South Africa - going back on the bucket list!

Saturday, Oct 15

My flight is at 8:30 pm so I decided to book a day tour to 2 other must-see sights in Joburg. Cradle of Humankind, where the oldest fossil of a humanoid was said to be found, and Soweto a famous township where you can witness what life was/is like for blacks in SA. So it was a history day.

The sight of Cradle of Humankind is northwest of the city of Joburg, less than an hour away. It’s a world heritage site and there’s excavation ongoing. Back in the late 1800’s they were mining this site for limestone which was in high demand for its building materials and also used in the processing of gold. Unfortunately they had already accidentally blasted the skeleton of the body away before they discovered the skull of Mrs. Ples. Yes they actually gave it that name. Ples actually is short for a very long scientific name. And at first Dr.Broom had guessed it was a woman. Currently they are excavating the remains of Little Foot which they believe is a small boy that fell into one of the opening of the cave 2.9 million yrs ago. Because of the fragility of the remains they are using a powerful dental drills and brushes. As a result it has taken 13 years and they are only 85% done, can you imagine? The museum at the site depicted skulls found at the site and how they must have looked back then. It’s amazing to see the full evolution of man. The tour was interesting. We went down 180 feet into the cave and saw some fantastic examples of limetones. The guide let us touch a vertebrae of an animal fossil that was embedded into a rock. This cave had a lot of small openings from the top so as a result a lot of animals and humanoids (from million yrs ago) have fallen in and died in the cave.

Our next stop was the township of Soweto (stands for southwest township). This township got started back in late 1800’s for the miners that came to Joburg when gold was discovered here. Fred showed me the “camp hostels” that are still being used today. They are just rows of brick buildings that provided a one room home for the workers at the mines. The minor would have one room as living quarters. No electricity, no water or bathroom. They looked like they should be knocked down but there are people still living in it today. Over the years after apartheid the government started erecting these simple but new homes that are subsidized. You have to pay a nominal rent and running costs. What people were surprised to find out was that many of the blacks did not take up this opportunity. Instead they preferred to stay where they were because it was costing them nothing, they didn’t want to start paying rent or utilities. As a result many of these new homes are standing empty and you still see people living in shacks. We drove by scenes where the “local butcher” set up shop in an empty dirt lot. His shop consisted of cardboards and tarps held up by wooden sticks. Nearby locals form the neighborhood were washing their clothes at an outside water tap. Many of the homes, some had 4 walls and some were shacks made of tin, does not have running water. The nicer section of the neighborhood had the “matchstick homes” which was a tiny house surrounded by walls and gate. At least they looked to be better maintained.

The township is huge, about 50 square miles and about 3 million people. In some parts you see some decent looking new houses. Fred explained that during the apartheid blacks were not allowed to buy or own a house assuming they could afford to. Once apartheid ended some people who made more decent money had saved up money over the years started to buy land and build their houses.

We drove by the house of Winnie Mandela who still lives there for part of the time. Ofcourse her house is probably the biggest and nicest in the neighborhood.

We had just enough time to do a quick stop into the Apartheid Museum. Had to admit that this was not on top of my list but Fred thought it would be good to see. I was glad we found the time. The design of the museum and the contents within was incredibly impactful. We only had an hour so Fred was nice and gave me a condensed version of the museum. I can imagine spending the whole day here.

Just watched the movie Invictus on the plane. I had heard about it, didn’t know what it was all about but wasn’t interested because it was about rugby. I remembered Louis at the lodge telling me what it was about and I should see it. So glad I saw ithe movie after I’ve been to SA, it all came together for me. All that I’ve seen and learned in the past 4 weeks helped me appreciate the movie even more. I recognized the scenery in the movie and it was great. It was also a great movie, cried through the whole thing. I had asked Fred my guide if the movie had represented the facts correctly and he said it did. He was impressed by the accents of Morgan Freeman and Matt Damon.

Fred says that it will take generations for real change to take place. The laws of apartheid might have been abolished less than 20 years ago but not enough has changed. I saw it first hand at the plant where almost 100% factory workers were black and most of office and mgmnt were whites. Even though there are efforts of diversity there are just not enough of blacks with the education and skills. The next generation will be more education which will result with better opportunities and the generation after that will be better. Already there is an emerging black middle class and upper middle class.

What a great experience it’s been. Home for a few weeks and then it’s Milan Italy. Sounds boring after S.Africa but hey, I’m not complaining.

I have decided that this place is worth a second trip. There's so much more to see and I really only got a little taste. It was a big check off my bucket list but it's worth putting it back on again! Only this time G will go with me...

Last day in the bush! :-(

Waterbucks

Last dinner on the deck w/ full moon

Wine cellar (and tasting) at Billy's Lodge

Friday, Oct 14

12 game drives and it hasn’t gotten old. This morning Rex found fresh tracks of the leopard and really wanted to find him. At one point Frans our tracker got out of the jeep and went of foot to try to follow it’s tracks. I’ve had 3 great sightings of the leopard but by fellow travelers have not so I really wanted them to have the opportunity. Unfortunately it was not meant to be.

After breakfast it was time for me to depart for the airport. I got big hugs from Marilyn & Louis and Barb and Jen. I got their email addresses and promised to send them the link to my pics. The girls only had the small point and shoot cameras and Marilyn had a nice camera but she just got it and said she hasn’t really learnt how to use it. They all loved the pictures I showed them each night after our drives so was really happy when I said they could download any of my pics that they wanted.

Barb is 68 but is a ball of energy with such a zest for life. I would never have guessed that she was this age. When we hugged goodbye I told her I only hoped that I have this energy for life when I get to be her age. Marilyn and Louis will celebrated their 50^th anniversary in a few months. I found them so inspiring because they look like they are still in love. Over dinner conversations we shared stories and I could see how he values family and marriage and how a man’s priority is always and forever his wife his words!). I remember our first game drive when Rex went off road to get to the lions. The bush was dense in some parts so as a result you have some small branches wacking right at you so you have to pay attention and duck out of the way at the right time. In some parts when the branches were hitting our way I saw Louis reach over to put his arms around his wife with his hands covering her head as to protect her. I thought it was incredibly sweet. So far most of the people I have met at the lodges seem to have one thing in common. An African safari had been on their bucket list for awhile so all were beyond thrilled to be here and also the experience far exceeded their expectations. I have to say I agree with them there!

