Camps and Animals and ...

As we headed to breakfast, impalas, a member of the antelope family, populated the valley below our camp along with a troop of baboons.  Our guides have taught us much about the African animals during game drives, and any misinformation I pass along is solely my mistake.

A group of impalas is called a rank, and a dominant male with a pair of curved horns guards his harem which includes infants and youngsters from other interested males.  He is constantly running either chasing females to mate - he has to prove competent and catch them first - or chasing other males away.  Older but not dominant males form bachelor groups and spend time eating, gaining strength and practice sparring.  The male mating call sounds like a pig...snort, snort and then a bleating.  After about a week or two of running, mating, fighting and not eating, the dominant male is over-powered and the cycle continues.

Baboons are playful, very social omnivores, with good eyesight and leopards are common predators.  Mothers carry their young clutched to their stomach for the 1st month until the child if old enough to ride on mom’s back.  Their call is either a wild chattering or a single note bark.  Their group is called a troop or a “congress”.  I am not making this up so when you think our government can sometimes be a bunch of baboons then....

Game drives are a highlight as we look for wild animals in their natural habitats.  Even though the wake up calls come early - usually 5:30 - we are ready to head out since many animals are most active in the early morning or late afternoon.  We are in African National Parks.  Yes, boys, I came to Africa to see more national parks!

Roads are unpaved, deeply rutted, and either filled with rocks or thick dirt.  The dirt is handy for tracking animals by their distinctive footprints and scat or dung or poop.  As we rock and roll in our jeeps, we have the “African massage”.  I’ve got bruises from the side rails and some bumps give you “air time” especially if you are in the back row.  We were told the roads would be bumpy, and you had to climb a series of steps like a ladder to get into and out of the jeeps.  All true!

There are few toilets in the bush or rather there are lots of toilets, and they are called bushes or termite mounds!  I’ve tried several “loos with a view” also called “going to pick roses”, a “smile break”, or an “African toilet”!  We say the men are”marking their territory” like their animal counterparts.

Conditions in camp have been rustic but comfortable.  I am a fan of flush toilets, and we have those!  Electricity is provided by solar power and/or generators which have a tendency to shut off which also turns off the water.  We were told not to bring hair dryers since this stresses the grid and the trip was not suitable for anyone requiring a C-Pap machine or anything requiring a constant source of electricity.

Besides the animal drives, we have loved our food.  Each camp has a chef, and we are given 3 meals a day, plus tea/snack break in the morning, and tea again in the afternoon.  We may all be fatter heading home than when we arrived.  An optional bar in always available so beer and wine are plentiful.  The staff at each camp have been warm and welcoming.  Robyn says it’s the best hospitality she has ever experienced, and Kingsmill Resort could take lessons!

Unfortunately, several members of our 16 person group have contacted a respiratory infection and are passing it along to the others.  Everyday someone new is coughing on game drives and several members have stayed in their tents to sleep and try to heal.  We aren’t near medical care so people are using medicine from home, salt water gargles, and lots of hot tea.

Insects especially flies are a constant nuisance, but a literal dousing of bug spray keeps most of them at bay.  Flies, ants, moths, and assorted other flying critters have provided some of the protein in my diet since they slide right down when your mouth is open on game drives.  You also learn to look in your drink before take a swig since insects love to take a swim!

We have been learning about Africa’s big five animals: elephants, lions, rhinos, Cape buffalo, and leopard.  There is also the ugly five:  hyenas, warthogs, maribou stock, vulture, and wildebeast.  As our trip continues, we laugh and invent the small five:  rabbit, turtle, snail....

The baobab is a huge native tree and some may be a thousand years old.  Many in the park here are several hundred years old.  If you’ve been to Disney World’s Animal Kingdom, the massive tree centerpiece known as “The Tree of Life” is a baobab tree.  The fruit is an elongated pod and the white seeds can be eaten like popcorn.

The fields are covered with mopane trees which naturally grow large, but elephants love their leaves so they trim them constantly.  Another interesting tree is the sausage tree and when you see a picture you will understand why.  Their fruit is also tubular shaped and looks like someone hung their deli meats on the limbs!  Each one weigh about 6 lbs and would make a handy club.  Medicine men use the fruit for male enhancement...yes, even in Africa...and also to help with skin cancer.

The environment is filled with natural medicines that the Africans use everyday.  If they contact malaria, an ever present and recurring disease, they use the ....tree for quinine.  Another shrubs’ leaves can be crushed and applied to wounds for healing.  Flowers can be crushed, mixed with water to make a soap-like product, and another bushes’ stems make good toothbrushes.  Sage leaves can be rub on the body as a natural deodorant and bush hunters picked sage the night prior to a hunt and them mixed them with water.  In the morning, the sage water was poured over their bodies to disguise their human scent from animals.

