And So, My Final Location

I ended up in Umhlanga, KwaZulu - Natal on the Indian Ocean (pronounced Umshlanga)).  I had every intention of going on day tours, or even checking out at some point and going someplace different after a few days.   What I realized is that I was perfectly happy where I was.  I sat on the beach, looking at the waves.  I sat on my balcony, looking at the waves.  I sat in the restaurants, looking at the waves.  No crazy animals, no bugs, no early wake ups, no bouncing around in a vehicle, it was a beautiful way to spend my last week.  

Sunrise on the Indian Ocean

And just like that, I was gone......

I'm still not sure why but I woke up last Monday unable to stay any longer doing the volunteer work. I literally woke up and decided it was time to go. So, after much hemming and hawing, finagling and researching, I am now sitting on the Indian Ocean enjoying all that a beach resort has to offer. 

Don't get me wrong, I have a lot of guilt and disappointment in myself for leaving. I just couldn't stay. I had a week left and decided to enjoy.

Trixie: The Story of a Sad, Lonely Dog....

There have been many experiences on this trip that it is hard to process them all, but this one I just can't shake.

This is Trixie.  See how she runs?  Trixie is always running.  

This is the Mkhuze dog pack

Trixie came from another game reserve after she broke away from her pack.  Trixie traveled a couple of hundred kilometers and ended up here at Mkhuze trying to find a new home.  The monitors were hoping the pack would accept her but alas, they have not.  They were also hoping that perhaps one of the younger males in the pack would break away, join Trixie and they would start a new pack.  This hasn't happened either, at least not  yet.   Due to the recent arrival of the puppies in the pack, it's been all hands on deck to raise them.

Here's the sad part.  Trixie runs all day looking for them.  She keeps trying to find them and join the pack, even though they keep rejecting her.   At least 3 times we would be in the truck trying to monitor some animal and Trixie would come running up the road, searching, searching, almost frantically.  She is all alone which is obviously not ideal for a wild dog.  Not only are they pack animals, but she is in danger from other animals as well as poachers.

Run, Run, Run, that's all she does.  One evening we were out looking for, what I don't remember, and up comes Trixie running along the road in her anxious,  frantic way.  She was being followed by several tourist vehicles who probably thought this was much fun!  "A wild dog running in the road!  Quick honey, take a picture!" My heart just broke for her.  It was after sunset and it was getting dark, she should have been finding a place to rest for the night.  Instead she was being stalked by paparrazzi! Every now and then she would stop, out of breath, look at the cars following her and continue running. Trot,Trot,Trot, Trot.  We turned around and followed the line of cars  until she finally just sat down in a puddle for a second or two at an intersection of the main  road and a dirt road.  That is when I think people finally got the hint.  Trixie took off up the dirt road, but the cars didn't follow her.  We trailed her for a bit but we stayed back far enough not to bother her.  We even shut off the engine to give her a break.  

That was when I heard it.  Trixie calling to them, the pack.  Trying to find them.  It wasn't a howl or a bark but almost like a hoot and a moan combined.  It was possibly the saddest sound I ever heard.  Over and over as she ran up the road, in the dark  you could hear that sound, looking, searching, almost begging.  

My heart fell to pieces.

Babies, Babies, Everywhere Babies!

The difference between the safari and Mkhuze is the search for specific animals.  On safari, we would just drive around and whatever we found, we found.  Occasionally we would get a tip from another safari vehicle that a particular animal was in an area and then we would go check it out.  At Mkhuze, we were assigned each day with finding specific animals.  As I already said, the dogs needed to be tracked twice a day.  Even if we didn't see them, we had to be able to find them on telemetry.   The other animals we tried to find at least once a day between one of the two camps.  

The winning lotto ticket on any of these searches is to see the animal itself.  Even better would be to see the babies.   I knew the wild pups were in a den and we had a general idea of where the den was, although it was inaccessible by vehicle.  I knew I would never see the pups.  We also knew Misty, the cheetah, had 5 cubs, but I really never expected to see Misty or her babies as they are so shy and well camouflaged.    I don't think cheetahs walk up the road like the dogs, elephants and rhinos apparently do!  Although, the other camp did see a leopard in the road one day. 