Flight back to Joburg. was uneventful. I booked another night at the same guesthouse and had just enough time for some last minute shopping at the mall. I had planned to get gary a rugby shirt with the 2011 emblem on it. I saw so many when we were shopping a couple of weeks ago but could not find any today. Must have walked up and down the huge mall a few times to no avail. I’m convinced that they pulled them off the shelves when SA lost last week!

Safari Day 6 – our jeep stalled in front of a lion den!!!!

Lovely sunset on Olephant River, western border of Kruger

Yellow Bill Stork

Hippo yawning

Hippos on Olephant River

Monkeys outside my room!

Blue Wildebeests

Crested Barbette

Poppa lion and cub

Thursday, Oct 13

Animals seen today: Silver haired mondeys, Wildebeests, Kudus, Impalas, Warthog, Waterbuck Lions. Crested Barbett (bird that looks like someone threw a whole bunch of paint on it)

Today I am alone for the morning drive. Marilyn and Louis are taking a day trip into Blyde Canyon.. I would have gone but it would mean missing both the morning and afternoon drives and I did not want to do that. Besides, can anything top the grand canyon?!!

At around 5 this morning I could hear some noises outside my room, it was still a bit dark but I did look outside my window but saw nothing. It was some stomping and some deep breathing. Yikes, I was thinking about the elephant outside my window at the last lodge! It could be a kudu or an elephant or a leopard. I wasn’t going outside to check! Went back to bed but I was hearing something outside. Got ready for the morning drive and went outside to see a few monkeys jumping around the tree outside my room! I had my camera and was frantically trying to get pictures because these suckers never seem to stay still for a picture. But as I walked to the main lodge I can see that we are suddenly surrounded by at least 2 dozen monkeys. They are small, silver haired with a small black face, long tailed and so so so cute. I heard that they can be a nuisance to some lodges in the area. The sister lodge to this one has a problem with monkeys stealing food from the guests’ table if they are sitting out on the deck. Fortunately we don’t have this problem at this lodge, this was the first time I saw them here. So happy I got some great pics of them. One was just hanging out on a small tree eating the leaves, he let me get really close to him, about 2-3 feet, before running away.

Off for the morning drive. I love this time of the morning. The light is fantastic for pictures, the animals are out and finding food and you can feel the bush coming alive with activity. Rex told me that the animals like to eat the grass in the morning because the grass is more moist from the morning dew. One the day heats up the grass dries up so the animals eat their fill first thing in the morning.

We stopped by the lion den to see the baby cubs again. The whole family was there, mom, dad, 3 brothers and the 2 babies. We stopped the jeep 6 feet next to them and non was disturbed by that. Rex had turned off the engine as it was the norm if we stop to see an animal. When he turned on the engine it would start. He tried several times without luck. As it happed there was another jeep that was there before us and was able to make it was to us for a push. Rex said the battery must have been low and the jeep was at an angle so that the battery didn’t quite work. As the other jeep make it’s way towards us I was thinking that someone was going to get out to jump start the battery. Then I was thinking that the rule is that you never leave your jeep because the animals don’t attack because they think of the jeep as one big animal. If you stand up or get out of the car then you are fair game. OMG, I had a few minutes of panic. Turns out the other jeep came nose to nose with us and gave us a 1 or 2 pushes and the engine started again. While all this commotion was going on I never took my eyes off the papa lion which actually stood up when the other jeep got to us. I had my escape route all worked out in that brief moment which was hide under the seat, yes, there was just enough room for me there. Rex had a bit more meat on his body so hopefully the lion will go for him first! It was fine, the jeep started up and we were out of there.

During our tea break this morning, Rex explained that this nature reserve is the most western part of kruger and it was a private area in the past where there has been hunting. Now that it’s a nature reserve hunting is banned but it will take a little time for the animals to learn to trust it and come back. We are seeing animals but I can tell it’s not as plentiful as in Timbavati to the east.

I was also happy to learn that the snakes are not out yet. It will take a few more rain and the weather to get warmer before they come out. The common poisonous snake here is the black mamba. This snake can bite you multiple times and still deliver poison with each bite. They are extremely poisonous and you have about 30 minutes to get to the hospital before you are dead. OMG I am SO glad I came at this time before they are active. The only good thing I give up is seeing the green of the bush, the trees here are mostly bare, but WHO CARES! The landscape is still pretty to me.

Just had a nice breakfast on the deck, updated the blog and now it’s time to take a nap on the “watchtower” next to the waterhole. Hopefully I’ll be awakened by some animals coming by to drink. So happy that the mosquitos are not out yet. We eat in peace in the morning and at night. I haven’t had to apply my insect repellent. The afternoon is warm but not hot and there’s always a breeze blowing. I don’t want to leave! Only 2 more game drives before I head back to civilization….

It's been a little frustrating not having wifi or phone signal. So weird but I get incoming emails on my blackberry but I cannot send outgoing messages! I could buy wifi for 20 bucks a day so I held off until today to load all my blog entries at once. Besides, I didn't want to worry Gary by being incommunicado for multiple days.

Before lunch we had more guests arrive. This time it's mother and daughter from Michigan. The mom Barb is 68 and is beyond excited at being in S.Africa. Their first 2 nights was at the river lodge. I asked them what they have not seen and they said hippos, rhinos and leopard. I told them to put in an order with Rex and he will see to it, and so she did, and so Rex made it happen. When we found the 2 white rhinos Barb was practically hyperventilating, she was so excited. I wondered if I was like this when I first go here! She was so exciting at seeing anything that moved, it was funny. At this point I just sit back and enjoy the animals and not so worried about taking so many pictures. As if 200+ wasn't enough! Had to admit I ended up taking more pics of the hippos, I didn't think I had this particular angle of the 2 rhinos together so what the heck. We got down to Olephant River and the hippos were still where we left then! I still managed to take more pictures of them, loved the one with his mouth wide open for a yawn! I also loved the sunset on the river! Saw a Bush Baby but it was dark and I couldn't get a picture.