Christianity is the main religion, and we see multiple dominations in villages and towns.  I also saw a Jewish synagogue, but Islam and Hinduism is aqlso practiced.  I wanted to attend a local church for Easter service, but we were leaving too early heading to our first camp.

Most children attend school, but it is not free.  Fees are collected and families usually pay by selling cattle or produce.  If parents are unable to pay, they are allowed to pay a few dollars at a time.  Many of the four countries we visit...Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana, and South Africa...start schooling at 6 years old or “1st form”.  Some may have preschool as young as 4, but in 7th form, the students take exams based on various subjects...math, English, their native language, agriculture, and general studies.  They must pass these to continue to secondary school.  After 192th form, students can decide whether to continue to university or vocational or trade school.

Birds are plentiful and mostly colorful.  I’m not a bird person and there are too many to name, but they are in the trees, on the shrubs and grasses, along the water and in the water.  My favorite is the lilac breasted roller; a 7-colored bird whose male rolls in flight when he is trying to impress a potential mate.  The Cape Turtle Dove looks like a dove, and we hear its 3-note call in each country and on every game drive.  We’ve been told it is saying “Work harder, work harder” throughout the day and in the evening, it’s “Drink lager, drink lager “!

There are falcons and cranes, stocks and ducks.  The Egyptian duck looks like it has painted eyes, and the Jesus bird has long legs and is said to walk on water.

Then there are the two ugly birds that are both in the “ugly five animals” - the vulture and the Maribou stock.  

HIV and AIDS are a major health crisis throughout Africa, but it appears the rate is declining.  Some of the southern countries we are visiting have HIV and AIDS populations of 10-17%.   The governments are trying to educate their people but ignorance, misunderstandings, mistrust, and even the younger generation thinking, “I’ll just treat it if I catch it” create difficult situations.   When America became involved in the crisis, some Africans initially thought AIDS stood for America’s Ideas to Discourage Sex.

Another day in Africa continues.....

School Children, Elephants and Rhinos and ....

Leaving camp is bitter sweet; our first experiences in the bush.  Heading out, I spot a large giraffe right by the road.  “Stop”, and the truck is reversed even though we are trying to reach our next destination.  A beautiful giraffe is grazing quietly right next to us, and she is a lovely goodbye.  

OAT believes in giving back to the communities where they operate.  In the past few years, they have invested millions of dollars in schools, water systems, healthcare, and infrastructure.  Today we are visiting St. Mary’s Primary School and are greeted by the principal.  She tells us how grateful they are to OAT and their charitable foundation which provided a roof when the school almost closed due to leaks, along with computers, and teachers’ salaries.

We chat with a group of student in 7th form who will soon take exams to see if they are accepted into upper level education.  They are polite and curious about us.  It is wonderful to see more of a culture than just the animals that Africa’s tourist trade thrive on.  The students sing for us, and we perform our songs for them.

We are heading to our second country today, Zambia, and we will be staying David Livingston Lodge near Victoria Falls.  Colorful musicians welcome us along with snacks and drinks before lunch.  This is a beautiful vacation destination with open patios, a pool, and situated along the Zambezi river, one of the four major rivers in Zambia.

Our afternoon activity is a sunset motor boat trip along the river looking for flora and fauna.  I see birds and some interesting plant life while sipping my gin and tonic.  A pod of hippos are in the distance, but as in the past, we don’t venture close.  After cruising along, enjoying the river, but not much excitement, I spot gray shapes in the distance.  “More hippos” I shout....I really want to get some better pictures, and the guide speeds up.  As we get closer, we realize it’s not hippos but elephants swimming the river!

Our guide says this happens during the dry season, but Zambia is at the end of the rainy season.  He has seen this before about four months ago, but we are enthralled by this special National Geographic moment!  Elephants are good swimmers, and they bob along in a powerful current with their trunks as snorkels.  Heads and ears appear occasionally until four large elephants, several with tusks, climb onto the bank.  Sunset is an afterthought as we snap pictures and videos, but it’s difficult in a rocking boat.  It was another once in a lifetime moment to treasure.

Robyn and I are late for breakfast because the monkeys are playing outside our room.  The babies are so cute, but they don’t hold still long for pictures.  They climb and swing in the trees and run along the ground jumping on the banisters.  Our ground floor room opens to a patio through double doors and a view of the river.  We are instructed to keep the doors closed since monkeys love to help themselves to treasures inside.  I was going to hang some clothes out to dry, but I figured I would soon be seeing them displayed from the branches!  One member did open the doors to get a breeze while she rested and awoke to a monkey playing in the tea and coffee condiments!

