The morning drive on day 4 was my absolute favorite. We found a group of lions relaxing in a somewhat open area with mom and dad (mufasa) hanging out on top of a small hill watching over some of the kids playing. We watched for a bit and then heard a rustle behind the jeep. When we turned around the young male that couldn't figure out how to be discrete when hunting a giraffe the first day was coming out of the bushes. Following closely behind him were a few females and the others greeted them with excitement and loving nuzzles. Two of the cubs starting playing and one fell backwards down the hill. It just may have been the cutest thing I've ever seen. There were a total of sixteen lions in the pride. Mufasa got up suddenly and started doing a low roar before running towards the young male. Freedom explained to us that one of the other females was in heat and Mufasa wanted to get the young male away from her. Once he went over, he was very protective over the female. It was interesting to watch. The young male looked like he was up to no good. I can't imagine that the ladies are lining up for him though considering his hunting techniques are less than impressive. He's still adorable though. A little later Freedom found some rhinos for me. I told him I hadn't seen any yet and as always, he did not disappoint. We came across three of them and they are not the cutest of the big 5 that's for sure. They are really cool to watch though. I stared at one eating with my binoculars for quite a while. I can't get over how interesting and strange they look.
In the afternoon we went to Hoedspruit Endangered Species Centre. The number of cheetahs in Africa is dropping at an alarming rate. Much of this is because the lack of free range due to farmers claiming land. The cheetahs need a lot of open space to hunt and farmers are taking that space to raise cattle etc. The Endangered Species Centre breeds Cheetahs in an attempt to keep them off the endangered species list. Once old enough, they release them into the wild. They had a few animals there that were rescues such as two lions that they rescued from a circus where they were mistreated, the male was castrated at a young age, and both the male and female were declawed. The guide told us it took them years before they began to trust humans and they can still become hostile. Sometimes I really hate the human race. We learned how they breed the cheetahs and it's actually really amusing. They let the males walk down the road where all the female enclosures are to put them into heat. Basically the males strut their stuff and get the females all hot and bothered. The females choose who they want to breed with and the staff finds them laying back to back at the fence of the females' enclosures and then they let them get it on. They call the road lovers lane. The guide also told us about one cheetah who liked to climb out of his enclosure. One night he did just that and made his way over to his favorite female cheetah's enclosure where he had a late night rendezvous with and snuck back to his enclosure with no one the wiser. The staff figured it out when she had babies though. Now they keep a top on his enclosure. The centre is also home to a feisty zebra. His surrogate mother is a sheep and apparently whenever he's around mom he likes to act up and try to kick tourists. Anytime he came close one of the staff members would chase him with a water spritzer.
Our night drive was fun and we finally were able to check off all of the big 5. We found the elusive leopard. She looked like she had eaten a LOT as she laid passed out asleep in a small opening in the brush. Her stomach was protruding quite a bit and judging by the mostly eaten wildabeast carcass across the road she definitely had a big lunch. We stumbled across tons of Zebra in what I declared Zebra Town. There were a few babies, which I hadn't seen up until that point. The babies are very skinny and look like colts. They must really let themselves go at a certain age because all the adults are really chunky. We stopped by a beautiful watering hole to "stretch the legs". During every drive when there's just over an hour left the drivers stop the jeep, generally in a very open space, and we get out to have a snack and a drink or coffee in the mornings. My mom and I were thinking how fun it would be if I had downloaded the sound of a lion roaring on my phone and played it during one of these breaks. I think we may have been the only ones that would have found that amusing though. During this break I was walking toward the edge of the water and Freedom told me not to get too close because there are crocodiles. I definitely felt safe there.