Marilyn and Lewis rejoined the group for dinner. We had fun joking around. Before dinner Lawrence the owner took us down to their special wine cellar and opened up a bottle of local red wine to share. The cellar was incredible. One side of the wall was a natural rock face, part of which was over 3 million years old. It's the lowest level of earth crust that can only be found in Africa and Canada. The table was made of an iron tree that was 500 years old.

I had internet for 24 hours so I brought my mac out for everyone to send emails back home. They made me send them the picture of the hippo yawning, it gave them a good laugh. They also loved my pictures so I promised to send them the link to my picture gallery where they can download whatever they wanted. Marilyn had a nice camera like mine but she just got it and is not too used to it. Barb and Jen only had the small point-and-shoot cameras. It boggles my mine when I see the tourists on our game drives with these small cameras. What were thinking? If I was going on a safari in Africa I would have invested in a good camera!

After dinner we took our drinks and hung out on the deck by the waterhole. There was a little frog that hung out on the leather couch. We were laughing at Barb taking pics of Jen trying to kiss the frog (as in prince). It was so funny, Jen said she wanted to make it her new picture on facebook.

It's been a fun day. So sad that it's my last night in the bush! One more morning game drive tomorrow and then I'm off to the airport!

Safari Day 5 - stilled not bored with seeing lions!

Third leopard sighting

..and that's how close we were to him!

Lion cubs, so adorable!

Spotted Hyaena

African buffalo

Chacma Baboon

Warthog

7 color bird

Wed, Oct 12

Animals spotted today: White Rhinos, Ground Horn Bill, Waterbuck, Blue Wildebeest, Chacma Baboons, Hippos, Kudus, Giraffes, Warthog taking a mud bath, Helmeted Guineafowls

Have I said I miss Moshe and Eric?! Our ranger and tracker at this lodge does not seem to click for me. They are not as warm and friendly. OK, I have to stop comparing and just enjoy the experience.

We started the morning drive by tracking down some White Rhinos. I must say, our ranger is pretty good. He saw these rhinos from a distance away, at least half a mile. I could barely see them even with my zoom lense and pretty much wrote them off. Wouldn’t you know it, 10 minutes later we are off roading through the thick brush and got right to them! It was a trio and they weren’t as skittish, got some nice pics. One of them had blood trickling down the side of his face. Rex said that they like to play and fight with their horns and sometimes draw blood. I didn’t notice until now that they actually have 2 horns, one main one and a smaller one right above.

I was happy to finally get some nice pics of the Blue Wildebeests. Saw them once in Timbavati but didn’t get a picture since we were speeding along the road to get to a leopard sighting. They are really pretty and to me looks nicer than a buffalo. The terrain is more hilly here and when we are driving along a ridge you get a nice view of the valleys. Our morning tea break was really nice. Rex parked the jeep and we walked down towards Olephant river where at least a dozen of hippos were hanging out. I finally got some nice shots of them with more of their bodies sticking out. We found some big rocks to sit on and it was a beautiful view of the river and all the green foliage along it. Had some tea and scones, yummy!

Got back to the lodge for a nice breakfast. It’s usually a plentiful spread of fruits, yogurt, muffin, juices. And as if that wasn’t enough they prepare to order a hot breakfast as well. I usually enjoy an omelette and sausage or bacon along with all the other goodies. I am in denial about any weight gain. So far I can still get into my pants so it cant be that bad.

After breakfast I walked out through the catwalk and to the isolated deck. It’s located right over a small waterhole so you are bound to see wildlife. First thing first, I plopped down on the leather couch and took a nice nap. The temp is in the high 70’s, a slight breeze and there’s about a thousand wildlife sounds to entertain you, what a life! There’s about 3 hrs to kill after breakfast and lunchtime but it’s not hard to pass the time. I took a nap, edited my pictures from the morning drive, started a book, wrote on my blog. The couple from seattle left this morning for the next leg of their trip which is further south of the country. So there’s only 3 of us today. I got the deck to myself for 3 hours and it was so nice to nap and read. At one point I looked up and saw some activities in the distance. Suddenly the area in front of me is alive with animals. On one side there were a few kudus and impalas, then a buffalo strolls along and plops down for an hour nap. Best of all a whole clan of baboons comes right in front about 20-30 yards away and start play. A few climbed up a tree full of new leaves and munches away. One baboon didn’t estimate his weight vs the weight of the branch he was on and promptly falls right down. They were there for less than 30 minutes but it was so entertaining to watch. The babies were really mischevious. I hope I got the picture of a baby baboon riding on his papa’s back. Once the baboon left a warthog came along. We had to stay absolutely still because it looked like he was heading for the waterhole right in front of us. Sure enough, he did! Except he didn’t come for a drink, instead he got to a shallow part and started to roll around in the mud, it was so great to watch! I’ve seen a lot of warthogs during the drives but they never stand still and they are small and run away as soon as we approach so it’s been really hard to get a picture. So glad I got this picture of him rolling in the mud.

This afternoon’s drive was a slow one. No big 5 animals but we did see some lovely birds and eagles and found the lions again. This time it was the poppa lion and the older kids out hunting and away from their normal spot. Mama lion was “home” with the baby cubs. Rex told us that eventually they will go back and give momma lion a break and watch the cubs while she goes out to hunt and eat. The lions are more active at night and will nap most of the day. I think Rex was upset that he didn’t find more animals for us but at this point I am relaxed and didn’t care. I was still enjoying the drive. It hasn’t gotten old yet!

Another lovely dinner on the deck with Marilyn and Louis from Houston. I though I was excited about being here, they are even more so. They had won this safari at a charity auction, otherwise this country was never on their list. Now Louis cannot wait to go back and tell people what a wonderful this country is. The scenery is great and the people are so warm and friendly. I am glad for them, they just got to SA 3 days ago and already they are quite amazed. At this rate I know they will continue to be amazed as they continue their trip to other parts of the country, including Cape Town.

