We had to travel the rim road from the east, around to the west and left the road at the Malanja Depression. As we headed northwest we passed lots of Masai bomas. We are suppose to visit with the Masai this morning but the 1st two we stop at the chief was not in so we can't go inside. Third time a charm and they welcome us with song and dance. We are free to take pictures with the amount that is paid to visit the bomas where other bomas ask for money everytime you take a picture. Only about 3 young men speak english well enough and we get to have a visit inside one of the huts. We are told after the hut visit he would negoiate a price for what we buy. Just how he put it as if we had to buy something. I ended up buying a beaded bracelet & necklace.
Next stop is Oldupai Gorge. It's also commanly know as Olduvai Gorge but about 80 years ago the 1st German in the area exploring misunderstood the name which is for one of the plants that grows in the gorge. It's the well known area where Richard and Mary Leakey found signs of prehistoric man, animals and tools. A short lecture is given and time to explore the museum that includes a cast of footprints found into hardened volcanic ash. The Nutcracker skull was found here by Mary Leakey. We travel into the gorge for a short drive and head over to the shifting sands. It's 1 pile of volcanic sand that is blown about 17 metres a year. Not sure why over the years it hasn't just dispersed but didn't find it all to exciting to look at and Jackson had said he had something special to show us. The 3 of us just went okay, move along. I didn't even think it was photo worthy. Down a hill wakes a Masai warrior and he starts talking to me in Swahili. He shows me this club and then realize that he is trying to sell trinkets. Can't believe that he would sit on that hill all day long and when and if a 4x4 comes by, we takes the time to walk all the way down the hill and over to try to sell souveniers. Somehow the title warrior doesn't seem to quite fit the image of a Masai warrior.
After a picnic lunch under a bit of shade from a tree we drive along a flat track of land. Lots of gazelles in the area and a few giraffe, a jackel and ostrich. We meet up with the main road heading into the Serengeti but about 10km up we head west on a secondary road. Tonnes of gazelles in the area, then we spot 3 cheetahs lying on the roadside. When we stop, they wake up. The 1 closest to the road moves off a bit. Jackson seems to think they would be 2 brothers and a sister. They start to walk away and we follow them hoping to catch sight of them hunting for gazelle. They seem to keep an eye on the gazelle but nobody starts to run after them. Another 4x4 pulls up and it's the California couple we had lunch with in Tarangire (the guy that's originally from Chatham). Since they are not hunting we opted to head off to look for more animals.
We drive around Lake Ndutu which borders Ngorongoro Conservation Area and Serengeti Nat'l Park. Our camp will be in this area for the next 3 nights. The zebra and wildebeest are migrating through this area around Jan-Mar when the rain is giving them fresh grass and it's also the calving season. Along a swampy section, I think I see a lion in the reeds so I ask Jackson to head down for a better look. Sure enough, there are lions around the area. 2 are coming out of the reeds and 3 are asleep on the ground nearby. Some are fairly young, probably born last year but still no little cubs. We stay quite a while and ask to drive over towards the reeds and we see a male lion sleeping alone. He rolls over and is full of ticks on his behind and belly area. Even a few ticks around his eyes.
We head away from the water to the flatlands and see tonnes of zebra and wildebeest. It's not the millions you see in the photos but still a lot of animals in the area. I ask to head over to a stopped 4x4 to see what they are looking at and it's 5 cheetahs. A mom and 4 cubs. Not tiny ones but probably just under a year old since they are close to their mother's size. They look like they want to hunt so we stay to watch but they just walk a bit, start to stare at the animals and sit down for a while, then repeat it over again. I guess it's time to head to camp.
Our tented camp is on the dry side of Lake Nduto set up on the cliff. There is only 8 tents. The tent has 2 twin beds, a trunk, chair, night table. Behind the beds is a partition with since, chemical toilet and shower. I'm asked what time to bring a bucket of hot water that is hoisted above the shower area. I turned the water off while soaping up but found I still had plenty of water so I imagine they give enough water in the bucket for 2 people to shower. It has electricity and 9 ventilation screens that can be zipped down to let in the breeze. There is also a covered porch area with a table and 2 chairs. It's a mobile camp that moves with the migration periods so it only has a canvas floor but is very comfortable. Before dinner we sit around a campfire. A dinner there is only 1 other couple staying here and they are from Romford Essex, U.K., just down the road from where Grammie grew up. Back at the tent they have even turned down the bed. The service is excellant at the tented camps.
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Ngorongoro cont'd
About a km away from the lioness in the tree we find a male and female lion pair lounging in the grass. It's probably a mating pair since they seem to move away from the pride and stay together for about a week. They mate on and off during that time and I believe they don't even take a break to hunt for food. There's a few 4x4 lined up watching them but they don't seemed concerned with the traffic. Since they are just sleeping we head off down the road. In the distance we can see some black rhino. One is a little on but they are too far off the road to get any good pics. We spot both the Thompson and the Grant Gazelles, warthogs and 2 spotted hyenas. It starts to rain and we head to Ngoitokitok Springs, a picnic site, where we are warned to eat in the vehicle since the kites will swoop down and steal the food. I would have never believed a raptor bird would do such a thing but a lady standing beside our 4x4 had her sandwich taken out of lunch box. The very pretty black faced weavers are sitting on our window ledge and mirrors looking for handouts. Obviously people haven't been obeying the "do not feed" signs. There's a few hippos at the end of the pond and I investigate their footprints in the mud near the bubbling spring water. Driving back along the grasslands, we spot another cheetah in the distance but with the growing grass in rainy season it's hard to see it. Heading to the hippo pools we see mainly zebra, wildebeest, gazelle. The hippo pools were fantastic. Lots of baby hippos staying close to mom, most resting their heads on their mother's side. A few of them turn over and it's funny to see all 4 legs sticking up in the air. We can see on nursing. As we go a bit further we spot 2 lions lounging under a tree along the Munge River. It's near the others we saw, so it's probably part of the same pride. The one that was up in the tree earlier is no asleep on the grass and the mating pair is still in the same spot. It's getting late in the afternoon and you have to be out of the crater by 6pm. As the other 4x4 start to leave, Jackson backs up off the road towards the mating pair so we can get a closer photo (something that is not allowed unless you pay for an off-road pass, we didn't). The lions lift their heads but still seem unconcerned even though I thought we were invading their space. We've also seen eland, hartebeest, bull elephants (only males in the crater), golden jackels. We ascend up the crater on the Lemala Road since we are staying at Sopa Lodge. We were suppose to be at the better Serena Lodge and I'm really disappointed especially when I see the room they have given me. All the rooms are suppose to have a view of the crater and I'm put in a room 1/2 the size as the others near the bar. I go right to the front desk and complain. They are full tonight but say I can change rooms tomorrow. Will have to put in a complaint to the safari company because the room I was given is clearly for driver/guides, not tourists and is less money. That's the one thing about travelling single, sometimes you don't get the room most doubles get. It rains heavily with lots of thunder and lightening as I'm getting ready for bed.
Very, very early start. Up at 530am so we could leave around 6am. We're going to have a picnic breakfast in the crater. Due to the rain last night, it's cold, damp and the clouds are low. We see lots of zebra and wildebeest as we drive down into the crater but a cloud mist covers about 1/2 the crater area. Bits of blue sky peak through so there is some promise of a better day. The mating pair of lions are still in the same area but we still don't see them mating. Maybe they are a bit camera shy eh! The rhino are far from the road again and we spot lots of flamingos on the lake. Some areas we drive right into the clouds and we are shrouded in mist. We see a fogbow (like a rainbow), never heard of them before and they are lighter in color to a rainbow. Around Girigor Swamp there are lots a water birds. The Pelicans have a pink tinge to them. In front of the reed grasses is a pride of lions. Nine in total. A few are younger ones but no little baby cubs. All are sunbathing but gradually 1 gets up and moves into the reeds for shade and within a few minutes most of them follow the older lioness. A few hippos are in the water behind them.
Not far is Lerai Forest and we stop for breakfast. I was a bit nervouse knowing the lions were only about 1km away but we only saw a vervet monkey which came for a piece of watermelon rind they was on the ground and a small troop of baboons playing along a dead tree trunk. Vultures were around at the tops of the trees. Later driving through the small forest area we saw more monkeys and elephant. Out of the trees we see 2 younger male lions and another mating pair. Later in the afternoon we see a male lion walking near the road, so about 19 lions total this morning. Quite a few times today we have also seen spotted hyenas either alone or in pair and a group of 5 on the drive back to the lodge. One hyena was lying in a mud puddle. We drove up to Endoinyo Engitati viewpoint and I think I spot a rhino near a white 4x4 and ask if we can head in that direction. Jackson didn't think it was one but we head down the hill and around to that area. The white 4x4 is still there and apparently they have been stuck in the mud for about an hour. Just about got whiplash as our driver tries to ram it out of the mud but it can only get out with a tow rope. As we leave the area, there it is, a rhino fairly close to the road. It was lying down but eventually gets up so I can get a few poses.
Back to the lodge for 2pm for a late lunch. I enjoyed the view of the crater from my new room for a while but it was getting a bit warm. I thought I would go for a swim but made the mistake of lying down and I slept till 6pm. Woke up just in time to go outside and enjoy the sun setting over the crater rim.
Very, very early start. Up at 530am so we could leave around 6am. We're going to have a picnic breakfast in the crater. Due to the rain last night, it's cold, damp and the clouds are low. We see lots of zebra and wildebeest as we drive down into the crater but a cloud mist covers about 1/2 the crater area. Bits of blue sky peak through so there is some promise of a better day. The mating pair of lions are still in the same area but we still don't see them mating. Maybe they are a bit camera shy eh! The rhino are far from the road again and we spot lots of flamingos on the lake. Some areas we drive right into the clouds and we are shrouded in mist. We see a fogbow (like a rainbow), never heard of them before and they are lighter in color to a rainbow. Around Girigor Swamp there are lots a water birds. The Pelicans have a pink tinge to them. In front of the reed grasses is a pride of lions. Nine in total. A few are younger ones but no little baby cubs. All are sunbathing but gradually 1 gets up and moves into the reeds for shade and within a few minutes most of them follow the older lioness. A few hippos are in the water behind them.
Not far is Lerai Forest and we stop for breakfast. I was a bit nervouse knowing the lions were only about 1km away but we only saw a vervet monkey which came for a piece of watermelon rind they was on the ground and a small troop of baboons playing along a dead tree trunk. Vultures were around at the tops of the trees. Later driving through the small forest area we saw more monkeys and elephant. Out of the trees we see 2 younger male lions and another mating pair. Later in the afternoon we see a male lion walking near the road, so about 19 lions total this morning. Quite a few times today we have also seen spotted hyenas either alone or in pair and a group of 5 on the drive back to the lodge. One hyena was lying in a mud puddle. We drove up to Endoinyo Engitati viewpoint and I think I spot a rhino near a white 4x4 and ask if we can head in that direction. Jackson didn't think it was one but we head down the hill and around to that area. The white 4x4 is still there and apparently they have been stuck in the mud for about an hour. Just about got whiplash as our driver tries to ram it out of the mud but it can only get out with a tow rope. As we leave the area, there it is, a rhino fairly close to the road. It was lying down but eventually gets up so I can get a few poses.
