Africa: Days 9-11

Day 9: Sunday, August 15th

Today we started our safari. We are traveling with 2 other Peace Corps volunteers, Shannon and Steve, and a group of 6 from Spain. The Spaniards don't actually know each other - they booked through the same travel agent who specializes in African travel. 2 more Spaniards will be joining us tomorrow.



We started by driving through Chobe National Park along the Chobe River. We saw hippos, baboons, kudu, impala, warthogs, impala, crocodiles, elephants, and a new one...giraffes! There were several females with younger males. The males have darker spots than females, but both get darker with age. The males also have black "horns" on their heads, while females have blonder, fluffier "horns". Oh, and their gestational period is 18 months, without a breeding season per say. No thanks.






We saw a large family of elephants sleeping in the shade. The larger ones cannot lay down because their heart will stop because they weigh too much. Instead, they will stand in the shade of a tree for up to 4 hours.





Everywhere you look there are dead trees because there are so many elephants here. Lucky (our guide) said that outside the park you are allowed to hunt them because the populations are so large - something I was not happy to hear. Even though the trees are dead, other animals can live in them, such as squirrels, mongooses and birds.

The road we drove on is very soft sand. We are in an open-air land cruiser, so we are pretty dusty and wind-blown. We picked up our baskets up at the park gate, so we'll have to smuggle them back in. :) We stopped on the side of the road to have lunch, along with tons of flies.


We eventually made it to Savuti, and drove around a little before we headed to our campsite. We got word of a leopard sighting, so we quickly headed toward the spot. He was very hard to see at first because in the middle of the day, the cats all sleep inside the bushes out of the sun. After a while, he finally came out of hiding, but he was still far away.



While we were sitting there, we happened to look behind us, and a large bull elephant was walking right behind our vehicle. He was so quiet, no one ever heard him. This area is known for the largest population of bull elephants.



We finally made it to our campsite and our tents were all set up for us. Tori and I are sharing a tent. You can see through the top and see all the stars - very pretty! It got very cold at night, so we got all bundled up in our beds. There were birds chirping as if it were morning, which got annoying after a while. In the middle of the night we were woken up by a low rumbling sound - elephants drinking out of the river behind our tents! (The guides also heard lions, but no one else did.)

Day 10: Monday, August 16th

We woke up early this morning to go on a game drive. It was freezing cold! My mom's little thermometer said it was 35º! Yikes! We had to go out while it was still cold to have better odds of seeing cats. And lo and behold a leopard crossed the road right in front of us. But he got scared and ran off before we could get a picture. We said he was late for a lunch date. And of course there were more elephant herds and babies! And impala...everywhere. We decided that they are Botswana's equivalent of rabbits.





We had a coffee and snack break in the middle of an opening. There was a jackal off in the distance watching our every move! It was around this time that I finally started peeling off some layers and didn't need a blanket covering me in the land cruiser.



We started heading back to camp and saw a steenbok (the smallest antelope in Botswana) and wildebeest, or as they call them here...wild beest.



Back at camp we had a yummy brunch and then had some downtime. We all had our first experience with a camp shower, which is basically a bucket hanging from a tree with a shower nozzle on the bottom it. They also went to the Savuti airport, more like a slightly paved area with steps they roll up to the plane, to pick up the other 2 Spaniards.

At around 3:30 we headed out on another game drive. We stopped at a rocky hillside where we climbed up to see some rock paintings. We also saw some elephant bones. Elephants usually die when they're older because they have worn down their teeth and can no longer chew their food, and eventually die of starvation.





No new animal sightings, except for maybe some antelope - there are too many different types for me to keep track!





Just as the sun was setting we found another leopard. This time in a tree with his kill - a kori bustard (a giant bird that looks like a roadrunner). I'm not sure if my pictures turned out because the light was very low.



Another filling dinner with amazing dessert - chocolate bake! Hopefully it won't be as cold tonight!