So, on what turned out to be my last day there I was given the gift of a lifetime. Not only were we able to track, find, and see Misty, we saw her cubs too!  All 5 of them!  And, there was some National Geographic stuff going down as she was facing off against a mamma wart hog and her babies (what are baby wart hogs called anyway?  Anyone? Bueller?) 

5 ladies in a truck all kinds of excited!!!! In all my days, I don't think I will get a chance to see something like that again.  Back to camp we went, feeling satisfied with ourselves.... not to mention something we can brag to the other camp about1  What did they see? Nothing!

In the afternoon, it was our turn to track the dogs.  Meghan had taken us to a place far up on a hill and we picked them up immediately.  They were also on the move so we would drive, stop, track, drive, stop, track.  Eventually it was was drive and track at the same time!  And then, up ahead, just around a bend we saw this!

The entire pack!  Babies and all!  It was like the first day of school.  They took off into the grass and we tried to track and follow them but never saw them again.  We did however spend the next 3 hours driving around chasing them with the telemetry.  

It was an absolutely  perfect day, and a perfect way to end my stay at Mkhuze.  

'Scuse me. Have you seen my yak?

So you are sitting in the back of a truck, it is sunset, and you are busy trying to figure out what those silly dogs are doing based on their radio signals.  Suddenly, up the road, just on the other side of a small hill you see a lumbering, greyish white THING waddling back and forth.  You cannot see its face, just the torso.  You think

A) Oh, here comes a rhino up the road

B) Weird, that's a really small elephant

C) Is that a yak????

C.  Definitely C.  Because that's logical, right?  

I blame the malaria medication. 

Elephant Recess

One morning our assignment was to find the elephants, try to count them and take pictures.  Now, at this point in my trip I have seen A GAZILLION elephants and was a bit blasé about the whole thing.  Here's the thing about animals though, they always have something wonderful up their sleeves, or trunks in this case.  

After about an hour of tracking a female who is part of the breeding herd, we realized they were heading for the river.  We found a high, secluded vantage point overlooking the water and what do we see? A lone male drinking by the water.  No big deal. 

 But then, one by one, the breeding herd came out of the tree line and started making their way to the water.  The male turned around and, instead of making some show or stand off, greeted some of the younger ones as they passed!  It was mesmerizing!  

All in all 22 elephants of all ages and sizes.

  The babies started playing in the sand, literally roughhousing to the point of needed to be put straight by an adult.  So much like us... So much, like us.

  

I'm Going to Mhkuze...

Mkhuze!  Finally!  The whole reason for going to Africa!  To work with wildlife conservation monitors and help them, well, monitor the wildlife in the Mkhuze game reserve.  There are many different types of animals in the park, giraffe, dogs, elephants, rhino, impala, birds etc., but only some of the animals were being actively monitored - The wild dogs, the cheetahs, elephants,  and vultures.  The dogs and cheetahs had radio collars on them.  Twice a day the dogs had to be tracked and once a day we went out either looking for the elephants or the cheetahs or whatever came along. 

Apparently, on top of loss of habitat, disease and other issues, poaching is a problem in South Africa.  Since the wild dogs are one of the most endangered species in all of Africa (I think there are only about 3500 left or something like that), they get top priority along with the cheetahs.  Literally, every single animal matters.  The wild dogs just had a litter of pups as well as the cheetah, Misty, who had 5 cubs.  

My camp consisted of 4 women:  A Brazilian, a Canadian, a German and me.  Sounds like the start of a bad joke, doesn't it? - So a Brazilian, a Canadian, a German and an American walk into a bar....... 

These women were wonderful!  Each of us there for our own reasons, but there just the same. Our monitor was Meghan who exuded passion for these animals.  

On our first day we got to see the dogs right off the bat!  All the adults!  And they were on a tear about something!  Turns out there was another wild dog that didn't belong to the pack that got them all in a tizzy.  

"It's that other dog I tell you!  I can smell it!  It was just here!  Where did it go, where did it go?"