Back to the lodge for 2pm for a late lunch. I enjoyed the view of the crater from my new room for a while but it was getting a bit warm. I thought I would go for a swim but made the mistake of lying down and I slept till 6pm. Woke up just in time to go outside and enjoy the sun setting over the crater rim.
Friday, March 28, 2008
More pictures from Liz
From Michelle: Liz sent home some pictures she took during her first month in Africa. Here are just a few...
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Ngorongoro Conservation Area
It lightly rained throughout the night and since I was in a tent I was conscience of the noise but still managed to get a half decent sleep and feel okay this morning. We were suppose to have a nature walk but decide against it due to the rain. We leave Kirurumu around 8am and the rain is just stopping. As we continue to drive towards Ngorongoro, it's still very overcast and misty.
We enter Ngorongoro at the south Lodare entrance and stop at the visitors centre. Ngorongoro main sightseeing area isNgorongoro crater, an extinct volcano. No one is allowed to live in the crater accept animals but the Masai people are allowed to grase their cattle and goats along the walls of the crater. Once we reach the road at the top of the crater, we stop at a viewpoint and the scenery changes as the clouds below start to disperse and we start to see a bit of blue sky. We are at 2216 metres. We head west and north and see buffalo and waterbuck. At the Malanja Depression, we have a good look at the Masai bomas and at Windy Gap we can take the decending road into the crater. Masaii men are trying to sell us trinkets as we take a photo before heading into the crater on Seneto Road.
It's not long before we see zebra up close and then wildebeest and buffalo not far off the road. A vehicle up ahead has stopped and we spot a cheetah sitting in the grass. It's obviously gotten a meal since it's mouth is bloody but it's too far away to know what it has. We skirt around Lake Magadi (1723m) a large soda lake full of Greater and Lesser Flamingos and other shorebirds. There's a large concentration of pink flamingos near the shoreline, so I'm able to get a few good shots.
As we head across to Munge River I spot a shape in one of trees lining the small river. It's a lion. A tree climbing lion, alleluia!!! Thank god for my eagle eye. I'm thinking it would be a leopard or cheetah but I'm thrilled to see a lion in the tree. Soon it climbs up to a higher point and just flopps down straddling the tree limb and goes to sleep. That made my day.
Running out of time, so story to be continued.......
We enter Ngorongoro at the south Lodare entrance and stop at the visitors centre. Ngorongoro main sightseeing area isNgorongoro crater, an extinct volcano. No one is allowed to live in the crater accept animals but the Masai people are allowed to grase their cattle and goats along the walls of the crater. Once we reach the road at the top of the crater, we stop at a viewpoint and the scenery changes as the clouds below start to disperse and we start to see a bit of blue sky. We are at 2216 metres. We head west and north and see buffalo and waterbuck. At the Malanja Depression, we have a good look at the Masai bomas and at Windy Gap we can take the decending road into the crater. Masaii men are trying to sell us trinkets as we take a photo before heading into the crater on Seneto Road.
It's not long before we see zebra up close and then wildebeest and buffalo not far off the road. A vehicle up ahead has stopped and we spot a cheetah sitting in the grass. It's obviously gotten a meal since it's mouth is bloody but it's too far away to know what it has. We skirt around Lake Magadi (1723m) a large soda lake full of Greater and Lesser Flamingos and other shorebirds. There's a large concentration of pink flamingos near the shoreline, so I'm able to get a few good shots.
As we head across to Munge River I spot a shape in one of trees lining the small river. It's a lion. A tree climbing lion, alleluia!!! Thank god for my eagle eye. I'm thinking it would be a leopard or cheetah but I'm thrilled to see a lion in the tree. Soon it climbs up to a higher point and just flopps down straddling the tree limb and goes to sleep. That made my day.
Running out of time, so story to be continued.......
Tarangire and Lake Manyara National Parks
At 6 am, I'm woken up with a "Jambo mama" and a try with hot tea. Now I know how the queen feels to have servants. By 630am we are on the road for an early morning game drive. As we cross into the park boundary, we see our 1st herd of elephants. We head south along the Larmakau Marsh and see many more elephants either in the marshy area or on dry land. Lots and lots of babies to make me happy. One young one wants to show us how tough he raises his trunk, lets out a bugle and shakes his head and flaps his ears at us. He is only about 20 feet from the 4x4. Today seems to be about birds, birds, birds, probably since it's early morning. We see lilac breasted rollers and little bee eaters, both very colorful birds. Two black backed jackels are walking in front of the vehicle and don't seemed too interested in us. We have a picnic lunch around 9a and lots of superb starlings and buffalo weavers are trying to get the crumbs.
Continuing west towards the river we saw a fish eagle in a tree but we scared it as we stopped. It's very similar to the baldeagle and we watched it as it caught the thermals and soarded into the sky to an increadible height. Not too many mammals today. We only saw about 3 giraffe but happy to see a new species, the common reedbuck. As we passed some of our fellow lodge guest they said they had just seen lions on the road a few miles up so we were off in a dash but didn't find them. Probably because it was too bloody hot. Now I know what it really feels like when people say Africa Hot. It was fine standing up with my head out of the top of the 4x4 while it was moving but anytime we stopped to take pictures we were baked by the sun. Back to the lodge around 2pm for lunch and time for a short siesta snooze. Around 530pm, a Masai guard (only armed with a spear) and a local bushman took the 3 of us for a nature walk. We saw the footprints of hyena, a honey badger, african wildcat, a mongoose, snake and many birds along the pathway. They explained some of the plants and we ended up at a thatched shelter at the edge of a cliff overlooking Tarangire N.P. The view was lovely and there were hundreds of buffalo on the grassy marsh area. We enjoyed the view till sunset and a 4x4 picked us up to take us back to the lodge.
Wed morning we left Kikoti Lodge and had to drive back through Tarangire N.P. to get back to the main road. We saw all kinds of animals today, much more than yesterday. Elephants, giraffe, warthogs, dik dik, impala, waterbuck, banded mongoose, blue monkeys and a large troop of baboons. A few of the moms had tiny babies clutching their backs. A large herd of elephants were right at the edge of the road and a newborn elephant was in the group. When they crossed the road, I was able to get a good look at the little one. At the main gate we see our 1st zebras.
Back onto paved roads and we see elephants outside of the Nat'l Park. Twice on the way to Lake Manyara N.P. our driver stopped and left us in the car without telling us where he was going and for how long. Soon the 4x4 is surrounded by souvenier sellors from about 10 years to 80 years trying to get you to buy jewellry, t-shirts, carvings, etc. Many are asking for things for trade so when one woman asks for a pen, I'm thinking I'm going to get a bracelet and she walks off. We arrive at Lake Manyara around lunch time and stop for a picnic. I can see blue monkeys in the trees but these ones are very shy and I can't get close for photos. Just as we are packing up a large troop of baboons come down from the hillside. Lake Manyara N.P. is on the edge of the Rift Valley (which stretches from Egypt all the way down to Mozembique). The lake is a soda lake which has too much alkaliene for most animals but the birds flourish here. We head down to the hippo pools and there are plenty of them trying to keep out of the sun so you only see their heads once in a while. Tonnes of aquatic birds in the area like storks, flamingos, herons, pelicans, ducks, geese and shorebirds like plovers.
If I thought it was hot yesterday, it's even hotter and I'm getting cranky. Why doesn't our vehicle have a shade cover like the 90% of the other 4x4's. My video camera is overheating and I can't get it to turn on and I know there is battery power still left. We head into the trees a bit along the road see wildebeest & buffalo at a distance. Lots of impala and elephants then Jackson spots a cheetah lounging on the ground under a tree. It's a bit far for photos but I'll know that dot is a cheetah in case I don't see any others. Where are all the tree climbing lions that we should be seeing. Every tour book talks about going to see tree climbing lions. Jackson says it's very unlikely that we will see lions in this park and will only see one small area of the park. So along with being cranky from the heat, my video camera not working, Jackson making me angier with trying to tell me what he thinks is wrong with the camera (he's never used one in his life) and with the disappointment of not see lions, I just about tell him to Fxxx off (pardon my french). We circle back the same way as we did into the park and it's hilarious to see all of the baboons have taken over the picnic area like it's their time for a picnic.
Back to the paved road and we start to climb up the winding road up the escarpement. There's a nice viewpoint to stop and takea picture of Lake Manyara. Once at the top, we leave the pavement for one of the worst roads in Tanzania. We are headed to Kirurumu Lodge a Tented Camp and the gov't thinks that they are not responsible for the road if there is a lodge nearby and even though we are probably paying 300-400 a night, none of the money is going to fix the road. I'm still cranky and wonder if I have a bit of heat stroke since I'm starting to feel light headed. The tented accomodation is very nice and has a bit of the view over the escarpement and there are some dwarf mongooses playing around my tent. Once I have a good dinner I'm starting to feel better.
Continuing west towards the river we saw a fish eagle in a tree but we scared it as we stopped. It's very similar to the baldeagle and we watched it as it caught the thermals and soarded into the sky to an increadible height. Not too many mammals today. We only saw about 3 giraffe but happy to see a new species, the common reedbuck. As we passed some of our fellow lodge guest they said they had just seen lions on the road a few miles up so we were off in a dash but didn't find them. Probably because it was too bloody hot. Now I know what it really feels like when people say Africa Hot. It was fine standing up with my head out of the top of the 4x4 while it was moving but anytime we stopped to take pictures we were baked by the sun. Back to the lodge around 2pm for lunch and time for a short siesta snooze. Around 530pm, a Masai guard (only armed with a spear) and a local bushman took the 3 of us for a nature walk. We saw the footprints of hyena, a honey badger, african wildcat, a mongoose, snake and many birds along the pathway. They explained some of the plants and we ended up at a thatched shelter at the edge of a cliff overlooking Tarangire N.P. The view was lovely and there were hundreds of buffalo on the grassy marsh area. We enjoyed the view till sunset and a 4x4 picked us up to take us back to the lodge.
Wed morning we left Kikoti Lodge and had to drive back through Tarangire N.P. to get back to the main road. We saw all kinds of animals today, much more than yesterday. Elephants, giraffe, warthogs, dik dik, impala, waterbuck, banded mongoose, blue monkeys and a large troop of baboons. A few of the moms had tiny babies clutching their backs. A large herd of elephants were right at the edge of the road and a newborn elephant was in the group. When they crossed the road, I was able to get a good look at the little one. At the main gate we see our 1st zebras.