I drank too much wine which means I drank more than half a glass. The local wine in S.Africa is excellent. A glass of wine is the same price as a soda, very cheap!

Safari Day 4 – time to switch lodges :-(

Leopard hanging out

Elephants taking a drink

White Rhino

Buffalo herd crossing

Tuesday, Oct 11

Animals spotted today: Leopard (with dead warthog in the tree!), waterbuck, zebra, 2 giraffes about to mate, lions and baby cubs, elephants, african buffalos, spotted hyaenas

This morning Moshe came by with his usual wake up call. I thought it was strange that he hung around outside. When I came out he asked if I heard anything during the night. I told him no. Apparently an elephant had broken through the fence that borders the lodge and did some damage. Moshe showed me the broken branches and tracks right outside my window and in front of my door! Holy cow, of all the nights for me to sleep right through the night! It was my one chance to blow on the whistle and see how fast the rangers come running. I was really bummed about that. John was not happy at the damages the elephant did. Mostly it was foliage it was looking for so some bushes got trampled and one small palm tree by the pool is now bald.

My last game drive with the guys. I am really getting spoiled being the only guest. I love it when other jeeps come by loaded with guests and I have our jeep to myself. They must think I’m loaded to book a private tour.

The highlight of this morning drive was another leopard sighting. Moshe got word of a leopard in the area so he got Eric in the jeep and sped through the bush to get to a certain location. Once again it was a surprise for me. Just as we got there the leopard that has been up a tree got shy and climbed down a tree. We went off road to track it down but it was elusive. Moshe drove back to the tree and showed me the dead warthog that the leopard had killed and hung up the tree, actually draped it over a big branch. Moshe suggested that we find a spot nearby and have our morning cup of tea and wait for the leopard to come back. There’s a good chance it will because its food is up on a branch! After a 15 min break by a watering hole we head back. Sure enough the leopard was up on the tree. I got some great shows so I’m so glad we waited around. Moshe returned the favor and gave another ranger a heads up on the sighting. So we waited around for the other jeep to come (Moshe was afraid to start up the engine and scare the leopard into moving again. Unfortunately as the other jeep approached the animal did get spooked and went down the tree! Moshe asked me if it was ok if we helped the other jeep track down the leopard. It sounded like fun to me so what the heck. We did find the animal and for the next half hour proceeded to track it. It was a cat and mouse game. It was neat to see how well the leopard can hide itself in the tall grass or behind a bush. It can remain absolutely still so you have to be patient to wait it out. Each time it starts to move our 2 vehicles would strategically move so as to block it from going too far in one direction. We did manage to get in very close. Many times you catch it staring towards the direction of its kill hanging in the tree. Great morning drive.

I got in a last breakfast with the staff and the driver came for me at 10:30 so it was time to say goodbye to Kambaku. Everyone saw me off with a final wave. I miss them already! John and I exchanged emails. Him and the family will emigrate to Phx this December so we promised to keep in touch. He was happy when I promised to show Tanya my favorite spas in Phx. Cool, another spa girl!

It was about an hour drive northwest to another area of greater kruger, called Balule private reserve. My next 4 days will be spent at Billy’s Lodge. My first impression of this place was disappointment only because I was still comparing it with the tranquility and beauty of the last lodge. But have to say that it did grow on me over time. My room seem older and darker and not as spotless and in need of renovation. However, the main lodge area more than made up for that. Gorgeous huge open deck with plenty of comfortable leather couches. The main lodge is built high up, on a tree so it’s kind of a tree house but much fancier. It leads to a high wooden walkway about 30 feet above the ground so you can view wildlife safely. The long walkway leads to a wonderful deck covered with a thatched roof. It’s littered with leather chairs and couches. I promptly took a nap on one of the leather couch to the sounds of the bush lulling me asleep. This is heaven!

Lunch was at 2:30 and they set a nice table on the deck for us. Just a simple salad, cheese & crackers and a platter of sweet and savory crepes. I met the other 4 guests at lunchtime. They seat the guests together so you get to know people. These were 2 couples from seattle and Houston, both much older than me.

On my first afternoon game drive with them I quickly realize that it’s much denser here and the roads are even rougher. Almost immediately our ranger Rex takes us off road for a VERY rough ride. I was wondering where the hell he was taking us. The whiplash was well worth it when we got to a group of lion. First it was a group of 4-5 female lions lazing the afternoon away. Then we drove behind the wash and hidden away was the momma lion and poppa lion and the 2 most adorable baby cubs. We parked literally 6 feet away from the group and just hung out to observe the 2 cubs being playing. The male lion got up for a few seconds when we drove up but then promptly fell back down again. The mama lion was laying down the whole time napping while the cubs were jockeying for position by her belly for feeding. It was the most precious sight! This is right up there with the leopard sightings.

The other fun experience on this drive was 2 giraffes about to mate. It was a big male giraffe and a much smaller female giraffe. I didn’t realize what was happening at first and thought it was just another giraffe, I didn’t even have my camera ready because I have too many pics of giraffes already. Then one of the group said he’s getting ready to mate, look at his ding a ling. Sure enough that thing was long and red and sticking right out! It was one of those things you just couldn’t look away! We must have sat there for a good 15 minutes to wait for the main event but the male giraffe would get behind his girl and she would then move away. At one point he made a move to jump her and she shied away. He then lost his “urge” and it wasn’t showing anymore. But a few minutes later he was primed again, lol! The ranger told us that it’s a quick thing because the male has to put his 2 front paws on the back of the female and it’s not a comfortable position for them. We never did see the deed but it was interesting to see the process. We think that they knew we were there and felt shy. If the female was not interested she would have gone away but they stayed closed together the whole time.

The group I was with had seen 4 of the big 5 and were missing the leopard on their list. One couple was leaving the next morning so they really wanted to see the leopard. As we approached dusk Rex excitedly pointed out a leopard getting a drink at a water hole. It quickly moved away and we all only caught a glimpse of it. We proceeded to try to track it for the next 20 minutes but without luck. It was a small cub, daylight was fading and it was really thick underbrush area so that cub can hide very well. I have had 3 fantastic leopard sightings in the last 2 days in Timbavati so I was fine if we didn’t find it. The other 2 couples were somewhat happy because now they can at least claim that they completed their big 5 list, even though they didn’t get a picture of it.