Day 11: Tuesday, August 17th

This morning was not as cold as yesterday, but it was definitely still chilly! There were some visitors in camp during the night...there were leopard and hyena footprints! Glad they didn't try to get into anything!



We had to pack up camp after breakfast because we are on the move! We are headed to Khwai, which is still in Chobe National Park. It took about 5 hours on a very bumpy road. I'm talking Indian Jones style, flying off your seat and landing back down hard...over and over and over again. We ended up breaking off both shock mounts on the trailer and a cross-beam on the vehicle became un-welded. And the extra gas cans we had in the back started leaking because the lids blew off.


We stopped by the river to have lunch and we had company - 2 elephants bathing in the water. One even went all the way under so all you could see was his trunk sticking up out of the water. Then they started "dusting" themselves to help keep cool. Very neat to be so close and watch this.





We kept driving for a few hours after lunch until we got closer to Khwai. We thought it was funny when we crossed the bridge in Khwai and were reminded of the movie. We all started whistling in honor of it. We had to keep taking different roads because the water was too deep for the jeep to go through. There were many places where even a week ago there was no water, and now it is too deep to drive. Fortunately, because of one of our detours we got to check off another animal on our list...zebras! I was very happy because I was starting to wonder if we'd ever see any. Still no lions or cheetahs though!



We eventually ran out of options and had to go through deep water. We had to take all the bags out of the trailer in order to keep them dry. We made it across safely (and dry), and had one more obstacle before getting to camp - a log bridge. We had to walk across it because if there was too much weight, the logs will crack.




We finally made it to camp, which was set up next to water. (This ended up being my favorite campsite of the trip.) After a quick bathroom break, we went out on an evening game drive in search of lions. No such luck, but we watched a beautiful sunset and listened to the frogs. They sound like high-pitched metal chirps, instead of the normal frog sounds we're used to.




We headed back to camp, avoiding the resident baboons, and after another filling dinner, quickly fell asleep resting up for another long day.

Africa: Days 7-8

Day 7: Friday, August 13th

We woke up early today to catch the combi back to Kasane. In Kachikau you wait out by the side of the road next to a big tree. Fortunately, this time we had a back-up plan to ride into town in the back of the ambulance, which is really like the back of a covered pick-up truck. But we didn't need it...we made it onto the combi! And boy, what a ride! There were 32 people crammed into 24 seats. I carried most of my things on my lap and could not move the entire 2-hour drive. And my fold-down seatback was broken, so I got a nice ab workout too.


We all had to get out at the entrance point to Chobe National Park to have our bags inspected. They are trying to stop the spread of hoof-and-mouth disease, so certain things, like meat, plants, grass, etc. are prohibited...like our baskets! They are keeping them there at the gate for Tori to pick up later, but we may try to take them back when we pass through on Sunday. Technically they shouldn't have been taken b/c they were only to confiscate fresh grass products, but they didn't really seem to understand the difference.

When we finally made it back to Kasane, we checked back in at Waterlily Lodge. We got another amazing cheese roll at the bakery to tie us over until our early dinner. We spent the afternoon walking around Kasane and looking in all the different shops. We tried to check our e-mail at the internet cafe, but it was running too slowly to even log on. A man selling crafts is making me a giraffe out of wire and a Fanta can. I will go pick it up tomorrow. I also have a list of things I want to buy when we come back to Kasane before we head home...unless I find them cheaper elsewhere. My parents finally have their bags! They went and picked them up from the airport and are now re-united with their belongings.




We had dinner at Chobe Safari Lodge again (you can't beat the view!), and watched the boat cruises going up and won the river. More elephants spotted across the way, but again too small to really see them. OH! Forgot to mention the animals we saw on the combi...a large herd of elephants including a baby! I started tearing up when I saw them!



Now we're having a chocolate creme muffin (it's like a moist cupcake) and then heading for bed. So glad we make it back relatively easily today.