Back onto paved roads and we see elephants outside of the Nat'l Park. Twice on the way to Lake Manyara N.P. our driver stopped and left us in the car without telling us where he was going and for how long. Soon the 4x4 is surrounded by souvenier sellors from about 10 years to 80 years trying to get you to buy jewellry, t-shirts, carvings, etc. Many are asking for things for trade so when one woman asks for a pen, I'm thinking I'm going to get a bracelet and she walks off. We arrive at Lake Manyara around lunch time and stop for a picnic. I can see blue monkeys in the trees but these ones are very shy and I can't get close for photos. Just as we are packing up a large troop of baboons come down from the hillside. Lake Manyara N.P. is on the edge of the Rift Valley (which stretches from Egypt all the way down to Mozembique). The lake is a soda lake which has too much alkaliene for most animals but the birds flourish here. We head down to the hippo pools and there are plenty of them trying to keep out of the sun so you only see their heads once in a while. Tonnes of aquatic birds in the area like storks, flamingos, herons, pelicans, ducks, geese and shorebirds like plovers.
If I thought it was hot yesterday, it's even hotter and I'm getting cranky. Why doesn't our vehicle have a shade cover like the 90% of the other 4x4's. My video camera is overheating and I can't get it to turn on and I know there is battery power still left. We head into the trees a bit along the road see wildebeest & buffalo at a distance. Lots of impala and elephants then Jackson spots a cheetah lounging on the ground under a tree. It's a bit far for photos but I'll know that dot is a cheetah in case I don't see any others. Where are all the tree climbing lions that we should be seeing. Every tour book talks about going to see tree climbing lions. Jackson says it's very unlikely that we will see lions in this park and will only see one small area of the park. So along with being cranky from the heat, my video camera not working, Jackson making me angier with trying to tell me what he thinks is wrong with the camera (he's never used one in his life) and with the disappointment of not see lions, I just about tell him to Fxxx off (pardon my french). We circle back the same way as we did into the park and it's hilarious to see all of the baboons have taken over the picnic area like it's their time for a picnic.
Back to the paved road and we start to climb up the winding road up the escarpement. There's a nice viewpoint to stop and takea picture of Lake Manyara. Once at the top, we leave the pavement for one of the worst roads in Tanzania. We are headed to Kirurumu Lodge a Tented Camp and the gov't thinks that they are not responsible for the road if there is a lodge nearby and even though we are probably paying 300-400 a night, none of the money is going to fix the road. I'm still cranky and wonder if I have a bit of heat stroke since I'm starting to feel light headed. The tented accomodation is very nice and has a bit of the view over the escarpement and there are some dwarf mongooses playing around my tent. Once I have a good dinner I'm starting to feel better.
Saturday, March 22, 2008
The Serengeti shall not die
Before leaving Canada, I had booked the 10 day northern Tanzania safari called "The Serengeti shall not die". I was originally going to do a safari that did both Kenya and Tanzania but had to make changes at the last moment due to political problems in Kenya. The Cdn gov. had issued a warning not to travel to the country. It was hard to find a safari that still had space for 1 person left and had at least a few nights in a luxury tented camp that was one of the things I was looking for.
I found one with Hoopoe Safari and it was a 10 day safari to Tarangire, Lake Manyara, Ngorogoro and the Serengeti. It was quite a bit more than I wanted to spend so I had high expectations.
Sunday night, the driver/guide Jackson (a bit broad shouldered guy, definitely not Masai) met me at the Kigongoni Lodge and introduced me to my fellow travellers, Dave and Debbie from Seattle. There would be just the 3 of us so that definitely was a positive not to have a full vehicle. The Kigongoi Lodge was beautiful with views of Mt Meru and Mt Kili when the clouds cleared in the evenings. The individual thatched cottages were scattered around gardens on a hill that use to be part of a coffee plantation. The Dutch couple who own it use to be with Doctors without Borders and when they retired they built this place and a Home for the Disabled next door. The money from the lodge goes to run the Disabled Home.
Monday morning we took off and headed southwest to the first national park, Tarangire. The road was newly paved since George Bush had just had a visit to the area. We stopped off at a small variety store (if you could call it that) and got ripped off. They charged me 2000 shillings for a chocolate bar and I had only paid 800 for the same thing in downtown Arusha. I should have just walked out but thought I might get a chocolate craving when I'm in the middle of nowhere. Next stop at a craft market but I'm not going to buy anything until the end of the trip so I don't have to lug it around, so I just wandered around looking at the crafts. About an hour out of town were masses of Masai, all in their brightly coloured plaid blankets. It was market day and a lot of them were auctioning off their cattle while others were buying/selling bananas, mango, etc. When we stop the vehicle is swarmed with people trying to sell t-shirts, jewellry, etc.
Once we arrived in Tarangire Nat'l Park we opened up the hatches on top of the 4X4. No longer on a paved road we were warned the roads would be bumpy. Within a few miles of the main gate we spot our first elephants and giraffes. One herd of elephants are very close to the road and there is a few babies. One cannot be more than a couple of weeks old he is so tiny compared to all the rest of the young ones. We see a bachelor group of impala and then a female group and also warthogs. At lunch we stop at a picnic site overlooking a river. It even has flush toilets which I didn't expect. Lots of other people are enjoying their lunches and while talking to the young couple beside me I find out he is from Chatham Ontario. If I remember correctly, his last name is Leclair and he is about 37 and when to CK & the Pines. He works and lives in California now but all his family is still in Chatham and Wallaceburg. Small world eh!
Lots of beautiful birds are in the picnic sight. The Superb Starlings are gorgeous and looking for handouts. Soon a mall vervet monkey shows up and Jackson is trying to throw rocks at him which makes me mad and I ask him to stop. Jackson says the monkey will try to steal our food but I don't think it would be that brave with us sitting there. At the end of lunch I turn my back to take a photo of the birds and the sneaky little monkey quickly jumps onto the table and takes my doughnut and spills my Coke. Later as I'm leaving he is licking up the spilt coke on the table.
Leaving the picnic site, I see a male, female and young Waterbuck. We stop to watch another herd of elephants and one of the young is chasing ostriches. He's flapping his ears and rocking his head back and forth trying to tell the ostriches that his the boss I think. We enter thicker bush and see the tiny dik dik deer that are only about a foot tall.
Over a very rough patch of road we arrive at Kikoti Lodge that is on a ridge just overlooking Tarangire Park. Each unit is 1/2 canvas tent and solid structure set up on stilts. It has a thatched roof over the canvas roof and a wooden door. A big deck with lounge chairs are great for watching the sunset. There are Masai guards to walk you to and from your tent when it's dark for safety concerns. When asking what the footprints are leading up to my tent, I find out they are hyena and that night after dinner you can here them calling in the area. There was also some elephant dung along the path so even the big animals have been know to wander into camp. Lots of noises to get used to at light hearing the birds, animals and all that scrambling between the tent roof and thatch I found out was bats coming and going throughout the night. At least they were not on the inside of the tent. In bed by 11pm so I can be up for an early morning game drive.
I found one with Hoopoe Safari and it was a 10 day safari to Tarangire, Lake Manyara, Ngorogoro and the Serengeti. It was quite a bit more than I wanted to spend so I had high expectations.
Sunday night, the driver/guide Jackson (a bit broad shouldered guy, definitely not Masai) met me at the Kigongoni Lodge and introduced me to my fellow travellers, Dave and Debbie from Seattle. There would be just the 3 of us so that definitely was a positive not to have a full vehicle. The Kigongoi Lodge was beautiful with views of Mt Meru and Mt Kili when the clouds cleared in the evenings. The individual thatched cottages were scattered around gardens on a hill that use to be part of a coffee plantation. The Dutch couple who own it use to be with Doctors without Borders and when they retired they built this place and a Home for the Disabled next door. The money from the lodge goes to run the Disabled Home.
Monday morning we took off and headed southwest to the first national park, Tarangire. The road was newly paved since George Bush had just had a visit to the area. We stopped off at a small variety store (if you could call it that) and got ripped off. They charged me 2000 shillings for a chocolate bar and I had only paid 800 for the same thing in downtown Arusha. I should have just walked out but thought I might get a chocolate craving when I'm in the middle of nowhere. Next stop at a craft market but I'm not going to buy anything until the end of the trip so I don't have to lug it around, so I just wandered around looking at the crafts. About an hour out of town were masses of Masai, all in their brightly coloured plaid blankets. It was market day and a lot of them were auctioning off their cattle while others were buying/selling bananas, mango, etc. When we stop the vehicle is swarmed with people trying to sell t-shirts, jewellry, etc.
Once we arrived in Tarangire Nat'l Park we opened up the hatches on top of the 4X4. No longer on a paved road we were warned the roads would be bumpy. Within a few miles of the main gate we spot our first elephants and giraffes. One herd of elephants are very close to the road and there is a few babies. One cannot be more than a couple of weeks old he is so tiny compared to all the rest of the young ones. We see a bachelor group of impala and then a female group and also warthogs. At lunch we stop at a picnic site overlooking a river. It even has flush toilets which I didn't expect. Lots of other people are enjoying their lunches and while talking to the young couple beside me I find out he is from Chatham Ontario. If I remember correctly, his last name is Leclair and he is about 37 and when to CK & the Pines. He works and lives in California now but all his family is still in Chatham and Wallaceburg. Small world eh!
Lots of beautiful birds are in the picnic sight. The Superb Starlings are gorgeous and looking for handouts. Soon a mall vervet monkey shows up and Jackson is trying to throw rocks at him which makes me mad and I ask him to stop. Jackson says the monkey will try to steal our food but I don't think it would be that brave with us sitting there. At the end of lunch I turn my back to take a photo of the birds and the sneaky little monkey quickly jumps onto the table and takes my doughnut and spills my Coke. Later as I'm leaving he is licking up the spilt coke on the table.
Leaving the picnic site, I see a male, female and young Waterbuck. We stop to watch another herd of elephants and one of the young is chasing ostriches. He's flapping his ears and rocking his head back and forth trying to tell the ostriches that his the boss I think. We enter thicker bush and see the tiny dik dik deer that are only about a foot tall.
Over a very rough patch of road we arrive at Kikoti Lodge that is on a ridge just overlooking Tarangire Park. Each unit is 1/2 canvas tent and solid structure set up on stilts. It has a thatched roof over the canvas roof and a wooden door. A big deck with lounge chairs are great for watching the sunset. There are Masai guards to walk you to and from your tent when it's dark for safety concerns. When asking what the footprints are leading up to my tent, I find out they are hyena and that night after dinner you can here them calling in the area. There was also some elephant dung along the path so even the big animals have been know to wander into camp. Lots of noises to get used to at light hearing the birds, animals and all that scrambling between the tent roof and thatch I found out was bats coming and going throughout the night. At least they were not on the inside of the tent. In bed by 11pm so I can be up for an early morning game drive.
Arusha - don't spend a lot of time there
I had 2 days before the 10 day safari started in Arusha so I had a bit of free time to explore Arusha. Well, I really didn't need it other than to use the internet cafe which was super cheap compared to what the hotel charged. I stayed at the Impala Hotel that is listed as a 4-5 star hotel and for paying $80 a night it really felt more like a 2 star hotel. Yes, it had a pool and 4 restaurants (Indian, Chinese, Italien & Continental), but there was no air conditioning. My room was in the older section and it was small but at least it was clean. Unfortunately, it over looked the lobby, so it was quite noisy into the wee hours. A plus was a t.v. with a movie channel.
