After coffee we went to Walmart and picked up a bunch of stuff. Then we decided to skip Curves and we went right on home. We both felt like we needed to be at home today since we had such a long day yesterday.
Now, I have decided to give away all my watches...they are all new..most of them are less than 2 years old and some of them have never been worn. If you see one that you like....let me know and I will send it to you!
This is kinda fun....maybe I will add a few bracelets or necklaces! lol!
Where we did not go today....but the Amsterdam did!
Walvis Bay, Namibia
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Today we went on a tour set up by friends Brad & Karen Deacon. Here is the description: “ Travel in Land Rover conversions with a/c on the tallest sand dunes in the world. We will visit Sandwich Harbor which is a part of the Namib Naukluft Park. Go to Walvis Bay Lagoon, which is recognized as a wetlands of global significance and where you will see many water birds. During the excursion we will stop to see plants and small animals. We will also visit the Saltpans. If weather and tides allow for it, we will go to the Sandwich Harbor Lagoon, where very few people get to go.” The tour was great…. The 1000s of flamingos were magnificent…. The dunes of the Namib desert are just awesome. It made for a great day!!!!
Posted by Jeff Farschman at 4:04 PM
Postcards from Paradise!
Postcards from Paradise!
Kruger Bush Camp - Day Two April 5, 2013 Friday
Day two began with a knock on our door by one of the friendly staff guys for our wake up call. Of course, we had been up, got dressed, and were ready to go long before 5:30am. But we welcomed his carafe of hot water for some coffee in our room.
We met with the rest of our group in the dining room by 6am. More coffee was available, but we felt it unwise to drink any more than we already had. There were 12 of us, that were split into two groups and escorted to two Land Rover safari vehicles. We stayed with the same set of guides and trackers that we had yesterday. These guides were native to the area, belonging to the Tsonga and Shangaan tribes. They were born with hunting and tracking skills not only for being guides, but for survival early on in their lives. One of the fellows had been with this lodge, working for the family owners for 29 years. That speaks volumns for this operation.
Anyway, the animal viewing began right in the dining room, with the vervet monkeys checking us out from the overhanging trees and roof. They would be here all day, so we began our morning drive after getting some good photos of the characters. The drive lasted for almost 4 hours with numerous sightings of kudu, giraffes, Cape buffalo, and elephants. Our guide was in contact with other drivers who had spotted some wild dogs near the airstrip. We quickly headed that way, arriving to find the pack of dogs walking on the tarmac. Our driver literally chased them with the vehicle, until they decided to stop, and lay down. He said they must have had a successful night of hunting and gorging, and wanted nothing more than to rest and play. After taking pictures, we left them to do just that.
About halfway on the drive, our fellows stopped the land Rover, and let us stretch our legs. Then they set up a coffee and cookie table for all of us. If needed, we were left to use whatever trees or bushes we could find for a pit stop.
Continuing on, we were alerted to a sighting of a leopard laying on a termite mound nearby. At least three vehicles arrived to the scene at the same time to find the leopard resting, partially hidden in the grass. The big cat was not the least bit interested in us at this time. Perhaps later in the day, on the PM drive, he would be more active. At least we all hoped he would stay in this spot resting for the remainder of the day.
Getting back to the lodge by 10am, our driver was afraid he would be in trouble with the cooks. They had breakfast mostly ready for us by 9:30am, but with the chance of seeing a leopard, we would be excused for being tardy this time. The breakfast setting in the dining room was a bit different from dinner. The square tables were pulled apart, and set for two or four or five people. More like a real restaurant. The buffet table held fresh cut assorted fruit in a large bowl, with cereals of corn flakes or rice krispies. Two flavors of yogurt were there with toppings of seeds and nuts. Warm cheese muffins had been freshly baked for us to eat. This would have been ample for us, but there was more. We had a choice of any breakfast entree normally offered at home. Today we chose french toast with a fried banana on the top. A little bacon on the side completed our hearty meal. Juice was a pitcher of blended fruit, almost like a smoothy. Four slices of toast were also placed on our table along with fresh jams. There is no doubt that we will not be hungry on this excursion!