All in all it was another fantastic day on safari
Day 4 Pics
Wednesday, August 28, 2013
Tuesday, August 27, 2013
Day 3: The Voyeuristic Giraffe
Day 3
The morning drive was beautiful. We went somewhere we hadn't gone before and it's what I pictured when thinking of Africa. That wide open plane that stretches on as far as the eye can see. Few antelope scattered about and several warthogs. Warthogs are funny. They startle VERY easily and when they get startled their tails go straight up in the air right before they scatter. Tails up and they're off. They scatter whenever the jeep comes by so it's hard to get a picture of them. We saw some babies with little mini mullets. They were actually pretty adorable considering how disgusting of an animal they really are. Sorry Pumba but you're gross. I guess it's understandable that they feel the need to high-tail it out of there (get the pun?) considering they eat warthog here. Full disclosure.. I ate some. It's actually very good. Again, I'm so sorry Pumba! Timon is going to be PISSED. The open range is apparently usually filled with hundreds and hundreds of antelope but not today and the reason is well worth the lack of photo opportunity. Two lionesses were lounging on the range, which explains why any animal that's smart, (and there are definitely a few dummies) were far away from the dangerous duo. We got pretty close to the lazy lions and they were being absolutely adorably affectionate. I'm almost certain they were dating. Yes other species have homosexuality too! The lionesses were definitely the main attraction of our morning drive but we also saw some zebra and giraffes. I honestly never get tired of seeing giraffe. We probably see the most of them and I sit in awe every time.
During the afternoon in between drives we decided to hit up the spa. I got a hydro-detox bath and hot stone massage. The bath was amazing but I had an audience. A voyeuristic giraffe was privy to my private time and watched with intent curiosity. If it wasn't so exciting seeing a giraffe while taking a bath I would have been mildly uncomfortable. When the masseuse came to tell me that it was time to do the massage of course I accidentally hit the drain water button and as the tub water got lower the jets started shooting water in every direction and there I am half naked trying to figure out how to fix it while a giraffe looks on in what I can only assume is amusement. After I navigated through shooting water to get a towel I told the woman that I was an idiot and broke the tub. She laughed and quickly turned the water off assuring me that I wasn't the only person who has made this mistake. Phew. The massage was amazing. Let me tell you something about hot stone massages though, in case you've never had one. The stones are friggin HOT. There's a reason they don't call it luke warm stone massage. A few times I flinched from the scalding hot stone but most of the time it was hot but not to the point of discomfort. Definitely glad I did it and I felt so relaxed afterwards. During the last ten minutes of so I heard something eating leaves nearby. When the massage was done and she took the mask off my face who other than the voyeuristic giraffe would be having a snack five feet away. I think that giraffe had a thing for me. The next two hours we spent lounging by the spa pool while some wild animals hung around the watering hole. Not a bad way to spend the afternoon!
The night drive would be what an avid safari goer would call uneventful. I on the other-hand find great entertainment in watching a squirrel so there is no such thing as an uneventful South African safari game drive in my mind. We didn't see any of the big 5 but we did see several giraffe, some buffalo, a lot of deer 2.0 (their real name escapes me so I've named them deer 2.0. You can guess what they look like by the name), and some warthogs. We also got an in depth lesson on Rhino poop from Freedom also known as the dungspert. Despite the lack of big 5 I still really enjoyed this drive.
Day 3 Pics
The morning drive was beautiful. We went somewhere we hadn't gone before and it's what I pictured when thinking of Africa. That wide open plane that stretches on as far as the eye can see. Few antelope scattered about and several warthogs. Warthogs are funny. They startle VERY easily and when they get startled their tails go straight up in the air right before they scatter. Tails up and they're off. They scatter whenever the jeep comes by so it's hard to get a picture of them. We saw some babies with little mini mullets. They were actually pretty adorable considering how disgusting of an animal they really are. Sorry Pumba but you're gross. I guess it's understandable that they feel the need to high-tail it out of there (get the pun?) considering they eat warthog here. Full disclosure.. I ate some. It's actually very good. Again, I'm so sorry Pumba! Timon is going to be PISSED. The open range is apparently usually filled with hundreds and hundreds of antelope but not today and the reason is well worth the lack of photo opportunity. Two lionesses were lounging on the range, which explains why any animal that's smart, (and there are definitely a few dummies) were far away from the dangerous duo. We got pretty close to the lazy lions and they were being absolutely adorably affectionate. I'm almost certain they were dating. Yes other species have homosexuality too! The lionesses were definitely the main attraction of our morning drive but we also saw some zebra and giraffes. I honestly never get tired of seeing giraffe. We probably see the most of them and I sit in awe every time.
