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FUN-travel: Botswana – Mobile Safari – Part 2

October 27, 2010 by Susan Clarke · Comments Off on FUN-travel: Botswana – Mobile Safari – Part 2 

The ABC’s of Africa

A = Awesome
B = Bummer
C = Celebration
AA = Awesome Adventure
BB = Big Bummer
OO = Outrageously Overpriced
RBB = Really Big Bummer
TA = Totally Awesome
TAA = Totally Awesome Adventure
VG = Very Good

Day 23 – Saturday, September 25 – Savuti to Moremi, Botswana – cool 60’s to hot 90’s

• 1st drive 6:30 spot pride of 4 big male lions – next stop 2 females, one with 2 cubs well camouflaged in dry, yellow/brown 18” gras
• 64 miles to Moremi, single lane road like mild roller coaster ride w/lots of dips then very rocky & bumpy, takes 5 hours
• B – major wild fire on both sides as far as you can see for 25 miles
• A – front row seats to 11:30 Elephant Show @ Water Hole – 25, all males, playing & having mud baths
• A – drive through village – see mud huts being built using aluminum cans to hold it together instead of bricks
• A – camp right on rivers edge & great lunch
• 2nd drive very sparse animal viewings – more trees & marshes & grassy plains
• C – in camp entertainment – after dinner concert featuring Marimba Frog band accompanied by Croaking Frog band w/bats chiming in – lead vocals by Harry the Hippo (quite loud snort/groan/bellow) – lasts until wee hours – wake up 2:30 to find wild dog sitting right outside front (turns out it was a dog from the village)

FF (FUN Facts) – always guaranteed to see lots of impalas

Day 24 – Sunday, September 26 – Moremi Game Reserve Khwai region, Botswana – cool 60’s to hot 90’s

• 1st drive 6:30 see the usual suspects & warthogs plus first ever red lechwe
• A – brunch of cheese omelets, sausages & homemade bread
• 2nd drive very sparse animal sightings again
• A – Frank has back up Bird Safari planned – see all kinds
• A – lots of dragon flies – one completely transparent w/exception of one black, velvety square on outer tip of each wing
• C – in camp entertainment – same as last night except apparently Harry has gig at Hippo’s Pool Bar

FF – termite mounds abound – look like miniature volcano sand castles, some over 8’ high

Day 25 – Monday, September 27 – Moremi to Okavango Delta, Botswana – cool 60’s to hot 90’s

• 1st drive see mongoose, 2 honey badgers, black-backed jackal
• 2nd drive see herd of 12 wildebeests, group of 10 mongoose, giraffe 15’ from road crosses in front of us
  

  Bob the Black-backed Jackal

• A – see 2nd kill – hammerkop bird has frog – too big to eat so must tenderize it up by repeatedly shaking it, biting it & smashing on ground
• C – in camp entertainment – after dinner concert featuring Marimba Frog band accompanied by Cicada Band

FF – lots of people driving themselves & camping in park – totally crazy, there are no street signs & they ask Frank for directions

Day 26 – Tuesday, September 28 – Okavango Delta, Botswana – cool 60’s to hot 90’s

• A – Frank hears leopards calling 6 am – Anton heard hyenas walking through camp just after we went to bed (glad my hearing is not that good)
• 1st drive 6:30 to Mboma Island for 9:00 mokoro boat ride deep in delta – leopard & lion tracks but none to see
• B – see sparse animals again w/exception of lots more giraffes
• A – mokoro = dugout canoe poled by local – quite, gentle ride
• B – not much to see other than lots of tall & short grasses, reeds, bamboo, water fig trees, ferns, & water lilies all competing for the same spot
• A – ride back to camp see velvet monkeys @ water hole being attacked by pair of blacksmith plover birds – protecting new chick venturing out for first time – arrive back to camp @ 2:30
• A – 2nd drive see 1st ever both bat eared fox & steenbok
• C – in camp entertainment – same as last night

