Wish You Were Here : Travels with Eli and Shelley

Today is our final day both at Kapama Karula game preserve but also in Africa. As you’ve seen in the pictures our excursions into the bush with our guide and tracker have been more then what we were expecting to encounter. Our guide Darren was so enthusiastic that the four of us became his willing students in understanding the Africa that we were surrounded by. The mammals which were many, the birds which were unique in there behaviors, and the trees and plants which supported the life around it both 2 and four legged.

Every morning we set out at 6am till 8:30 looking for the early rises, predators and their prey. At 4pm we’d have drinks and snacks and then head out till about 8 looking for the activity surrounding the nocturnal predators and their prey. We also looked and found the scavengers that cleaned up after them. The hyeana and vulture each played their part in what we jokingly call the cycle of life but out here is reality.

While I’m sitting in the tent writing this a monkey has just walked across the roof and is sitting in a tree watching. The camp itself is very contemporary, with all the niceties and 5 Star dining, but you need to zip the flap of the tent when you leave and while you sleep. You can’t keep out all the creepy crawlers but I guess that’s part of the experience. A part I would not mind passing on.the mosquitos have not been a problem and I think we’ve all made it through with out contracting malaria. We won’t know for sure for a few weeks.

The weather for our trip has been excellent in the 90′s or above most of the time. It has only rained once, the other night but let me tell you the thunder and lightning were right on top and you were very thankful being able to be inside listening and not being in the bush, since the vehicles are open with NO top.

We will be checking out about 11 and off to our one room airport about 12:30 for the hour flight to Jo’burg. Our flight back to JFK isn’t until 9:30pm Tuesday and with all the time changes, the hour stop for refueling in Senegal, we’ll arrive in JFK at 6:30am on Wed.

-- Eli

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As promised the saga continues. On the way out of Muchanje and while still on the road through Chobe National Park we were provided with one last memory. As shown in the pictures we saw a pack of wild dogs which our driver informed us is a very rare sighting during the day.

Exiting Botswana was a simple enough task, show passport to agent (there were 3), have passport stamped, wave goodbye. The longest part of that process was finding a blank page in the passport. Now we have to enter Zimbabwe, the line stretched out the door and past the side of the building, folks in line said they had been standing there an hour, and we still had to drive to Victoria Falls to catch the last flight out to Jo’burg. After spending 15 minutes on the line which hadn’t moved our driver finally realized we had told him we had double entry visas and brought us to another line that only took 15 minutes to process all of our entries, of course one must fill out forms.

Finally made it the airport and guess what, another long line and 20 minutes to departure and we were the last ones on the line. However, my winning personality, immense charm and by pure luck happened to ask a South African Airline agent if we would be able to make the flight and for $5US he took our passports and processed us through including checking the luggage and so began the next leg of our journey.

The hotel complex we stayed in overnight at the airport in Jo’burg was similar to Ceasers in Las Vegas down to the statue in shopping arcade (picture to follow).
We choose an African/Mozambigue restaurant for dinner where we spent at least 15 minutes talking to the owner who ordered a platter of dishes that were delicious. If you ever have the opportunity to try Peri Peri as a sauce be prepared for a 5 alarm chili sensation. I was the only who used it. I dunked everything I ate into it, it comes in medium, hot and OMG. We then sat outside on couches having drinks and I picked up the tab, how was I supposed to know that our Bacchus evening would cost less than $10 dollars.

Next morning we were on our way, on another airplane but this one was a smaller twin prop turbo with about 50 seats. Took only an hour and landed at an airport that reminded me of a mini version of nowhere. The airport had a small terminal, no make that a one room shed with in and out doors. The luggage was dropped at the curb, since there wasn’t enough room inside for both people and luggage.

We were met by our guide Darren in an open Toyota land cruiser and our adventure can now commence.

End of Part 1, stay tuned for the further misadventures of the Casdia/Grosman traveling road show.

-- Eli

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Eli and Shelley have been sending me pictures. I’m going to see if I can add them to the blog.

-- admin

When last I wrote we had finished up our Day 7 first safari. We then took a night safari after dinner but other than scaring 3 Giraffes eating and a few impalas we did not see anything to write home about. Doesn’t that sound so jaded and blase. The reality is we are totally amazed about everything we see here and just sitting on our cottage deck and looking out over the Savanah and watching the 100′s of zebras and  kudus grazing in the early morning hours is totally awesome. the background noise does not have one man made sound in it. the lodge sits on a hillside overlooking thousands of acres of savanah and in talking to staff this is just a fraction of what the serengetti in Kenya looks like with 1000′s of animals grazing.