During the afternoon in between drives we decided to hit up the spa. I got a hydro-detox bath and hot stone massage. The bath was amazing but I had an audience. A voyeuristic giraffe was privy to my private time and watched with intent curiosity. If it wasn't so exciting seeing a giraffe while taking a bath I would have been mildly uncomfortable. When the masseuse came to tell me that it was time to do the massage of course I accidentally hit the drain water button and as the tub water got lower the jets started shooting water in every direction and there I am half naked trying to figure out how to fix it while a giraffe looks on in what I can only assume is amusement. After I navigated through shooting water to get a towel I told the woman that I was an idiot and broke the tub. She laughed and quickly turned the water off assuring me that I wasn't the only person who has made this mistake. Phew. The massage was amazing. Let me tell you something about hot stone massages though, in case you've never had one. The stones are friggin HOT. There's a reason they don't call it luke warm stone massage. A few times I flinched from the scalding hot stone but most of the time it was hot but not to the point of discomfort. Definitely glad I did it and I felt so relaxed afterwards. During the last ten minutes of so I heard something eating leaves nearby. When the massage was done and she took the mask off my face who other than the voyeuristic giraffe would be having a snack five feet away. I think that giraffe had a thing for me. The next two hours we spent lounging by the spa pool while some wild animals hung around the watering hole. Not a bad way to spend the afternoon!
The night drive would be what an avid safari goer would call uneventful. I on the other-hand find great entertainment in watching a squirrel so there is no such thing as an uneventful South African safari game drive in my mind. We didn't see any of the big 5 but we did see several giraffe, some buffalo, a lot of deer 2.0 (their real name escapes me so I've named them deer 2.0. You can guess what they look like by the name), and some warthogs. We also got an in depth lesson on Rhino poop from Freedom also known as the dungspert. Despite the lack of big 5 I still really enjoyed this drive.
Day 3 Pics
Monday, August 26, 2013
Day 2: Suddenly.. elephants
I didn't have the best sleep the first night here so I can't say I felt fully refreshed when we received our 5:30 AM wake up call but we were going on our first morning drive so really.. who cares about refreshed? We left for our morning game drive at 6:30 and this one was eventful that's for sure! Early into the drive we heard a lot of activity out in the brush and Freedom told us they were elephants. Elephants are pretty big I think I'd see them Freedom! Well, suddenly.. elephants. EVERYWHERE. Tons and tons of elephants broke through the brush and began crossing the road. There were several babies and a few teenagers too. The moms were very concerned with keeping the kids moving, nudging them with their trunks when necessary. One mother had to stomp her foot and yell at her defiant teenager to keep it moving. They seemed like they were on a mission. They walked right next to the jeep so close I could touch them. They even started to get pissed as we followed closely with the jeep. They'd stop and huff if we got too close.
A little bit later we came across the very first lions of the trip. Seeing lions in the zoo and seeing lions in the wild is so drastically different I really can't even describe the experience and do it justice. There were about 10 lionesses and one young male. We were privy to a failed hunting attempt on the young male's part. He was stalking a giraffe and according to Freedom the young males are too stupid to hunt, which was made pretty evident when he spoiled his cover by walking out into the open. It was a good attempt. The giraffe spotted him and tilted his head in a similar manner to Riley when he's confused. It seemed to take the giraffe a few seconds for the danger to register but when it did he ran for the hills. Seeing a giraffe run is really interesting because no matter how fast they're going it looks like they're in slow motion. They're so graceful despite being so awkwardly designed. The lion chased the giraffe but only briefly because he knew he didn't stand a chance to catch him after his cover was blown. The lionesses didn't seem surprised at their young friend's failed efforts. Freedom explained that the adult males leave the young males at home when they go for hunts. I can see why.
We continued to follow the lions and our driver had no opposition to off roading so we could follow them. When I say off roading I mean plowing down trees, laying on the floor of the jeep for cover off roading. Freedom takes his job VERY seriously and goes to any means to get us closer to the wildlife. My kind of guide! We ended up in what looked like the lions' feeding grounds. A few lionesses casually layed about and bones were scattered around. It seemed like they had a meal pretty recently.