Barely having time to freshen up, we were summoned to join a bush walk with one of the armed guides. Yes, he was armed with a 438 elephant rifle, loaded, but with the safety on, of course. He explained that out of the large safari vehicles, we look like prey to the animals, which naturally, we are. The rifle and his clip of five bullets are probably seldom if ever used. Actually, one of the kids did ask the guide if he ever did shoot an animal, but we never got a straight forward answer. Some things are better not asked.
Well, the hike was enjoyable for the first hour, because we were slowly walking on the dirt road. We were being instructed in the ways of the jungle and survival of the fittest. That even applied to the millipede that was crawling on the road. After describing how this creature would be taken apart when dead by ants, the guide surprised us and horrified one kid when he completed his talk by crushing the bug with his boot. Ick. There was nothing left for the ants! Like we said....survival of the fittest.
It was at this point that our guide decided to go offroad into the knee-high grass, and head towards a dry creekbed. The problem was it was down a steep slope full of thorny bushes and rocks. Hidden tree roots impeded our walk too. Now this was adventurous, but a bit too much for the girls in the group. By girls, we mean the moms and ladies who thought it was time to head back to the lodge. No one was allowed to leave, since we were here as a group. After a half hour of trudging through the deep sandy creekbed with huge expanses of rocks, we reached a dam of some sort. Most of the folks climbed over it, while some had to go around it, again through the thorns and stickers. We finally returned to the lodge by 1:30pm, hot, tired, and completely covered with burrs, thorns, and sticky seeds of some kind. Perhaps tomorrow, the group size will be much smaller.
Ice cold cokes were wel deserved by now. So was the warm shower and shave that was not done early in the darkness of morning. That warm water never felt so good. We made our way to the pool, where we rested on the wooden chaise lounges with thick cushions. The water in the pool was sparkling clean, but extremely cold. Soaking our feet in there was all we could muster. It was more amusing watching the large number of monkeys playing around the lodge and rooms. Even a wart hog made his way to the grassy area outside our room. He worked the green grass like a lawn mower, ignoring us completely. You have to respect those long, sharp tusks.
Before we knew it, the time had arrived for the evening game drive. This time, we dressed properly with long pants and jackets. We had no doubt that when the sun went down, it would be darn cold. The same groups broke off into their vehicles, with the exception of one couple who had gone home this afternoon. We had a long drive before we saw any game. But the wait had paid off. We went back to the spot where the leopard was this morning, racing past a Cape buffalo in the process. By now, several hyenas had surrounded him, expecting that he may have had a kill in the tree with him as they sometimes do. That smart leopard was so wound around the tree, that it was difficult for us to see him. Eventually, the hyenas left, passing within a few feet of our vehicle. Gosh, they are really scary-looking creatures. When the cat felt they were gone for good, he slowly backed down the tree trunk. Posing for hundreds of photos from three Land Rovers there, he decided it was time to leave the scene. He literally walked past our truck, inches away from us. It was like we were invisible to him. What a magnificent animal. we considered ourselves very lucky to have had such a close encounter.
Time for us to continue on, we spotted a field full of impala. Our guide called them the "McDonalds" of Africa, referring to the fact that they are tender vittles for all meat-eating carnivores. They are one of the most graceful and beautiful of the antelope family. usually when they are hunted, they never see it coming, and the cats are fast to dispatch them. Brutal, yes, but the way of life here.
Solitary kudu were here and there, with some of the bucks having beautiful high, but dangerous sets of horns. They are more shy, and tended to hide in the brush. The same thing applied to the baboons, who had perched in the high limbs of the trees for the night. Busy filming the leopard, we got to the baboon area too late. They would still be here tomorrow, so we began our drive back. Two owls were the only other birds we spotted in the trees. The local blackbirds protested them being there by dive-bombing them until they flew away. Neat behavior to see close up.