I could walk into town from the hotel along the main road for about 1/2 hour. I expected to see a modern city like Kigali is doing with all the new buildings. Well, Arusha still looks like it did 50 years ago. There is a central clock tower on a round a bout that is suppose to be the half way point between South Africa and Egypt. I'll have to check that out on an atlas when I get home. The old Arusha hotel is very nice and has been updated but all the other buildings are dirty and dingy. Lots of garbage in the streets and masses of people walking and trying to maneouver around all the crazy drivers. After visiting Rwanda which was so clean, I was deeply disappointed in how dirty Tanzania is. I don't care how poor a person is, they can clean up their own yard.
I went into 2 bookstores looking for some tour guiding books and maps and there were so crammed pack full of books the people pretty well had to climb over top of each other in the 1 aisle. Entering a photo shop to check out the prices of memory cards, I was virtually ignored while they kept serving the locals, even ones who came in after me. The street vendors seem to latch onto any white person and follow them down the street even though you repeatedly tell them you are not buying any souveniers today. One guy, very friendly I must say even waited outside each shop I entered and continued to follow me for over an hour. I guess he finally gave up when I went into an internet cafe for about 3 hours.
I was able to find the Hoopoe Safari office in the downtown area and make arrangements to be picked up from the Impala Hotel and taken to Kigongoni Lodge (just outside of Arusha) to start my safari on Sunday afternoon.
I could walk into town from the hotel along the main road for about 1/2 hour. I expected to see a modern city like Kigali is doing with all the new buildings. Well, Arusha still looks like it did 50 years ago. There is a central clock tower on a round a bout that is suppose to be the half way point between South Africa and Egypt. I'll have to check that out on an atlas when I get home. The old Arusha hotel is very nice and has been updated but all the other buildings are dirty and dingy. Lots of garbage in the streets and masses of people walking and trying to maneouver around all the crazy drivers. After visiting Rwanda which was so clean, I was deeply disappointed in how dirty Tanzania is. I don't care how poor a person is, they can clean up their own yard.
I went into 2 bookstores looking for some tour guiding books and maps and there were so crammed pack full of books the people pretty well had to climb over top of each other in the 1 aisle. Entering a photo shop to check out the prices of memory cards, I was virtually ignored while they kept serving the locals, even ones who came in after me. The street vendors seem to latch onto any white person and follow them down the street even though you repeatedly tell them you are not buying any souveniers today. One guy, very friendly I must say even waited outside each shop I entered and continued to follow me for over an hour. I guess he finally gave up when I went into an internet cafe for about 3 hours.
I was able to find the Hoopoe Safari office in the downtown area and make arrangements to be picked up from the Impala Hotel and taken to Kigongoni Lodge (just outside of Arusha) to start my safari on Sunday afternoon.
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Tanzania here I come
I took an early morning Rwanda Express flight from Kigali Airport in Rwanda to Kilimanjaro Airport in northern Tanzania. The prop plane, a Dash 8 with about 20 seasts was nice because due to the short flight we didn't have to fly too high. It was nice to watch the hills with the bright green terraced fields. A bit a cloud cover started so I thought I would have a bit of a snooze due to the early wake up call and when I woke up there was water below. It was Lake Victoria. I was surprised at the number of islands off shore. After the large lake we were flying over the Serengeti but I couldn't spot any animals. Closer to Arusha, off in the clouds I got my first glimpse of Mt. Kilimanjaro that sits at approx. 5900 metres. I could see the bits of glacier that have not melted but the rest of the mountain was covered in clouds. Oh, how I had wished to climb the mountain but it's rainy season so it's not advised. I guess I'll just have to come back to Tanzania another time.
On arrival into Killy airport, I expected to be picked up by the safari company but that didn't happen. I started to talk to a few other tourists who were arranging a taxi into town and was able to catch a lift with them. There were 3 backpackers from London, U.K. The one girl was from Basildon, close to my mom's hometown and the 4th person was an american working for an NGO in East Africa for the past year. It's $50 usd for a taxi so I appreciated being able to share a ride. I just told the driver to drop me off at a hotel in town, the Impala and they had a room available.
On arrival into Killy airport, I expected to be picked up by the safari company but that didn't happen. I started to talk to a few other tourists who were arranging a taxi into town and was able to catch a lift with them. There were 3 backpackers from London, U.K. The one girl was from Basildon, close to my mom's hometown and the 4th person was an american working for an NGO in East Africa for the past year. It's $50 usd for a taxi so I appreciated being able to share a ride. I just told the driver to drop me off at a hotel in town, the Impala and they had a room available.
Monday, March 17, 2008
Sunday, March 9, 2008
Gorillas and Golden Monkeys
In my Rwanda package, I have purchased to trek passes. One for Golden Monkeys ($100) and another for the gorillas ($500). With both treks, you are never guaranteed to see the animals and if you do, you are only allowed to spend 1 hour with certain habituated groups. They have trackers that usually know the area the animals are found after the locations from the previous day. Sometimes you hike less than an hour and other times you may be expected to hike the entire day up the volcano to locate the gorillas.
My 1st trek is the Golden Monkeys. That day, I'm the only one signed up. I have the tracker, the guide, 2 armed guards and 2 biologist with me. The armed guards are there for protection against buffalo and elephant found within the walls of the Nat'l Park. We hike through farm fields for about 1/2 hour until we get to the park wall (to keep buffalo & elephants from destroying farm crops). Within minutes of climbing over the wall (constructed 3 years ago) the tracker warns us that buffalo are nearby and we see one sitting down amongst the trees. He doesn't seem too interested in us today but they are considered one of the meanest animals. About another 1/2 hour hiking through muddy bamboo forests we spot the Golden Monkeys. this is only a small group of about 10-15 but there are some groups of up to 80 monkeys. They are considered more threatened with extinction than gorillas right now and are only found in about 3 areas in Rwanda/Uganda forests. The females are more golden in color and I spot one with a baby. They stay mainly in the trees above so it's hard to get pictures and move quiet fast swinging through the trees so even video is hard. At some points I'm almost crawling through the bamboo in order to keep up with them and due to the rain the previous night, every time I move a bamboo pole I get a shower of raindrops. The hour goes by quickly and we head back. The buffalo is still sleeping in the exact same spot. I return to the hotel muddy up to my knees and am axious for a bath.
The next day is the Gorilla trek. At park headquarters, all the people are divided into groups of no more than 8 people. My group has 7 and one older gentleman use to study gorillas in the Congo and Rwanda back in the late 1950's. We luck out today with one of the more experienced guides. Francois has been working in this area for 28 years and even worked with Dian Fossey. He has a great sense of humour and gets a kick out of acting like a gorilla. He stops along the way to explain some of the food and trees we see and what a gorilla likes to eat. The group we will trek to has 1 silverback male, 5 females and 5 babies and another sub-adult. To our luck he tells us that the gorillas are outside of the National Park area so we don't have far to walk. About 15 minutes later we can see the outline of the park boundary and notice some movement in the trees. There's a mother with a baby clinging to her side. Another one is not far off. We are about 10-20 feet away and they decide to climb over the wall into the park area. We notice the silverback climbing after the females and we follow close behind. About 10 feet into the park the silverback sits down and grabs some branches to eat. We are very close and everyone is snapping away with their cameras. We are not allowed to use flash photography. He stays there for about 5 minutes before finding another place to sit and eat. We are following just the silverback now but you can here the others are nearby. Afterspending time with the silverback and at times he is less than 10 feet away. He doesn't seem at all concerned with us. I'm anxious to see the babies up close and let Francois know this. We leave the silverback and start following one of the mothers. Again we get very close and a few times as we are watching one another mother with baby walks right beside us. I could have easily reached out and touched one of them but we are not allowed. If one of them comes up to you that is fine, we just can't initiate contact ourselves and due to disease transfer they really don't want you to get too close to them. For the last 20 minutes most of the gorillas are in one area that has a bit of light shining through the trees. The silverback plops down, crosses his arms and keeps an eye on use and his family but really looks quite bored. Some of the babies leave their mother's arms and climb up into the trees to have some fun. It starts to lightly rain but most of us don't care about getting wet we are enjoying being surrounded by the gorillas. Francois tells us we only have 2 minutes left and they go by quickly. Just as I pack my camera away, the subadult walks by us and the silverback towards one of the females. The silverback quickly reaches back and gives him a quick swat across the rear end to tell him to back off. We start to climb down and they decide it's time to also head in the opposite direction. It's almost like they said the hours up so the show is done for today, now we can go off and do our own thing. Now I can cross that trip off my list of things I've always wanted to do. Primates are my favorite group of animals and it was amazing to be in their company, even if it was for such a short time. Well worth the $500 in my mind. Some of the tourist are going 2 or 3 times to see the gorillas since there are about 8 groups of habituated gorillas in Volcano Nat'l Park. I'm just lucky that I got to see them so close since other groups don't have the same experience that our group does.
My 1st trek is the Golden Monkeys. That day, I'm the only one signed up. I have the tracker, the guide, 2 armed guards and 2 biologist with me. The armed guards are there for protection against buffalo and elephant found within the walls of the Nat'l Park. We hike through farm fields for about 1/2 hour until we get to the park wall (to keep buffalo & elephants from destroying farm crops). Within minutes of climbing over the wall (constructed 3 years ago) the tracker warns us that buffalo are nearby and we see one sitting down amongst the trees. He doesn't seem too interested in us today but they are considered one of the meanest animals. About another 1/2 hour hiking through muddy bamboo forests we spot the Golden Monkeys. this is only a small group of about 10-15 but there are some groups of up to 80 monkeys. They are considered more threatened with extinction than gorillas right now and are only found in about 3 areas in Rwanda/Uganda forests. The females are more golden in color and I spot one with a baby. They stay mainly in the trees above so it's hard to get pictures and move quiet fast swinging through the trees so even video is hard. At some points I'm almost crawling through the bamboo in order to keep up with them and due to the rain the previous night, every time I move a bamboo pole I get a shower of raindrops. The hour goes by quickly and we head back. The buffalo is still sleeping in the exact same spot. I return to the hotel muddy up to my knees and am axious for a bath.