Day 27 – Wednesday, September 29 – Okavango Delta to Namibia – very cool, windy 60’s to hot 90’s

• A – on way see more elephants, sable antelope, giraffes, impalas, velvet monkeys
• A – takes 3 hours & 34 minutes, not 5 hours
• A – plane departs 3:40 pm so have lots of time to eat & shop & check email
• B – wifi is horribly slow and spotty
• A – have great lunch & cappuccino
• TA – can’t wait to have AC, full hot water shower, ice cold anything to drink!
• B – 3:45 and haven’t boarded yet – flight disappears from departure screen – there are only 2 gates, one for domestic, one for international
• BB – sit & wait, sit & wait, sit & wait – finally board 5:30 (never updated by airline personnel) 19 seater, double prop
• RBB – plane is going to Vic Falls first (entirely opposite direction) – don’t arrive until 8:30 (3 hours late) – get to hotel 9:30

Botswana Recap:Best time for Chobe is the dry season months of August, September, and October. A mobile safari is a great way to see the terrain and experience Africa. The pluses are you don’t have to fly in a 6 seater plane and you keep your luggage with you.

On the small planes you are only allowed a total of 22 lbs, so you have to pay to store your luggage and carry a small soft bag that

Botswana Baby

sits on your lap. Chris’s camera equipment weighs more than 40 lbs. Driving instead of flying allows for a real sense of how big & remote Africa is. We are glad we had the experience but wouldn’t do it again. I would say now, that 3 days in a private camp in Kruger and 3 days in Chobe with both land & boat would be a TAA. We give Botswana double thumbs up for the number of different animals & the vast amounts of then! The food was very good and we had lots of fresh vegetables & fruit. Every dinner started with soup, main course always had a starch, meat, vegetable, salad, and finished with a dessert. Brunch was only served the 2 times we were not moving camp. Those days a picnic lunch was provide with multiple items to choose from that included meat, cheese, homemade bread, chips, cookies, etc. All drinks, beer & wine were included. This is what to expect from a 5 star mobile safari. At the Simbavati lodge we stayed at in Kruger breakfast was served at 10, lunch at 3 & dinner at 8. Only tea & coffee were included and we paid for all other beverages. Food was fresh and good there too. This was a 4 star lodge experience.

FUN-travel: Botswana – Mobile Safari – Part 1

October 23, 2010 by Susan Clarke · Comments Off on FUN-travel: Botswana – Mobile Safari – Part 1 

The ABC’s of Africa

A = Awesome
B = Bummer
C = Celebration
AA = Awesome Adventure
BB = Big Bummer
OO = Outrageously Overpriced
RBB = Really Big Bummer
TA = Totally Awesome
VG = Very Good

Day 20 – Wednesday, September 22 – Victoria Falls to Botswana – hazy, hot 90’s

• A – 5:40 am wakeup call by birds
• A – really excited about going for 7 day private mobile safari in Botswana
• B – 9:30 pickup means 10:00 Zimbabwe time – van ride takes 1 hr to border, change to 11 seater (1 up front w/driver & 3 rows, seating 3 each, all tiered higher for viewing) 4×4 open Land Cruiser w/canvas canopy top with Frank our guide, driver, tracker – than half an hour to town of Kasane
• A – stop @ Bio Diversity Center – see snakes, birds, mongoose – all caught or being cared for to rerelease
• AA – 12:45 Chobe River Wild Animal Park Boat Ride – front row seats for 1:45 Hippo Show – then on to 2:45 Elephant Herd Crossing River Show (absolutely amazing how they know exactly where to cross at shallowest point) – see multiple herds of impalas, kudus, hippos, elephants, water buffalo, all 60 to 100 each herd – see 1st kill, Saddle Billed Stork swoops up a fish – see so many different birds – favorite is lilac crested roller
• A – 3:45 drive to camp – see 1st ever Sable Antelope & Puku & the usual suspects (those we have already seen) arrive back to camp 6:30
• A – Chobe National Park – have tent w/2 iron beds, sheets, blankets, pillows, towels – toilet & shower in attached tent – front covered entry w/2 camp chairs & 2 camp sinks (they heat our water & fill them) – truly an adventure w/no electricity or running water & quite comfortable – told “must keep tent zipped so no creepy crawlies can get in” – Joe & Anton cook, set up & break down camp – amazingly fast for 4 tents, dining area & kitchen (wood fire w/grate)