The best part of the drive was to come. By now it was dark, and we could see the bright stars shining overhead. The clouds that were here yesterday had left, leaving us with clear blue skies all day. As we had hoped, we were in for a treat of seeing the Milky Way and every constellation in layers so close we could have touched them. The other vehicles had arrived, and while we had been animal watching, someone had come to this clearing and set up a BBQ with strips of succulent steak cooking. Gosh, did that smell wonderful. A table covered with a white tablecloth had a bowl of pita chips with a tomato and onion salsa for us to enjoy. A complete bar was set up with cold beers, wine, sodas, and mixed drinks. While we snacked, the eldest guide performed animal calls for all of us. It echoed all through the canyon below, while we hoped that he was not calling the animals to us. The kids were the most impressed, and we are sure they will remember this experience for their lifetimes. We know we will.
It was so dark, we could barely see to walk around. There were several lanterns to light the ground, but we did not wander far from the site. It was time to leave, so we all loaded into the Land Rovers for the ride back to the lodge. Going slowly, we continued to study the sky filled with bright stars....another site to remember forever.
Back to the camp by 8pm, we cleaned up quickly and walked outside our cabin. Spotting some movement of shadows in the darkness, we thought we saw dogs. What they were not was dogs, but hyenas, just a few feet away from us. They spooked and ran back down the grassy area, and ran to the back of the clearing away from the camp. That was too close for comfort for us. We could see their tracks that they left in the sandy trail along the way to the dining room. Next to their tracks, we noticed larger footprints perhaps belonging to a larger animal. Believe us, we kept our flashlight shining everywhere as we quickly made our way to dinner.
Relaxing with refreshing beers, we shared our sighting with the group, warning the parents of the young kids of the hyenas we just saw so close. The kids tended to feel comfortable with roaming around the camp, even though we were warned about the animals close to the lodge. Can never predict their behavior, especially with the younger ones with us.
Dinner was served at the long table once again in the covered, but open-air dining room. Bowls of hot soup with curly noodles and tender diced vegetables was served to each of us. The buffet table was set with platters of salad, not a lot of lettuce greens, but more sliced bellpeppers, cucumbers, tomatoes, avocados, mangoes, and cheese chunks. Could have made a meal of that alone. But more bowls of hot veggies, turnips, green beans, carrots, and whole roasted red potatoes were offered. Chicken was the main course. White wine went well with the meal tonight. Topping off the hearty meal, we had tiramsu for dessert and a small glass of amarula liqueur. This could become a very easy habit to acquire. The conversation at the table was so animated with the excitement of the day that we soon realized it was time for bed. And with all the drinks we had consumed, sleep came very quickly once again.
The only thing we still had trouble with was the lack of lighting, especially in the room. Once the lanterns were extinguished and the candles blown out (required), we had to depend on our ability to have memorized the step from the "living room" with the couch to the bed and bath. The good stuff we had thought to bring with us was two small LED pocket flashlights. They helped us with the quick bathroom trips at night as well as checking the small travel alarm clock we had brought along too.
What a day........could tomorrow be any better?
Mary Ann & Bill
Day two began with a knock on our door by one of the friendly staff guys for our wake up call. Of course, we had been up, got dressed, and were ready to go long before 5:30am. But we welcomed his carafe of hot water for some coffee in our room.
We met with the rest of our group in the dining room by 6am. More coffee was available, but we felt it unwise to drink any more than we already had. There were 12 of us, that were split into two groups and escorted to two Land Rover safari vehicles. We stayed with the same set of guides and trackers that we had yesterday. These guides were native to the area, belonging to the Tsonga and Shangaan tribes. They were born with hunting and tracking skills not only for being guides, but for survival early on in their lives. One of the fellows had been with this lodge, working for the family owners for 29 years. That speaks volumns for this operation.
Anyway, the animal viewing began right in the dining room, with the vervet monkeys checking us out from the overhanging trees and roof. They would be here all day, so we began our morning drive after getting some good photos of the characters. The drive lasted for almost 4 hours with numerous sightings of kudu, giraffes, Cape buffalo, and elephants. Our guide was in contact with other drivers who had spotted some wild dogs near the airstrip. We quickly headed that way, arriving to find the pack of dogs walking on the tarmac. Our driver literally chased them with the vehicle, until they decided to stop, and lay down. He said they must have had a successful night of hunting and gorging, and wanted nothing more than to rest and play. After taking pictures, we left them to do just that.
