New Horizons – Alaska to Asia

Tonight hippos are chuffing beneath the lodge on our last night in Namibia.  I don’t want to leave, as I can’t imagine any place more breath-taking……

We wish we could have recorded our impressions as we went along, but we seemed so busy and internet so weak that we will again need to restrict the update to just a few photos……  such as this one commemorating the purchase of a very fine red jacket for Henry to wear on our train journey later in the trip. The store clerk  dreams of coming to the USA; we dream of coming back to her country…

 

We continued up the coast of Namibia, stopping at Damaraland, the Skeleton Coast, the Kunene River, and then to Etosha National Park…

This is the “gate” at one of the larger airstrips we traveled through…

Along the border with Angola, we rather reluctantly visited a Himba village. The Himba are semi-nomadic and live almost completely apart from modern society.  We feared it might be a fake, trumped-up Disneyesque experience, but these folks were genuine and sweet.

We have so many more stories and photos to share… including many of animals …. but it has taken over two hours to load these!  Will have to supplement later…..

Henry’s son Cliff and his wife Laura arrived yesterday at Chobe National Park on the border of Namibia and Botswana.   They will join us over the next week or so to explore the Okavango Delta further south in Botswana.

More as time and Internet permit!

The blog label is Botswana, but it also includes experiences along the Caprivi Strip, which is a finger of Namibian land that pokes between Angola and Botswana toward Zimbabwe and Zambia.  Here is the entry to the local Namibia immigration office, which is generally accessed by boat and is just past the chickens on the other side of the fence.  

This poster about voluntary circumcision, along with a free condom dispenser, is in the Botswana immigration office.  AIDS/HIV is still a prevalent problem here, and extensive   public relations campaigns are in place to educate about prevention and treatment.

None of which has anything to do with the fact that Henry’s son Cliff and wife Laura have joined us here for this part of the adventure.  We spent the first day or two together next to the Chobe game park, which has the densest elephant population of anywhere in Africa.

Then – the crown jewel of this part of Africa, the Okavango Delta – an oasis of precious water that flows through rivers down from Angola into this otherwise arid part of the world.  The small-plane flights over the area were breath-taking… a truly extraordinary landscape.  Note the animal trails that criss-cross the wet and dry terrain.

Many lodges are located through-out the delta, but seem to be situated so that you have an intimate relationship with animals and unspoiled surroundings.

Sometimes, the elephants visit!

Food has been excellent and plentiful.

Although as Laura knows, it doesn’t hurt to have some familiar items from home, both to sustain one on safari, and to share with new friends on the road.

It’s difficult to exaggerate the beauty and peace of a mekoro (canoe) trip through this scenery.

And now for a few of a great many animal photos.  We are amazed at how comfortable they are with humans….. the only explanation for their lack of fear is that they are not hunted here by man.   Incredible.  

(Thanks to Laura for many of these wonderful photos.)

Warning – aftermath of one of nature’s laws to follow.  (Although we have very rarely seen active animal predation.)   Laura and Cliff witnessed in person a duo of male lions taking down a cape buffalo…. Quite a special sighting!  Here is one of the boys enjoying the meal……

…and both resting comfortably with the remains of the carcass post-prandially.  (They look like frat brothers after a party!)

After a week in and around the delta, we spent several days on the Zambezi Queen houseboat on the Chobe River.

Cliff and Laura are off for a day or two at Victoria Falls, then through Johannesburg and on toward home, while Henry and Robbie will spend some very enlightening time in Zimbabwe…….

 

We knew Zimbabwe would represent a different experience for us when we approached Fothergill Airstrip to access Matusadona Game Reserve……  the runway a rocky strip across a small island, with large animal bones strewn to the side and a burned-out camp on one end.

Upon disembarkation from the plane, we were greeted by a fellow dressed in dirty, torn fatigues with a bleeding wound on one hand, a home-made cigarette in the other and an AK-47 over his shoulder.  Gasp!  Here are a few of his comrades.

