return the favor. It is late and I need to hit the hay we have to be at the airport early in the morning. Hopefully I will have regular access to the internet and or WiFi in Cape Town.

Day 17 10/28/10

Our first day in a long time not having to get up before sunrise was great! We slept in had a nice breakfast and then started exploring. We hit the falls today there are quite a few in Blyde River Canyon we hit the ones closest, we started with Berlin Falls, the water falls through a natural slice in the side of the cliff and falls 263 ft. We then went to Lisbon Falls. Lisbon Falls crashes down over the rocky cliff and falls 295 ft down. We then went to Mac Mac Falls. Mac Mac Falls are two falls a larger one with a smaller one to the side. Mac Mac Falls through two openings in the cliff and falls 230 ft. They are each different and beautiful in their own right. The names of these falls come from the miners who named them after their home cities, in Mac Mac falls case it is named after Scottish miners who were panning for gold close by the falls. We took a break for lunch and ate at Harries again. This time we tried the sweet pancakes. I had fig and pecan stuffed pancakes with whipped cream and Will had cinnamon sugar with milk tart filling and ice cream. They are a delicious as they sound and very filling. I also tried a red rooibos cappuccino, I will have to make these at home, yum! We then went to see God’s Window! God’s Window is located on the Panorama Route and is a vantage point at the edge of an escarpment from which you can see out into the canyon valley. It is a beautiful and awe inspiring site! The next stop was the natural bridge, it is as it an opening between a river pool on one side and the continuation of the river on the other. The flowing water cut a hole through the rock and formed a natural bridge, it is not that big but it is impressive. The next stop was the Pinnacle. This column of rock which rises cheer from a base of evergreens. It is made of sedentary rock and stands in the middle of a canyon which opens to the valley. The column was carved from an ancient sea and now stands in majestically between the horseshoed canyon walls. After such a busy day we took a break and started packing so we can head to Johannesburg tomorrow. We then ate dinner at a Portuguese and Mozambican restaurant in Graskop. The food was outstanding and the atmosphere was spot on! Tomorrow is a new day and we will be on the road again. Four hours and we have one night in Johannesburg and the fly to Cape Town! Until tomorrow!

Day 16 10/27/10

Our last safari game drive went much better this morning. Our tracker and guide tracked a hippo right to his pool. The water was a bit low so we could see more of the hippo then ever before. We wanted to get closer to the pool but the guide explained that the shore line wasn’t safe because the hippo can run up to 40 kilometers per hour directly out of the pool. The guide then did something very unexpected he got down from the vehicle and boom the hippo turned his attention directly to him snorted and showed more of himself in the pool and opened his mouth wide showing his long canine teeth. He didn’t charge but it did get our attention. Next they tracked and found a herd of 300 water buffalos, we were right in the middle as they moved past grazing and bowling through the brush! It was awesome to be smack dab in the middle of a herd. The water buffalo is considered to be the most dangerous animal, the guide explained that a water buffalo doesn’t bluff if he postures to charge he will and does charge! The guide then explained about how lions learn how to specialize when the hunt. Some learn to hunt giraffe by chasing them to a paved road where they lose their footing, or drive them through an area with fallen trees so they trip. Once a giraffe hits he ground he can never get up, his brain hemorrhages as blood rushes to his head. He then explained that lions also specialize in hunting the water buffalo by either by using quick attacks intended to wound an animal and then stalking the herd until the animal becomes to week to keep and then they take it down. The most remarkable one is that one lion will provoke a water buffalo to get it to charge and leave the safety of the herd the lion then leads the unsuspecting animal to an ambush and the rest of the pride pounces to take the animal down. It was fascinating to learn that what seems like chance is really strategy and a lion is doing the planning! After returning to the lodge and a hearty breakfast we were off to our next adventure, Blyde River Canyon which is the biggest green canyon in the world. Thank God this was going to be a short drive, only 3 hours. We stopped to see the three Rondavels, Bourkes Luck Potholes. The Three Rondavels are massive rock formations that look just like their name says, a traditional building style, a round hut with a pointed thatch roof. Bourkes Luck Pot Holes is located at the confluence of the Blyde (joyful) and Treur (sad) rivers. They are deep depressions down from a water from the two rivers swirling rock and sand and that look like huge pot holes filled with water. Local miners panned gold out of these holes. They actually look like something specially created set to film a movie about landing on another planet. As it was starting to get dark we headed to our guest house. Thaba Tsweni (Black Baboon) guest house consists of chalet style accommodations, all brick and blond wood. It is self catering meaning you have a functioning kitchen if you would like to do your own cooking. We will not be doing that in fact tonight we ate at Harries, a world famous, who knew, pancake house which is in Graskop. No I don’t mean South Africa’s IHOP, this is a huge pancake which is over stuffed with either sweet or savory fillings much like a crape but thicker. I had a sticky pork with apples an onions, and Will had butternut squash with feta cheese. We then decided to each eat only half and switch so we could each try two stuffed pancakes in one sitting. Both were equally delicious and unique, we finished the night with four scoops of ice cream each, mine with chocolate sauce and his with caramel! We then crawled back to our car over stuffed with a good meal and headed back to the chalet! We are both exhausted and looking forward to sleeping in tomorrow morning. Breakfast is at eight after which we are off to see the numerous waterfalls and God’s Window and what ever else comes our way! This has been a full force no holds barred vacation and this rest stop is just what we need to continue our adventure in Cape Town in a few days. Life is good!

Day 15 10/26/10 continued

After an eventful morning I worked on some pictures and blog. I am having problems getting pictures into the blog Will showed me how to size them down smaller but the internet WiFi has been so week everywhere I have been that it is still taking a long time. Well the evening game drive safari was a bit slow, then we happened upon a bird a Korhaan. The male bird sings a song to attract a mate. He then flies straight up in the air and makes a death dive by flipping over and falls back to the ground and flips upright at the last minute. The first time I saw it I thought a bird of prey caught another bird mid-flight. The guide then explained what had happened and a few minutes later another male performed the same flight to a death dive. It was a phenomenal sight, so unexpected. The rest of the drive was a bit slow the animals seemed to be hiding in plan sight at least we didn’t see them. When we returned the lodge had planned a boma, our second one. They have a special court yard with a large fire pit, a covered table, a bar and long brai (bbq). Well off to bed tomorrow is our last game safari drive, hopefully we will have better luck in the morning!