Have I mentioned that I am SO glad I have such a nice camera lens? Gary gave me a really nice zoom lens a few years back and I am just using it for the first time. It’s made for a trip like this where you can zoom right in on the animal. I get a nice depth of feel with the pics. Everyone raves about my pictures and I have to say they are pretty nice. After each game drive I get impatient to load them on my macair and start editing. I am averaging about 25% of pictures that are kept, the rest I have to delete. I suspect I’ll end up with over 250 good pictures from this safari!

Day 3 – last afternoon drive with Kambaku!

My ranger (Moshe) and tracker (Eric)

Pretty Zebra

Lioness

Steenbok

Monday, Oct 10

Animals spotted: White Rhinos, African Buffalos, Impalas, Kudus, Brown Snake Eagle, Giraffes, Crocodile, Zebras, mangoose, monkey, kudus, waterbuck, leopards, elephants, giraffes

Today I was the only guest so it was just me, Moshe our ranger and Eric our tracker going for the morning drive. Before we started I told Eric that I would like to place an order - I would like to see a herd of elephant bathing by a waterhole. Eric has a nice sense of humour so he nodded in agreement and said he will send the email to the elephants to let them know.

Again it was a slow start but the morning got interesting quick. Eric spotted rhino tracks and they both got off to see where it leads. At one point Moshe gave me an option, would I like to try to track the rhino on foot with him while Eric drives the vehicle ahead? Hell yeah, nothing like a little excitement. Again, before we started he gave me another lecture about not running if we seen anything and that I must listen to his intructions without questions. Hello, I'm not stupid, he's got the gun so I'm sticking to him like glue. It was fun, I was amazed at his tracking ability. First of all, a rhino has 3 toes but its track is only made prominent by 1 toe and the print is only about 2 inches wide and 1 inch long. But trust me, these suckers are big. In case I doubted that Moshe was just putting on a show for the stupid tourist he was teaching me along the way how to spot the track and how to know if it's a fresh track. I was still amazed at how he can stay on its track. It hasn't rained for over 1 wk so the ground was dry. Unfortunately we had to stopped because after about 15 minutes of walking Moshe told me that the rhinos have crossed over another property so that was that.

Moshe got a heads up on a leopard sighting so he headed that way. Ofcourse he kept it a secret and as we drove towards it he pointed to a tree and asked if I noticed anything. It was awesome I could see from a distance that there was something hanging out on the big branch! We got right up to the tree, about 15 feet from the leopard. He was just laying on the the tree branch with its legs hanging from either side. The whole time I was afraid that he could jump down right into our jeep! As expected I took about a million pictures! It's a beautiful animal. As we left it Moshe took me took another spot to see another leopard! This one was on the ground and hanging out. We got off the dirt road and right up to the leopard. No kidding, just a few feet away! THEN, the leopard got up and walked towards our jeep and right in front of it. I whispered to Moshe if he has his gun ready but all it did was walked in front of our jeep to another spot to hang. It was so exciting! By this time we were only about 6 feet from it so even closer than the last one, truly a highlight of the morning! Or so I thought. As we left the leopard Moshe said he has a surprise for me but I knew not to ask so I just sat back to enjoy. As we drove up to the waterhole from yesterday where the hippo was, I could see a herd of elephants, right to order! The sun was out, the sky was blue blue blue with some puffy clouds the water had a nice reflection of the bush and right in the forefront was my herd of elephants, picture perfect! What my camera couldnt quite capture was the elephants drinking out of this hole right next to the pond. The mother and her baby were taking turns sticking their trunks into this little hole and slurping up water and bringing the water to their mouths, it was so much fun to watch. I had this scene all to myself. I heard that in the main national park south of here you might have just as many animals but the difference is that it's a public park and anyone can drive into it, the result is hordes of tourists who have to share a sighting. It's well worth the money to have all this to myself or at most 5 other people in a jeep.

So quiet here with just me as guest! The host and rangers do eat with the guest so I never eat alone. Crystal and Richard lament that they have to keep up with the exercise otherwise they get fat eating all this food! I wondered how they could jog in a place like this where they could stumble upon a leopard or snakes. Richard assured me that the snakes can feel the vibrations of your footsteps and run away. I don’t believe that and will take my chances on getting fat! There is no way I’m dieting here, the food is so wonderful. They have 3 rotating chefs and so you will get different styles.

As we departed for our afternoon drive I told Eric, our tracker, that I am placing an order for buffalos since it’s the last of the Big 5 that I have not seen yet. It’s an ongoing joke between us because Eric usually responds by saying that he will send in the email. And if we don’t see what I ordered he would tell me that the particular animal never got his email. Eric is very nice. He is from a village nearby as well. His English is not very good so he surprised me with his sense of humour. I always wonder how he could not fall off the small seat perched in front of the landrover. We are on a dirt road most of the time and going in and out of ravines so it can get pretty rough. But he sits very calmly in the seat and is constantly scanning the horizon. Sometimes when they see tracks and the “hunt” is on, we would go off road and it’s even rougher, but so exciting!

We saw a lone white rhino taking shade under the tree. It was so cool because we got VERY close to it, much closer than the herd of rhinos on my first day. This one seemed older and slower. He was caked in mud which had dried and cracked, very funny. At one point he got up and started to rub himself against the tree.

SO, wouldn’t you know it, Moshe got wind of a herd of buffalo heading our way. The animals never stay in one spot so a ranger might give info on where he has seen the animal and which direction he’s heading. Then Moshe would know exactly where to go to head them off. Ofcourse he never tells me so it a surprise when he suddenly drives off road and into thick bushed, I keep thinking that he’s going to lose an engine each time he does this! I was very happy to see a small herd of 7 or 8 buffalos grazing. The sun was starting to set so the lighting was nice. Their horns were huge and I was a little nervous being so close to them. Moshe explained that these were the tail end of the herd. So, we left and took a drive to the very spot where the bulk of the herd was moving south and crossing the dirt road. I can’t adequately describe the scene. It was incredible! Must have been at least a hundred of them moving slowly along. Some would stop to graze for a few minutes and then move on. I love my picture of a jeep in front facing ours with buffalos moving past them from the front and back! It was the same for us but I couldn’t quite get out and take a picture of us! Our drive ended with the best sunset I’ve seen so far!