Day 8′s journey began with a ride through the Chobe preserve and again we encountered the giraffes, impalas etc, but today we drove among the herds of elephants as my pictures will show. we were almost as close to them  as you are to your screen. there were big bulls and new borns and we just sat in the jeep and they watched us and ignored us as if  we were just part of the environment. we then found some african buffalo and they are not the prettiest but they are big and count as one of the Big 5 must see on any african trip. we then found a pride of lions laying uder a tree and we were about 20 feet away watching them sleep. there were no males just females, but they ranged from cubs to a matriarch, in total there were about 8+ but no one voluteered to go do an actual count.

Have to leave the writing since we just were called for breakfast before our ride back to Victoria falls to get our flight back to Jo’burg. going trough Zimbabwe immigration may prove to be an experience and I’ll write up.

-- Eli

We have beome proficient in being able to identify tracks and determine the type of animal that made them. We have identified, lion, giraffe, elephant, impala, leopard, wardthog, hippo and assorted genus antelope, including sable, kudu, bushbuck, sprinbok, waterbuck and steenbok. Additional we have seen African Buffalo  which make up 4 of the big 5.  But I am jumping ahead of the narrative.

We left Victoria Falls by van for the overland journey to Muchenje in Botswana at 10AM, expected trip 2 hours.  We had to go through Zimbabwe immigration at the border and one thinks of the border crossing during the coldwar, will we or will we not have the right papers to exit, have we paid all the taxes and gotten all the visas. I won’t keep you in suspense, we were allowed to proceed. Twenty yards later was ther Botswana border, we were required to walks on a towel soaked in some solution for the prevention of foot and mouth disease and told if asked to tell the immigration folks that we had no additional shoes in our. RIGHT!!!! we’re talking Shelley, at last count she had 5 pairs with her. Once again we were able to successfully navigate the ins and outs of third world bureacracy. From there it was a hop, skip and a jump of approximately 60 kilometers to the Muchenje Lodge where we were met by our very proper host and hostess. After a very nice lunch we went on our first safari drive in an open land Rover with 3 rows of seats for 3 couple and  our guide/driver Lips. His full name has an additional 20 some odd characters.

 As mentioned above we saw all of the above except for the lion, buffalo, and hippo on our first excursion. To say the road was buimpy would give the road high marks, it was a sandy 2 lane rut that meandered through some of the most desolate landscape. the rainy season is about 2 weeks away and to say thing are brown and dry is like the day after a major forest fire. However, when the rains come everything turns green in a few days including the ground cover, flowers and trees. Its very easy to see the path of the elephants, they eat everything in their path, ripping limps off tress and bark off of tree.

 After 3+ hours of bouncing around we started back to the lodge, but eagle eyed Vicky spotted the leopard which is a very elusive animal that usually is a night hunter.

To be continued

-- Eli

After getting up at 5AM, catching a 7AM flight to Jo’Burg and a 10:30 flight toVictoria Falls, Zimbabwe we checked into the Victoria Falls Hotel (circa 1904). Very charming, very colonial, it was built when the British knew how to run a colony.  This is where Dr. Livingston was for a while but not where Stanley uttered those immortal work, “Dr. Livingston I presume?” He actually said them.

Our first acvtivity was a sunset booze cruise on the Zambezi river (pictures to follow). Very African in the food and alcohol served. I have learned to drink the local beer (Castle). Among the anmials sighted were, Hippo’s, alligators, antelope, . The sunset was picture perfect, Vicky was afraid that the sky would be overcast, but as you’ll see in the pictures the sky was as many shades of reds and oranges, and the sun was a yellow that was as bright as a 100 watt bulb as it went below the tree line.

Tuesday morning Shelley and Iwent for a 2 hour horseback ride in the bush and Vicky and Bob did a similar ride but on an elephant. among the 2 rides I think the only animals not seen were the lion and the rhino. Bob and Vicky even got to play with a cheetah. Shelley and I were able to pet a dog at the stable. but among the four of us we saw, giraffes, elephants, baboons, impalas, warthogs, bushpigs, giraffes, kudu’s, bushbucks, elands, springbok, white back and white headed vultures, hornbill, ibisguineafowl, and a little bee-eater. I owe my ability to remember these animals because my son in his infinite wisdom and knowledge of the lenght of my short term memory got me a book with pictures of all the animals, both land and air that we might see and I can just check them off as we see them.