Day 15 10/26/10

This morning, 4:30 rolled around early esp. since there is no air conditioning in the room and it was hot and humid. I am so excited to report on our ride, we saw four of the big five. First we came upon two rhinos, they were oblivious to us until the wind changed and they caught our scent and ran off with their tails held up high! As big as they are they sure do spook easily. Then a leopard sleeping in a tree, he was magnificent and from what I have been told was the same leopard they saw last night with a fresh kill. He gave us quite a show climbing down the tree, walking along the dry river bed bank, sitting than sprawling on a rock. We followed him for a while, I am in a van with many shutter bugs! The lions or rather lionesses were out in force today, two of them were relaxing on the shore next to the watering hole and one was lying under a tree with four 6 - 8 week old cubs. Yes lion cubs!!!! They were so cute; the mother just laid there while they climbed all over her, rubbed up against her, and nursed. I so wanted to hold one but I do like my hand, arm, well let’s just say I wanted to live!!!! The cubs were the highlight of my day so far, I really didn’t expect to see baby lions, but I DID!!!!!

Day 15 10/26/10

This morning 4:30 rolled around early esp. since there is no air conditioning in the room and it was hot and humid. I am so excited to report on our ride, we saw four of the big five. First we came upon two rhinos, they were oblivious to us until the wind changed and they caught our scent and ran off with their tails held up high! As big as they are they sure do spook easily. Then a leopard sleeping in a tree, he was magnificent and from what I have been told was the same leopard they saw last night with a fresh kill. He gave us quite a show climbing down the tree, walking along the dry river bed bank, sitting than sprawling on a rock. We followed him for a while, I am in a van with many shutter bugs! The lions or rather lionesses were out in force today, two of them were relaxing on the shore next to the watering hole and one was lying under a tree with four 6 - 8 week old cubs. Yes lion cubs!!!! They were so cute; the mother just laid there while they climbed all over her, rubbed up against her, and nursed. I so wanted to hold one but I do like my hand, arm, well let’s just say I wanted to live!!!! The cubs were the highlight of my day so far, I really didn’t expect to see baby lions, but I DID!!!!!

Day 14 10/25/10

This morning was our last safari at Arathusa, which I found out means “to help” in a local African language. The ride was uneventful until the last hour, we saw a large bull giraffe, the dominant bull rhino weighing in at 2 and a half tons. We got up very close to the rhino and the guide told us we were very lucky as he is usually in a foul mood and has been known to charge and ram vehicles. But the best was yet to come we finally saw the male leopard (previously we had only spotted female leopards) and he had a kill up in the tree, he was sleeping off his big feast on a termite hill. It was the icing on the cake. Sadly we had to leave Arathusa lodge, and headed off to Kambaku which means “great tusker” or Old Elephant bull” after a large bull elephant that lived in the area! We had some interesting sightings along the way, two very large hippos behind an electric fence right off the highway, as well as seven, yes seven giraffes. Kambaku is very different from Arathusa, it is traditional African in it’s structure, in a very exciting 1930’s African safari movie way. In about 45 minutes we are due to go on our first safari ride at this lodge. I will post more after I return. This evening’s ride was slow, we saw a few giraffes, one baby giraffe was about 2 weeks old and you could still see the umbilical cord was still attached, a jackal (a first time sighting on this trip), the impala are always out as are the zebra, we also saw some elephants. One elephant even chased a crocodile back into the water, and then proceeded to harass two Egyptian geese! He must have wanted the watering hole to himself as he proceeded to give himself a mud bath. As a general observation I find it strange how you almost have to be right on even the largest animal before you can see them in the bush. You would think it would be difficult to hide an animal as big as an elephant! When we returned we cleaned up and had a nice dinner. It was suppose to be under the stars but the stars were behind the clouds and rain seemed to be a sure bet so we ate in the lodge. It was a very nice meal with good conversation despite the temperature being 99 deg. as well as high humidity. We are grouped with a Swedish family, Michael, Eva and their children Carin and Martiin. They asked if we could start the morning ride a bit earlier, originally an full hour but it was agreed upon at an extra half hour earlier so we need to be up by 4:30 to make a 5:00 safari ride. When we returned to the room we cleaned up and got ready for bed all by hurricane lamp light. Showering, brushing teeth and shaving is much more difficult when you are doing it in low light. Another thing to chalk up to having experienced it and can check it off what ever cosmic list there is to keep track of such things. Tomorrow our first morning safari ride. I am off to bed!

Day 13 10/24/10 continued

The day keeps getting better and better, I do have one go back to the nature walk, our guide told us about and then demonstrated a South African spitting context. Not watermelon seeds, olive pits or anything you would ever guess, it is impala droppings, little poo pellets. At first we thought he was pulling our leg but he picked up a pellet put it in his mouth and spit, and then repeated the act. He won hands down as no one would take it on to challenge him. Do you blame us???? After a relaxing afternoon of blogging, I have been back posting pictures, we had major activity at our watering hole. Three elephants decided to grace us with their presence. They drank, splashed around in the mud, and had a ball cooling off and all taking place within a stones throw of our infinity pool! We also had warthogs, impala, baboons, waterbuck, and warthogs. We were off again on our evening safari. The evening safari at first glance didn’t give a hint as to what was in store. We saw several giraffe, water buffalo, storks, and then an elephant herd drinking and playing at a watering hole. I tried to get a picture of the baby, a month old, but the older elephants kept it under close watch and in the middle, and every time it seemed to stray they reeled it back in. I did manage to get a shot but it is so small it is hard to see. The elephants surprised 6 hippos and again they are not so clear but they are there in the picture. We also had another leopard sighting, two hippos an adolescent male and female. One leopard we tracked had only one eye, she lost one defending her cubs against a male leopard, we watched her stalk impala it was fascinating. We couldn’t stay to see the kill as the guide explained it could be hours before she made the kill. After the safari we had dinner in a traditional African Boma style, a large fire in the middle and tables circled around. The skies even put on a show as magnificent lightning strikes lit up the sky!