For dinner it was just me, Moshe, Crystal, Richard and John (the owner). We had a special meal of kudu which I had once in cape town. OMG this was so much better. Did not taste gamemy at all and is more tender than a filet mignon. We had grilled vegies on pap as appetizer and baby corn, broccoli with our meat and then apparently a favorite of everyone’s for dessert – a papaya puree topped with chocolate pudding. It was heavenly!

So sad, it’s my last night here! Just when I’m starting to get to know the people here. I hope the next lodge is half as good. I will miss the drum calls to all my meals, I told crystal that I will have to try the same trick with gary when I get home.

This is a 4 star lodge but they act like a 5 star. So many subtle personal touches to make you feel special. It seems like they know when to leave you alone and when to be there if you suddenly want something. After our morning drives I come back to my room and it’s all made up, mosquito net up and there a little wild flower or leaf on my fresh hand towel on the sink counter. Then after coming back from the afternoon drive (it’s dark by the time we get back to the lodge) My room is prepared for the night – the oil lamps are lit in my room and along the pathways, there is a “bedtime story” on a sheet of paper that’s rolled up and wrapped with a straw ribbon with a small green leaf or flower, and a piece of candy. The whole staff knows my name and I feel like a guest in someone’s house.

Safari Day 2 - LIONS spotted!

Kudu

Lion posing for me

Elephant saying hello

Sunday Oct 9

Animals spotted today: Elephants, giraffes, jackal, caracal, lions, kudus, steenbok, egyptian geese, eagle, rock lizard, hippos, turtles on the hippo, crocodile, impalas, zebras, waterbuck

Up at 5:30 to dress for the morning game drive. I kept waking up throughout the night thinking it was time to get up so didn't get much sleep. I looked out my glass door and there's a monkey running by my room, OK, I'm definitely in africa now! Got dressed and walked outside, I looked toward the water hole and there were a couple of giraffes drinking water, great start to the day!

It was a slow start without much activities, impalas and giraffes were scattered throughout but we were looking for the big 5. Stopped by a waterhole for our morning cup of coffee and tea and there's a hippo mostly submerged in the water. His eyes and nose was out of the water and he's absolutely still. The funniest part was that he had about7 or 8 baby turtles hanging around on his enormous back. Funnier still was a crocodile swimming around him.

Moshe got a heads up from other rangers of a lion sighting so we headed out that way. It was so cool, a group of 6 female lions and cubs. They were just hanging out in the tall grass and didn't have a care in the world. I got a great picture of a jeep literally a few feet from them. We're relatively safe as long as we remain in the jeep, the animals will see our vehicle as one big animal so they normally do not attack if you keep your distance. They tell you to never stand up while in the jeep so as to single yourself out.

Came back to a huge breakfast on the veranda and then it's time for a walk with Moshe. The big group of 8 was checking out so it's just me and the german couple that went for the walk. Before we started Moshe gave us safety rules. He loaded up the rifle and told us sternly that under no circumstances do we run if we see an animal. We must follow his directions without question. We could run into anything in the bush. We also had to walk in a single file to avoid running into a snake as it is running away from the person upfront. It was a sobering lecture and make me think twice about going but I went. It was interesting, Moshe taught us about the trees and bushes in the area, he's one knowledgeable ranger!

Another nice lunch (felt like I just ate!) and then it's time for a nap. What a life. THe place is alive with sounds and smells. So many birds in the area, and I don't recognize any of them!

Our afternoon drive was nice, we chased after an eagle for awhile and stumbled upon a 2 feet+ lizard, yuck! When we stopped for our sunset drink we can hear the sounds of a leopard in the distance. As we headed home Moshe explained that we werent pursuing the leopard because he's in an area that was on private property. Then he must have had second thoughts because he radioed the owner and got permission to go on his land. SO, we turned around and went into the direction of the leopard. By this time it was dark but the full moonlight had cast a beautiful light on the bush. At one point Moshe stopped and turned off the engine to listen for the sounds of the leopard (which sounds like a low growl). We sat in silence for at least 10 minutes but didn't hear anything. It was still nice to listen to the sounds of the night which was quite loud out here, crickets frogs, birds etc. Moshe drove further on and we stopped one more time but to no avail. Oh well, the whole process was fun anyway.

It's a smaller group for dinner tonight. I learnt that part of the job of the ranger (they have 2 on staff for the game drive) is to entertain the guests. THis means that they sit with us at mealtimes. Richard the other ranger is much more sociable. Moshe is much more quiet and shy. I think they assign a ranger to a group of guest during their time at the lodge because Moshe has been on all our drives. That's fine, I think he's great. He lives in a village an hour from here and that's where his kids live. We were surprised that he had a 15 year old daughter and 12 year old son. I swear he looked no older than 30. He seems so knowledgeable of well, everything.

Every evening I download my pics and edit them and the group really enjoys looking through them. I have to edit everyday otherwise it's an impossible task at home. I took 170 pictures on this morning's game drive (got a little excited with the lions!) but ended up with 30 good ones. WIth exception of lions, leopards and buffalos all the animals are plentiful but I take the picture anyway because sometimes I see a special pose or the lighting might be good. Anyway, cant seem to contain my excitement each time I see them.

The german couple are leaving early tomorrow so I will be the only guest for the day. They are full again the following day but it will be nice to have the rangers to myself, like a private tour!

Hope to get a good sleep tonight, I want to get up for the sunrise. So strange to take a shower by oil lamp, the lighting is not so good so what if I missed a deadly spider crawling in the shower?! But then I learnt how to turn up the oil lamp so it's nice and bright while I take a shower, duh. I leave on oil lamp burning low in the bathroom in case I need to get up for the bathroom in the middle of the night, it's not like I can flip on a switch, not sure if I can manage to light the oil lamp while half asleep!