Anyway, not only did we get to see the dogs, but we learned how to use the telemetry, learned the difference between a resting signal and a moving signal, and how to tell the direction it's coming from.  I felt very official, and so excited!

This is not me, but I do look this impressive when I am tracking too! That's my story and I'm sticking with it :-)

Vasco Da Who? And Brad Pitt is a Merman? You Don't Say!

How awesome is Cape Town?  F'in awesome!  Take San Diego, mush it with Big Sur and Napa Valley and add a really cool accent -- BINGO! Cape Town!  How are the people of Cape Town? F'in awesome!  How do I know this?  Because I made two friends while I was there.  Oh I know it was their job to be nice to me, but I really feel I made friends, even if it was just for the day.

So who were these people?  They were my guides during my stay there.  Jacques picked me up at my B&B the first day and we did The Peninsula Tour.  At first I didn't know what this entailed because my fabulous travel agent, Camilla,  booked the tour based on my request to see penguins.  That's all I cared about.  So to me everything else didn't really matter.  I was going to see penguins!  So Jacques (and no, he is not French) picked me up and started his tour guide.  He pointed out different mountains and areas and gave me the local run down.  All very interesting I must say.

However, you know that moment when you realize you may not have all your synapses firing at the same time?  No one else may realize it but you do?  I asked Jacques to give me the history of Cape Town, when it started, who was there, blah blah blah.  Basic history.  So he starts to tell me about this guy Bartholomew Dias and his ship, and I stop hearing him a little, because my brain is pinging some registration on the name.  Then he mentions Vasco Da Gama and then it all clicks. Into place. Slowly.  

It went something like this:  Bartholomew Dias, I know that name.  Where do I know that name?  I taught that name.  When did I teach that name.  Vasco Da Gama?  Oh I know that name too!  Wait! These guys are explorers.  They traveled, where?  They traveled around The Cape of Good Hope!  The Cape of Good Hope is in.... South of Africa!  I'm in Africa!  WAAAIIIITTT!  I'm near the Cape of Good Hope??? This is so much better than the penguins!!!  All of this was in my head, mind you along followed by - How did you not know this?  What 2 synapses did not function properly to make the connection? 

(Uh Duh!)

So Jacques took me to see the penguins (so cute) and the Cape of Good Hope (so awesome) and the botanical gardens (so beautiful), not to mention a seal tour (they sleep a lot).  Along the way he pointed out various points of interest and we drove through some really cool towns.  Along the way we had some really cool conversations and I realize, us humans, we are not so different.  We all have the same hopes and goals and needs and wants.  That is the best part of any trip for me. 

(Not penguins, but we saw them on the way to the Cape of Good Hope)

(That's a baboon.  He's on a boat)

The next day Yvonne picked me up and we "did the wine country".  She asked me a few questions at first to get a feel for who I was, and then she customized the tour a little bit to suit my personality.   Even though it was only 10:00am we went Brandy tour and tasting.   Brandy at 10:00 can be really nice with the right juice.  Yum!  We stopped at the oldest store in South Africa - the Oom Sammie se Winkel.  What an odd but interesting little store!  Then  we drove through Stellenbosch and had lunch in Franschoek.  From there we went to Victor Verster prison where Nelson Mandela was released.  Very moving.  Then off to wine tasting!  We went to Fairview but Yvonne kept the best for last.... wait for it....  CHOCOLATE TASTING!!!! Think about it, I'll give you a moment.  Yep, like wine tasting but with chocolate!  I think I heard angels singing, not to mention the extra baggage I had to get for all the chocolate I purchased! Yvonne's the best!!!  Even though the end of tour was at hand, Yvonne still pulled through.  She knew I wanted to see the waterfront but wasn't sure how to navigate the taxis and transportation.  She drove me to the waterfront, talked with a taxi driver and arranged for pick up at a specific time.   

Which brings me to my point about this whole post.  Jacques and Yvonne were my tour guides, but they both made me feel like an old family friend.  They could have stuck to the "tour guide speech", but instead I got to know them as people. And what great people they are!  Jacques could be the type of guy you drink a beer with, watch a game, have a b-b-q with, while Yvonne has that total Mammaluca vibe (yes, I made up this word but it works)!  She looked out for me as if I were one of her family.  Without them, Cape Town would not have been the awesome experience it was!  Thank you both!