No’s escorts us to a local market to buy “chitengas” which are colorful cloth wraps African women wear whenever they leave their home.  This is a display of modesty to cover their thighs but can also be used as a head covering and to hold a baby on the mother’s back.  We also see beautiful dresses made out of this traditional cloth, and some members plan to use the cloth for home furnishings - table runners, placemats, etc.

The market is interesting with stalls of fruits, vegetables, dried goods including mopane worms and Kasenta fish, toiletries, and cages of chickeninterspersed with shops.  Noz introduces us to a friend who discusses her business.  I ask about a basket filled with beige chucks of... mineral, plant?  These are pieces of termite mounds that women eat during pregnancy for protein.  I try a bite, but it tastes like gritty dirt to me!

Large termite mounds dot the landscape throughout our travels.  Some of these creations are over two hundred years old and have millions of insects located inside various chambers.  The queen lays eggs, the soldiers protect the mound, and the workers go into the bush to gather pieces of wood for everyone to eat.  They form storerooms inside for the wood and mushrooms grow on it and can also to be digested.  The excretement is carried outside and added to the growing tower, and seeds of trees and shrubs may sprout in this fertile soil.   Unlike our termites in America, African termites don’t invade structures or even trees.

Bush men use termite mounds for directional help since they curve at the top in a northwest direction.  This is due to prevalent winds blowing from the southeast.  Elephants rub against the mounds as scratching posts, and natives love the termites that swarm during the rainy season.  Natives catch them by the basketful and sauté or fry them, but they can also be dried and last about six months.  Yummmm....haven’t had an opportunity to try those yet!

We have been blessed throughout our trip with beautiful weather.  It can be hot during the day, but speeding along in trucks on game drives gives us a cool breeze.  Nights have been pleasant, but today the skies open and an afternoon thunderstorm interrupts our lunch.  We are scheduled to track white rhinos in a local preserve which will be our only opportunity to see these animals during our trip.  

We bundle up in raincoats and head off determined not to let the weather spoil our day.  We squash along in wet shoes over rough terrain and wade through streams following guards carrying AK-47s.  These rhinos are monitored but without GPS trackers and roam free on this preserve.   Their keratin horns are extremely valuable on the black market and locals may poach rhinos in order to support their families.   Horns may be worth $7-9,000/kgm and weigh 3-4 kilo each.

We reach a hill, and there they are peacefully grazing.  We get closer than I thought possible since we don’t have the safety of a truck surrounding us.  Rhinos have small weak eyes and have a history of quick, fast charges over short distances.  We watch and struggle to take pictures in the pouring rain so close we hear them chew and snort.

Tomorrow we visit Victoria Falls, one of the 7 natural wonders of the world, from the Zambia side and an afternoon game drive.  Another day in Africa!

A Day in the Life and ....

If the cacophony of bird calls didn’t wake you, the guard did at 7 AM....” Wakey, wakey”.  We had showered the night before and had 30 minutes before breakfast to prepare for the day.  Robyn and I had slept through the hyenas and elephants calling during the night, but baboons were barking this morning and playing in the valley.

After breakfast, back to the trail vehicles to catch the “chicken bus” and a visit to a local farmers market, grocery, and village.  The chicken bus is the traditional transportation for southern Africans where people, produce, and livestock are loaded in and on top.  Luckily, our guide was only teasing, and we will have to save the chicken bus for another time!

OAT believes in “discovery and learning “ during their trips along with us spending a “Day in the Life” of people in the community.  Several members of our group were given money and a list of African items to purchase in the farmer’s market.  They interacted with the vendors while the rest of us wandered among the stalls.  Robyn and I helped No’s at our next stop - the local grocery where we purchased items for the village we would be visiting today and the school tomorrow.  Our group donated money and with $120 we purchased 10 25 lb bags of flour, 10 bags sugar, 10 bottles oil, 10 loaves bread, 10 pkgs of kapenta fish- small dried fish, and jars of peanut butter and jam.

As our van turned into the homestead we would be visiting, the family and their invited friends greeted us with dancing and singing.  Women, men, and children were all there to give us a tour of the homestead which encompassed 1 extended family....huts with earthen walls and thatched roofs...bedrooms,  kitchen, meeting room.  The walls were painted and decorated with natural dyes and the kitchen shelves were made from the same earthen material.   The only toilet was a long-drop...a pit in the floor of a building which you straddled.  Just like every culture, the children were adorable!

After our tour, we gathered in the meeting room where water was poured over our hands in the traditional way to clean them.  We each introduced ourselves...OAT visitors first and then the natives.  Most spoke some English and 2 of the women spoke excellent English.  One of our translators was named Judy!  We had a lively question and answer session about chores, marriage, divorce, children, education, etc.  