Can't wait to see what tomorrow brings......

OMG, I'm finally on safari!

Need to post pics when wifi is stronger.....

Saturday, Oct 8

Took a flight from Joburg to Hoedspruit (1 hr flight) to the northwestern part of the greater kruger national park. If you go to south africa kruger is the place to go to see the big 5 (elephant, buffalo, lion, leopard, rhino).

Got picked up at Hoedspruit for my transfer to my first lodge (Kambaku Lodge). RIght out of the gate we see a giraffe! My excitement ofcourse picks up, and this happens to be one of my favorite animals. Its a 45 minute drive to the lodge, first on paved road then along dirt roads. Along the way we see lots of impalas, kudus and cutest of all a zebra who happens to be crossing the road! I am definitely NOT in kansas anymore! Saw some monkeys but they were too fast for me to take pics. Kruger is a huge nature area that's about 200km long. There are also private nature reserves that borders kruger but without fences so the animals roam freely in between. My 2 lodges during my week safari are in two different areas but both part of private nature preserves. The difference between this and the national park is that you have significantly less traffic than in the national park. You pay for it too! It's well worth it though!

My driver described Kambaku lodge as rustic because the room do not have electricity and operate by oil lamps. I am quick to find out that you can still manage a 5 star accommodation with rustic. Wish I could post pics right now to show it. I was greeted by Moshe who took my bags and directed me to the main area where I was given a welcome drink and crystal who have me a small orientation to the place. Already I was enthralled by the place. It's an open airy place of multiple huts complete with straw roofs. There are big rooms and decks to relax. My room was gorgeous, four poster bed with white mosquito netting, high ceiling fans, poured concrete floors. There is electricity to charge my batteries but yes, lighting is by oil lamps. No phones, no tv which is fine by me!

The lodge has 6 private chalets with thatched roofs facing a big watering hole (a pond) that invites all the animals to come for a drink and ofcourse a photo op! Our meals is gourmet quality and we know its time to gather when Bennet our bartender beats the drum (literally). So happy to find the weather perfect, warm up to high 70's, sunny, not humid and best of all, hardly any mosquitoes! I did start my malaria pills before I flew here and will keep it up since I don't feel any side effects. The nights are perfectly cool! Apparently I got here right after winter but right before the rainy season. The only drawback is that the foliage is still dry and the trees dont have leaves yet. That's ok - you can see the animals a lot further, and no mosquitoes, and it's not hot and humid!!

Lunch was on the veranda and the view was so beautiful overlooking the grounds. I met the other guest. A group of 8 came together and worked for an american company and here on business. One couple was from brazil but has lived in Joburg for last 6 yrs. There was a german couple who got here same day as me. The lodge can have max 12 people so it will never feel crowed. I quickly learn that you will eat a LOT of food here. A typical day will be wake-up call (by the form of Moshe coming around to knock on your door), meet at 6am for a 3 hour game drive, then breakfast at 9am, optional ranger walk at 11, then lunch at 1, then an afternoon game drive 4-7pm, then cocktails and dinner at 7:30. Dinner is outside under the stars.

Last night we had multicourse dinner starting with apple soup, then stuffed baked potato, green beans, curry lentils, beef filet, then a wonderful flan for dessert. OMG it was so good, all this while the stars came out!

On our afternoon game drive we split into 2 groups and went separate ways so that you literally do not see anyone the whole time you are out. THe jeep seats 6 guests, the driver and then a seat in front of the vehicle for the tracker. It's tiered so that even if you sit in the last row your view is not obstructed, kinda like a move theatre. It's open air so it's very invigorating driving in the nice weather. I felt like a kid as we stopped for elephants, rhino, crocodiles, kudus and lots and lots of impalas. It got exciting when Eric (our tracker up front) spotted some rhinos (very shy animals) and we proceeded to chase after it. The jeep got off the dirt road and we literally bushed wacked through the brush. It was incredible, I kept thinking there's no way he's going to make it through those bushes and he did. It was so cool. We finally got to a spot with a nice view of the rhinos. Around 6pm we stopped to enjoy the sunset in the bush. Ofcourse that calls for Eric and Moshe to break out the wine glasses and some great local white wines with chips and beef jerky. Moshe said it was hippo jerky but for some reason I think he was pulling our legs. We rode through the last hour in the dark, the cool air was so invigorating. Eric was upfront with a spot light shining it back and forth to try to catch some wild life. It's a bumpy ride but so exciting.

When we got back from our game drive I go to my room to find that they have turned down the bed and but a candy wrapped with fresh flowers on my bed. The mosquito net was let down, and the oil lamps are lit and placed in my room and in the bathroom. It's enough light to get around but perhaps not to read. It's so quaint!

There was a pit fire right next to our dinner table to enjoy. Once dark one of the guys would escort us to our room even though we were given a little lamp to walk around with. They tell the guests to stay in our room at night and not wander around unsupervised after dark. There is an electric fence around the property but it does not guarantee to keep the animals out! This is not a zoo where they keep the animals locked up and safe. You are in the wild, that's for sure.

It's only the 1st day but all the staff know me by name, even Bennett our bartender! I haven't figured out how many they have on staff but I know there are 2 rangers that drive the jeep and 2 trackers. There's crystal who runs the office. They live on site in a small house near the chalets. They work 26 days and then off 7 days. OH! and there's a whistle attached to the door in our chalet! This is in case of emergency, in case a big animal comes to your door and doesnt want to go away. You blow on your whistle and one of the guys will come to your rescue. I didn't like the sound of it when crystal explained this to me!

At dinner I met the owners and their 2 daughters. John is actually an american, from Oklahoma! THe kicker was they are planning to emigrate to Scottsdale this December! What a small world! THe girls are about 16 and 18 and are excited to live in the US for awhile. I asked Tanja where they are going to live and she asked me if I knew an area called DC Ranch! It's only a few miles from my work. So weird!

I love this place, it's so magical. So sad that I cant post my pics while at this lodge but here is the link to the lodge if any is interested in seeing their pics. It's AMAZING. I really really really really wish Gary was here to share with me

http://www.kambaku.co.za/

Finally done!