Day 13 10/24/10

This morning we had another early start to our day! 5:00 tea and biscuits, the 5:30 we are loading the open air van and in a light morning drizzle we start off on our safari. We weren’t sure we would be successful since it was raining but boy were we wrong. First thing we see is a mother giraffe with a baby giraffe, very tall baby!!! We next come across a group of hyena, the young one was so curious about us he came right up to the van and started exploring. Around the next turn we come across three lions a male and two female just laying around relaxing along side the road. It was amazing how unaffected they were by our presence! They just watched us watching them and then all of a sudden got up and started making their exit. The most excitement came when we saw impala running through the thicket, they were being chased by a leopard which was being chased by hyena. The hyena eventually treed the leopard which allowed us to take some great pictures, the leopard then climbed down and we followed it through the bush! The most amazing surprise was the white rhino, he was magnificent! The white rhino is distinguished from the black rhino by their ears and mouth. The white rhino has a square wide mouth and pointed ears the black has a triangular mouth and rounded ears! The rhino was a bit skittish and didn’t hang around very long so we were off again, this time we heard some trees snapping and loud chewing, what to we find but two massive bull elephants. They wouldn’t turn around so all I could get were butt shots but they are massive. The morning safari was quite nice even though it rained well drizzled for most of the morning ride, I wouldn’t have missed it for the world! I can now say I have indeed seen the big five up close and personal. Cape buffalo, lion, leopard, elephant, and rhinoceros. After a great breakfast, gourmet French toast, delicious! We went out on a nature hike, the guide had a rifle with him just in case. He showed us a bit about how they track, they use not only paw or hoof prints but also dung, they listen for noises, flattened grass and broken branches, hair stuck to limbs, smell, birds making noise, all four senses are keen to being a good tracker. Lucky for us we had a good tracker this morning and on our hike, because Will finally got the shot he wanted a full grown male kudu, he was ecstatic. Right now I am sitting in the open air lounge typing this blog! Tonight we are going on another sunset safari, hopefully we will have more sightings! I cannot wait!

Day 13 10/24/10

This morning we had another early start to our day! 5:00 tea and biscuits, the 5:30 we are loading the open air van and in a light morning drizzle we start off on our safari. We weren’t sure we would be successful since it was raining but boy were we wrong. First thing we see is a mother giraffe with a baby giraffe, very tall baby!!! We next come across a group of hyena, the young one was so curious about us he came right up to the van and started exploring. Around the next turn we come across three lions a male and two female just laying around relaxing along side the road. It was amazing how unaffected they were by our presence! They just watched us watching them and then all of a sudden got up and started making their exit. The most excitement came when we saw impala running through the thicket, they were being chased by a leopard which was being chased by hyena. The hyena eventually treed the leopard which allowed us to take some great pictures, the leopard then climbed down and we followed it through the bush! The most amazing surprise was the white rhino, he was magnificent! The white rhino is distinguished from the black rhino by their ears and mouth. The white rhino has a square wide mouth and pointed ears the black has a triangular mouth and rounded ears! The rhino was a bit skittish and didn’t hang around very long so we were off again, this time we heard some trees snapping and loud chewing, what to we find but two massive bull elephants. They wouldn’t turn around so all I could get were butt shots but they are massive. The morning safari was quite nice even though it rained well drizzled for most of the morning ride, I wouldn’t have missed it for the world! I can now say I have indeed seen the big five up close and personal. Cape buffalo, lion, leopard, elephant, and rhinoceros. After a great breakfast, gourmet French toast, delicious! We went out on a nature hike, the guide had a rifle with him just in case. He showed us a bit about how they track, they use not only paw or hoof prints but also dung, they listen for noises, flattened grass and broken branches, hair stuck to limbs, smell, birds making noise, all four senses are keen to being a good tracker. Lucky for us we had a good tracker this morning and on our hike, because Will finally got the shot he wanted a full grown male kudu, he was ecstatic. Right now I am sitting in the open air lounge typing this blog! Tonight we are going on another sunset safari, hopefully we will have more sightings! I cannot wait!

Day 12 10/23/10

This morning we left Mlilwane in Swaziland at 6:00 and headed out to our next adventure at the Arathusa lodge in Kruger National Park. A herd of nyala were right out side our rondavel as we packed the car. They were so close I could almost reach out and touch them. At one point I a mother and fawn walked within 6 ft of me and stood there looking at me while I ate a breakfast bar. It was a wonderful feeling and will be a cherished memory! We decided to take the mountain route out of Swaziland, along the way we passed a gasoline truck and at that point didn’t think any thing much more. We stopped for gas in one of the only stations on the way and found out that they were out of gas and waiting for said gas truck! We waited an hour for the gas truck to arrive and refill the station. After we got back on our way we had smooth sailing to Kruger. Kruger national park is huge and we entered one of the southern most gates. The drive was slow going but well worth it. First we saw a rhinoceros, then a mother elephant with her calf, we then saw two lion cubs and to top it off a giraffe and then finally two leopards. At this point I have seen 4 of the top 5, lion, rhinoceros, elephant, leopard, the only one left was the cape buffalo. We had to exit the park and get back on the main highway to get to our final destination Arathusa lodge. The trip took longer then expected and we thought we were lost several times along the way but in the end we reached made it in with 15 minutes to spare to make lunch at 2:00 and take the 4:00 safari tour. Arathusa is a luxury lodge, all meals and a few drinks included. WiFi, weak but there, air conditioned rooms with phones quite a step up from our previous accommodations. Right off the bat on our safari we ran into a herd of cape buffalo, the fifth puzzle piece to the big five. The safari truck is open air and they animals are almost in the seats with you, or at least it seems that way. We also saw, dwarf mongoose, Egyptian geese, steenbok, bush babies, a whole herd of at least 60 elephants, a hippo, brown snake eagle, fish eagle, nyala, impala, lions, kudu, and warthogs. After snacks and drinks at sunset we continued our safari with the tracker using a spot light to find the animals, it was like a page from Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom! When we returned we washed up and had a delicious dinner of gemsbok steak, which tastes like a very expensive steak, it was time to clean up and get some sleep. We have a 5:30 safari and don’t want to be late!