The next day is the Gorilla trek. At park headquarters, all the people are divided into groups of no more than 8 people. My group has 7 and one older gentleman use to study gorillas in the Congo and Rwanda back in the late 1950's. We luck out today with one of the more experienced guides. Francois has been working in this area for 28 years and even worked with Dian Fossey. He has a great sense of humour and gets a kick out of acting like a gorilla. He stops along the way to explain some of the food and trees we see and what a gorilla likes to eat. The group we will trek to has 1 silverback male, 5 females and 5 babies and another sub-adult. To our luck he tells us that the gorillas are outside of the National Park area so we don't have far to walk. About 15 minutes later we can see the outline of the park boundary and notice some movement in the trees. There's a mother with a baby clinging to her side. Another one is not far off. We are about 10-20 feet away and they decide to climb over the wall into the park area. We notice the silverback climbing after the females and we follow close behind. About 10 feet into the park the silverback sits down and grabs some branches to eat. We are very close and everyone is snapping away with their cameras. We are not allowed to use flash photography. He stays there for about 5 minutes before finding another place to sit and eat. We are following just the silverback now but you can here the others are nearby. Afterspending time with the silverback and at times he is less than 10 feet away. He doesn't seem at all concerned with us. I'm anxious to see the babies up close and let Francois know this. We leave the silverback and start following one of the mothers. Again we get very close and a few times as we are watching one another mother with baby walks right beside us. I could have easily reached out and touched one of them but we are not allowed. If one of them comes up to you that is fine, we just can't initiate contact ourselves and due to disease transfer they really don't want you to get too close to them. For the last 20 minutes most of the gorillas are in one area that has a bit of light shining through the trees. The silverback plops down, crosses his arms and keeps an eye on use and his family but really looks quite bored. Some of the babies leave their mother's arms and climb up into the trees to have some fun. It starts to lightly rain but most of us don't care about getting wet we are enjoying being surrounded by the gorillas. Francois tells us we only have 2 minutes left and they go by quickly. Just as I pack my camera away, the subadult walks by us and the silverback towards one of the females. The silverback quickly reaches back and gives him a quick swat across the rear end to tell him to back off. We start to climb down and they decide it's time to also head in the opposite direction. It's almost like they said the hours up so the show is done for today, now we can go off and do our own thing. Now I can cross that trip off my list of things I've always wanted to do. Primates are my favorite group of animals and it was amazing to be in their company, even if it was for such a short time. Well worth the $500 in my mind. Some of the tourist are going 2 or 3 times to see the gorillas since there are about 8 groups of habituated gorillas in Volcano Nat'l Park. I'm just lucky that I got to see them so close since other groups don't have the same experience that our group does.
Saturday, March 8, 2008
Beautiful Rwanda
Around 1pm, Martin & I left for the mountains. I'm surprised at how clean everywhere is and lots of flowers in front of most houses along the way. There's even excellent paved roads with only one short 10km section with a few potholes. Martin tells me that the gov't that took over at after the genocide is really trying to turn this country around. Sure it's one of the most heavily populated countries in Africa for it's size but people are expected to volunteer once a month in improving their community. The countryside is very moutainous and lush green with terraced farm fields of banana, potato, sugar cane and other fruits and veggies. Most people make less than $300 a year so they don't have cars. All along the roadside people are walking with amazing amounts of weight carried on their heads. You see them carrying logs, or 50 lbs bags of potatos. Many of the women carry babies strapped to their backs and are dressed in beautiful brightly color fabrics. Most of the children are in school uniforms some as clean as could be while others are quite dirty dressed in rags. Martin says most of the people by used clothing in the markets so you see the odd hockey or football jersey or a t'shirt stating an american university. Many are barefoot. I can't get over the amount of children along the roads. Many are very young like 2 & 3 years olds that could easily dart into traffic but they seem to understand that they have to stay on the side of the road. Most wave and give you the biggest smile when you pass by. Due to the colder, wet climate, many of the children have runny noses.
Most of the houses are made of crude dirt bricks or sticks and cow dung walls with no running water or electricity and have dirt floors covered in woven mats. I'm impressed that for people this poor it's one of the few poor countries I've been too that the homes have the beauty of flowers in the gardens. We stop for pictures and lunch along the way and will stay just outside of Kinigi at Gorillas Nest Lodge for 3 nights surrounded by 5 extinct volcanos (Karisimbi 4507', Bisoke 3711', Sabyinyo 3674', Gahinga 3474', and Muhabura 4127'). I was really surprised to see that the Gorilla's Nest has a golf course but a bit rougher than we'd be used to.
It's wet and cold and I left most of my warmer clothes back in the extra suitcase stored at the Novotel so I dress in layers. The rooms are damp and the towels are damp and no t.v. so I bundle up to read in bed under the blankets.
Most of the houses are made of crude dirt bricks or sticks and cow dung walls with no running water or electricity and have dirt floors covered in woven mats. I'm impressed that for people this poor it's one of the few poor countries I've been too that the homes have the beauty of flowers in the gardens. We stop for pictures and lunch along the way and will stay just outside of Kinigi at Gorillas Nest Lodge for 3 nights surrounded by 5 extinct volcanos (Karisimbi 4507', Bisoke 3711', Sabyinyo 3674', Gahinga 3474', and Muhabura 4127'). I was really surprised to see that the Gorilla's Nest has a golf course but a bit rougher than we'd be used to.
It's wet and cold and I left most of my warmer clothes back in the extra suitcase stored at the Novotel so I dress in layers. The rooms are damp and the towels are damp and no t.v. so I bundle up to read in bed under the blankets.
Rwanda and gorillas here I come, I hope
I flew from Vic Falls to Jo'burg SA and had a connecting flight into Kigali Rwanda that would make one stop in Burundi on the way to Rwanda. The 2nd flight has an South African Airlines flight number but is operated by Rwanda Airlines, oh goody me. I don't know much about this airline. I guess they only have 2 planes and the jet has been broken for a while so they have been chartering any airline that has an available plane. I can't understand why SA Airlines doesn't just use one of their planes.
We leave about 1 hour late. About 1 hour into the flight the pilot announces that due to mechanical difficulty he is turning back to Jo'burg. Not exactly great news so I just hope it's something minor like a light that won't turn off in the cockpit. Upon landing we go to the hanger area and sit on the plane for about another hour before they decide it will take longer to fix. We wait longer for buses to pick us up and once at the terminal they tell us to go to the restaurant and get something to eat up to a value of about $75.00 Rand ($10-11). I'm sitting with a guy from the U.S. that works for an NGO, a U.S. girl that works in Kigali for an NGO and 3 business men from Jo'Burg. Four of them tell me that they were on Friday's flight that was cancelled and then I find out that Wed's flight was also cancelled. I'm hoping this flight isn't cancelled since it will screw up my Gorilla Permit that cost $500 and is only good for the day you bought it. Airline staff say the plane will board at 1030pm but we don't board until after 1130pm. Seems that orginal pilot was out of hours and they also had to get another plane.
Finally around midnight we take off after the open seating stampede for seats. The Burundi pax are told that that airport is closed for the night so they have to go to Kigali and wait for another flight in the morning. I had woken up at 6am on Sunday for my first flight and I finally arrived into Kigali around 5am on Monday morning a little worse for wear.
Luckily customs & immigration was very easy (no visa for Canadians) and I didn't have to wait for my bags. Martin my driver for the next 5 days was waiting there to take me to the Novotel Hotel in town. We would skip the city tour for now so I could get some sleep before heading out of town to Volcano Nat'l Park for 3 nights.
We leave about 1 hour late. About 1 hour into the flight the pilot announces that due to mechanical difficulty he is turning back to Jo'burg. Not exactly great news so I just hope it's something minor like a light that won't turn off in the cockpit. Upon landing we go to the hanger area and sit on the plane for about another hour before they decide it will take longer to fix. We wait longer for buses to pick us up and once at the terminal they tell us to go to the restaurant and get something to eat up to a value of about $75.00 Rand ($10-11). I'm sitting with a guy from the U.S. that works for an NGO, a U.S. girl that works in Kigali for an NGO and 3 business men from Jo'Burg. Four of them tell me that they were on Friday's flight that was cancelled and then I find out that Wed's flight was also cancelled. I'm hoping this flight isn't cancelled since it will screw up my Gorilla Permit that cost $500 and is only good for the day you bought it. Airline staff say the plane will board at 1030pm but we don't board until after 1130pm. Seems that orginal pilot was out of hours and they also had to get another plane.
Finally around midnight we take off after the open seating stampede for seats. The Burundi pax are told that that airport is closed for the night so they have to go to Kigali and wait for another flight in the morning. I had woken up at 6am on Sunday for my first flight and I finally arrived into Kigali around 5am on Monday morning a little worse for wear.
Luckily customs & immigration was very easy (no visa for Canadians) and I didn't have to wait for my bags. Martin my driver for the next 5 days was waiting there to take me to the Novotel Hotel in town. We would skip the city tour for now so I could get some sleep before heading out of town to Volcano Nat'l Park for 3 nights.
Soaking wet in Victoria Falls
My family all knows that I love waterfalls and have taken hundreds of photos of waterfalls through the years so I couldn't come to Africa without stopping to visit Victoria Falls. The falls separate Zambia and Zimbabwe. I opt to go to Zimbabwe for 2 nights since the view is suppost to be better. Zimbabwe in recent years has been having political problems with their corrupt leader Mugabe but I figured Vic Falls is a tourist destination and if the country goes into revolt, all I'd have to do is cross the bridge into Zambia to escape so it was worth the risk for such a short stay.
The flight from Windhoek to Vic Falls is a small prop plane filled with about 18 white people, probably all tourist while the flight leaving the same time to Luanda was just black people. The flight stopped over in Maun Botswana for about 1/2 hour and the scenery from the air was flat but green, hardly any road or signs of villages. Lots of storm clouds around while landing at Vic Falls but the rain held off.
It takes about 1/2 hour to get into town and I'm staying at the Kingdom Resort. It's a large resort hotel with casino. I'm not impressed with the area around Vic Falls. I get the impression that people are really desperate and people are begging in the streets and trying to sell anything as soon as you leave the property. Armed guards are at the front of the hotel. My ground floor sliding glass doors don't lock so I asked to be changed to a different room to feel secure.
That evening I go on a sunset cruise on the Zambezi River. The Zambezi river starts in Zambia, then heads west into Angola before flowing back east into Zambia separating Zambia, Namibia, Botswana & Zimbabwe. In Zimbabwe further east it has been dammed to form a large lake before it continues to flow out into the Indian Ocean. The boat is filled mainly with a French tour group. The banks of the river are flooded and we see some interesting birds but finally spot 1 Croc and about 3 Hippos in the water. Due to the approaching storm, we didn't really get a sunset but enjoyed watching all the lightening in the sky.
In 1855 Livingstone from England explored the area with some native people. It was during the dry season while staying on one of the island at a portion of the waterfall that was dry that Livingstone decided to name the waterfall after the Queen of England at the time. The local people called the falls "Smoke that Thunders" since most of the time there is heavy spray from the falls that looks like smoke in the sky from a distance.