The rest of the drive was uneventful in comparison. After seeing all the elephants that morning I was especially excited to do the elephant experience in the afternoon. We were driven to a small camp about 15 minutes from the lodge where 15 rescue elephants called home. The trainers introduced us to one in particular. A 17 year old male that was found stuck in the mud when he was a baby. They tried several times to reintroduce him into the wild to no avail. He was very friendly, especially when you had a handful of food. We got to feed him, pet him, and of course pose for some pictures. I immediately fell in love. Next pet after Riley has to be an elephant. That's realistic right? After spending some time with the older elephant we met Mambo, a three year old rambunctious baby elephant. He wasn't trained quite as well and almost charged into us. I got to take some great pictures with Mambo before we headed back to the lodge. The elephant experience was something I will never, ever forget.
The night drive was another great adventure. We made friends with a couple from Boston who were really nice and so much fun to have on the drives with us. They were on their honeymoon and had some great stories about their night in the "sleep under the stars" excursion. Basically they just put you in a hut, a fancy hut but a hut nonetheless, in the middle of the bush to spend the night in pitch black darkness. They woke up to the low growl of lions and panicked. They called the ranger to pick them up and someone was sent. Nobody told the guy that was supposed to pick them up in the morning however and he arrived to an empty hut with the only sign of the couple being a pair of slippers in the dirt. They really should learn to communicate a little better. Needless to say he freaked out but was informed they were picked up during the night. It was a great story but I digress. Freedom and Ringo were on the hunt for big cats and we spent the drive searching. These guys delivered and after the sun went down we found a very large male lion with his very large female counterpart. They weren't phased by us stalking them although I feel as though we were major mood kills for what clearly was supposed to be date night. The lions got their cuddle on but probably saved the rest for a time when spotlights weren't being pointed on them with 8 tourists taking pictures. Sorry big buddy!
Day 2 Pictures
Day 2 Pictures
Sunday, August 25, 2013
Day 1
On any 14 hour flight it's important to bring the basics. Pillow, earplugs, food if you're nuts about your food and think airplane food is revolting, books, and a laptop if you're able. I filled the first 6 hours of the flight with a lot of reading. I could probably tell you everything you'd ever want to know about your digestion thanks to a phenomenal book called The Paleo Solution by Robb Wolfe. Chances are good that you don't care about digestion so I'll move on. By the time I was ready to attempt sleep, knowing full well that it would be a stretch, the infant in the next row decided it would be a good time to start screaming bloody murder. How dandy. Nothing an ambien and earplugs couldn't solve. I wouldn't say I slept the next 9 hours but I wouldn't say I was awake either. I was in some type of irritating in between land flirting with the line of unconsciousness but never quite falling over the edge into a peaceful slumber. I gave up trying with about an hour left to go. Excitement and adrenaline replaced fatigue and we made it through customs and to our connecting flight from Johannesburg to a tiny airport about 15 minutes from the game reserve.
We were met at the airport by an energetic safari clad guide who gladly carried our suitcases for us to the jeep. The jeep had 3 rows of stadium style seating and was completely open. The ride to the resort was an outstanding way to start our trip considering we were greeted by a curious giraffe peeking behind a tree as if we couldn't see the 20 plus feet of him. The guide brought the jeep to a rolling stop and let us admire said giraffe as he welcomed us to South Africa. Yup it was real now.
After pulling into the resort, which by describing as gorgeous would be an extreme understatement, we were greeted with a glass of wine to which we both politely declined, and briefed on our stay. Game drives were every morning at 6:30 AM and every evening at 4 PM. Bush walks occurred at 9 AM and there were several additional activities that we could and obviously would partake in. An elephant interaction, massage at their wellness centre, and a visit to a cheetah rehabilitation center were inevitably added to the to do list. After discussing all of our options we made our way to lunch. I was surprised that there were actually food options for me! Thank god. If you know me well, you know I'm a pain in the ass about food. At lunch we were greeted, or more appropriately, irritated by a gentleman named Joel. Joel was a bit on the slow side and I'm not referencing the speed of his service. He was to be our waiter for the week and Joel was fond of small talk. He enthusiastically told us the thrilling tale of the meaning behind his surname. It means milk. Sorry I spoiled the ending of the story. I must admit I was being unkind. Let's blame the 14 hour flight and being overtired to the point of delirium and apparently irritability. Aside from Joel Milk's frequent status checks we were able to enjoy meatballs and veggies before we made our way to our room.