Friday, Oct 7
Hooray! Final discussion went well today and we were all happy it was done. Had our last lunch in the cafeteria and I have to say I won't miss it much. Most of the time it's something fried, greasy or full of fat. Yes, there's a pattern there. If it's a pork chop half of it is fat. However, the food in the restaurants we've been to is very good though. The seafood is really fresh here. The guys love meat and I found myself eating more than I want to.

Today the general manager Manie told us this was one of the best audit that he has experienced and he was really happy at the way we helped his team get better. How nice!
Just enough time to finalize our report and send it to germany. Rene & Federico dropped me off at the guesthouse before heading to the airport. It's so quiet without them! We got along very well and had a lot of fun. I got to brush up on my spanish a little bit with them.
Tomorrow I go on my week of safari, to say I cannot wait is an understatement!

TIA describes perfectly the attitude here....

Our general obersavation here is that our SA colleagues are very relaxed about time schedules. Before each audit we establish an interview schedule with different topics and individual for 9am to 5pm for the first 2 weeks. Based on experience we know generally how much time is needed for each topics. Ofcourse some topics might need additional follow up depending on what we discover. Anyway, we soon discovered that 9am could be anytime between 9 or 9:30 or 10. It's crazy! Especially for someone as anal as me! Soon Federico and I started to get relaxed about the time as well! We would clarify with each other if we mean german time or south african time, lol!

Anyway, Rene was telling me a story about their wknd in kruger. Their game drive was supposed to start at a certain time but ofcourse it was delayed. One of the tourist started to complain and the guide told them "hey it's TIA" which means This Is Africa! That's so perfect! This morning the guys were driving to an external warehouse while I work at the hotel. They were supposed to meet everyone there at 10. I find the guys still eating breakfast and talking to me at 9:30. I asked Federico shouldnt they be leaving now if they are meeting everyone at 10? And he's already telling me TIA! Talk about assimilating to the local culture! Both Rene and Federico are more latin than german so I think this relaxed attitude fits them fine! Me on the other hand, I think I might have been german in one of my previous lives because I'm a stickler about time, especially when it comes to work.

Local lunch at Lesedi village

October 1

Wonderful food for lunch. Typical south african dishes include stewed meats with some kinds of greens, the traditional maiz mash called pap, butternut mash and grilled meats. I tried them all including ostrich, crocodile, lamb. The grilled beef sausage and roast beef was also good. Had to admit that it was a little too much meat for me but what the heck. We made sure to save room for dessert. I loved the mulva dessert which was basically a warm type of cake baked in a casserole dish. You scoop a portion into a bowl and then pour hot vanilla pudding onto the cake. Dorothy promises to send me her recipe so I can't wait to make some at home.

Lesedi Cultural Village

Zulu man

Man from South Sotho tribe

Highlander tribe

A young tribal dancer

Oct 1

Lesedi village is a cultural center depicting all the traditional tribes of south africa. On the tour they take you through actual examples of tribe living including the types of home (mostly huts) and how they live and hunt. At one village they just finished taking off the hide of a buffalo and the hide was hanging on their wooden fence. It was the most foul smell, like fresh cow dung but worse! Even our guide couldn't stand it and had to give her tour of that village standing on the outside!

At one village there was an offering of the Mopani worms to the group and some people took a sample. No thanks! It was so interesting but I couldn't keep up with all the tribal names. THere are 11 national languages in south africa. 1 is english, 2nd is afrikan which has some dutch origins. The remaining 9 are tribal languages including zulu. Our tour ended with a wonderful song and dance from different tribes. It was wonderful, so energetic. I took so many pictures. At the end they invited us to get up to dance with them. I'm usually the last person to do something like that but it was fun.

One common custom among the tribes was the way a dowry was paid. If a man wants to marry a girl he must pay the father of the girl at least 11 cows. Some tribes are more expensive and it could go as high as 26 cows for a chief's daughter. Nowadays they still practice this in a way. So if a cow is worth 5,000 rand then the man must pay 55,000 rands. Each village usually has its own place that holds it cattle. This is usually placed in front of the hut of the chief - supposedly the first thing the chief wants to see when he wakes up is not his wife or his children, but his cattle because this is a sign of his wealth!

Some of the huts are built out of dry and hardened cow dung, yuck!

With each different village the guide tried to teach us how to greet the village chief in the local language. Some we could repeat but some it was impossible especially if it involves some weird noises in the back of the throat. One spear they named it after the sound it makes when it goes into the enemy's midsection and breaking his ribs!

It was a really interesting day, everything is so colorful! I wanted to get some culture in while I can. My week of holiday after this audit will all be safari, cant wait!

Joburg and Nelson Mandela's house

Nelson Mandela's house in JoBurg

Johannesburg, Sandton in the distance

Oct 1

Today Rene and Federico went for an overnight to kruger park to see the big 5. Thorsten and I did a day tour to a cultural village northwest of the city. On the way Dorothy our tour guide took us through Joburg and it wasn't what I pictured. It was more green and woodsy than I thought. Dorothy drove through some neighborhoods and showed us Nelson Mandela's house. He's 93 now and still very much beloved by the people of south africa. It was his birthday earlier this week and you could see some pebbles that the children had put in front of his house as well wishes.

Dorothy told us the interesting history of south africa as we drove to Lesedi village. The white settlers came to south africa in the 14th century. First it was the dutch, then the english, then other europeans. This country is know for its great wine and supposedly it was a combo of cultures that brought it together. The dutch came and planted grapes, the germans came and taught how to make barrels and the french came and made the wine. The language of the Afrikans is a mixture of dutch, french and other europeans languages.

Gold was discovered in the 19th century and Joburg became a huge city overnight. Because of a hugh meteor that hit this area many years ago the gold is buried pretty deep in the ground and not very easy to mine.

It's not a huge country but it has so many different climates and geographical differences. Where we are is savanah, then you have the desert in the northwest, the tropical forest in the east and southeast, and coastal in the south. I really regret not having enough time to explore more.