Day 11 10/22/10 continued

We just returned from our sunset safari and dinner. It looked like it was going to rain the whole time but thankfully it didn’t we did however have to deal with wind blowing loose sandy soil but it was worth it. The guide was very knowledgeable and he pointed out a few new animals we had not previously seen and corrected a couple we thought we saw. Tonight we saw blesbuck and female nyala which we thought were some other species because they look nothing like the males. We also got a better look at the hippos as well as the skittish kudu we also saw an even bigger crocodile. After a ride around the reserve we drove up to the top of the mountain. Even though it was overcast the view of the valley below was beautiful, the landscape at the top was other worldly, strange aloe growing like palm trees and coral looking plants that grow grass like leaves that the guide said the local people use to make rope! All and all it was a great day and exceptional evening. At dinner we even had a chance to try blesbuck stir fry, it too tastes like deer! Strange isn’t it, on the ride we see it on the hoof and then for dinner on the griddle! We have an early start in the morning so I am going to sign off. Next journal entry will be from Kruger National park. More adventures to follow.

Day 11 10/22/10

The best laid plans of Glenn and Will often go awry! This morning we got up at the crack of doom to do our laundry only to find out that the lady who know how to use the washing machine doesn’t come in until 9:00. Ah the pleasure of travel in Africa. We planned to have a few loads in while we ate breakfast but instead we ate then went on a drive around the sanctuary. We saw nyala, kudu, zebra, wildebeest, impala and while eating breakfast we saw what looked like a 14 ft crocodile in the pond next to the Hipo Haunt restaurant and bar. When we returned from our drive we found the laundry lady. It does seem that even though there is a full size washer it is not fill on its own. You have to add water by the bucket full. You need to be a pinball wizard to make the token go down the slot! The process then is pushing buttons, turning power on and off, and I believe crossing your eyes and sticking your tongue a certain way. We are now experts and actually started the second wash on our own! Laundry is almost done, we had to hang the jeans over the chairs in the yard and put the socks on the table to finish drying. We had the braai (Bbq) for lunch, impala chops and wildebeest wurst! It was delicious! Right now we are taking a quick break and hit the internet café which has an ice cream stand next to it. My diet is so out the window!!!!! Any way I had a chance to work on pictures, I use two programs on my computer to do it but I do have pictures to post . I will do post them when I have a stronger internet connection, right now it takes quite a long time to post my journal alone. I am having a blast, tonight we are going on a sunset safari and tomorrow we leave for Kruger National park.

Day 10 10/21/10 continued

I think Will and I know all the craft stores in the area. After Malendela’s, where I had WiFi to post, we went to the source and got a tour of Under African Skies which is where they make the batik sold in the area. The tour was very interesting, they start with plain white cotton fabric, stencil the pattern, then use wax to prevent die from staining areas of the fabric, they then progressively add more wax and die until the pattern is completed. After completion the wax is boiled off the fabric and it is hung to dry. This is a very time consuming tedious process which leads to beautiful one of a kind patterns even starting from the same stencil no two are alike. Since they do not sell direct to the customer we went to their store Baobab Batik, the store is incredible, I purchased three beautiful batik pillow cases for a steal and cannot wait to get them home! We then headed off to Ngwenya Glass, the only glass blowers in Swaziland. The store used exclusively recycled glass to create beautiful and for our standards reasonably priced blown glass. I bought a complete set of the big five, lion, elephant, leopard, water buffalo, hippo. After a full day shopping we headed back to the reserve, and on the way in we saw three Kudu and took some pictures, they allowed us within hand reach which was very surprising but allowed for some close up shots. We are now relaxing enjoying a cold drink at the bar. Will wanted to get some sunset photos so after relaxing a bit we took a drive to find the best spot to shoot sunset. Will and I pulled up to a big pond and he set up his camera. Well then it happened, I saw the first of the big five, two hippos! They were on the other side of the pond so I went over so I could try to get a snap a good picture but my camera couldn’t zoom enough and their wasn’t enough contrast between the muddy water and the hippo. But they were there! Now to see a lion, leopard, elephant and water buffalo. Tonight I tried Impala Chops at dinner, they tasted more like beef, again not chicken. LOL. They were very good and in general I have enjoyed everything I have eaten here on this trip! Tomorrow, laundry and then a self guided, we will have a trail map, hike around the sanctuary.

Day 10 10/21/10

We woke up early to greet the day and have a hearty breakfast to tide us through a busy day shopping for souvenirs.  We ate breakfast in the open air restaurant next to the watering hole, birds nesting in the trees, and catfish jumping.   We arranged for a sunset open vehicle safari tour for tomorrow night, it should be wonderful!  On the way back to the rondavel after breakfast we found spring bock and zebra grazing outside our rondavel, Will and I of course stopped to take a few pictures.  On the drive out the gate we saw a blue wildebeest and a kudu.  Again another of what will be many picture taking moments.  Will also took some great shots of two dung beetles doing what dung beetles do with poo.  Right now I am sitting in Malandela's Internet Cafe.  I don't have much WiFi time so I will sign off here I just wanted to post yesterdays blog and make a quick post now.  I will update you all when I next have Internet/WiFi access.

Day 9 10/20/10

Today day started early with a hearty breakfast at the Ardmore Guest House. We checked out the weaver shop and believe it or not wound up purchasing Christmas ornaments. We wanted to be sure to have enough time to see a few area sights and still have time to make it to The Kingdom of Swaziland before dark, and I am glad we did. On route to Swaziland we stopped off at Monks Cowl to take some pictures of Champagne Castle which is a mountain in the central Drakensbergs. It seems that at every tourist spot there are local craftsman. At this stop there was a gentleman selling hand crafted clay animals which are sun baked to dry. Will and I bought a giraffe and a rhinoceros. Even though we have a GPS we are quickly finding out what it means to be in the boonies as our GPS is having difficulties keeping a satellite connection, go figure. After taking a few pictures of the mountain we continued on our journey to Swaziland. We stopped off at what at first glance to be another local craft center the Thokozisia Lifestyle Center. We quickly realized that it was more a boutique center in some ways like Disney theme park shops. There were however a very large colony of weaver birds which were weaving their nests, almost like a Mutual of Omaha Wild Kingdom moment unfolding before our eyes. After leaving the shopping center we pretty much kept to driving stopping for gas and what seemed like the longest road improvement project in the world along the way. Will actually let me drive a bit. If he had hair it would be gray. LOL The first thing that happens is as I am watching a woman cross the street someone opens a their car door, Will’s first clutch the pearls moment. The driving went well for quite a few kilometers until while driving I swerved to miss one dog crossing the road when another one came out of nowhere and I swerved to miss hitting it, that was clutch the peals moment two. Back to driving minding my own business when while passing someone they decide to speed up and over the hill a car is coming at us both. Will took over driving after that! I really did a good job considering people drive like maniacs here and animals and people make for Frogger like driving conditions. We are both safe and Will didn’t have to change his underwear! Crossing the boarder into Swaziland was uneventful which is always a relief. After a few more loss of satellite (LOS) the GPS guided us safely to the Mlilwane Wilde Life Sanctuary. When we checked in we were told that since our rondavel was so far from reception and the restaurant it was advisable that to avoid the hippopotami which come out at night we drive to dinner or the bar after dark and remain in our room when we return. Though the booklet in the room says that there has never been an incident with the hippos I don’t want to make history and be the first. The park is beautiful and driving in we have already seen, impala, kudu, ostriches, warthogs, blue wildebeest and vervet monkeys. Dinners are served buffet style in an open air restaurant. Tonight I tried gemsbok for the first time, it tasted like deer, go figure not chicken this time! LOL You know because everything seems to taste like chicken. Our rondavel is a self serve with a kitchenette overlooking the valley and the mountains. I cannot wait to wake up to enjoy the view while having a cup of tea tomorrow morning. We will be here three nights and plan to not only see the park but also explore the craft centers outside the park.