There is a group of us that are taking a guided walking tour in the Nat'l Park area that borders the falls. They have rainjackets for rent but I have a rain poncho already so figured I would stay dry. I figured the ground would be rocky so I worn my hiking boats and also pants to keep bugs away. I should have worn flipflops and a bathing suit. Out of about 10 viewpoints, I only stayed dry for the 1st one. The spray was so intense at some point you would think you were standing outside during a heavy downpour. If I lifted my head up the rain collecting in the hood of my poncho would run down my chest. It was next to impossible to try to keep the camera and videocamera dry and even had problems with the videocamera for the next day until it dried out. The falls were spectacular and I was glad I did the stop but 2 days is plenty unless you plan on doing all the adrenelin sports like bungy jumping, rafting, etc that is offered in the area. On the pathway back to the bus, I stopped to take off my rain poncho and I was soaked from head to toe. While trying to dry off a bit someone told be to look above me and about a foot over my head sitting on a branch was a large male baboon. As I looked around there were more in the trees and on the ground just chilling out. They are obviously used to people in the area however I know that adult baboons can be pretty nasty so made sure I stayed a distance away from them.
Later that evening I took a walk over to the historica Vic Falls Hotel next door that has a nice view of the gorge and bridge. On the way there were a few Vervet monkeys around. Too bad I didn't have my camera (still drying out) since I didn't find any the next morning before I flew out. They are really sweet looking monkeys and I was lucky to see a baby venturing a few feet away from it's mother.
I took a quick walk the next day to the market stalls but didn't have much time to shop. Was surprised to find that people were asking for my shoes or any spare clothing I had. Unfortunately, I still need it for a few months before I leave Africa but expect at that time to leave half of my clothes at the orphanage in Moshi Tanzania that I will be at.
The flight from Windhoek to Vic Falls is a small prop plane filled with about 18 white people, probably all tourist while the flight leaving the same time to Luanda was just black people. The flight stopped over in Maun Botswana for about 1/2 hour and the scenery from the air was flat but green, hardly any road or signs of villages. Lots of storm clouds around while landing at Vic Falls but the rain held off.
It takes about 1/2 hour to get into town and I'm staying at the Kingdom Resort. It's a large resort hotel with casino. I'm not impressed with the area around Vic Falls. I get the impression that people are really desperate and people are begging in the streets and trying to sell anything as soon as you leave the property. Armed guards are at the front of the hotel. My ground floor sliding glass doors don't lock so I asked to be changed to a different room to feel secure.
That evening I go on a sunset cruise on the Zambezi River. The Zambezi river starts in Zambia, then heads west into Angola before flowing back east into Zambia separating Zambia, Namibia, Botswana & Zimbabwe. In Zimbabwe further east it has been dammed to form a large lake before it continues to flow out into the Indian Ocean. The boat is filled mainly with a French tour group. The banks of the river are flooded and we see some interesting birds but finally spot 1 Croc and about 3 Hippos in the water. Due to the approaching storm, we didn't really get a sunset but enjoyed watching all the lightening in the sky.
In 1855 Livingstone from England explored the area with some native people. It was during the dry season while staying on one of the island at a portion of the waterfall that was dry that Livingstone decided to name the waterfall after the Queen of England at the time. The local people called the falls "Smoke that Thunders" since most of the time there is heavy spray from the falls that looks like smoke in the sky from a distance.
There is a group of us that are taking a guided walking tour in the Nat'l Park area that borders the falls. They have rainjackets for rent but I have a rain poncho already so figured I would stay dry. I figured the ground would be rocky so I worn my hiking boats and also pants to keep bugs away. I should have worn flipflops and a bathing suit. Out of about 10 viewpoints, I only stayed dry for the 1st one. The spray was so intense at some point you would think you were standing outside during a heavy downpour. If I lifted my head up the rain collecting in the hood of my poncho would run down my chest. It was next to impossible to try to keep the camera and videocamera dry and even had problems with the videocamera for the next day until it dried out. The falls were spectacular and I was glad I did the stop but 2 days is plenty unless you plan on doing all the adrenelin sports like bungy jumping, rafting, etc that is offered in the area. On the pathway back to the bus, I stopped to take off my rain poncho and I was soaked from head to toe. While trying to dry off a bit someone told be to look above me and about a foot over my head sitting on a branch was a large male baboon. As I looked around there were more in the trees and on the ground just chilling out. They are obviously used to people in the area however I know that adult baboons can be pretty nasty so made sure I stayed a distance away from them.
Later that evening I took a walk over to the historica Vic Falls Hotel next door that has a nice view of the gorge and bridge. On the way there were a few Vervet monkeys around. Too bad I didn't have my camera (still drying out) since I didn't find any the next morning before I flew out. They are really sweet looking monkeys and I was lucky to see a baby venturing a few feet away from it's mother.
I took a quick walk the next day to the market stalls but didn't have much time to shop. Was surprised to find that people were asking for my shoes or any spare clothing I had. Unfortunately, I still need it for a few months before I leave Africa but expect at that time to leave half of my clothes at the orphanage in Moshi Tanzania that I will be at.
The end of Namibia is approaching quickly
From Mt Etjo, all the other tour members have another 3 days at Etosha National Park while I will head back to Windhoek. At first I thought I should have booked all 3 component tours (South, North & Etosha) for a 15 day tour but figured since I was going on safari in Tanzania, I didn't need to add the Etosha part. I'm glad I didn't since due to the rains, the animals would not be at the main watering hole that is crawling with every animal possible in the dry season. The group was told they may even find most of the roads closed when they drove north to Etosha.
A drive from Windhoek is delivering a new tour member to the group and will take me south to Windhoek. I went back to Naankuse guesthouse for 1 night so I could go to the travel agency to sort out my other travel plans. Heavy rains again and they even had a rare hail storm. My last night was spent out at Naankuse Lodge. After dinner another heavy storm with high winds hit and it rained most of the night. The lodge is hard to get to on a dry day so I worried that I wouldn't make it to airport.
Jaco was not driving a 4X4 today, so he asked a film crew staying at the lodge to take me across the muddy river. They are filming a documentary about Marlice and her life raising animals. We're running late when I get to the airport but luckily the flight to Victoria Falls is delayed.
A drive from Windhoek is delivering a new tour member to the group and will take me south to Windhoek. I went back to Naankuse guesthouse for 1 night so I could go to the travel agency to sort out my other travel plans. Heavy rains again and they even had a rare hail storm. My last night was spent out at Naankuse Lodge. After dinner another heavy storm with high winds hit and it rained most of the night. The lodge is hard to get to on a dry day so I worried that I wouldn't make it to airport.
Jaco was not driving a 4X4 today, so he asked a film crew staying at the lodge to take me across the muddy river. They are filming a documentary about Marlice and her life raising animals. We're running late when I get to the airport but luckily the flight to Victoria Falls is delayed.
Dinner with the lions of Mtn Etjo
After visiting the Himba village we continued to Outjo and through Otjiwarongo and headed south to Mt. Etjo Lodge. We hit some heavy rain and were told that the way into the lodge was unpassable and we should try the other way. Halfway down the road, Monica received a telephone call that that way is blocked and to go back around to the original way that should be better. It was starting to turn dark so Monica informed the lodge if we didn't show up in an hour to come looking for us stuck in the mud. Due to road conditions we couldn't make it down the road to see the dinosaur tracks. There was a beautiful rainbow as the sky darkened and a 4x4 came out to escort us along the wet lodge road.
At dinner, they asked if anyone wanted to go and see the lions being fed. It cost about $10 and I originally thought no since I had been feeding the lions at Naankuse but figured I'd give it a go. Around 1030pm about 5 lodge guests bundled up in blankets for a wet ride to the lion area. We were shown down a dark and dingy tunnel to bench seating. In front of us was a thick metal fence about 4 feet off the ground and on the other side a spotlight shown on the head and neck of a giraffe chained to the grown. Once we were seated, we were told not to put our hands through the bars and sit back and relax while they turned off the lights in the tunnel. It was very quiet for a few minutes and then you could hear the stampeding feet of animals. Out of the dark rushes about 20 lions right at you. They all go for the food and the leader of his pride starts to fight and chase some of the lions away. He seems to let the younger cubs and himself enjoy the feast while others keep trying to sneak in for a bite. Lots of fights errupt and I'm having a hard time getting the camera to focus on the lions through the bars. I find my video camera with night vision button works the best and press it to the bars. At one time a female lion comes right up to the bars sniffing me only inches away. Boy, what a rush to experience this since while I'm on the safari there is no guarantee I will see lions feasting on a kill.
At 445am a load alarm scared the crap out of me. I could here a few people running outside and had no idea what was going on. Had an animal escaped, was there armed robbers entering the lodge, I didn't have a clue. At breakfast, only one other tour member even hear the alarm so I guess there is one good thing about getting older and losing your hearing. This morning we were to take a game drive within the lodges game reserve. Here they have animals that are commonly found in that area of Namibia but also other animals that come from SA or the Caprivi area of Namibia. We see Blessbok, Springbok, Impala, Kudu, Oryx, Zebra, Giraffe, Hippos, Steenbok, Monitar Lizards and lots of birds like the Red Breasted Shrike, Hornbill, Flamingo, Heron, Egret, Lilac Breasted Roller (one of my favorites), etc. There are 2 herds of elephant and we spot the one herd in the trees. We turn off the vehicle to watch the elephants and one of the bulls came to within about 10 feet from the safari vehicle. Let's just say he was huge and a very happy bull at that time. I didn't know elephants had 5 legs if you know what I mean.
At dinner, they asked if anyone wanted to go and see the lions being fed. It cost about $10 and I originally thought no since I had been feeding the lions at Naankuse but figured I'd give it a go. Around 1030pm about 5 lodge guests bundled up in blankets for a wet ride to the lion area. We were shown down a dark and dingy tunnel to bench seating. In front of us was a thick metal fence about 4 feet off the ground and on the other side a spotlight shown on the head and neck of a giraffe chained to the grown. Once we were seated, we were told not to put our hands through the bars and sit back and relax while they turned off the lights in the tunnel. It was very quiet for a few minutes and then you could hear the stampeding feet of animals. Out of the dark rushes about 20 lions right at you. They all go for the food and the leader of his pride starts to fight and chase some of the lions away. He seems to let the younger cubs and himself enjoy the feast while others keep trying to sneak in for a bite. Lots of fights errupt and I'm having a hard time getting the camera to focus on the lions through the bars. I find my video camera with night vision button works the best and press it to the bars. At one time a female lion comes right up to the bars sniffing me only inches away. Boy, what a rush to experience this since while I'm on the safari there is no guarantee I will see lions feasting on a kill.
At 445am a load alarm scared the crap out of me. I could here a few people running outside and had no idea what was going on. Had an animal escaped, was there armed robbers entering the lodge, I didn't have a clue. At breakfast, only one other tour member even hear the alarm so I guess there is one good thing about getting older and losing your hearing. This morning we were to take a game drive within the lodges game reserve. Here they have animals that are commonly found in that area of Namibia but also other animals that come from SA or the Caprivi area of Namibia. We see Blessbok, Springbok, Impala, Kudu, Oryx, Zebra, Giraffe, Hippos, Steenbok, Monitar Lizards and lots of birds like the Red Breasted Shrike, Hornbill, Flamingo, Heron, Egret, Lilac Breasted Roller (one of my favorites), etc. There are 2 herds of elephant and we spot the one herd in the trees. We turn off the vehicle to watch the elephants and one of the bulls came to within about 10 feet from the safari vehicle. Let's just say he was huge and a very happy bull at that time. I didn't know elephants had 5 legs if you know what I mean.