FYI – Simbavati Lodge in Kruger was a luxury tented camp with front wood deck w/chairs & double wooden carved front doors, 6 window flaps that Velcro shut, 3 on each side, 2 oversized twin beds pushed together, AC & heat, door to bath with tub & 2 sinks (this room had 3 stucco walls) 2nd door leading to outdoor shower w/double heads, only 3 walls & no roof, wide open to view animals roaming by – told “must keep doors locked so no baboons can get in”

• TAA – Chobe is Kruger on steroids!

FF (FUN Facts) – TAA = Totally Awesome Adventure

Day 21 – Thursday, September 23 – Chobe National Park, Botswana – low cool 60’s to hot 90’s

• 1st drive 6:30 to 10:30 am – 3 lions, zebras (3 herds over 100 each) plus lots more of the usual suspects – unbelievably huge amounts of animals over vast area
• A – have fabulous brunch, then head back to river
• 2nd drive is another 1:00 pm water safari @ Chobe River Wild Animal Park – on way see elephant herd huddled tightly in circle @ base of tree to keep cool, backed in – see baby only 1 week old nursing & well guarded
• AA – go farther down river – see nesting crocodile (they regulate their body temperature by keeping their mouth open) 2:30 front row seats to the Bird Show – 60 vultures voraciously attacking & eating a dead cow (surmise it died giving birth as there is a baby carcass as well) see 3 types of vultures – more elephant herds crossing river – lots of water buffalo, hippos, giraffes
• More AA – drive back to camp, see 2 lions & 1 leopard
• TAA – have in camp entertainment – IMAX, 3D & surround sound – only 1 channel – Animal Planet
• A – full moon

FF – elephants nurse for 4 years until next one is born – tusks start growing at 2 years which makes nursing a bit tricky

Day 22 – Friday, September 24 – Savuti National Park, Botswana – cool 60’s to hot 90’s

• A – see morning march of the guinea fowl – over 100 heading to water in single file
• A – 1st drive 6:40 am – start off & stop so Frank can call office – 150 yards ahead, at 12:00 position, spot 2 male lions crossing road – tell Frank and head out in pursuit – in 100 yards, at 3:00, spot 2 females 15 yards from road – then to our surprise find one more at 9:00, 5 yards – YIKES (trackers are constantly visually sweeping from left to right & back again, looking from ground to tree line spotting animals, snakes & birds – on top of that they are listening & sensing)
• BB – all roads are uneven & range from rough, rocky, hard packed to deep rutted soft sand & red powdery dirt – foolishly assumed road to Savuti was smooth & paved – takes 5 hours to go 85 miles – 4 WD a must, can’t believe how many self drive cars/trucks have been stuck
• A – stop for lunch under big tree, spread table cloth on hood, great food of salads, cheese & cold cuts
• A – get to camp, attempt to nap & realize tent is multi-functional – sleep by night & sauna by day
• A – finally figure out how to work AC – soak towel in water, drape inside shirt around neck & down front
• 2nd drive 4 to 6:30 – Savuti – vast open grasslands & Acacia trees w/some hills – animals quite sparse – see first ever Tsessbe – then cross river where new bridge will be when it gets built – have to drive across rocky river bed – last guy got stuck, had to be towed out – see wildebeests & ostrich & the usual suspects (those we have already seen)

• Temp range – Dawn – cool, windy, dusty – Mid Morn – warm, windy, dusty – Noon – hot, windy, dusty

FF – sunrise & sunset is a huge orange ball creating a striking contrast to the monotone gray/brown barren trees awaiting their spring leaves