Day 8 10/19/10

I know a mass posting but we just found a place to connect to free WiFi.  We woke up early to head out to Clarens to have breakfast.  We found a very nice little cafe The Highlands and a wonderful local girl Julie who was a wealth of information on the area and things to see and do as well as the best routes to get there. I don't have much time left on my free Internet WiFi so I won't be able to work on and publish pictures.  This morning my sunglasses broke, the screw fell out and Will's phone is still not working so we are off Bethlehem to get them fixed, the sun is killer here as well as see if we can get Will's phone to work!  I will work on pics and update past posts when I can.  We are having a great time.  Tired from all the time in the car but it is beautiful here!  I'll post again when I can, until then I will keep my daily journal.  Bye for now!
I'm back after all the events of the morning we headed on down to Royal Natal and rugged Glen in uKhahlamba Drakensberg Park.  The Drakensberg Mountains are a beautiful range and right now they are a mix of winter dusty browns dispersed with spring leaves and flowers bursting to life.   The parks main attraction is the Amphitheater which is just exactly that a natural amphitheater carved out of the Drakensberg Mountain range.  It is a beautiful site to behold.  Will took so many shots at different times to catch the light playing on the range as it set.  I too took quite a few myself and will post them at a later date. I am not that quick at editing and the WiFi connection is slow so combine the two and you wind up with, well you get the picture.  After spending a few hours driving around the park we headed out to our guest house.  Ardmore Guest Farm is a working farm which also has a weaving shop on the premises.  We are staying in the Eland, a two story, two bath, living room, three bedroom with a patio and balcony.   It is located in the Champagne Valley and we have a beautiful view of the Drakensberg Mountains.  We had a wonderful dinner in an open air dining room after which we had tea and retired to our room.  Tomorrow after breakfast, a stop in the weaving shop and a few parting pictures we will head on to our next adventure Swaziland.  This might be the last time I might have WiFi connection.  I will keep my journal and post when I can, I will also work on adding more pictures.  Until next time!

Day 7 10/18/10

The day started early so we could have enough time to pack the car, have breakfast and check out of Semonkong Lodge in Lesotho.  We left the lodge at 8:30 and made the 60 or so kilometer trip down what is more rock, gullies and pot holes than road.  We finally arrived in Maseru to do a little shopping, we went back to the tourist bureau and the Lesotho Hat to pick up a few souvenirs.  We had lunch at Regal and Indian restaurant, it I had a chicken and spinach dish which was absolutely fantastic, perhaps the best Indian food I have ever had.  After lunch we headed toward Teyateyaneng and arts and crafts town especially known for weaving.  Our first stop was Helang Basali, a cooperative of women weavers working in the original St. Agnes Mission building.  They specialize in traditional fine frame loomed products.   The shop and store front were very simple but filled with beautiful woolen tapestries.  Will and I both place orders from their catalog, which they will ship when completed!   I bought a few other smaller things so I could have something to take home and enjoy immediately!  We hit a few other weaving shops before we headed to the boarder to cross back into South Africa.  The first boarder crossing was closed when we arrived we missed it by an hour.   We headed down the road a bit to the next crossing only to find that when we entered Lesotho through the Maseru crossing they did not stamp our passports correctly.  They stamped us a departing and now we had to explain why we didn’t have an entry stamp.  Will smoothed things over in a way only he can do, that is after we had an earful from the passport control agent.  She finally corrected out passports and filled out the paperwork we should have filled out upon entry and sent us on our way.  Needless to say we were quite relieved when South African passport control stamped us through without a hitch.   We arrived at Glen Reenen Rest Camp, Golden Gate National Park.  The accommodations are also rondavel structures and the room is quite comfortable and it has a TV, but no internet.  In the room there is “Beware of Baboons” sign, they apparently can be quite a nuisance.  Since this is a self catering room we had dinner at the Golden Gate Hotel (four star hotel) which is down the road.  The meal was very good and a inexpensive by US standards.  Tomorrow we are hitting the road again taking in the sites in the park and I am sure taking quite a few pictures.

Day 6 10/17/10

I think I had the best night’s sleep in a very long time, the fire was still going so the room was warm and toasty.  We managed to get up early so we could get a good start on our day.  I neglected to write that every morning tea ladies bring us tea and cookies I will miss that when back home.  This morning we dropped off our laundry, it is washed by hand and returned that evening and the prices are incredibly inexpensive, I will miss that too!  After breakfast Will and I headed off to Maletsunyane Falls.

