-
Last Days - Parting Thoughts
One of the prettiest dinners was at the Singita Boma, which was a round, open air enclosure decorated with hanging lanterns, sparkling luminaries, and a fire pit. We had a lovely BBQ and tried Mark's favorite dessert, which was Brandy Pudding. In this case, pudding in the English sense of a brandy soaked cake. As in Europe, the South Africans ( Read more... ) -
Safari in S. Africa
We travel in specially outfitted land-rovers through the bush. I'm stunned at the brush, small trees and rocks that this vehicle can go through. Mark A. drives and answers questions. Kenneth sits on a jump seat on the very front right of the vehicle and looks for tracks and animals. If a dangerous animal is spotted, he jumps in the the vehicle ( Read more... ) -
Bush Camp - Mpumalanga, South Africa
Mpumalanga is the province that includes a large part of Kruger National Park. We are staying at the Singita Lodge, on the banks of the Sand River, within the Sabi Sands Game Reserve. Sigita means, 'Miracle,' which truly describes this place ( Read more... ) -
Notes on Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe's economy is in tatters under Robert Mugabe's dictatorship. Since ousting the white farmers in an ill-advised land reform they face shortages of food and the lack of hard currency. Gary Player's championship golf course has an occupancy rate of only 2-4%. The Zambians said no one wants to go to Zimbabwe because of the political ( Read more... ) -
My First Helicopter Ride - Zambia
This morning, we got up early to prepare for our helicopter ride. Its only for 15 minutes, over Victoria Falls,but I skipped breakfast, just in case ( Read more... ) -
Mike visits a Zambian Village
While I was under the weather, Mike and some others went to visit the local African village and market. The huts were made of mud and thatch. Homes are set up with separate huts for separate activities. For example, a hut for the husband & wife, a hut for boys, a hut for girls, and a hut for cooking. Married people have a tuft of thatch on top ( Read more... ) -
Botswana - Chobe National Park
Today, we travel to Kazungula, to clear customs and board small metal boats to cross the river into Botswana. Once in Botswana, we'll take jeeps to Chobe, for a photo safari, which lasts all day. It is at the border that I find that I'm not feeling well. Let us just say that you do not want to be stricken here, with toilets that don't flush, and ( Read more... ) -
Zambia - On the banks of the Zambezi River
As we flew into Zambia, we could see the mist rising from Victoria Falls. On our arrival at the small airport, near Livingstone, we were met by a children's choir, from a local school, singing African songs. The boys & girls were neatly dressed in their brown and white school uniforms, and sang beautifully, first in harmony, then in a "call and ( Read more... ) -
Johannesburg, S. Africa
I do not like Johannesburg at all. Its a big, ugly, dirty city. Before we left, it was listed in the U.S. papers as the murder capital of the world, and it has a very high crime rate. Businesses are moving out of the city center. Homes in the area are gated, barred, walled and topped with razor wire. Our hotel was outside the city, guarded, ( Read more... ) -
Trip to Africa - Cape Town
After a cancelled flight in Washington D.C., due to a major fuel line leak in our plane, spending the night in the airport hotel without a change of underwear, enduring long waits, anxiety over my father's health, mass confusion, rescheduling, and missing an entire day of our Cape Town tour, we finally left the states. After a 15 hour flight to ( Read more... )