About halfway on the drive, our fellows stopped the land Rover, and let us stretch our legs. Then they set up a coffee and cookie table for all of us. If needed, we were left to use whatever trees or bushes we could find for a pit stop.
Continuing on, we were alerted to a sighting of a leopard laying on a termite mound nearby. At least three vehicles arrived to the scene at the same time to find the leopard resting, partially hidden in the grass. The big cat was not the least bit interested in us at this time. Perhaps later in the day, on the PM drive, he would be more active. At least we all hoped he would stay in this spot resting for the remainder of the day.
Getting back to the lodge by 10am, our driver was afraid he would be in trouble with the cooks. They had breakfast mostly ready for us by 9:30am, but with the chance of seeing a leopard, we would be excused for being tardy this time. The breakfast setting in the dining room was a bit different from dinner. The square tables were pulled apart, and set for two or four or five people. More like a real restaurant. The buffet table held fresh cut assorted fruit in a large bowl, with cereals of corn flakes or rice krispies. Two flavors of yogurt were there with toppings of seeds and nuts. Warm cheese muffins had been freshly baked for us to eat. This would have been ample for us, but there was more. We had a choice of any breakfast entree normally offered at home. Today we chose french toast with a fried banana on the top. A little bacon on the side completed our hearty meal. Juice was a pitcher of blended fruit, almost like a smoothy. Four slices of toast were also placed on our table along with fresh jams. There is no doubt that we will not be hungry on this excursion!
Barely having time to freshen up, we were summoned to join a bush walk with one of the armed guides. Yes, he was armed with a 438 elephant rifle, loaded, but with the safety on, of course. He explained that out of the large safari vehicles, we look like prey to the animals, which naturally, we are. The rifle and his clip of five bullets are probably seldom if ever used. Actually, one of the kids did ask the guide if he ever did shoot an animal, but we never got a straight forward answer. Some things are better not asked.
Well, the hike was enjoyable for the first hour, because we were slowly walking on the dirt road. We were being instructed in the ways of the jungle and survival of the fittest. That even applied to the millipede that was crawling on the road. After describing how this creature would be taken apart when dead by ants, the guide surprised us and horrified one kid when he completed his talk by crushing the bug with his boot. Ick. There was nothing left for the ants! Like we said....survival of the fittest.
It was at this point that our guide decided to go offroad into the knee-high grass, and head towards a dry creekbed. The problem was it was down a steep slope full of thorny bushes and rocks. Hidden tree roots impeded our walk too. Now this was adventurous, but a bit too much for the girls in the group. By girls, we mean the moms and ladies who thought it was time to head back to the lodge. No one was allowed to leave, since we were here as a group. After a half hour of trudging through the deep sandy creekbed with huge expanses of rocks, we reached a dam of some sort. Most of the folks climbed over it, while some had to go around it, again through the thorns and stickers. We finally returned to the lodge by 1:30pm, hot, tired, and completely covered with burrs, thorns, and sticky seeds of some kind. Perhaps tomorrow, the group size will be much smaller.
Ice cold cokes were wel deserved by now. So was the warm shower and shave that was not done early in the darkness of morning. That warm water never felt so good. We made our way to the pool, where we rested on the wooden chaise lounges with thick cushions. The water in the pool was sparkling clean, but extremely cold. Soaking our feet in there was all we could muster. It was more amusing watching the large number of monkeys playing around the lodge and rooms. Even a wart hog made his way to the grassy area outside our room. He worked the green grass like a lawn mower, ignoring us completely. You have to respect those long, sharp tusks.
Before we knew it, the time had arrived for the evening game drive. This time, we dressed properly with long pants and jackets. We had no doubt that when the sun went down, it would be darn cold. The same groups broke off into their vehicles, with the exception of one couple who had gone home this afternoon. We had a long drive before we saw any game. But the wait had paid off. We went back to the spot where the leopard was this morning, racing past a Cape buffalo in the process. By now, several hyenas had surrounded him, expecting that he may have had a kill in the tree with him as they sometimes do. That smart leopard was so wound around the tree, that it was difficult for us to see him. Eventually, the hyenas left, passing within a few feet of our vehicle. Gosh, they are really scary-looking creatures. When the cat felt they were gone for good, he slowly backed down the tree trunk. Posing for hundreds of photos from three Land Rovers there, he decided it was time to leave the scene. He literally walked past our truck, inches away from us. It was like we were invisible to him. What a magnificent animal. we considered ourselves very lucky to have had such a close encounter.
