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!

I Made It!!!

So after a 15 hour flight, 4 movies, 1 1/2 mile walk around the plane, a 1 hour stint at a vodacom store at the airport to buy an international phone (even though I brought one with me- don't ask) and rent data plans for said new phone and iPad, I finally made it to the hotel and slept!  This morning I got up and headed to the airport for another flight to Zambia to officially start my safari when I was told the flight was overbooked and there were no more seats available!!!! WTF??? My trip is going to end before it even began???? I have to say one thing though, everyone, and I mean EVERYONE in South Africa is very nice and the customer service is superb!  However, even with them being top notch customer service people, there is only so much one can do for an overbooked flight. I mean, are they going to strap me to the roof? Put me it cargo?  It all rested on this one mysterious open business class seat. After a nail biting hour and a half of hanging out at the airport, wondering if all my new data plans were being hacked as I read my e-book, I was finally allowed to race through security, run to the gate and catch my flight. Was it worth it?  You betcha!!! Take a look at Victoria Falls and my room for this evening at The River Club!