We were upgraded to a Spa Suite thanks to my parents' dive travel company. Bless their dive loving hearts because this room is BEAUTIFUL. The balcony overlooks the bush and my mother swears she saw a giraffe walk by. I'm not so sure but we have seen some small critters here and there. The bathroom is stunning with a bathtub situated next to a glass wall also overlooking the dense brush going back as far as the eye can see. The tub enthusiast in me was elated the second I saw this added luxury.
Four o' clock rolled around quickly and it was time for our first official game drive. I only say official because I considered the ride from the airport a bit of a game drive considering the welcoming we got. We sat in the back row of the jeep with our tour guide Freedon, our tracker Ringo (seriously those were their names. I'm not making this stuff up,) a couple from Germany, and a couple from Brazil. They were all very nice and our guides seemed to know exactly what they were doing.
First and foremost I'd advise anyone going on a game drive to dress warm! This was a mistake I made although it didn't bother me all that much because I was distracted by my own amazement. It gets REALLY cold when the sun goes down. When we left it was in the 80s and sunny. When we returned it was probably 50 degrees and the wind in the jeep made it all the more chilling. I'm getting ahead of myself. The drive was incredible. It was unreal, spectacular, absolutely amazing. I'm not even exhaggurating. There's nothing like being out in the wild, breathing the fresh air, seeing the dirt kick up swirling around you and hearing the branches cracking under the heavy wheels of the jeep. And that's before you even see an animal! Being out here is just a whole different world. I feel the same way when I scuba dive. It takes you so far away, farther than you physically are from home you are mentally in an entirely different world. The first animals we saw were Zebra and let me tell you they are weird looking animals! They were pretty shy and didn't get very close to the jeep. Next we found ourselves immersed in a sea of Buffalo. Hundreds surrounded us. Their horns reminded me of colonial wigs. The males moreso than the females and we were told this is because they grow together on the top of their heads to help them to avoid brain damage when they fight. They also told us they are the most dangerous of the "Big 5" because they show absolutely no warning before they attack. They told us this as we sat amidst hundreds of these deceavingly docile looking creatures. Well that's unsettling! Don't worry though, Freedom assured us that they don't attack you when you're in the jeep as you are not seen as a threat in that scenario. When you're on foot that's a whole different story and one you wouldn't live to tell.
We saw a few more giraffe and I would never, ever get sick of seeing giraffe. They are just beautiful, gentle, and incredibly interesting creatures. They are shy but very curious. They look at you with as much interest as you them. Despite the fact that they probably see a dozen jeeps full of people every day they still look on at you as if it's the first time and they are baffled by your presence.
A little later we passed a water hole and someone pointed out a giant hippo impersonating a rock. It took a bit of concentration to make out this sleeping beast but sure enough there he was sound asleep on the shore of the watering hole. I've heard hippos are a-holes and for that reason the guide didn't drive very close. One does not want to wake a sleeping hippo. Luckily, being the savvy travelers that we are, my mother and I were equipped with binoculars and we were able to get a closer look. I hadn't even considered the fact that we'd see a hippo. To be honest I forgot about hippos altogether! I couldn't stop thinking about Hungry, Hungry, Hippos after that.
The sun started to go down and the drive became a whole new game. Only the headlights of the jeep and the flashlight the tracker was using to scan back and forth kept us from being out in the open wilderness in the pitch black of night. On our way back to camp we passed the watering hole that the hippos were sleeping next to and noticed eyes on the water. The hippos had woken and met up with a few friends in the water. Six total hippo eyes stared at us from the water. I have to say it was certainly an eventful first drive!
The night ended with dinner in the beautiful outdoor dinner area surrounding a fire pit, which was also a pleasant surprise because the food was amazing. I ate myself into a food coma and that combined with lack of sleep lead to a very early bed time.
The internet is spotty at best so posting pictures is a challenge. I've been posting pictures from my phone to my facebook Day 1 Pictures
The videos and GoPro pics will have to wait until I'm home. Womp Womp! (They will blow your mind!)