In traditional African cultures, a man must pay a “bride’s price” to marry her.  After negotiations, instead of cash, usually 3-6+ cows each worth about $500 are paid to the woman’s family.  This is in payment for the expenses the family has incurred in raising the bride.  It is also a way for a family to increase their wealth by increasing their livestock herds.  After the marriage, the new bride leaves to live with her husband’s family and help take care of them.  Divorce is uncommon since the bride’s family would have to return the cows.  However, polygamy is practiced in many African countries.  

We were served traditional African staple food as refreshments...polenta, spinach, kapente fish, and mopane worms!  I rolled the polenta into a ball, flattened it, and add spinach and the kapenta fish.  I’ve never even eaten anchovies, but when in Rome....or Africa!  The worms are an excellent source of protein and are dug from the ground under the mopane tree.  The guts are removed and the worms are sun dried.  Our host boiled them and mixed them with spices and oil to create this “delicacy”.  They weren’t bad, but they did not taste like chicken!

Men hunt, take care of the animals primarily cows, build structures, and cut firewood.  They are considered the “king” of the household and women, including the wife, and children do not look him in the eye and kneel before him to offer food which he always eats first.  This is based on past traditions when the man was also the defender and had to be strong and ready to fight and protect his family and possessions at all times.  

Women do many chores, and we tried our hands...or heads...at carrying a bucket of water on our heads and grinding grain with a large mortar and pedestal which is a 2 person job.  It’s amazing how difficult their life was to us, but they seemed completely happy and glad to share their lives and culture.  I passed around dum-dum lollipops to the children, and we left our purchased groceries and gifts we had brought from home...and all the leftover mopane worms!

As we headed out for an afternoon game drive, impalas are everywhere!  They have an “M” marking on their butt and are called the “McDonald’s of the bush”!  Of coarse, they taste like chicken!  Predators are leopards, hyenas, and pythons while baboons may kill the young.  Male antlers are permanent and may break in battle damaging the skull and possibly killing the animal.  They mate and calf throughout the year rather than seasonally resulting in a plethora of impalas.  One person joked, “What do you call a group of impalas?  A Chevy dealership!”

Elephants concluded our afternoon game drive, but they are still in the distance.  Here is some elephant info:  a group of elephants is called a herd or a memory or memorial when they are standing around.  It’s a parade when they are walking usually following the female matriarch who may be 40-50 years old.  Their front feet leave round prints and the hind prints are oval.  

They have weak eyesight but long eyelashes to protect their eyes.  They have long memories and are known to mourn a family member who dies.  Their ears flap for ventilation and cooling.  Both males and females have tusks which poachers collect for the ivory.  When bull elephants fight for dominance it’s called tasking. 

They are know as mixed feeders since they not only eat grass but also break off tree and shrub branches to strip the leaves along with breaking off parts of the baobab tree for the inner fiber.  They only digest 40% of their food so they poop a lot!  They have 6 sets of teeth that grind not bite.  Elephant dung has a myriad of uses in the African culture including as a mosquito repellent and dry dung is mixed with water to help pregnant women in labor.  Don’t know what effect it has, but glad not to try it!

As we head to camp, a long-eared rabbit jumps in front of the truck and sits in the path.  I didn’t know they had rabbits in Africa.  We are excited about our sightings until we return to camp to hear that the other group’s encountered a young male elephant that mock charged them several times.  We only have a “pesky wabbit” to offer in comparison.

More adventures in Africa tomorrow!

All That Africa Has to Offer and ...

It’s a full day of game drives and lunch in the field as we wander farther from camp.  As the morning slowly progresses with no animal sightings, our guide stops to discuss ants with us.  One group member quips, “We’re making progress.  We’ve gone from rabbits to ants!”

The day improves when giraffes are sighted close to the road.  These graceful creatures have the same number of neck or cervical vertebrae as humans - 7 - but each are a lot larger.  They use their necks when males fight for dominance, and it is called necking”.  

Their individual mosaic coats are as individual as our fingerprints.  They have good eyesight, long tongues and eyelashes, and when they walk, their legs move together on one side and then the other.  Gestation is 15 months, and they deliver their babies while standing.  The newborn drops a meter or more to the ground which “kick starts” the heart.  It’s a heck of a substitute for humans slap to the butt!

A “tower” of giraffes are standing but on a “journey” when walking and “striding” when running.   They defend themselves by kicking with all four legs which can kill a lion and have thick skin on their legs to help contract muscles to force blood back to the heart.  Giraffes are ruminates with 4 stomachs, and males can be distinguished from females by the difference in the knobs on top of their heads - male knobs are thicker and flat topped while females are thinner with what appears to be brushes on top.  All - and more - that you ever wanted to know about giraffes!