FUN-travel: Zimbabwe – Victoria Falls

October 23, 2010 by Susan Clarke · Comments Off on FUN-travel: Zimbabwe – Victoria Falls 

The ABC’s of Africa

A = Awesome
B = Bummer
C = Celebration
AA = Awesome Adventure
BB = Big Bummer
RBB = Really Big Bummer
TA = Totally Awesome
VG = Very Good

Day 18 – Monday, September 20 – Victoria Falls – hazy, hot 90’s

• A – 1:30 arrive Victoria Falls Hotel – warthogs roaming on front grounds entrance – grand old Colonial hotel built 1904 – graciously & enthusiastically greeted by Duly, our porter – tour grounds – meet with guide to plan our time here – decide to go for “the whole enchilada” – walk to town for shopping – have lunch, 2 cokes, 1 hamburger $12.00
• B – very small town with overpriced shops , continue on to Curio open market – with pretty much the same thing in each stall – wood & stone carvings, baskets, wooden bowls, masks, fabrics, batiks, etc
• BB – pronounced poverty (people begging for soap & shampoo) amid opulent hotels

FF (FUN Facts) – Zambezi river 4th longest in Africa

Day 19 – Tuesday, September 21 – Victoria Falls – hazy, hot 90’s

• A – full customized day expertly planned (by us)
• A – 9:15 – 11:15 Victoria Falls Tour w/guide – walk the approx 1.5 km trail – falls spray like rain or mist at times – when high need umbrella & rain coat

• B – water level is quite low, so half of falls area dry
• A – 2:15 pick up for helicopter ride over the falls area – get front seat w/pilot – great views
• A – 4:00 pick up for Zambezi River Sunset Cruise – includes snacks & cocktails
• TA – see hippos, birds, crocodile, turtle, kingfisher
• C – 7:00 Boma Dinner – includes 5 serving stations w/game meats, half lamb on open fire, local dishes, salads, desserts & Traditional Tribal Dancers

Not so FF – OO = Outrageously Overpriced – cost of 2 cokes, 1 hamburger @ hotel $24.00 – souvenir lapel pins $7 each, never pay more than $4 anywhere in world

Zimbabwe Recap: Victoria Falls is listed as one of the top 3 falls in the world that includes Niagara & Iguazzu. Clearly Iguazzu wins hands down! Have to go back to Niagara since it’s been over 30 years. Vic Falls drop is twice as long as Niagara (over 300 ft). Once again, Stephen was right on staying only two nights. Unless you want to do a game drive or do a one day trip to Chobe this was enough. I did  hear the Zambia side was better in terms of the state of the government. Zimbabwe doesn’t have their own currency and only take US dollars or SA rand and no credit cards.

FUN-travel: South Africa – Johannesburg

October 18, 2010 by Susan Clarke · Comments Off on FUN-travel: South Africa – Johannesburg 

The ABC’s of Africa

A = Awesome
B = Bummer
C = Celebration
AA = Awesome Adventure
BB = Big Bummer
RBB = Really Big Bummer
TA = Totally Awesome
VG = Very Good

Day 15 – Friday, September 17 – Morning Game Drive & Johannesburg – cloudy, overcast, cooler, 70’s

• A – arrive Joburg 1:40 pm & bags not ransacked (however, man on flight left his carryon on tarmac, too big for overhead, and went back to retrieve an item before takeoff – did not have lock on and items stolen that fast)
• A – City Lodge hotel is only 20 minutes & free afternoon so we can do email & downloads
• BB – internet charge is $40 for 12 hours (we have had free internet till now)
• A – dinner next door at The White Boy Shebeen – more great wine

Day 16 – Saturday, September 18 – Johannesburg full day – sunny, 70’s

• B – no hot water – front desk says 20 minutes
• A – have great hot coffee then hot shower
• A – nice spread of hot & cold food
• A – pick up 9:00 to tour downtown

