KENYA

The picture above is what Mt. Kilimanjaro would have looked like the day Jonathan and I visited Amboseli National Park. Only problem was that it was so overcast and hazy we could only make out a small bit of the snow cap every once in a while.  But that is okay.  We still had a great day but I will come back to all that.

Jon had to go to Nairobi on business while Jonathan was visiting. We wrangled some frequent flyer tickets (as luck would have it, Kenya Airways is a Delta partner) and went along.  Nairobi is about a 3 1/2 hour flight from Johannesburg.  We stayed in a brand new hotel, which was a good thing because Nairobi for the most part is pretty old.  Jonathan and I knew we only had one good sightseeing day available to us so we got a driver who drove us 4 hours to Amboseli National Park which is right on the Kenya/Tanzanian border.  It was a bumpy road and very desolate landscape.  About half way there we stopped at a "curio" shop to use the bathroom and browse the souvenirs.  After being quoted an exhorbitant amount of money for some trinkets, I let him know I didn't have anywhere near that much cash.  He said that was okay, he took credit cards.  Jonathan and I looked at each other and laughed.  As if I would give this guy out in the bush my credit card number!

We drove in to Amboseli National Park. When I say "drove" I mean bounced, shook, swayed.  We drove the last hour of the trip over some of the most bone-jarring, teeth-rattling washboard dirt roads I have ever been on. We passed Massai warriors in traditional red dress herding cattle through the dry bush with their long thin staffs.  The park itself is enormous and for the most part just scrubby bush until you get deep inside where you find this giant lush area full of tall grasses and swampy wetlands.  This area is created by a large underground river that runs down from Mt. Kilimanjaro.  Here the herds of zebra, wildebeest, elephant, and hippo gather to eat, drink and cool off along with hundreds of birds. 

It is early in the migration of many of the herd animals that move each season to find water and food.  Amboseli is not the best place to see the annual migrations but we did see scores of animals. 

At lunch the driver took us to one of several lodges in the national park. This lodge, the Serena Lodge, was literally an oasis in the middle of this desert-like bush.  It was green and almost tropical.  The lobby was open-air and the restaurant had a buffet with white linen tablecloths and silver chafing dishes. What I thought was incredible is the fact that the entire national park is 2 hours from any civilization and has no electricity.  All these lodges operate on generators.  This lodge had about 90 rooms, which we didn't see but it did have a beautiful outdoor pool area and other public spaces. You could sit outside and look out over the bush and see the animals if they wandered close by.  There were monkeys on the hotel property.  Jonathan enjoyed the break after lunch, especially after the long ride.

The grounds of the lodge

Jonathan chillin' by the pool

 When we left Amboseli to drive back to Nairobi we saw this group of school children at the entrance to the park.  I am guessing they were on a field trip.  Sure beats any field trip I was ever on!

Our last night in Kenya we ate at the Carnivore restaurant. It is a tourist attraction/novelty but everyone says you have to go when you are there.  They cook all kinds of meat over an open fire and bring it around on spits to carve it directly onto your plate.  It was delicious!  The guys got brave and tried the crocodile, camel, and even ox balls.  I stuck with the traditional fare.

Our departure from Kenya was delayed by a day.  When we got to the airport the boards showed our plane had been canceled.  After much time standing in line (we were not alone, several other Kenya Air flights had been canceled) we were re-scheduled for the next day.  The airline put us up in an "African 5-star" hotel. Let's just say I slept with all my clothes on.  Anyway, rumor has it that several Kenya Air jets had been used to transport Kenyan dignitaries that day to the new country of South Sudan, where they were celebrating their newly won independence from Sudan.  The story goes that the festivities lasted longer than thought and the planes didn't make it back in time to operate for the Saturday night flights. I don't know if it is true but it makes for a good story.

I am in the US for a few weeks visiting family but I will be updating the blog as soon as I can.  Thanks for hanging in and checking it out. Much love to all-Jody

PS-don't forget to click on the highlighted sections to be taken to websites that will give you more info on those topics.  You can also become a follower of the blog and get emails when the blog has been updated.