   Along the way we met some people from the lodge, they were from Sweden, Drs working 3 months in Maseru, Susan was just leaving, Ule her replacement and his wife Ana.  When you travel it is a wonderful part of the experience to meet people from around the world.  To have a chance even if briefly to learn a bit about them share stories.  I like that very much!  The falls were spectacular and I took so many photos as of course did Will.  Semonkong Lodge holds the Guinness World Record Certificate for the longest commercially operated single drop abseil (repelling) 670 feet down the Maletsunyane Falls.  This morning two people were abseiling while we were taking pictures.   We couldn’t see them as the viewing point is quite a distance from the falls but we did see them when they returned and were told that it was quite an exhilarating experience, I bet it was!   After we returned from our hike, eating a quick lunch we headed off into town.   There wasn’t much to see, in fact it makes me feel very lucky to have the life I do!  People here live with the bare minimum and most do not have indoor plumbing, and use out houses.   Towards dusk Will wanted to head down the river to get some sunset pictures.  Strangely enough the river was three feet lower today and the reflections were not what he wanted them to be nor did the clouds cooperate to reflect the suns setting rays.  He made the best of the situation and snapped quite a few shots.  We headed back right as it got really dark and went straight to dinner.  Mind you dinner starts at 6:30 and even getting there at exactly 6:30 dinner lasts until 8:00, things are very, very slow but nice as we have no were to rush back to except our rondavel!  During dinner we struck up a conversation with two people we met earlier Mary and David, she is from Virginia and he is from Kenya, a very nice couple.  It seems that Huntsville is famous around the world all thanks to U-tube and Antoine and his five minutes of fame after someone broke into his sister's room and tried to sexually assault her.  She could even quote him and knew some of the words to the song, and they live in Kenya, what a thing to have Huntsville be known for around the world!   The night security guard came by to start the fire this evening, he seemed to be able to do so with cardboard, twigs, fire wood and a lit candle!  Go figure no accelerant needed!  LOL  It is getting late and we leave in the morning!  Tomorrow we are back in South Africa!  Hopefully we will have internet connection soon!

Day 5 10/16/10

Neither Will nor I got much sleep last night.  It was colder then we thought it would be and I for one find it difficult to get comfortable sleeping in sleeping bag.  We were up at 5:15,  it seems that roosters crow at times around the clock and not just at sun rise, go figure!  We started organizing our things, ate breakfast, and then packed the saddle bags.  The chief’s wife Georgina asked us to take pictures of her and invited us into her house (living room, bedroom and dining room studio) to take pictures.  It seems that each rondavel serves a particular purpose one is a kitchen others are for sleeping, the one we slept in like I said in my previous blog was a preschool. We left the village at 7:00 a.m. this time we took a different route home, which was for the most part flatter valleys, broken up by steeper/rockier areas.  We made very good time and arrived back at the camp at 11:30.  Please don’t get me wrong but I was so happy to see the lodge and my rondavel, a shower and real toilet and bed are very good things.  The owners were quite relieve to see us, they were concerned because they got hit with worse weather then we did and they were worried we had a rough time on the trail!  Yes I just said “on the trail” like I am back in the old west!  After cleaning up we had some lunch and relaxed, we went on a short walk before dinner and retired to our room.  Since we were so cold last night and there was a chill in the room Will and I tried to light a fire in the fire place.  First we tried using twigs with magazine paper to get it going, no luck but pretty colored flames.  Next we tried plane sheet paper still no luck.  I walked down to the kitchen to see if they had any newspaper, when they asked why I said I wanted to start a fire at which time they gave their secret Besotho fire starting secret, a white waxy fire accelerant, go figure. Will and I would never survive out it the wild alone, good thing we don’t have to because apparently we cannot start a fire on our own. Well I am not a sore as Will, and it is not bad as long as I keep moving but when I sit a while it makes for an interesting time getting back up!  Tomorrow we are heading on a couple hour hike to Maletsunyane falls.  Yes read correctly hike hopefully a good night’s sleep will heal sore muscles!  I just will be happy if I can get out of bed on the first try in the morning!

Day 4 10/15/10

I am typing this entry at 8 p.m. local time from my Besotho hut (rondavel).  This morning we left from Semonkong at 9:00 to start our pony trek to Ketane Falls.  Our guide Joseph made sure we had everything we needed packed in saddle bags, (food, sleeping bags, clothing, etc.).  The journey took us up one side of a mountain and down another.  The horses were sure footed and I am glad for that because in some places the trail was narrow, steep, and rocky.  I am very proud of Will this was his second time on a horse and it was a 5 and a half hour ride.
 Along the way the scenery was breath taking, mountains and valleys, village after village each with a certain uniqueness to them.  We were also privileged to pass by one village in particular.  All the boys were being taken to the mountain as a right of passage to become a man.  They were following a bull they had adorned with green branches and bundles of grass.  All the adults esp. the women were cheering and singing and calling out to them as they left the village.  We started our journey off in sunshine, then it rained, sleeted, hailed and snowed!  When we finally arrived at Kaheng Village, Chief Matthias and his wife Georgina greeted us and showed us to our rondavel, which also serves as the preschool.  We waited out the rain and hail before we started on our half hour hike to Ketane Falls, the hike took us down mountain trails and down a rocky slope but it was all worth it.  As we stood perched high above the falls looking down into the valley it made the journey all worth it.  When we returned Will and I started dinner. There is no electricity or gas  so we used a propane stove to cook our dinner, and then boiled water to clean off the dishes so we could reuse them.  Joseph our guide showed us how to cook pop, it is like grits/polenta only you eat it with milk.  He made too much so we took what was left and brought it to Chief Matthias and his wife Georgina.  There is also no toilet but there is an outhouse and using it for other then well let’s just say standing was not in the picture. There are also no beds so we are sleeping on what look like the mats that were used for gymnastics when I was in high school gym class.  Also FYI the floors are made from mud which is mixed with cow manure and spread smooth by hand, which I am told is a woman’s job.  Don’t pass judgment on the blogger I am just blogging like I was told.   The same mixture of mud and cow manure was also spread on the inner walls and then painted.  It is now time to try to get some sleep as we leave tomorrow at 7 a.m. we are taking a different trail home but it will still take five hours or so to get back to Semonkong!  Good night!

Day 3 10/14/10

This morning after breakfast and some souvenir shopping at the Basotho Hat.

  After shopping we left Maseru and headed out to Semonkong.  Along the way we stopped to hike up Mt. Thaba Bosiu which is where Lesotho King Moshoeshoe made his last stand against the Boer settlers.  His army fought until they were forced to surrender.  His body is laid to rest in a cemetery on top of this mountain, Thaba Bosiu means “place of laying down” in Besotho.