Fortunately we were staying at a lodge across the lake and away from this strange military station.

Our guide there was a Crocodile-Hunter wannabe, also armed with both rifle and pistol, who enjoyed showing us the local lions, doing a little fishing, and stalking the elephant on foot.  He almost lost it (and us!) when one of the elephants charged and we made a fairly narrow escape.

This was one of our favorite camps…. beautiful location, comfortable accommodations and nature’s bounty….

After several days, we took off for Victoria Falls.

Originally we were to have stayed on the Zambia side of the Falls, but ended up on the Zimbabwe side, where we learned a little bit more about the country.  It has been in major political trouble for quite some time…… and its economy shows it.  Most people are wretchedly poor; decent jobs are few; and after a crushing inflationary trend, their currency crashed altogether.

The only form of money accepted now is the US dollar and South African rand.  The banks, although “open” and staffed, have no cash and ATMs do not work.  Visitors cannot obtain any type of currency at all, and even citizens can receive a maximum of only 50 US dollars per week from their own bank accounts.

The extreme poverty and unemployment mean that many local people try to sell goods to the tourists who come to visit the Falls or failing that, just beg for whatever you have.  We discovered that Henry has a particularly soft spot for a hard-luck story….. and he made a lot of vendors happy with the last of our cash money.

Although perhaps a bit cheesy, we went on an “elephant encounter”, and it was quite thrilling to be close to these wonderful animals, especially knowing how easily they could crush you to a pulp.

Trains are a great way to see the countryside…. we boarded Rovos rail for a 3-day trip to Pretoria…  This is the only place we had to “dress” for dinner…. Henry’s red jacket from Namibia created quite a stir among both fellow travelers and the train’s staff.

After clearing out the mini-bar, we disembarked the train and got on a flight from Johannesburg to Cape Town for the next chapter……

Nelson Mandela is still very “big” around here – maybe even larger than life!

There was a huge celebration of what would have been his 100th birthday here a couple of weeks ago.  We have not met a single person of any race, income level or political leaning who does not believe fervently in the goodness, selflessness and leadership he brought to this country at a time when they needed it so much, as apartheid officially ended in 1994.  We could all use a solid dose of those qualities now, not only here but through-out our world.  Unfortunately, those who rule the mightiest nations today think not of what is good for humankind, but what is good for “my” kind; not of inclusivity but tribalism, and not of fellowship but division.  To quote one of them out of Twitter context, “Sad!”

Okay, thought for the day over; now on to the fun stuff.  Cape Town is a lovely place, great natural beauty with a rocky coastline and options for hiking near Table Mountain and Lion Head.

The protea is that national flower of South Africa.

Cape Town has a lively foodie scene….

Tertius Jordaan with Eye See Africa, a Cape Town-based travel agency that arranged our entire trip, was able to knock around with us for a while.

As usual, we came across some nice folks along the way.  A singer in the park who sounded just like Billie Holiday…

A public service agent dedicated to helping obvious foreigners such as ourselves from being preyed upon by bad guys…. by showing us to our destination and warning about street crime.

A vendor who makes specialty mayo….. 

A harbor seal who looks like how we feel after the bountiful eating we have done.

The Winelands are nearby.  South Africa has a great many wineries producing a prodigious number of wines….. fun to visit and still more beautiful vistas.

Farm visits, too!

 

Still more incredible food, this fresh from the garden…

We are to spend about a month in South Africa; from Cape Town, we will make our way by car east along the coast, then hopscotch up to Kruger National Park and environs for more game viewing.  

 

Not too many Americans venture along the coast east of Cape Town, preferring the engaging busy-ness of the city and the magnificent wildlife in the safari camps.  Not to say that it is not a popular area….. but many of the people venturing across the semi-arid Klein Karoo and along the coast and the “Garden Route” are locals seeking weekend escapes.