We are headed to a new part of Hwange National Park and will spend all day searching for game.  More impalas...always impalas...and cute guinea fowl in a group called a confusion run across the road as we cross a small concrete bridge.  

Robyn shouts,  “A hippo!”, and we all lean to look out that side of the truck.  Although they may weigh a ton or more, hippos are fast and aggressive.  They prefer spending time in shallow water since they are not good swimmers and their thin skin can sunburn.  Don’t try to put any suntan lotion on them since hippos are extremely dangerous and kill more people in Africa each year than any other animal.  They don’t want to eat you; they bite you in two with their large sharp tusks and spit you out!

Hippos are strictly vegetarians, and their group is called a pod or a raft or a school or a thunder.  Gestation is 6 months, they give birth in shallow water, and may live 40 years.  They have poor eyesight and hearing; maybe this is why you cannot reason with them!  Later we see hippo trails on land where they switched their dung with their tails to mark their territory on rocks and busiest.

Back to “our” particular hippo....He was alone and would rise up for a quick breath and sink back below the water’s surface.  Suddenly the water erupted.  I thought it was another hippo, but it was a crocodile catching a huge fish!  We excitedly watched both animals...hippo and croc...before continuing on our journey.  

Nearby were a “dazzle” of zebras.  Who thinks up these names?  Their coats were absolutely beautiful with individual patterns which looked more painted than natural.  The joke is that the female is white on black and the male is black on white!  If a zebra’s coat looks beige, it’s due to the iron oxide in the soil which gives a reddish tinge after a zebra has a good roll in the dirt.

Zebras have good eyesight and hearing and other animals like to graze nearby since zebras are always alert to danger.  They often graze tail to tail looking for predators.  Gestation is 12 1/2 months, and they live about 35 years.  Zebras kick with their hind feet and are the national animal of Botswana.  They have not been domesticated since their spine is weak and cannot be ridden like a horse.  Zebras have a symbiotic relationship with a small bird called the oxpecker which eats ticks, mites, flies, and other insects from its coat.

The zebras acknowledged our presence and went back to feeding.  That is an indication that an animal is comfortable with you being there.  Before lunch we spot a leopard tortoise; the name describes the shell.  Males have a more concave bottom shell and a female has an oval opening for egg depositing.  

As we speed and bump down the road...in the national parks you must remain on the roads, I think I spot a gray blur in the bushes.  “Stop!” I shout to the driver, and as he backs up, we scour the brush for an animal.  I’m ready to say I’m mistaken or else seeing things when I notice the tree limbs moving.  “Something is in there”, and as we patiently wait, we spot an elephant slowly moving towards a small stream.  More waiting,,.we have been told to be quiet on game drives...and a large bull elephant emerges!  He is taking his time, but I guess he decided we are non-threatening, and he heads to the stream to drink.

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It was fascinating watching him and photographing this magnificent creature.  We were close enough I took pictures of his eyelashes.  Michael says I like to zoom in to look at people’s nose hairs, and I certainly tried with him!

We headed to a picnic lunch overlooking a large lake.  A pod of hippos including babies were playing and mock fighting in the distance.  Crocodiles roamed the waters, birds and ducks are plentiful, and small groundhog looking animals called hyrax run on the rocks and patio.  Someone spots an lone bull elephant at the edge of the bush walking towards the lake.  We urge him forward for better photos, and we are delighted when he continues plodding along to the edge.  This day has been a huge success for animal sightings!

Our guides hear from some visitors at the picnic shelter that they spotted lions ahead.  Load up the trucks and off we go in search of these cats that are at the top of the food chain in the bush.  As we round a curve, two female lions lazily lounge in the road and another two are in the roadside grasses.  They look up unconcerned about our intrusion on their afternoon nap!

I cannot believe how close the guide parks the truck for us to watch and take pictures.  The lions watch us carefully through guarded eyes, and one seems intent on me locking eye contact.  She could be on me in 1-2 pounces with no time for me to react.  Am I willing to sacrifice an arm...or more...for this adventure?

A group of lions is called a pride which usually consists of multiple females and their cubs.  If a male lion is the cubs’  father, he may also be present.  However, females must protect their young from males that are not the father since he may kill the cubs.  Females do the majority of the hunting and hunt as a team .  We quietly watch for probably 30 minutes as the lions blink, stretch, and swat flies.  We are so excited; our drive today has been a huge success.  I hate to leave.

More impalas along the road; do they know lions are nearby?  As we head to camp, people in the 3rd row of seats shout to stop.  They think they have heard an elephant’s trumpet; I haven’t heard a thing.  As we back up, a huge bull male comes out of the bush crossing the road behind us and appears to run at the truck.  He stops and heads into the bush.