Day 8: Saturday, August 14th

This morning we got to sleep in...what a treat! We went to the internet cafe and were able to check our e-mail. The internet was not super fast, but it was definitely better than yesterday. We had breakfast a local coffee shop where the coffee was really good. It was warmer this morning and not as windy...what a nice change! We went back to the crafts stall and picked up my custom-made Fanta can giraffe, as well as some other artwork. They had a wood-carved elephant stool that I would love to take home. If only it would fit in my bag!

We had some braised chicken for lunch, which was very spicy, but delicious. We also picked up more goodies from the bakery - another cheese roll and rock buns (scones) for in the morning.

This afternoon was our boat cruise on the Chobe River. The sights were beautifully breath-taking. We saw lots of animals: kudu, impala, crocodiles, hippos, water bucks, cape buffalo, a bunch of different birds, and yes...elephants! And there were several babies, so I guess that means that I'll be able to leave eventually! :)




The birds here are pretty awesome. There are so many different types, and most of them are beautiful, except for the storks...they're just as ugly as vultures!





There were so many crocodiles on land, it's scary to think about how many are in the water.




And hippos are pretty scary and gross in person...not like on the jungle cruise at Disneyland! The fart (loudly) and spray poop everywhere and on each other. And when they open their mouths wide it's pretty scary. They have giant pointy teeth, and our guide told us it's their way of warning off intruders.





As usual, we had another amazing sunset.




We had dinner in our room to finish off our leftover food. We're charging up our camera batteries before we leave on our safari tomorrow. We'll be without power until our next lodge-stay on Friday, so hopefully they'll last! ( It turned out that they had a generator to charge the batteries on while on safari so we lucked out!)

Africa: Days 4-6

Day 4: Tuesday, August 10th

We woke up early today to catch the combi (the "bus" - more like a glorified multi-passenger van) to Kachikau. We learned quickly that there are no such things as time schedules or reliability. In fact, the only thing that's certain is that the combi will be unreliable.


It was really cold and windy in the morning, but fortunately it warms up pretty quickly. The sun is so intense here...I've never felt anything like it. And I'm pretty sure there's negative humidity. You put lotion on and it's immediately absorbed and you feel like you never put any on. Amazing. Well, after waiting for a few hours, the combi finally came. But we didn't make it on because it was smaller than normal and only had 14 seats. So we were left with the options of waiting for the afternoon combi that may or may not come, hire a driver, hitchhike, or spend another night in Kasane. So we decided to spend another night in Kasane and try again tomorrow. Fortunately, Waterlily Lodge could house us for the extra night.

We recovered from sitting around for several hours and then went to the after-school center of Tori's fellow Peace Corps volunteer, Joan. The center is Joan's project during her stint, and had only been open for 2 days. The kids there are so cute! The kids come over the center in the afternoon, and get fed a meal before getting help with their homework and some recess time. They also get another high-protein meal before they leave - for most of them, this will be the last meal they get until they come back the next day because they don't have food at home. A heart-breaking and eye-opening thought.




We had dinner at the Chobe Safari Lodge along the Chobe River. The sunset was gorgeous! And we had our 1st elephant sighting...kind of. They were very off in the distance, so they looked more like rocks. Can't wait to seem them up close!


On a side note: white people here are called Lekgoa, which translates to "vomit of the sea." Nice, huh?

Day 5: Wednesday, August 11th

We woke up early again to catch the combi. Before heading for the bus station, we found an internet cafe and checked on the status of my parents' bags. Good news! They made it to South Africa already and are scheduled to arrive here in Kasane later today. We sat and waited for the combi in the freezing cold wind for over 4 hours, but it never came. As the Peace Corps volunteers like to say, WTA (Welcome To Africa)! We finally decided to hire a taxi driver Tori knew to drive us out to Kachikau for 500 Pula (~$70). We picked up some meat pies from the local bakery (which later became our favorite stop in Kasane) for lunch, and then headed out in the hot sun. You have to drive through Chobe National Park to get to Kachikau. We saw some zebras, elephants and small antelope along the way. Let the safari begin! :)

The road to Kachikau is only paved part of the way, so most of it is very bumpy and dusty. They've been working on paving the road the whole time Tori's been here, but it probably won't be done until sometime next year. After we got to Kachikau, we relaxed a little bit (Dad and I fell asleep) before walking down the road to watch the sun set. At night, the elphants walk through town on the same road. Maybe we'll hear them tonight!