• 1st stop Apartheid Museum – incredibly well done – stark exterior gives feeling of detention, oppression and division – inside the feeling is a prison using horizontal and vertical metal bars to hang pictures, video screens and create division throughout the museum – leave with a feeling of hope, very emotional
• 2nd stop Soweto (SOuth WEstern TOwnship), largest black residential area – 3 million people in 35 suburbs ranging from shanties, to middle class homes, and very expensive modern homes, (they choose to stay and build then relocate to wealthier neighborhoods to set an example)
• 3rd stop Nelson Mandela’s former home & Desmond Tutu’s current home
• 4th stop Hector Pieterson Memorial and Museum (first black killed, 13, during peace march against apartheid
• 5th drive by (not allowed to stop) – Nelson Mandela’s current residence in very exclusive neighborhood of walled & gated homes
• 6th stop Melrose Arch – new, upscale neighborhood with restaurants & shops – have lunch

• 7th stop Mandela Square – shopping area with 50’ bronze statue of him in center (he is truly larger than life her and so well respected)
• A – dinner reservations at Moyo in Melrose Arch (5 km from hotel)
• B – call taxi, no meter, don’t negotiate price, told $12 US (should be $9)
• A – ambience a 10! food 7 – 4 afro adorned ladies wearing red gloves serenade each table with African songs, another women offers face painting – really creates a FUN & festive atmosphere
• BB – ask for taxi home, told $18 US, turn to walk away, price drops to $15, say “no way” – taxi decides $12 is better than nothing – lesson remembered: always know price up front when no meter in cab

FF – FUN Facts – Johannesburg is called Joburg, Jozi & ‘E’Goli’ by the locals, meaning the City of Gold

Day 17 – Sunday, September 19 – Pretoria & Johannesburg full day – sunny, 80’s

• 9:00 am drive to Pretoria (36 miles) capitol city of SA
• 1st stop Paul Kruger house & museum – first president from 1883 to 1900, then British seized power
• 2nd stop Paul Kruger Square in center of town surrounded by beautifully restored buildings from 1800’s including Palace of Justice – walk through downtown – hear thunderous singing, turns out to be our guide Khuliso’s church (Tower of Grace) on 2nd floor of building filled to the brim (1000 people) – Heritage Day is annual holiday being celebrated with Zulu War Dancers – get front row seat, great pictures & video, Chris gets brought up on stage to dance with them – look for it on YouTube when we get back
• 3rd stop Freedom Park – memorial celebrating national humanity & freedom achievement – Wall of Names – heroes who died fighting in one of 8 wars
• 4th stop Rosebank Craft Market – lots of stalls selling art, jewelry, carvings, fabrics, etc – festive ambience, lots of people, walk out to find the Soweto Marimba Youth League, 29 piece band ranging from 6 to 20 – then tribal dancers – eat great pizza

Day 18 – Monday, September 20 – Johannesburg  to Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe

• Depart hotel at 7:45 am for 10:55 am flight – arrive 8:10 to check in –
• BB – finally got caught on 6th SAA flight that Chris’s reservation name does not match his passport – I realized the mistake in Cape Town – another lesson learned, don’t make assumptions (we have different last names) and I will always make sure that I use last names first when filling out forms (until I change my name when my passport expires) Cost of ticket is $325. Don’t realize until boarding the plane we were charged for 2 tickets instead of one.
• A – get first class seats, have United gold card (love flying their Star Alliance carriers)

Johannesburg Recap: I have to be honest, I didn’t want to come here and Stephen said we really should to understand the history. He was right on again. Hotel was decent but still a 3 star hotel. Got spoiled at the guest houses. We like to get the most bang for the buck and can’t justify spending money for a hotel room where we just sleep. We want a clean room (no cucarachas), king size bed, hot water, AC & free internet access. Having breakfast included is the norm outside the US. I’m not a big eater in the morning so I make a sandwich to take with me & half the time I never eat lunch.

• FUN-Video

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