The drive though only 60 kilometers took us about 4 hours up winding, steep and for all intents and purposes unpaved dirt roads.  The roads if you can call them that were rocky, and had deep run off ditches and crater like potholes.  It was slow going and like no roller coaster ride I have ever been on.  Will drove most of the way and I took over the last 20 or so kilometers.  I am not sure which pained Will most, his part of the drive along with the rocky bumps and creaking car or my driving.  When we arrived at Semonkong (place of smoke) which is literally the end of the road we were shown to our rondavel.  The staff has a little mascot a small terrier named Jagermeister, helped us not only to our room but with our bags, or so he thought he was helping!  The lodge is along a river so Will and I took some time before dinner to take some pictures.  During dinner the host told us that in July of this year Princes William and Harry stayed here and Prince William actually stayed in our rondavel!  Well it has been a very long day and tomorrow we head out on our pony trek!  Tomorrow night at this time Will and I will be in an actual Besotho village sleeping in a hut!

Day 2 10/13/10

After traveling about 5 hours we finally arrived in Maseru, Lesotho, we checked into the Mohokare Guest House, the Potoana room. The room/suite is basic but very nice, basic as in no internet, so unfortunately no daily blog update. Since we do not want to travel at night we needed to stay one night here and will leave for Semonkong Lodge in the morning. The drive here wasn’t so much long as it was tedious. The GPS took us a more direct route but it was also off the beaten track. We went for very long stretches without so much as seeing a house and there were no rest stops, which I for one will never take for granted again. Bumpy roads, iced tea and no rest stops make for a unique test of will power! The landscape reminded me of Texas, very flat and brown. It was very obvious that we were approaching Lesotho as the landscape went from flat to mountainous. Lesotho is called the Kingdom in the Sky. Semonkong is the official start of our “adventure”. These past three days have been all travel, two spent on a plane and one in the car. I feel like I am traveling to the ends of the Earth just to take my vacation! But it so far it has been worth it!

Day 2 - On the Road

After a good night's rest and a good breakfast we are off to Lesotho.  I am not sure if  I will have internet connectivity there so this might be my last blog for about a week.  If I don't have connectivity I will catch you all up on our adventure at the next opportunity!  Until then or perhaps until tomorrow, which it will be we will all have to wait to see!

Day 1 - Vacation Begins!

Will and I arrived, it was a long trip but it is behind us now, full steam ahead the adventure begins.  The only drama on the plane was a woman who was causing a problem arguing  because her family was spread out over the plane and she claimed she had booked seats together.  It finally came down the wire the threat of TSA coming on board to remove her and her family.  At that point people sitting in ear shot agreed to move.
We arrived about a half hour early, breezed through customs, waited a bit for our bags, FYI Will's was marked "Priority", but we still waited and mine which was regular checked baggage arrived moments behind.  I thought I was going to witness a drug bust in baggage, a beagle's sharp nose honed in on someones luggage.  NO drugs but he did find lunch, the man was carrying dried sausages and fruit. Oh well no excitement there!  After a quick stop at an ATM, we picked up the car a RAV 4, pretty nice we were off to the hotel The Sandton Hilton.  Our friends Cathy and Michelle picked us up and took us to Nelson Mandella Square.  It is in the middle of a multi level mall, convention center, banking center, library, shops and restaurants, and best of all it was right down the street from the hotel.  We ate dinner in Lekgotla an African themed, restaurant.  We had a wonderful buffet dinner, there was no way we could choose only one thing to try off the menu!  Desert too was quite the experience.  All and all a top rating and a wonderful way to end our first day in South Africa!  Tomorrow we head to Lesotho!  A five hour drive from Johannesburg!

Take Off, Let the Adventure Begin

Well we made it to Atlanta!  Thank you to Paul for picking me up this morning and driving me to Will's house and a big thanks to Tracy and Will (her Will) for taking us to the airport.  Huntsville for all it is not, as in a big city, is a great point of departure to start an adventure.  It is always slightly unnerving having to check in, and go through security but it is much easier when the airport is not a mega terminal!  Needless to say everything so far has gone smoothly.  When we arrived in Atlanta we grabbed a quick lunch and now Will and I are sitting in the Sky Club.  He is a platinum medallion member and he is able to bring in a guest, that would be me!  A plate of snacks, a double baileys and cream, and a double espresso shot caffe latte and all that remains is to sit and relax before boarding time.  Flight time to Johannesburg 15 hrs 45 minutes.
So far the only negative was the "whistling man", he whistled in check-in, through the security line, and yes he was also on our flight!  I am not sure by what miracle he stopped whistling but thank God he did.  The next time I blog I will be in South Africa!  I like the way the reads!!!!

T-1 Vacation Eve

The night before my big adventure vacation begins.  The bags are packed, checked against the packing list!  Tomorrow morning when I wake up I am leaving on a jet plane, a month away and three countries to explore!  That is after spending two days traveling, first check in, airport security, a flight to Atlanta, and then hours to wait before departing at 7:05 p.m. for an almost 15 hour flight!  Happy, happy joy, joy, that it is direct, no connection to make or have to make a mad dash across an other airport to catch!  I will try my best to keep up with my blog, there might be times I won't have Internet or Wifi access, I will keep a journal and post when I can.  Let the adventure begin!

T-2 Pre-Pack

Conducting a packing dry run when there is time is very important to good travel preparation.  Today I had the time to do just that.  I am glad I did, it made me realize I needed a few extra things to complete my check list.  It also gave me a chance to see if I had the right luggage to carry what will be my entire wardrobe and other essential items to make it through my entire vacation.  If you think about it luggage is your traveling closet, dresser and medicine cabinet.  Now-a-days it is also your traveling office.  I wouldn't want to have to spend money on something I left behind or couldn't fit.  That money would be better spent on souvenirs!  The other packing requirement are enough Ziploc bags to make sure everything and any thing that could possibly leak, or get loose in your luggage is contained.  There is nothing worse than unpacking upon arrival only to find your sunscreen is now protecting your clothing without you in them!  If you recall from my previous blog what you pack you must entrust to luggage handlers, unpressurized luggage compartments, and the extensive conveyor belt system that route your luggage to its final destination, hopefully at the same place and time!  Tomorrow I will pack everything I will need to enjoy a wonderful vacation in Africa, an exciting yet stressful prospect.

T-3 TGIF!!!!