I finally feel like I'm adjusted to the time zone, although I'm still a little out of it. Tori made us dinner in her little kitchen...roasted chicken, rice and greens. Her water isn't running at the moment, which I guess is a common thing. (We later learned that the construction from the road had broken the water line. No word on when it'll get fixed.) I learned how to flush the toilet with a bucket of water! And there are lots of spiders here, including ones that surprise you on the toilet! Yuck! I got to sleep in Tori's bed with the mosquito netting. Kind of fun - like the princess bed I always wanted as a kid. :)


It feels good to be here in Tori's village. Today we all felt like we'd never leave Kasane! Hopefully we won't have as much trouble getting back!

Day 6: Thursday, August 12th

For breakfast this morning, we made pancakes from scratch and without any measuring cups/spoons. They turned out pretty yummy! Tori even made us coffee in her French press.


We spent a good chunk of the morning walking around town. We met a lot of Tori's friends and co-workers and made friends with a lot of the local kids. They kept asking us for sweets and posed for pictures. We stopped by a local crafts store and I bought a basket woven by a woman in the village.





My mom took pictures of the girls' football (soccer) team that Tori helps coach. We also brought a new ball for them, although it didn't stay clean for very long. The dirt here is more like sand or silt, so everything gets dirty no matter how hard you try. They will get 4 more balls once my parents' bags get here, including a pink one! At first the girls were shy, but they kept hamming it up for the camera. They just got new shorts, socks, and cleats that Tori picked up in South Africa with grant money she received. They seemed very excited and proud to look official.


I just finished hand-washing my clothes, and they are hanging on the line in the yard to dry. Because it's so hot here, I'm sure it won't take long. It was kind of relaxing, but I can see how hand-washing would get old. I will never take washing machines for granted again!

Tonight for dinner we're having pasta with a creamy ham and mushroom sauce. Should be interesting. You have to make your own pasta sauce here with tomato paste, or choose from the odd assortment of packaged sauces. I think we'll be heading out to watch the sunset again soon. Maybe we'll see some animals tonight! Tori's friend Moxi is bringing us some freshly-baked bread from the bakery to go with our dinner.


Kind of sad that we have to leave already tomorrow. It feels like we just here. We will pass through here again on Sunday and pick up Tori as we start our safari!

Africa: Days 1-3

Day 1: Saturday, August 7th

Today our African adventure began. I'm excited and full of anticipation of what the next 3 weeks will entail. I know what is scheduled to occur, but at the same time I know that I have no way of even beginning to comprehend what I'm about to experience. Regardless, this trip will be full of memories I will cherish for the rest of my life.

The first leg of our trip (LA to D.C.) we flew in style...my mom had cashed in all her frequent flyer miles so we could fly first class. I could get used to flying in first class. We had a completely separate check-in area and line, and they put priority stickers on our bags so they'll get loaded on/off the plane first. We even had a separate TSA check-in area. As we boarded the plane we were greeted with mimosas. (Yes, even my mom had one!) And we had an entire menu of food waiting for us, including Ben & Jerry's ice cream and fresh-baked cookies. Yum! The flight went by very quickly because they just keep feeding us!




We spent the night at our family friends' (Tom & Ilene) house in Bethesda, MD. It was crazy how we traveled through D.C. and Virginia before getting to their house. And it was so green and I couldn't believe how many trees there were. All you can see are trees! It was great catching up with the Jones family, but before we knew it, it was time to wake up at the butt crack of dawn to catch our never-ending flight to South Africa.