“Back up” I say, and suddenly there he is again and not happy with us in his space.  He has brown liquid running down his face, and he flares his ears, glares, and lets loose with a trumpet that could blow you down!  He charges out of the bush and our guide floors the accelerator to get us out of danger.   This is an elephant in “must” which means he is looking to mate and is very aggressive.  He could have attacked our vehicle and us in his anger!

Tonight is cultural night in camp where the staff will entertain us and we will entertain them after dinner.  They perform multiple native songs and dances with drums while we are seated and then the roles are reversed.  Oh dear!  Thankfully, a member of our group came prepared with printed song lyrics - “Puff the Magic Dragon”, “You Are My Sunshine”, and “This Land is My Land”.  Another member has been a professional singer, and she has a lovely voice.  Between those two, the rest of us follow along, and we are a success.  We conclude our performance with a native Swedish dance from Minnesota joining staff and OAT travelers having fun and linking arms and legs.

The sun sets on another day in Africa and the adventure continues!

Africa - Here We Come and ...

Robyn and I arrived in Johannesburg, South Africa, after an uneventful flight. After picking up our luggage...more on that in a minute, we cleared customs and were met by a rep of our tour company, Overseas Adventure Travel.  OAT specializes in small group active traveling for people over 55 years old.  I always say there is a difference between traveling and a vacation. Vacation is lying on the beach and reading whereas traveling is often go,go go! 

OAT required us to use a fabric duffel that they mailed to us.  We were told to personalize them to distinguish them from the other 15 people in our group.  I tried to follow instructions so before we left I pulled out the fabric paint, and with all of my artistic talent painted pink and purple swirls on my bag.  Michael saw it and said, “How old is that bag?”  When I told him it was brand new, he said it looked like something out of the 60’s!  Personally I like my bag, but NO ONE else individualized their bag except Robyn who has polka-dot duct tape on the bottom. Looks like I’m already in trouble! 

The OAT bag and your personal item...backpack, etc...has a weight restriction of 44 lbs. That might sound like a lot until you realize we’ll be gone a month, and I cannot wear the same clothes in Africa as Dubai. Africa requires a lot of special items I don’t normally pack to travel...like toilet paper!   We also brought gifts for a school and village we’ll be visiting along with a gift for a home visit and meal in South Africa.  The weight limit is due to a couple of puddle-jumper planes we’ll be on between camps. 

Clothes have been a source of frustration since we were instructed to wear natural tones of beige and khaki and not to bring anything white, black, dark blue including jeans, or bright colors. Black and dark blue attracts teesee flies which have a painful bite and carry sleeping sickness. White and bright colors scare the animals. Soooo, this eliminated my entire wardrobe! 

The laundry is done in some of the camps by staff, but this is not everyday and no underwear which you must do yourself.  Various people on OAT’s website mentioned not to bring anything good since items frequently had holes or burn marks.  Robyn and I were fortunate to find most of our wardrobe essentials at various thrift shops....thank goodness for Goodwill and DAV! My 1st pair of pants, however, were so big I called them my “M. C. Hammer” pants...2 sizes too big and I could pull out the sides like an accordion. One of my shirts had a faint stain on it so I got a discount - $2 instead of $4. I am making a fashion statement, and it’s not pretty. I may be scaring some of the natives, but the animals are safe! 

We were met at the airport in Johannesburg by a group of native African dancers with drums dressed in animal skins; entertaining and great welcome to Africa, but this is not the way natives now dress. We were told not to leave our hotel so Robyn and I ate dinner in the hotel restaurant. I really wanted the ostrich steak but got oxtail stew instead! Can’t wait...I think...to see what else exotic I eat! 

In mthe morning, we headed back to the airport to board a plane for Zimbabwe. Our OAT guide and “mother” for the next 21 days were there to greet us, Nosipho Bhebhe or “No’s”. Our group loaded onto a small bus heading to our first camp in the bush. When the road got too rough, we transferred into our game drive vehicles - open air covered trucks with 3 rows of tiered seating which we were instructed to rotate positions on various days. 

It was late afternoon as we headed down a rocky bumpy rutted road to Kashawe Camp in Hwange National Park.  Suddenly our first animal sighting - grazing impalas. These animals roam in packs with a dominant male and multiple females and babies . Their black lined faces look back, and I wonder what they are thinking.  Before we reached camp, we spotted elephants in the distance. My 30x camera was more useful seeing animals than my 10x binoculars. Yes, I was in Africa and actually seeing animals in their native environments! 

When we arrived in camp, we were met by singing and dancing staff offering scented cloths to wipe our dusty faces and hands and non-alcoholic cocktails. What a welcome! Our group was seated at a long table for dinner which was very tasty; the camp chef was there to explain the menu. 