FRIDAY, the weekend is here, a three day weekend for most, for me the start of an almost month long vacation to AFRICA!!!!  When I left work today I was officially on vacation!  Monday is around the corner, so close it is mocking me!  Today I purchased the magical quart size Ziploc bags so I can hand carry liquids in 3.5 oz size bottles.  This TSA regulation has become a booming industry, everything and anything can be found in 3.5 oz sizes as well as if you want to be snobby you can even buy TSA approved high density specialty clear quart size bags, the price for one equals a whole box of the regular Ziploc.  Isn't capitalism a wonderful thing!  All that is left to do is pick up last minute items, today Will informed me we need to pick up TSA approved locks. Yes locks that can be opened by a master TSA key, I ask you if TSA has doesn't it begs the question won't the thieves have them too, so why bother locking the bags????  I guess I will purchase the locks, what the heck it might help the economy on some minuscule level!!!!  LOL  The weekend will be devoted to laundry, cleaning the house before the house/pet sitter arrives, and yes packing.  Will brought me a Bose noise cancelling headset so I won't have to be tortured by engine noise!  Wasn't that nice!!!  Now I can hook my I-pod up directly to the head set and not have to blast it to drown out that pesky engine noise saving my hearing and my sanity.   Well it is late and I probably should be getting ready to hit the hay!  Until tomorrow!

T-4 New Day New Hair Cut

What a wonderful thing a good night sleep is, a new day, a flu shot, and a new hair cut.  The cloud seems to have lifted and I seem better able to focus on pulling together the last minute items on my to do list.  Sitting in the chair talking with Lindsey while she cut my hair she made me laugh about my last minute jitters and as the hair fell from my head the stress seems to have fallen to the floor as well.  When I got home from work I pulled out the suit cases, put on new brightly colored luggage tags, you know something to make my suitcases stand out on the luggage carousel!  Let's face it every little bit helps as you throw elbows with the masses at the luggage carousel. 
It is had to believe that tomorrow is my last day of work for almost a month.  It will either fly or drag, I am thinking it will be the latter!  Will is working on completing the travel itinerary spread sheet, it is awesome and all inclusive.  He also registered the trip, the entire trip, on the State Department Traveler's Web site.  I never thought to do that so now that is one more thing to do before I leave.  Arggg!!! No worries I have time and the spread sheet!  All that is left is to pack, and on Monday check my bags, deal with airport security and then spend the better part of a full day in airports and on a planes but it will be all worth it when we land and begin the African adventure.

T-5 Closer and Closer

Preparation is key to planning your own adventure vacation.  Months of planning, researching and double checking every reservation all seems to have lead to what I am feeling right now, anxious?  I know in my head that everything is in place, the tickets, reservations, even an update to the Garmin nuvi with maps of South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland arrived today.  I made my packing list and checked it twice.  I have all my shots, yes ALL my shots, and malaria pills.  For a few months now I have been gathering together my travel clothing, travel toiletries, sun screen, bug repellent etc.  I feel like it is the calm before the storm, as if I must have missed somethingl but what?  I know that this feeling will pass, I know it is just jitters, that I must ride it out.  I am going to have a wonderful time and as soon as I am on the plane flying farther and farther away from Huntsville and  closer and closer to South Africa I know all these feelings will melt away.  In five days at this time I will be somewhere over the Atlantic ocean counting down the mintues and all the months of preperation, all the nerves will all have been worth it.

T-6 Bills to Pay While Away

As I prepare to spend three and a half weeks trekking through South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland there are many things that need to be done prior to leaving and some things that need to be done while I am gone!  For example bills need to be paid, and for me that presents a dilemma.  You see I still pay my bills by writing out a check, addressing and stamping an envelope and putting it in the mail.  I know not the norm for most but I figure why should I make easy for them to receive my payment.  I know one could argue that paying on line makes it easier for me but I still don't fully agree nor do I fully trust electronic bill paying.  While exploring ways to pay two bills that usually arrive after I depart I signed up for all the accounts required to pay my bills, at least this month via electronic bill pay.  What I found is that each site is slightly different, which is to be expected.  One, Huntsville Utilities actually charges $4.50 for the privilege to pay online.  The last time I checked a stamp cost 41 cents.  But back to the different sites and all the questions, security and options which are maddening.  I actually had to call Bank of America to ask a few questions and I am glad I did.  Had I not called I would have paid my Nov 01 mortgage payment too early and it would not have been credited correctly so I would have actually missed making my Nov 01 payment.  You see, I wanted to pay my Nov 01 payment on Oct 15 which would have been too early, go figure.  Luckily the customer service representative corrected me and I now if all goes as planned my mortgage will be paid while I am away.  Hopefully on Oct 27 funds will transfer from my checking account to my mortgage company.  I will have to wait 2 business days to see so I will be keeping an eye out!  Strange thing is that the site never mentioned paying too early it was not part of the numerous questions or cautions which are seemingly part of the online bill paying experience.  For some this will seem like a strange thing to blog about but those who know me will understand that this too was quite an adventure.  The jury is still out as to whether I will continue to pay my mortgage, or any other bill online for that matter, but paying online this month it seems to be the only alternative.

T-7 One week

This and That vs Eddie Bauer.  Two stores so diametrically opposite it isn't funny.  One is on Leeman Ferry Rd, the other the Summit in Birmingham.  Eddie Bauer is a high end outdoor clothing store, This and That is a military surplus store!  Today my journey took me to This and That to find that elusive duffel.  Now I didn't go there with the expectation that I would find a fancy compression strap, high density low weight fabric duffel in a bag that costs almost $60.00.   This and That, on Leeman Ferry Rd, provides a much simpler service, cheaper prices all in a no frills atmosphere.  Backing up a bit (history) a month ago I purchased a large over sized duffel from This and That.  I planned to use it to put my large oversized backpack in so I could check it on the plane and it not be destroyed.  Well as it turns out that duffel was too big.  With said duffel in one hand and the reciept in the other I went shopping.  The sales clerk was more then helpful and within five minutes I found a simple duffel, no compression straps, no frills but just right.  After all was said and done I even left the store with a $6.48 refund from my previous purchase in my pocket.  Balance due from the original purchase price on the first duffel! 
They say you should never judge a book by its cover, well that applies to stores too.  I received excellent service in both stores this weekend, high end vs no frills no difference.  The biggest difference, however, is that the duffel I purchased today cost $16.00 not $60.00.   The moral of the story, not all duffels are created equally, but if you look beyond the frills and check out the stitching you might find no frills is just right!  Now that is one more thing can be checked off the list.  One more week and the adventure to Africa begins!!!!