Day 2: Sunday, August 8th

Time to fly again! First we caught a little dinky plane from D.C. to JFK. I just about lost it on this plane...too small and too many quick, sharp, tilting turns. Thank goodness it was only 50 minutes! Then there was just enough time to stretch out our legs at JFK before the looong flight to Johannesburg, South Africa. Just how long of a flight is it? Well, 14 hours and 50 minutes to be exact. Lots of time to watch movies and TV, and attempt to sleep. I'm pretty sure that I slept about a total of 4 hours, but that may be generous. There were a couple noisy babies (the mom may have been louder), and a large group of college-aged Jewish students (who were louder than the babies). I thought the flight was literally never going to end. And my butt has never been so sore!

Day 3: Monday, August 9th

We finally landed in Johannesberg (or Joberg) at around 8:45 in the morning. This airport is a little funky...there aren't any gates unless you are in the double-decker planes, so you get picked up by a bus in the middle of the tarmac and then get shipped over to the buildings. There are still signs of world cup fever everywhere, including stores inside the airport and a world cup passport stamp. (We didn't actually get the stamp but we heard people talking about it. When we asked for it on the return trip, they didn't have them anymore. Bummer.)

In sad news, when we went to pick up our bags to go through customs, we discovered that my parents' bags didn't make it. And they have no record of them. Great. So after entering all our information in the baggage claims computer, we will hopefully be reunited with their bags by Wednesday. There were issues b/c our flight from Joberg to Kasane, Botswana was booked separately so they didn't want to fly them up there to us. We weren't leaving until they agreed.

With our numb butts we still had 1 more flight to go - another small flight to Kasane, Botswana...what's another hour and 40 minutes?! I was so tired that I slept through the entire flight. And I was so happy to get off our last plane. Tori met us at the tiny airport and we checked into the Waterlily Lodge.

Our first objective was to buy my parents some clothes. We went to a China shop (a little shop with random things - clothes, electronics, furniture...all from China), and got some great deals. Nothing like a tank top for $1! We also got some groceries for us to eat at Tori's house. Some of their brand names are pretty funny...


After resting up a little, we walked down to the Chobe Marina Lodge to watch the sunset and have a drink at the bar. There were some traditional dancers who put on a performance at the lodge.



After the sun went down (and the bugs came out), we walked back to Waterlily and had some pizza for dinner. Then it was off to bed...and I'm pretty sure I fell asleep before my head even hit the pillow!

Stay Tuned...

I know you all are itching for pictures and stories from Africa, and trust me...they're coming! There were a few things that had to be done before the blogging could begin, such as:

-unpacking the suitcases
-washing clothes that had been well worn for 3 weeks
-packing up to move to Atascadero
-move to Atascadero
-sort through the 1,000 pictures from Africa

But they are coming, I promise. Maybe even tomorrow!

Home Again...

37 hours later, 25 of which were spent flying on a plane, and we are home again safe and sound. I kept a journal during the trip to try to make the blogging easy. The hard job will be going through all the pictures and limiting how many I post on here.

The trip was amazing and there are tons of stories to tell and I can't wait to share them with you. For now, I need a shower and then sleep...

All my bags are packed...

...and I'm definitely ready to go! I have successfully fit everything into my bag, and am well under our 44 pound weight limit. My batteries are charged, and my finger is ready to keep pushing the button on my camera. I am feeling excited, nervous, stressed, and exhausted all at once. I think I'll feel less stressed once we get on the plane tomorrow. At least I hope so...maybe 5 hours in first class will do the trick! I'm sure I'll have plenty to blog about when we get back, and be sure to e-mail me if you want me to send you the pictures too.

I've had these stuck in my head the past couple days, so I will leave you with a taste of where we're headed...kinda...I'll probably be singing them the whole trip!






Okay, really it's just the beginning of this one, although it'd be pretty cool to see a baboon lifting up a lion cub in front of all these animals. If I see it, I'll be sure to video it and sing this song for effect.

Be back in 3 weeks! Have a great August!