In the afternoon we took a walking tour of the falls (pictures to follow) they were spectacular with the rainbows accross the gorge because of all the spray. the falls fall from the Zambia side of the Zambezi and being on the Zimbabwe side you can see the mile long length of the falls. Since the raining season has yet to start (another 2 weeks) the falls were not as dramatic as they’re known to be. but what was there was worth the trip. There is so much spray that crosses the gorge onto the Zimbabwe side that it has created a rain forest in some areas of the national park. We had a great guide and so far all the guides that we have had have been excellent. They are knowledgable and they want us to be satisfied and as excited about their country as they are.

It is no Wed morning 6:30 and we will be leaving here at 10 to be driven out into the Chobe Preserve in Botswana which is about 60+ miles to the west. There we will do our morning and afternoon drive safaris to see the real african bush.  So for now I bid goodbye and end with the news that Shelley and I have become GRANDPARENTS AGAIN. Cora Josephine entered the world yesterday as the newest addition to the Jason and Julie household and allowing Ariana and Isaac to become older sister and brother.

-- Eli

Today was an activity filled day, starting with a  trip to the Botanical Gardens and ending with a 2000ft ascent to the top of Table Mountain. In between we stopped at the most south western point in Africa, the Cape of Good Hope, met wild baboons on ther side of the rode and watched an Ostrich cross the road. For the life of me I can’t answer, ” why did the ostrich cross the road?”

Some additional comments, we also stopped at a Penguin colony pictures to follow (I mean it). There are penquins who don’t need ice. We have found the people in South Africa to be ultra friendly and extremely polite. We’ve been to one restaurant twice (Alfreds) where I ate my first Ostrich burger and from the time we walked in to the time we left we were treated like family and I mean family they liked. Nobody rushes and that is something we and actually mean I have to get used to and learn to appreciate more and be patient. It ain’t NY. Prices for food were very reasonable and tipping is only 10% as the max. you also learn to negotiate taxi fares, even if there is a meter.

However there is a downside, you can’t walk out at night since there is a crime problem. all the homes have walls and are usually topped with wrought iron or barbed wire, but during the day you are safe.

I am signing off now since we have a 4AM wake up call for a 7AM flight to Victoria Falls. More tomorrow and hopefully I’ll be able to upload some pictures while we’re at the Victoria Falls Hotel.

-- Eli

As mentioned previously I have discovered that Ostrich does not taste like chicken. Very mild flavor, not gamy. After checking in to the Four Rosmead, what every B&B should strive for as far as decor, service, ambiance etc. we went to a small local restaurant called Arnolds which had the friendlist staff who couldn’t do enough for us. In addition to the normal cuisine fare, the following were available, roasted springbok shank, grilled warthog ribs, crocodile ribs, grilled organic kudu loin. And I always thought you couldn’t get kudu in the organic state. Surprise, surprise, I was the only one to go native. Bob had line fish, a very delicate tasty fish, we have since learned that line fish only means catch of the day and he has no idea what type of fish he had.

Saturday morning after having an over the top B&B breakfast, with fresh fruits, baked goods etc etc we began our journey of the day. Our guide Marilee?? picked us up at 9 and away we went. Sites included Castle of Good Hope, Company Gardens (built by the East India Company circa 17th Century). Went to Table Mountain but too windy to do the cable car up to the top (pictures will be included shortly), the Malay Quarter and then over to Camp Bay. Also yesterday was Guy Fawkes day, a holiday in honor of someone who tried to blow up parliment back in the 17th Century. It is a day of fireworks and drunken rowdiness, our type of holiday. We had gone back to Camp Bay for dinner last night and ate at CodFathers and watched the revelers shoot off fireworks on the beach while having dinner. The area is very similar to South Beach in the bar scene and that fact we were not the youngest couples there.

Interesting concept, the sushi bar was in the round and a train travels around with sushi filled plates that you take when ther item you want comes around, and each colored plate has a price. Dinner was fish that you picked out from a display, the only named fish that I could relate to was mahi mahi and even that was suspect. 

-- Eli