The town of Hermanus is popular, with whale watching and rocky beaches.  We watched the lunar eclipse from there…..

 

Then continued past a protected penguin colony at Betty’s Bay on our way to the southernmost tip of Africa….

Nearby De Hoop Nature Reserve includes land animals – bontebok, eland, ostrich – with sand dunes along a breath-taking marine area.

The most spectacular sight was the pod of right whales that were just off the beach….. spouting, rolling, leaping…. we spent two full afternoons entranced by constant activity just a few hundred yards away.  Unfortunately, whale sightings do not make great opportunities for the amateur photographer…

The Klein Karoo is inland, featuring the Swartberg mountains, fruit orchards, valleys, and lots of ostrich farms……

Here we participated in preparing a potjiekos, the South African stew that is made over a fire in a special pot, with meat and vegetables layered and slowly cooked…. it was tasty, but overcooked a bit.

 

 

 

 

Plettenberg Bay is in the heart of the Garden Route, with lots of animal sanctuaries, including Birds of Eden and Monkeyland!

Nature Valley Beach was an isolated spot with lovely animal, vegetable and mineral features….

Robberg Nature Reserve has a challenging hiking trail – about 10 miles of narrow cliffside paths and grueling rock climbing, but worth the reward of seeing seals frolicking in protected inlets.

We were proud and exhausted after completing the trail….

…but duly chastened when we encountered another couple who had completed the same circuit in much less time …… while wearing flip flops! 

Tsitsikamma National Park felt like coming home to extensive pine forests.  Intermittent heavy rain did not deter us from exploring on Segways…..

On the way to Oyster Bay, we passed through wind farms and pine plantations and saw lots of cows used in milk production (including a very newly-born calf) – all right alongside the Indian Ocean.

Oyster Bay was our opportunity for an equestrian experience, across the wetlands, over the dunes and along the beach.

And a beautiful sunset…..

Next, we leave the coast to head north for the last of our traditional South African safaris…….

Gorah is a truly classic safari camp in the Addo Elephant reserve, with an historic central lodge where we dined before a roaring fire our first night.

The accommodations are very elegant tents on permanent platforms….

The safari drives include open vehicles and refreshment stops, in addition to animal sightings.  Not too many of the latter at this site, largely due to heavy rains just before we arrived.

On to Sabi Sands, with some memorable close-ups with the animals, under the guidance of our first female ranger, Chanyn, who is armed and ready for….. bear, rhino, buffalo, whatever……

We took a little time off from safari for some badly-needed professional grooming.

And lastly to Marakele National Park north of Johannesburg….. our safari vehicle got stuck in deep sand our first evening.

Lots of rhino there….

Zebra and my favorite antelope, the kudu…

The bird life is incredibly diverse, but hard to capture on film….. here is one of the most brilliant birds in Africa, the lilac-breasted roller – caught in flight by our guide Hein, a professional-grade photographer.

Walking safaris and water safaris were also on the menu….

One of the biggest thrills of the trip was coming across a mother giraffe with a baby who had been born less than 2 hours before.  We saw the young one stand for the very first time, take his first steps, and nurse.  Absolutely fabulous…..  (these two photos also being to Hein’s credit)…

If this is to be our last safari drive, at least it ended on a high note.  After so many outings, it’s hard to think that we may not be back to experience again the incredible feeling of this environment and being close to these precious creatures.   We are humble and extremely grateful.

This particular journey will continue, however, with a few days on the beach in Mozambique, then on to the wilds of Madagascar.

Tertius decided we should take a beach break from the rigors of safari life before moving on, so we spent several days at a swank resort on Benguerra Island in the Bazaruto Archipelago off the coast of Mozambique.  The most entertaining part of this interlude was actually the helicopter ride to the island…..

We hiked around the island, climbed up and down the big dune, rode on a boat and did a bit of snorkeling….. the usual beach-y stuff.