We were met at the airport by an energetic safari clad guide who gladly carried our suitcases for us to the jeep. The jeep had 3 rows of stadium style seating and was completely open. The ride to the resort was an outstanding way to start our trip considering we were greeted by a curious giraffe peeking behind a tree as if we couldn't see the 20 plus feet of him. The guide brought the jeep to a rolling stop and let us admire said giraffe as he welcomed us to South Africa. Yup it was real now.
After pulling into the resort, which by describing as gorgeous would be an extreme understatement, we were greeted with a glass of wine to which we both politely declined, and briefed on our stay. Game drives were every morning at 6:30 AM and every evening at 4 PM. Bush walks occurred at 9 AM and there were several additional activities that we could and obviously would partake in. An elephant interaction, massage at their wellness centre, and a visit to a cheetah rehabilitation center were inevitably added to the to do list. After discussing all of our options we made our way to lunch. I was surprised that there were actually food options for me! Thank god. If you know me well, you know I'm a pain in the ass about food. At lunch we were greeted, or more appropriately, irritated by a gentleman named Joel. Joel was a bit on the slow side and I'm not referencing the speed of his service. He was to be our waiter for the week and Joel was fond of small talk. He enthusiastically told us the thrilling tale of the meaning behind his surname. It means milk. Sorry I spoiled the ending of the story. I must admit I was being unkind. Let's blame the 14 hour flight and being overtired to the point of delirium and apparently irritability. Aside from Joel Milk's frequent status checks we were able to enjoy meatballs and veggies before we made our way to our room.
We were upgraded to a Spa Suite thanks to my parents' dive travel company. Bless their dive loving hearts because this room is BEAUTIFUL. The balcony overlooks the bush and my mother swears she saw a giraffe walk by. I'm not so sure but we have seen some small critters here and there. The bathroom is stunning with a bathtub situated next to a glass wall also overlooking the dense brush going back as far as the eye can see. The tub enthusiast in me was elated the second I saw this added luxury.
Four o' clock rolled around quickly and it was time for our first official game drive. I only say official because I considered the ride from the airport a bit of a game drive considering the welcoming we got. We sat in the back row of the jeep with our tour guide Freedon, our tracker Ringo (seriously those were their names. I'm not making this stuff up,) a couple from Germany, and a couple from Brazil. They were all very nice and our guides seemed to know exactly what they were doing.
First and foremost I'd advise anyone going on a game drive to dress warm! This was a mistake I made although it didn't bother me all that much because I was distracted by my own amazement. It gets REALLY cold when the sun goes down. When we left it was in the 80s and sunny. When we returned it was probably 50 degrees and the wind in the jeep made it all the more chilling. I'm getting ahead of myself. The drive was incredible. It was unreal, spectacular, absolutely amazing. I'm not even exhaggurating. There's nothing like being out in the wild, breathing the fresh air, seeing the dirt kick up swirling around you and hearing the branches cracking under the heavy wheels of the jeep. And that's before you even see an animal! Being out here is just a whole different world. I feel the same way when I scuba dive. It takes you so far away, farther than you physically are from home you are mentally in an entirely different world. The first animals we saw were Zebra and let me tell you they are weird looking animals! They were pretty shy and didn't get very close to the jeep. Next we found ourselves immersed in a sea of Buffalo. Hundreds surrounded us. Their horns reminded me of colonial wigs. The males moreso than the females and we were told this is because they grow together on the top of their heads to help them to avoid brain damage when they fight. They also told us they are the most dangerous of the "Big 5" because they show absolutely no warning before they attack. They told us this as we sat amidst hundreds of these deceavingly docile looking creatures. Well that's unsettling! Don't worry though, Freedom assured us that they don't attack you when you're in the jeep as you are not seen as a threat in that scenario. When you're on foot that's a whole different story and one you wouldn't live to tell.
We saw a few more giraffe and I would never, ever get sick of seeing giraffe. They are just beautiful, gentle, and incredibly interesting creatures. They are shy but very curious. They look at you with as much interest as you them. Despite the fact that they probably see a dozen jeeps full of people every day they still look on at you as if it's the first time and they are baffled by your presence.
