The genesis of this trip was one of those big decade birthdays for my husband. He is interested in most of the places I want to explore, so he has traipsed along with my choices fairly willingly. But that year the destination choice was his to make. We had both been to East Africa on separate previous trips but never together, and we each had long wanted to return to that continent. The decision was made and good friends wanted to come along so the big adventure was set for October - South Africa and Botswana.
We flew into Johannesburg, had a day to recover from the 24 hours+ of travel. From there to Kruger National Park, one of the largest game reserves in Africa. From there to Capetown including side trips to the winelands and the Cape Peninsula, and on to Botswana - first to the Okavango Delta and then to the Linyati Reserve. The rhythm of days on safari consist of being awakened just before dawn, pulling on your clothes and heading to the main camp area for a light breakfast, then climbing into your vehicle with your guide for the morning drive. The animals are still out and about as the sun rises so it's the best time to wait and watch. Generally you return to camp mid to late morning and find a wonderful selection of breakfast and lunch choices to eat, followed by free time to enjoy the camp either going for a swim or a nap or writing in your journal or all of the above. It's very hot and dusty in October so we made use of pools everywhere to cool down and get the dust off! Then you have the late afternoon game drive returning at dusk or later, gather at the bar to share stories of what everyone in camp saw that day, move on to dinner and then to bed. Morning comes very early!
One of the things we enjoyed a lot was meeting the staff and our guides at each camp we visited. Generally you're met by the guide who will be with you throughout your stay and it's easy to make friends with them and learn about their lives and their families, how they came to be safari guides. Most have an easy laughter and are a joy to be around, with a lot of knowledge to share.
As I'm writing this a few years after the trip took place, here are some of my notes from that trip diary...............
Johannesburg airport, very modern and sleek - one hour flight to Mala Mala, our first safari stop in Kruger. Nyala wandering right up to our hut! Sat in the pool and watched elephant and giraffe in the riverbed below. Afternoon gave drive - came upon a leopard in a tree, lying on top of her kill. Watched and photographed for a bit, she got a scent and began growling, hissing, came down the tree and disappeared in an instant! After dark came across a sleeping pride of lions, 8 females - amazing to watch as they stretched and groomed. Back to camp for drinks and dinner, bed at 10pm, morning call is 5:30am........
From Mala Mala where we enjoyed the luxury of air conditioned bungalows, we headed to Capetown. I didn't know what to expect of this city but was surprised to find it so vibrant and full of energy, as well as the sprawling townships populated by those from the outlying regions coming to try to find work. Our driver, Thomas, was from the Congo and was a schoolteacher there. He hopes to return after he makes enough money to help and to teach. There's lots to see and do here, we only had 2 days so spent one of them touring the winelands and one touring the Cape Peninsula. The winelands did have a some similarity to our own California regions and yet was still quite different and very enjoyable. The Cape Dutch architecture is so picturesque particularly in Stellenbosch, had a fantastic lunch at la Petit Ferme near Franchhoek. Had a stop at the Cheetah preserve to learn about the work being done to try to protect these wonderful animals. The day on the Cape Peninsula included baboons along the road to the Cape of Good Hope and ostriches! We visited the African penguin colony at Boulders Beach, took a ferry boat ride in Hout Bay to see the Cape fur seals, gaped at the awesome scenery and gorgeous flora.
Heading back into the bush we flew on Botswana and Vumbura camp, seeing herds of elephant from the window of our small plane. The camp was newly built when we visited and the accomodations very posh, particularly given that it's out in the wilderness. Your walls are basically all screens so you can see and hear everything around you - heard splashes and realized that a huge herd of elephant was literally right outside our walls and drinking out of the plunge pool, I could have touched them they were so close. It was a magical moment for me and I just burst into tears, having dreamt since I was a child of a moment like this. Unfortunately for 2 of the huts this herd blocked their entrance so they couldn't get out for the afternoon drive -one of the hazards of safari, you have to wait till it's safe to move.
We had our long awaited mokoro ride the next day, the traditional long canoe type craft that is moved by poling the water and travels along the paths created through the reeds by hippos. It's so peaceful and such a contrast to a game drive and looking for all the big animals, now you're concentrating on the small things in this ecosystem. Afterwards came upon a big hippo pool, finding them became our afternoon highlight for "sundowners" - the evening cocktail stop- daily.
The day we left Vumbura was well over 100 degrees and felt like a blast furnace driving to the airstrip. It looked like a moonscape on arrival, sandy and arid, the Mopane tree forest shredded by the elephants. What a change from the Delta but the camp itself is on a lagoon. It was the only day I missed the afternoon game drive, choosing to melt into the pool, and missed the first sighting of elusive wild dogs. First morning we almost ran into a hippo trotting back to his water hole just at dawn, don't know who was more surprised by that, him or us! We were just finishing coffee on our last morning when one of the guides yelled out "impala!" as it ran through the camp. Then "dog, dog!" as they ran through camp after the impala. Everyone dashed to the jeeps and we took off to follow the hunt. It was an amazing thing to see and experience and a great ending to our safari. From the air, amidst the desolation of the mopane skeleton trees I saw a lone green leafy canopy with five elephants clustered in it's shade. Goodby Africa, for now.
I bought a small digital camera for this trip so those are the photos attached to this journal. Our other camera at that time, the "good" one, was film so many of the best pictures I'm not able to include here.