Himba people of northern namibia
We stop in Kamanjab to ask for directions to the Himba tribe. The Himba people are nomatic and have been living the same way for thousands of years in their mud and stick huts the size of an average garden hut and raising their cattle and coats. What's unusual about the Himba people is the women. They never bathe, yes, they never wash their bodies. They take a mixture of red ochre rock pigment mixed with animal fat and cover their bodies in it. Their dreadlock hair is also covered in this mud mixture. They are topless and just wear loinclothes and beaded & metal jewellry. When we enter the village, we are immediately surrounded by the children about 2-12 years old. A lot of the the young children don't even wear any clothes. We are shown around the village with woman working on beadwork, making the ochre bodypaint or just resting in whatever shade they can find. The children and women are facinated with getting their pictures taken and want to see themselves in the digital display screen. Many of them start laughing when they see themselves and want to show everyone else what they look like. Too bad I didn't have a polarid camera to leave some pictures behind. The children have no toys, just empty plastic bottles, bits of metal and sticks to play with. Depending on how many cows a man has he can take more than one wife. Girls are normally married around 14 years of age and it's when they mature that their hairstyle changes and they are allowed to start painting their bodies. We were shown into the leaders hut, a bit larger than the rest and sat in a circle while they showed various tools, weapons, wooden head pillows (men only) and how a woman squats over a smoking leaves that have a bit of a scent to clean herself. These people seem truly happy to live the way they do without modern conveniences that we take for granted everday. The only thing that concerned me was that when a woman has a difficult childbirth or a child gets sick chances are they won't survive since they don't seek modern medical attention.
5 days in rainy, wet Northern Namibia
Saturday night at dinner at the Hansa hotel, myself and the 5 Brits from the South Tour met our new driver/guide and new tour members. The driver/guide is Monica a german lady who has lived in Namibia for 20 years. She use to be a nurse. The new tour members were Dickie and her son Thomas (early 20's) from Holland. Our appetiser for dinner was bought along the roadside on the way to Swakopmond and especially prepared by the cook. It was a huge mushroom that grows from the termite mounds if there has been sufficient rains. I can't remember the name but it's considered a delicacy and was quite tasty.
Sunday morning at breakfast, Monica annouced that the tour route would have to be changed due to water levels along some roads. All of todays journey was to be on dirt/sand roads and the mini-coach could easily get stuck in the water/mud a river crossings. It was a big disappointment for me because I picked this particular tour for the stops we were to see today. We were suppose to drive north along the Skeleton Coast to Henties Bay then head northeast into the mountains. Pass by Brandberg the tallest mountain in the country and see the prehistoric rock engraving and the strange rock formations like the Organ Pipes, Burnt Mtn and petrified forest areas of Twyfelfontein. From Swakopmund, we would now be taking a round about way to get to Darmaland mainly on paved roads. We headed east leaving the sand dunes for the moon landscape. Yes it was really bleek and did resemble the moon. The scenery started to change and became greener with red rock formations. We could see Spitzkoppe Mtn which is still fairly tall. We stopped at an area of roadside vendors selling rocks and minerals that are found in the area. They are super cheap and you barter for the price. I could have spent a few hours looking at all the rocks but everyone else had had their fill in about 10 minutes. I did manage to buy a small piece of aquamarine, garnet and another stone that I can't recall it's name.
The scenery was very nice and it was a bit more comfortable riding on paved roads especially with the new mini-coach that was in excellant condition. Since we were to miss the rock engravings, Monica new of a farmer that had rock paintings (pictographs I think they are called)on his property in the Erongu Mtns. It was a long, windy, bumpy road to get there and the farmer let us sit in his backyard to eat our boxed lunches. We all then piled in his 4X4 truck (saw more mtn zebra) and continued about 10 minutes up a rocky pathway and then a short 10 minute hike to an overhang in the rocks. The protected area was covered in paintings in a red rusty color and since the designs were different you could tell that over the centuries, different aboriginal people would probably use this place as an overnight stop and paint their stories on the walls. There were warriors with bows and arrows, paintings of giraffe and elephant. As we headed back, it started to pour with rain so we all crossed our fingers that the mini-coach would make it back to the main road without getting stuck in a riverbed.
From Usako to Otjwarongo, the scenery was beautiful. We now headed west into Darmaland on a dirt road up to Grootberg Pass 1600 metres. We were starting to loose our light but managed to see about 10 giraffes along the roadside. There were elephant crossing signs but we didn't see any. For the last hour to Grootberg Lodge it was dark but we were gradually driving up the switchbacks to the top of the mountain. From the parking lot we have to be transferred into 4x4 for the last bit to the lodge up an almost 45 degree angle rocky trail. A bit nerve racking in the dark. We arrived after 9pm that night and had left at 730am so it was an extremely long day due to the road detour. We had dinner right away and then was shown to our cottages by flashlight. There were very cute rock cottages with thatched roofs. We were told not to walk outside at night since a leopard sometimes prowls the grounds.
I thought it was funny that we were not given keys to the cottages and the sliding glass doors do not lock so I was a bit nervous going to bed that night. We weren't in a populated area so I guess they feel no need to lock the doors. Waking up the next morning I could understand why locks were not needed. The cottages were perched right along the cliff face with the balcony overhanging the rocks with over a 1000 foot drop. An amazing view. I certainly wouldn't want to be a sleepwalker staying at this place. You could hear all kinds of birds singing and the baboons howling every once in a while.
After breakfast we had a game drive into the valley below in 4x4 open trucks along the Klip River. A very bumpy ride over the rocks but we saw a herd of mountain zebra and after stopping to see a vulture in a tree an elephant was spotted nearby. The bull kept to the trees but we would try to find him on the return journey. We spotted kudu and oryx on the drive and was able to get a bit closer to the elephant on the drive back to the lodge. We had free time to enjoy the serenity of the lodge or a dip in the infinity pool after lunch but storm clouds started to roll in. It started to pour with rain around the time scheduled for a mountain hike and only 3 of us decided to give it a go in the rain since it was letting up a bit. I'm glad we did the hike since we saw a herd of mtn zebra, lots of springbok and oryx along the walk. We were shown ancient stone circles that were old hunting shelters. Back to the room to warm up and have a quick shower (the drum of water is heated by a small fire at 4pm everyday so if you want a hot shower you have to take it in the early evening). Before dinner we met on the patio for a sundowner drink but since it was raining again we renamed it the pissdowner drink. Monica said that hopefully the roads heading back down tomorrow would be passable or we would be stuck at the lodge for another night. Out of all the places I stayed in Namibia, this place was at the top of my list.
Tue morn, I got up about 7am and sat out on the balcony enjoying the sun coming up and listening to all the birds and baboons. We headed out and while the road was muddy and wet in some areas we managed to make it back to the paved road. At one time at a particular big river crossing, we all go out and walked along a concrete barrier across the road while Monica put her foot to the floor and crossed through the mud, spraying mud all over Sue and Margaret, narrowly missing me.
Sunday morning at breakfast, Monica annouced that the tour route would have to be changed due to water levels along some roads. All of todays journey was to be on dirt/sand roads and the mini-coach could easily get stuck in the water/mud a river crossings. It was a big disappointment for me because I picked this particular tour for the stops we were to see today. We were suppose to drive north along the Skeleton Coast to Henties Bay then head northeast into the mountains. Pass by Brandberg the tallest mountain in the country and see the prehistoric rock engraving and the strange rock formations like the Organ Pipes, Burnt Mtn and petrified forest areas of Twyfelfontein. From Swakopmund, we would now be taking a round about way to get to Darmaland mainly on paved roads. We headed east leaving the sand dunes for the moon landscape. Yes it was really bleek and did resemble the moon. The scenery started to change and became greener with red rock formations. We could see Spitzkoppe Mtn which is still fairly tall. We stopped at an area of roadside vendors selling rocks and minerals that are found in the area. They are super cheap and you barter for the price. I could have spent a few hours looking at all the rocks but everyone else had had their fill in about 10 minutes. I did manage to buy a small piece of aquamarine, garnet and another stone that I can't recall it's name.
The scenery was very nice and it was a bit more comfortable riding on paved roads especially with the new mini-coach that was in excellant condition. Since we were to miss the rock engravings, Monica new of a farmer that had rock paintings (pictographs I think they are called)on his property in the Erongu Mtns. It was a long, windy, bumpy road to get there and the farmer let us sit in his backyard to eat our boxed lunches. We all then piled in his 4X4 truck (saw more mtn zebra) and continued about 10 minutes up a rocky pathway and then a short 10 minute hike to an overhang in the rocks. The protected area was covered in paintings in a red rusty color and since the designs were different you could tell that over the centuries, different aboriginal people would probably use this place as an overnight stop and paint their stories on the walls. There were warriors with bows and arrows, paintings of giraffe and elephant. As we headed back, it started to pour with rain so we all crossed our fingers that the mini-coach would make it back to the main road without getting stuck in a riverbed.
From Usako to Otjwarongo, the scenery was beautiful. We now headed west into Darmaland on a dirt road up to Grootberg Pass 1600 metres. We were starting to loose our light but managed to see about 10 giraffes along the roadside. There were elephant crossing signs but we didn't see any. For the last hour to Grootberg Lodge it was dark but we were gradually driving up the switchbacks to the top of the mountain. From the parking lot we have to be transferred into 4x4 for the last bit to the lodge up an almost 45 degree angle rocky trail. A bit nerve racking in the dark. We arrived after 9pm that night and had left at 730am so it was an extremely long day due to the road detour. We had dinner right away and then was shown to our cottages by flashlight. There were very cute rock cottages with thatched roofs. We were told not to walk outside at night since a leopard sometimes prowls the grounds.
I thought it was funny that we were not given keys to the cottages and the sliding glass doors do not lock so I was a bit nervous going to bed that night. We weren't in a populated area so I guess they feel no need to lock the doors. Waking up the next morning I could understand why locks were not needed. The cottages were perched right along the cliff face with the balcony overhanging the rocks with over a 1000 foot drop. An amazing view. I certainly wouldn't want to be a sleepwalker staying at this place. You could hear all kinds of birds singing and the baboons howling every once in a while.
After breakfast we had a game drive into the valley below in 4x4 open trucks along the Klip River. A very bumpy ride over the rocks but we saw a herd of mountain zebra and after stopping to see a vulture in a tree an elephant was spotted nearby. The bull kept to the trees but we would try to find him on the return journey. We spotted kudu and oryx on the drive and was able to get a bit closer to the elephant on the drive back to the lodge. We had free time to enjoy the serenity of the lodge or a dip in the infinity pool after lunch but storm clouds started to roll in. It started to pour with rain around the time scheduled for a mountain hike and only 3 of us decided to give it a go in the rain since it was letting up a bit. I'm glad we did the hike since we saw a herd of mtn zebra, lots of springbok and oryx along the walk. We were shown ancient stone circles that were old hunting shelters. Back to the room to warm up and have a quick shower (the drum of water is heated by a small fire at 4pm everyday so if you want a hot shower you have to take it in the early evening). Before dinner we met on the patio for a sundowner drink but since it was raining again we renamed it the pissdowner drink. Monica said that hopefully the roads heading back down tomorrow would be passable or we would be stuck at the lodge for another night. Out of all the places I stayed in Namibia, this place was at the top of my list.