Time for us to continue on, we spotted a field full of impala. Our guide called them the "McDonalds" of Africa, referring to the fact that they are tender vittles for all meat-eating carnivores. They are one of the most graceful and beautiful of the antelope family. usually when they are hunted, they never see it coming, and the cats are fast to dispatch them. Brutal, yes, but the way of life here.
Solitary kudu were here and there, with some of the bucks having beautiful high, but dangerous sets of horns. They are more shy, and tended to hide in the brush. The same thing applied to the baboons, who had perched in the high limbs of the trees for the night. Busy filming the leopard, we got to the baboon area too late. They would still be here tomorrow, so we began our drive back. Two owls were the only other birds we spotted in the trees. The local blackbirds protested them being there by dive-bombing them until they flew away. Neat behavior to see close up.
The best part of the drive was to come. By now it was dark, and we could see the bright stars shining overhead. The clouds that were here yesterday had left, leaving us with clear blue skies all day. As we had hoped, we were in for a treat of seeing the Milky Way and every constellation in layers so close we could have touched them. The other vehicles had arrived, and while we had been animal watching, someone had come to this clearing and set up a BBQ with strips of succulent steak cooking. Gosh, did that smell wonderful. A table covered with a white tablecloth had a bowl of pita chips with a tomato and onion salsa for us to enjoy. A complete bar was set up with cold beers, wine, sodas, and mixed drinks. While we snacked, the eldest guide performed animal calls for all of us. It echoed all through the canyon below, while we hoped that he was not calling the animals to us. The kids were the most impressed, and we are sure they will remember this experience for their lifetimes. We know we will.
It was so dark, we could barely see to walk around. There were several lanterns to light the ground, but we did not wander far from the site. It was time to leave, so we all loaded into the Land Rovers for the ride back to the lodge. Going slowly, we continued to study the sky filled with bright stars....another site to remember forever.
Back to the camp by 8pm, we cleaned up quickly and walked outside our cabin. Spotting some movement of shadows in the darkness, we thought we saw dogs. What they were not was dogs, but hyenas, just a few feet away from us. They spooked and ran back down the grassy area, and ran to the back of the clearing away from the camp. That was too close for comfort for us. We could see their tracks that they left in the sandy trail along the way to the dining room. Next to their tracks, we noticed larger footprints perhaps belonging to a larger animal. Believe us, we kept our flashlight shining everywhere as we quickly made our way to dinner.
Relaxing with refreshing beers, we shared our sighting with the group, warning the parents of the young kids of the hyenas we just saw so close. The kids tended to feel comfortable with roaming around the camp, even though we were warned about the animals close to the lodge. Can never predict their behavior, especially with the younger ones with us.
Dinner was served at the long table once again in the covered, but open-air dining room. Bowls of hot soup with curly noodles and tender diced vegetables was served to each of us. The buffet table was set with platters of salad, not a lot of lettuce greens, but more sliced bellpeppers, cucumbers, tomatoes, avocados, mangoes, and cheese chunks. Could have made a meal of that alone. But more bowls of hot veggies, turnips, green beans, carrots, and whole roasted red potatoes were offered. Chicken was the main course. White wine went well with the meal tonight. Topping off the hearty meal, we had tiramsu for dessert and a small glass of amarula liqueur. This could become a very easy habit to acquire. The conversation at the table was so animated with the excitement of the day that we soon realized it was time for bed. And with all the drinks we had consumed, sleep came very quickly once again.
The only thing we still had trouble with was the lack of lighting, especially in the room. Once the lanterns were extinguished and the candles blown out (required), we had to depend on our ability to have memorized the step from the "living room" with the couch to the bed and bath. The good stuff we had thought to bring with us was two small LED pocket flashlights. They helped us with the quick bathroom trips at night as well as checking the small travel alarm clock we had brought along too.
What a day........could tomorrow be any better?
Mary Ann & Bill
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