The Rhino and Lion Game Reserve

Last Sunday the three of us went to the Rhino and Lion Game Reserve about 45 minutes outside Jo'burg.  It is a private game reserve that specializes in (you guessed it) rhinos and lions.  There is an animal creche where you can pet the white lion and Bengal tiger cubs.  Of course we had to do that and I could have stayed all day playing with these adorable babies.  Tigers are not native to Africa so it was a great thrill to see them.  White lions are white due to a rare genetic disorder.  Because they are white, they are very easy to spot in the wild which makes them much more exposed to predators.  The cubs we played with will eventually be released into the reserve to roam once they are too big or too aggressive to be around humans.  The animal handler told us that whether in captivity or in the wild, big cats eat only once or twice a week and sleep up to 18 hours per day.  I see where our cat Mobius gets his sleeping habits. Unfortunately he eats non-stop. Thankfully I don't have to bring home carcasses for him.

Because the cats have been raised by humans they are quite tame and cannot hunt on their own.  They are fed by the park employees.  In the adult lion habitat dead horses or cows are brought in several times a week to be fed to the lions.  We were there for a feeding and it was incredible to watch the lion pride slowly make its way down from the hills to the feeding area as feeding time approached.  Eventually the flat bed truck with the animal carcass began making its way down the hill.  The lions started running along beside the truck.  All three of us were discussing which employee had the lucky job of pushing the carcass out of the truck for the lions to feed. That issue was quickly settled when the lions just jumped on the still-moving truck and dragged the carcass off to begin feeding.  As the two head males ate, the one younger male and the 3 females waited somewhat impatiently for their turn.  They began to creep slowly closer.  When they got too close, the older males made it clear it wasn't time for them to eat yet.  The message was sent with some loud roaring and a few swipes of some huge paws. I am a little sad that the lions do not get to hunt for themselves but the park is huge and well maintained and the animals all appeared well-taken care of and content. 

A lion and his lioness relaxing in the sun

Waiting for the food to be delivered

The food truck arrives.
The land is black from a recent brush fire.
This is common here in the dry season and we
see several brush fires a night sometimes.

The park is also known for its work with rhinos.
Mother and her baby rhino.

A rescued baby rhino whose parents were killed by poachers
in Kruger Park, SA. The baby was brought here to keep safe.

Warthogs have been re-introduced to the highveld by this game reserve.

Sardine Run, Obama and Oprah: News from SA

Some big headlines from the last few weeks here in SA are listed below.  I have linked the news items to their sources so you can click on each link and read more about the items that you are interested in. Just double click with your mouse on each highlighted term and you should be re-directed to each link.

The Sardine Run along the Kwazulu-Natal Coast (where we just were 2 weeks ago in Durban) is always big news and an interesting natural phenomenon.  The blog title photo is of the sardines running with a shark watching from below.

Sardine Run
The sharks circle!

South Africa is gaining its own claim to royalty this weekend when Prince Albert of Monaco marries South African Charlene Wittstock today in a civil ceremony.  The festivities continue all weekend. The couple are honeymooning in Umhlanga (pronounced Umshlanga) at the Oyster Box Hotel, which is north of Durban. We drove by this hotel when we were in Durban 2 weeks ago.  Jonathan and I looked at staying there when we were trying to find hotels on the beach.  We quickly nixed it when we saw that rooms started about $10,000 USD per night. We figured Jon would feed us to the sharks if we booked that room!

Michelle Obama and her mother and daughters were in SA last week for an historical visit.  She was quite a popular attraction.  Coincidence or not but the same week that the Obamas were here, Oprah Winfrey was here to be awarded an honorary doctorate.  Stealing the limelight? Who knows.

Michelle Obama visited the Zandspruit settlement when she was here last week.  Today it is back in the news as protests and riots resume over unfulfilled candidate promises and lack of basic services.

Julius Malema, the head of the ANC (African National Congress) Youth League, is in the news daily.  Many South Africans are concerned about his growing popularity. You can read to find out why so many are worried.

Wal-Mart is coming to South Africa!  Need I say more? South Africans have a lot to say about it. 

Ever wonder why South Africa's websites end in ZA and not SA? It is a nod to the Dutch influence here-Zuid Afrika (South Africa in Dutch).  Just thought you'd like to know!  (Also-the dot com .sa got snatched up by Saudi Arabia)