PS - There is a mall at the Waterfront and when you go up one of the escalators, this unfolds in front of you.  Tell me I'm wrong!  I dare you!

Where in the World????

For those of you interested in knowing where in the world have I been, get out your maps. I landed in Johannesburg, South Africa and then caught a flight to Livingstone, Zambia.  It is there I got to see the beautiful Victoria Falls along the Zambezi River.  The River Club is also on the Zambezi. 

The next day we drove to the Botswana border. After you cross the border (an affair in and of itself) you take a water taxi across the river. This particular spot is where 4 countries meet - Botswana, Zambia, Namibia and Zimbabwe I think. Need to double check.  from there, we drove to the the Chobe River and spent some time on a boat cruise.  Following  me so far?

 Ok, we left the boat cruise and drove to the "airport" in Kasane which consists of nothing  but an airstrip. No terminals, no bathrooms, no currency exchange place, no building. Nothing. An air strip. This is where we caught our "flight" to Linyanti.  By flight I mean sardine can with wings. Nothing about this was ok.  I don't want to see the pilot. I don't want to be able to see out the front window. It was a bumpy ride, and with every breeze we hit I was convinced we were going down. Going down with a panoramic view of the crash! If you haven't noticed,  I'm very dramatic when it comes to flying.

 

Needless to say 35 minutes later we landed on an even smaller airstrip and then headed to the camp on the Linyanti River. This camp is where we saw the cheetah, leopard, lioness  and our afternoon visit from the elephant. Not to mention the nightly hippo party which were sometimes crashed by the elephants. Very noisy at night, everyone seemed to be having a good time and we were not invited. I felt like a small child who had been put to bed but couldn't sleep because my parents were having a party downstairs with all their friends and I wasn't  allowed to get out of bed.  

We stayed in Linyanti for a few days and then back to the airstrip for another flight to Khwai. This time, one of the members of my group was able to sit up front seat with the pilot. Weirdly that really intrigued me!  And I have so say this ride was much better.  This pilot looked like he could do this bush flying in his sleep!  So off to Khwai we flew and stayed in that camp for a few days.  Still with me on the map?

The last leg consisted of driving from Khwai to the airstrip in Banoka to catch a tin can to Xigera  in the Okavango Delta. I, yes I, sat up front next to the pilot. Captain, my Captain! Or Darren if you prefer, is one of these old salty, bush types in the making. Give him another 20 years and he will have achieved it.  Instead of my usual "Give me a Xanax, we're all gonna die!", Cool  as a Cucumber, This is Child's Play, Darren, made the whole thing quite uneventful. It was awesome!

Blurry Darren

Yep, me sitting in the front!  

Do you see them?? 

As you can see the Okavango Delta is nothing like what we had been staying in for a week.  There is no way to get to Xigera except by either speed boat or Makuro.  Personally, I liked the Makuro the best.  Our "driver" Chris, is the one who had never heard of Star Wars yet is on Facebook and has e-mail.  He was a great guy, and  his wife worked at the camp as well.  Again, everyone exuded joy, passion, and delight with the world.  They each told me how much they love working for Wilderness Safaris and they love living in the "outdoors".  

Heading to our camp

Me getting a Makuro driving lesson.  I have to say I was pretty good!

That's the problem with wildlife, they walk away just when you get the perfect shot!

It was sad to end this portion of my trip but I had a couple more planes to catch.  We left Xigera and flew to Maun, Botswana.  A veritable metropolis!  And the airport was actually a building!  Granted it was one room, but they had a bathroom, and a check in, and a customs section.  From there I flew back to Johannesburg and then caught a connecting flight to Cape Town where I have been for the past 4 days.  You know, by the time this is all said and done, Salty Dog Darren will have nothing on me!!!

Birds, Babies and Beasts

I think I will let the photos do the talking tonight because words can never really describe the beauty that is nature.