Towels folded in the shape of elephants greeted us in our canvas sided tents - really nice tents with window flaps and bathrooms including a flush toilet, sink, and solar heated shower. The camps are not fenced so animals may wander in at any moment. We are escorted each evening to our tents with a rifle toting guard and instructed not to leave until morning so those bathrooms come in very handy. Two single beds and a front porch looking out on the valley below would be our home for the next three days. 

Lying in bed, you could also look out on the bush and wonder what might be looking in! Several people found native visitors in their tents....spiders and lizards. We were also advised to keep our doors locked since baboons like to come in and will steal your stuff and wreck havoc. As the bush settled down to sleep, so did Robyn and I too tired to listen for the sounds we would hear about in the morning.

Age Doesn’t Matter in the Desert!

If you think driving at high speeds in the red desert sands while being slung around sharp curves and sliding down dunes sounds like fun, you are absolutely correct!  Robyn and I spent an afternoon and evening on a desert safari which is one of the “don’t miss” activities in Dubai.

Our guide and driver, Jackson, was from India.  Yes, his real name...we asked so, of course, I shared pictures of my new grandson with the same name!  I didn’t know what to expect, and I think Robyn was more interested in riding along seeing the sights rather than “dune bashing” but extreme bashing on 30 meter high dunes we did!

We also tried sand surfing...I was a miserable failure twice...but Robyn made it to the bottom of the dune before doing a face plant!  We then headed to an area made to resemble a Bedouin camp...henna tattoos on our hands, hookah smoking, roast corn on the cob, falcon display, and....camel riding!  That camel had a hard back...I didn’t feel a saddle at all!...and it lasted probably 3-4 minutes...most of which involved me trying to get on!  When the camel is ready to kneel for you to dismount, you better lean back and hold on since it folds itself none too gently into multiple pieces-or so it seems-from a height that would cause serious hurt if you happen to fall off.

Jackson must have felt sorry for flinging us around the dunes since he up-graded us to a VIP table.  Actually I think there were empty spots so Robyn and I lucked out again!  We were served  an assortment of appetizers - I thought that was dinner - and then the real food started....meat, veggies, rice, condiments, with Mahommed insisting it was his job to keep piling the plate full.

Don’t forget the most delectable fried Arabian donuts; I guess fried dough is good in any culture!

The evening continued with belly dancing and a twirling dervish of a performer.  Robyn and I were over-stuffed and very glad the dune bashing was before dinner and not after!

Our guides with OceanAir Travel have been wonderful.  They have been sharing a wealth of information and statistics.  I don’t remember if I’ve said this, but they could be having a good time with an ignorant tourist so cut me some slack.  More later.....

Al Ain - Garden Spot, Time to Go, and ...

Al Ain is called the “garden” spot of the UAE due to the second largest oasis in Asia.  Robyn and I had scheduled a private tour of the city about 1 1/2 hrs from Dubai.  We stopped by the camel race track-camels were headed out for their morning warm-ups.  Child jockeys were used for years until they were outlawed.  Now robots ride the camels with whips controlled by owners racing around outside the track in SUVs!  I may have already mentioned that camel racing is the national sport for the UAE.

We also visited a fort and museum with information about Lawrence of Arabia, walked through gardens of date palms, toured the home where Sheikh Zayed was born, traveled up a windy road to look down on the area, and visited a camel market.  We had seen trucks loaded with camels along the highway - their heads poking above the enclosed sides as they were probably heading to the market.  We saw 1 and 2 day old infants...huge!...as well as multiple pens holding adults for auction.  Solid white or black camels are highly prized and more expensive since the majority of camels are tan.  Buyers examine the camel’s teeth before purchasing it.

R



On the return trip to Dubai, I asked our guide about politics and religion - two topics you are not suppose to discuss with strangers EVER!  We had quite an animated discussion about the similarities and differences of Islam, Christianity, and the Jewish faith.  We also discussed politics in the Arab region and USA along with our guide’s thoughts of extremists, jihadist, immigration, etc.  When I told Michael later about this, he looked at me wide-eyed in horror!  There were no accusations or trying to force a belief on another.  Rather it was a lively exchange of ideas and cultural beliefs and very informative at least for me.  I appreciate our guide’s candid answers, and I’m glad I was brave enough to ask questions.

In my travels, I have discovered I need a “down day” every 7-10 days to relax, recharge and do laundry.  Robyn had a sunrise hot-air balloon ride scheduled, and since I had done one with the boys in Sedona, I declined to join her.  I slept in instead of rushing out for another tour/activity and when Robyn returned to sleep, I headed to the pool.  Either my body fat percentage has increased...a good possibility...or the water was more saline than in the US.  I floated peacefully and read in a recliner before we headed out to meet Michael, Chip and Kathy at “Le Pearl” - a cirque du soleil  type show.