A little later we passed a water hole and someone pointed out a giant hippo impersonating a rock. It took a bit of concentration to make out this sleeping beast but sure enough there he was sound asleep on the shore of the watering hole. I've heard hippos are a-holes and for that reason the guide didn't drive very close. One does not want to wake a sleeping hippo. Luckily, being the savvy travelers that we are, my mother and I were equipped with binoculars and we were able to get a closer look. I hadn't even considered the fact that we'd see a hippo. To be honest I forgot about hippos altogether! I couldn't stop thinking about Hungry, Hungry, Hippos after that.
The sun started to go down and the drive became a whole new game. Only the headlights of the jeep and the flashlight the tracker was using to scan back and forth kept us from being out in the open wilderness in the pitch black of night. On our way back to camp we passed the watering hole that the hippos were sleeping next to and noticed eyes on the water. The hippos had woken and met up with a few friends in the water. Six total hippo eyes stared at us from the water. I have to say it was certainly an eventful first drive!
The night ended with dinner in the beautiful outdoor dinner area surrounding a fire pit, which was also a pleasant surprise because the food was amazing. I ate myself into a food coma and that combined with lack of sleep lead to a very early bed time.
The internet is spotty at best so posting pictures is a challenge. I've been posting pictures from my phone to my facebook Day 1 Pictures
The videos and GoPro pics will have to wait until I'm home. Womp Womp! (They will blow your mind!)
Saturday, August 24, 2013
Friday, August 23, 2013
It's been months since my mother asked me if I wanted to go to South Africa. Actually, she said "Guess What! We're going to South Africa!" It was a safe bet that I wouldn't think twice given the opportunity to safari in South Africa. When I mentioned to a few friends at my gym that I was going today they were surprised considering I hadn't mentioned it before. It occurred to me that I really hadn't talked much about the trip. There's something very surreal about going on a South African safari. To be honest it hasn't felt real and as I sit here in the fancy Swiss Gold Card member lounge in the airport it still doesn't feel real.
Now we wait to board a 14 hour flight and I'm thinking about the events leading up to today. After my mom told me we were going to South Africa it seemed as though time flew by and I hadn't thought much about the trip. Like I said, it's been surreal. It wasn't until 1 week ago that it hit me, we're actually going to SOUTH AFRICA! Who does that?! After a passive aggressive suggestion by my mother I began packing last week. What does one even bring to South Africa?? We decided to pack as light as possible. It's not like there's anyone I need to impress on a safari. We agreed we'd wear the same clothes for safari walks and drives. I highly doubt a lion will gossip with his pride that Erin and Joyce were seen wearing the same hoodies they wore the day prior. During the day we'd have a lot of down time between safaris and the pool looked extremely inviting in the pictures so a bathing suit was necessary. Check. That pretty much did it for the days we'd be spending on safari. The rest of the time we'll be in Capetown so we each packed 2 pairs of pants, a few tee shirts, 1 or 2 long sleeve shirts, socks, gloves, and a rain jacket. We both wore our sneakers. I also packed a few workout outfits because I'm sick like that and plan on exercising while we're there. Don't judge me. We needed to bring food of course because I'm a stickler when it comes to food. I need healthy choices and traveling makes that tough. Solution? Paleo Beef Stix! Yum!
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Between the two of us we had one bag to be checked, one carry on, and a backpack. Not bad! I threw a couple of travel friendly food options in my backpack to eat on the plane and the rest went in the checked bag. Our laptops went in the backpack along with some books, a small pillow, and other essentials like cell phones, sunglasses, eye mask, and our passports. Organization is not either of our strong suits but I have to say I am impressed with how well we managed to get everything together. We didn't even forget anything! At least I don't think we did.. Hmm. Guess we'll find out for sure when we get there. Now it's almost time to board the plane and in 14 short (and by short I mean excruciatingly long) hours we'll be on the adventure of a lifetime!
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| Drinking Espresso in the lounge because I'm classy like that |
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| Caffeine <3 |
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| Confession: The Espresso sucked |
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| shockingly organized |
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| Hated saying bye to my baby |
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