Tue morn, I got up about 7am and sat out on the balcony enjoying the sun coming up and listening to all the birds and baboons. We headed out and while the road was muddy and wet in some areas we managed to make it back to the paved road. At one time at a particular big river crossing, we all go out and walked along a concrete barrier across the road while Monica put her foot to the floor and crossed through the mud, spraying mud all over Sue and Margaret, narrowly missing me.
Thursday, March 6, 2008
Swakopmund 3 days stay
In Swakopmund, I was able to stay 3 nights at the Hansa Hotel. It's one of the old historic hotels and my room was huge compared to a lot of other tour members. Nice to have the space but I really didn't spend too much time there. Friday morning we all went on a boat cruise on Walvis Bay. Already on board was a huge fur seal. As we boarded the ship, one of the crew members was feeding him some fish but as soon as his rations were cut off, he jumped or I guess slithered over the edge. We took off and as the crew held up fish, seagulls and pelican would fly right up to the boat for an easy meal. There were millions of black commorants flying around and nesting on old abandoned fishing trawlers. As we cruised over to the other side, you could see flamingos in the distance and tonnes of fur seals frolicking in the water or on the beach. We also saw porpoises, dolphins and a sunfish (just the fin). Even thou it was overcast, I enjoyed the cruise since there were calm seas. The German couple and our tour driver would be heading back into Windhoek to end the tour while the rest of use would have an extra night in town before meeting up with the Northern tour leader and any new passengers.
Swakopmund is a nice seaside town with beaches, a pier, lots and lots of tourist shops but has some beautiful old German style buildings that are about 100 years old. Many are restored and I enjoyed walking around the town. I visited the Krystal Museum and me being a rock nut spent about 2 hours there. They have the largest crystal in the world that were found in Namibia and it took years to extract them from the cave. They also have a great display of many types of crystals and semi-precious stones. Along the beach front, I met the most interested guy (Brent) who created the neatest spoons out of seashells, porcupine quills and old fishing line. We had a good long chat about using his inspiration to create things from the environment and his life in Namibia. The local craft market is great if you like to barter (I don't) for souveniers. Everyone says they will give you the best price. Six of us went for a great dinner at the Tug Restaurant hoping for a great sunset which didn't materialize but the food was so great. Calamari starter, salad and dinner of Sea Bass and pop for about $20.00. I was recommended this restaurant by someone who use to live here and all my tour mates were glad I suggested such a great place.
Swakopmund is a nice seaside town with beaches, a pier, lots and lots of tourist shops but has some beautiful old German style buildings that are about 100 years old. Many are restored and I enjoyed walking around the town. I visited the Krystal Museum and me being a rock nut spent about 2 hours there. They have the largest crystal in the world that were found in Namibia and it took years to extract them from the cave. They also have a great display of many types of crystals and semi-precious stones. Along the beach front, I met the most interested guy (Brent) who created the neatest spoons out of seashells, porcupine quills and old fishing line. We had a good long chat about using his inspiration to create things from the environment and his life in Namibia. The local craft market is great if you like to barter (I don't) for souveniers. Everyone says they will give you the best price. Six of us went for a great dinner at the Tug Restaurant hoping for a great sunset which didn't materialize but the food was so great. Calamari starter, salad and dinner of Sea Bass and pop for about $20.00. I was recommended this restaurant by someone who use to live here and all my tour mates were glad I suggested such a great place.
From Dunes to Ocean
I'm definitely not a morning person so I don't really enjoy having to get up at 5am, but I guess there is a good reason for it. Our group needs to get to Sossusvlie in the Namib Desert before it gets too hot. Why, because were going to try to climb to the top of a sand dune. We stop at Dune 45 (there's 99 dunes at this Nat'l Park). Luckily it is overcast and even looks like it could rain. but the Namib Desert is one of the oldest deserts in the world and we all thought this would be one of our hottest days. About 7 of the 8 of us start the climb. It's best to be barefoot I'm told even though there may be snakes, lizard around. About a 1/4 of the way up most of the people drop out. I'm the youngest of the group so I should be able to make it. I go slowly, stopping to take pictures so I'm able to catch my breath and finally make it to the top. Robert and Peter also make it to the top. Due to the overcast conditions, there wasn't really the spectacular colors you see in the post cards with the red sand against the blue skies but it's still very pretty.
Once the paved road ends we take a 4x4 truck the rest of the way to Sossusvlie. There, we are given time to climb another dune called Big Momma. I'll pass and decide to just wander around looking at all the neat plants, birds and I even saw one of the sand lizards. Finally some blue skies come out to brighten up the day. We stop at Sesreim Canyon to view the weird rock formations before heading to our hotel, the Namib Naufluft Lodge near Solitare. Very small, only about 14 rooms but secluded with great views of the mountains and lots of ground squirrels to keep you entertained.
Now we are on the road for the coast. We stop at Kuiseb Canyon which had quite a bit of water flowing through it and have a picnic lunch at a rocky outcrop in a very dry area. Luckily the picnic tables are under the overhang or we would have fried. I enjoyed having a quick climb around the rocks before getting back on the bus. Just before the coast, the sand dunes appear again but this time they are a blonde/beige color. We've lost the reds and orange shades. The large sand dunes go right down to the water between Walvis Bay and Swakopmund. We stop for a quick look at Walvis Bay and see the salt flats with some pelicans and flamingos. For those celebrity fans. The Burning Shores hotel is where Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie stayed while waiting for the birth of their baby. They rented out the entire small hotel.
Once the paved road ends we take a 4x4 truck the rest of the way to Sossusvlie. There, we are given time to climb another dune called Big Momma. I'll pass and decide to just wander around looking at all the neat plants, birds and I even saw one of the sand lizards. Finally some blue skies come out to brighten up the day. We stop at Sesreim Canyon to view the weird rock formations before heading to our hotel, the Namib Naufluft Lodge near Solitare. Very small, only about 14 rooms but secluded with great views of the mountains and lots of ground squirrels to keep you entertained.
Now we are on the road for the coast. We stop at Kuiseb Canyon which had quite a bit of water flowing through it and have a picnic lunch at a rocky outcrop in a very dry area. Luckily the picnic tables are under the overhang or we would have fried. I enjoyed having a quick climb around the rocks before getting back on the bus. Just before the coast, the sand dunes appear again but this time they are a blonde/beige color. We've lost the reds and orange shades. The large sand dunes go right down to the water between Walvis Bay and Swakopmund. We stop for a quick look at Walvis Bay and see the salt flats with some pelicans and flamingos. For those celebrity fans. The Burning Shores hotel is where Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie stayed while waiting for the birth of their baby. They rented out the entire small hotel.
more on the puff adder and other animal facts
Did you know that puff adders can have about 12 babies? I found that out at dinner just after seeing one near my room. Most snakes will move away when they sense movement or sound but the puff adder is a lazy snake and people often get bitten on the ankle because they have stepped on one. The pathway back to the rooms isn't lit so I'm in a bit of a panic and very cautious on the walk back to my room that night. Damm, I left my flashlight in my room.
Did you know that a lion has a small claw on the end of it's tail? News, to me and I guess there isn't any use for it that any biologist has discovered. I guess you would pull back the long hairs at the end of the tail and see it. I'm not planning on getting that close to a lion to investigate it. Also their power is in their paws and not their jaws. They can easily break the back of an antelope with one swipe of their paw. If they hunt alone their sucess rate is only about 14% but if they hunt in groups like most female lions do the sucess rate at least triples. The head male of the pride eats first even though he doesn't usually do the hunting, then his offspring eat next before the others. Lions use to roam most of Namibia but are now only found in Etosha Nat'l Park or along the Skeleton Coast.
Did you know that a cheetah really isn't a cat? It shares more DNA with the dog family. There claws don't retract. On a lion or leopard footprint it looks like a shape of a fist, no claw marks, but on cheetah and dog prints it's more pointed and you see the claw prints. They have very small teeth. The fastest land animal and since they need lots of air intake to reach their speed, they have big nostrils. After they catch their kill, they are very winded so many times they loose their prey to other predators like hyenas or lions. There stride is about 8 metres in 1 second and with a flexible spine their back legs will go ahead of their front legs when running. They like only fresh meat so many times they will eat just the choice bits like the hamstring muscle then leave the rest so they kill more often. That's why farmers in Namibia will shoot them because they kill livestock more often than a leopard who will store his food and eat for days.
When a leopard is not hunting he can hold his tail up high and this prey species like antelope, zebra, etc know not to fear him and he can walk right through a herd of these animal. Someone asked if this is true, why doesn't he use this as a trick to get easy pickings. Answer - Because he is not human. Boy, does that ever make sense. If animals can live together, why can't people. Leopards are solitary animals and have brute strength, especially in their jaws. They can carry 3X their body weight 6 metres up a tree.
Did you know that a lion has a small claw on the end of it's tail? News, to me and I guess there isn't any use for it that any biologist has discovered. I guess you would pull back the long hairs at the end of the tail and see it. I'm not planning on getting that close to a lion to investigate it. Also their power is in their paws and not their jaws. They can easily break the back of an antelope with one swipe of their paw. If they hunt alone their sucess rate is only about 14% but if they hunt in groups like most female lions do the sucess rate at least triples. The head male of the pride eats first even though he doesn't usually do the hunting, then his offspring eat next before the others. Lions use to roam most of Namibia but are now only found in Etosha Nat'l Park or along the Skeleton Coast.
Did you know that a cheetah really isn't a cat? It shares more DNA with the dog family. There claws don't retract. On a lion or leopard footprint it looks like a shape of a fist, no claw marks, but on cheetah and dog prints it's more pointed and you see the claw prints. They have very small teeth. The fastest land animal and since they need lots of air intake to reach their speed, they have big nostrils. After they catch their kill, they are very winded so many times they loose their prey to other predators like hyenas or lions. There stride is about 8 metres in 1 second and with a flexible spine their back legs will go ahead of their front legs when running. They like only fresh meat so many times they will eat just the choice bits like the hamstring muscle then leave the rest so they kill more often. That's why farmers in Namibia will shoot them because they kill livestock more often than a leopard who will store his food and eat for days.
When a leopard is not hunting he can hold his tail up high and this prey species like antelope, zebra, etc know not to fear him and he can walk right through a herd of these animal. Someone asked if this is true, why doesn't he use this as a trick to get easy pickings. Answer - Because he is not human. Boy, does that ever make sense. If animals can live together, why can't people. Leopards are solitary animals and have brute strength, especially in their jaws. They can carry 3X their body weight 6 metres up a tree.
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