The performers were amazing, and there was a story line in there somewhere.  I just wasn’t astute enough to figure it out so I sat back and enjoyed feats I could only imagine accomplishing.

History- The UAE flag has 4 colors - red for power, green for prosperity, white for peace, and black for oil

During 2018, the UAE is celebrating the Year of Zayed.  He was the Father of the UAE...the Sheikh of Abu Dhabi who lead the formation of the country and elected the 1st president...born in 1918 - 100 years ago.

Arabic is the native language.  However, since the countries comprising the UAE were once a British protectorate , everything is written in Arabic and English and everyone speaks both languages.  Our tour guides have all been from Indian or Pakistan reflecting the foreign majority here, and they  have spoken multiple languages...their native dialect, plus Hindi (if Indian), Arabic, English, Farsi, and usually some German.  It makes me feel language in-adequate as an American.

My final day was scheduled to be spent with Michael while Robyn visited Chip and Kathy in Sharjah.  Although Michael had a work presentation at noon, we all met at a new tourist attraction in Dubai, The Frame, which opened in January 2018.  It’s two columns of gold-colored metal with connecting top and bottom to form a picture frame.  Elevators in the columns whisk visitors to the top cross piece where windows look out one side on “old” Dubai of souks and the creek and on the other side on the “new” Dubai of skyscrapers.  

The center floor squares look white until you step on them and the opaqueness transforms into a clear vision of ....below!  They are composed of “smart glass “ and pressure creates an electrical current which produces the transformation.  I’m not scared of heights, but when you aren’t expecting this, it can wig you out.  Multiple people stood around the edges attempting to step forward or holding hands with braver souls.  The security guards must have a constant source of amusement each day.

Michael and I headed to the Mall of the Emirates...not the largest mall but it does have an indoor ski slope, chair lift, snow tubing track, and penguins.  We wanted a chance to meet and play with penguins,  but unfortunately it was sold out.  Drats, but we had a great time eating dessert and cappuccinos before a long and delicious Taiwanese dinner.

We returned for Michael to help with my tech problems...cell phone, camera, and iPad.  Every computer chip I had was gained up against me!  I also had a surprise waiting for him.  Since he wasn’t home or within easy mail service of the US, I flew halfway around the world to bring him an Easter basket!  He said I was, “the sweetest” which, along with the big hug, made it all worthwhile.

After a final tearful good-bye with Michael....me not him, I returned to my hotel for preparations to leave the UAE after 10 days and head to Africa.  Robyn and I have been chatty with our cab drivers...where are you from, how long have you been here, where is your family, do you like Dubai, etc.  Many drivers keep up a running dialogue once you initiate the conversation.  My driver tonight was not happy that I don’t live with my sons nor they with me.  He was adamant that mothers are “most high” and should be revered and taken care of.  I tried to explain I didn’t’ want to live with my children, and I raised them to be independent.  “Not right”, he kept saying, and I would smile and think of our cultural differences.  At the end of the ride he tried to return his tip and forcefully said, ” You are now my mother!”  I think I’ve been adopted!

Observations:

*A guide told me Christians, both Protestant and Catholic, are allowed to worship in the UAE.  The government provides land and/or buildings for worship and crosses are displayed.  I never saw a church steeple among the mosque minarets but glad to know that religious tolerance seems to be practiced.

*Indoor malls are a dying breed in the USA.  However, in the UAE, they are thriving!  On a normal Friday evening, it looked like Black Friday!  I know it’s due to the weather and extreme heat but interesting nonetheless.

*Room keys are inserted into slots when you enter your hotel room which turns on the electricity...lights, tv, ac, etc.  When you leave the room, you are suppose to remove the key to turn everything off.  This is an energy saver, and not unique to the UAE, but great idea.

*Muslims do not eat pork or products containing pork.  Grocery stores either don’t carry these items or have a “Non-Muslim Only” section behind a curtain in the back of the store.  Michael took me to a local grocery chain, and I felt I was during something wicked!  Refrigerated cases hold bacon, ham, lunch meat and shelves were stocked with canned ham, fried pork rinds, Jiffy cornbread mix and ..... Pop-tarts!  Yes, the breakfast staple of the 60’s contain a pork by-product.

*Ice cream may be made with camel’s milk.  I meant to try it before leaving Dubai and looked for it in the grocery.  Wonder if I can order on Amazon when I return home?

*Camel meat is also eaten but didn’t see it on any menu.  A guide said at the end of a camel’s life, they are usually killed and eaten.

Robyn and I say “Goodbye” to the UAE in the morning and “Hello” to Africa after a 7 1/2 hr flight.  More adventures to follow!