Evidence of marine life was easy to find on the mostly pristine beaches….

The lizards help keep down the bug population…

The local people are very pleased with the job opportunities that the two resorts on the island bring to them.  They live fairly simple lives… generally without electricity or indoor plumbing…. and are otherwise dependent on fishing and the fruits of the sea.

Here are some of the people we came across…..

Lovely people who mostly seem to be content to stay on their little island and have lots of babies.  Some of them yearn for better education and opportunity, and we hope they get both.

On a different subject, a cautionary note for the traveler:  If you stay in a hotel with mosquito netting, there is probably a reason.  You should use it.  We didn’t one night and I have a dozen bites.  Sure hope the malaria prophylactics work!

And so we bid farewell to this little bit of paradise…..

The flurry of blog postings recently means that we have had good internet service for a couple of days, so now we are completely caught up!  Tomorrow we leave for Madagascar and will hope to post again from there.

Apologies for failure to update until now.  The only time in Madagascar when there was fair connectivity, I was laid low with food poisoning… again.   My second excuse is that now that we are home, I’ve become distracted by other priorities.

My third excuse…. and a dilemma that still confounds me…..   is pure stupefaction over how to approach a report on our Madagascar experience.  

The first reaction upon arriving in the capital city of Antananarivo was excitement – Oh my gosh, are those acres of rice paddies at the entrance to the airport?

Look at all the laundry spread on the ground to dry in the sun!

Ox carts in the roads!

Humanity milling thickly along every thoroughfare!  Heaps of trash burning!

Heaps of trash not burning!

So many colors and textures!

What are they cooking over there?

The senses are assaulted by so many impressions that you can’t quite sort them all out.

Then with additional exposure traveling from the city through the suburbs and in to the countryside some clear observations ….. Foremost, this is a very poor country.  Most of the lives of its people are lived outdoors on the streets, as the shacks/lean-tos/huts in which they sleep are extremely small and primitive, often with no indoor plumbing, power or cooking facilities.

 

In many places, drinking water has to be physically transported.

Emaciated zebu (cow) with a shepherd not much better off..

Obviously, animal welfare is not a big issue here.  Dogs are pests, not pets.

A young mother, proving her worth by making fire.

No telling what this guy is ready for…. 

Very few old people…. we think these two are probably our age….

Jillions of children. The birth rate is shockingly high.

Along with the lack of resources goes a lack of infrastructure.  The roads, especially outside the several cities, are appalling, with potholes several feet deep and frequent breakdowns in the road ways.

 

What appears on the map to be a straightforward drive of 45 miles can take 6 hours or more to traverse.  On first blush – kind of fun, especially since a skilled local driver is behind the wheel.  But soon it becomes tedious, and then quite apparent that the difficulties in moving from one spot to another cripple local commerce, severely limit developmental opportunities for the people, and damage the potential for a robust tourist economy.

 

All that said, we had fun with some of the locals.

This guy saved our lives…. cables and chargers were stolen on one of our Air Madagascar flights; he had workable solutions.

A boy and his goose.

One of our guides has ambition to be a future president of his country (getting some pointers here from a seasoned senior….)

A friendly group of brick makers.

A final posting tomorrow with flora and fauna….. much more uplifting!

As promised, an uplifting look at the special beauty of this island off the eastern coast of Southern Africa.

White sandy beaches….. clear blue/green water….

Baobab trees…..

Amazing tsingy formations, geological features that distinguish the island….  and provide for very challenging “hikes”…..

Lots of caves…

Flora!

Fauna!  Separated from the rest of the world, unusual species have developed in Malagasy woods and jungles.  Many types of chameleons and lizards…..

Other non-cuddly types

…

And finally….. the creatures most people go to Madagascar to see….. lemurs!

And a baby billy goat…. 

There is so much more to this place, which we would be happy to discuss with anyone who has an interest.  But this blog now comes to a close on the Madagascar phase of our journey.