We've just left the Lion Encounter, and although we're all on a bit of a high, the previous nights festivities and the days excitement are catching up to most of us (well, definitely me!). We still have two more activities on our itinerary for the day. First, we're headed back into town to grab some lunch while we wait for our transportation to head out on safari at the Stanley and Livingston game reserve and lodge. During the safari, our main mission is to spot a rhino. So far, on this trip, we've spotted four of Africa's Big 5. Do you know what animals are included in Africa's Big 5? We'll come back to this question later. :)
Lunch was a little longer than we anticipated and we were ready to head out on our safari. While we waited for our transportation, we were surrounded with children begging for money and men trying to sell souvenirs. We decided to move across the street to check out some warthog we had seen while eating lunch, but the panhandlers followed. They even offered to buy or trade for our shoes!
Finally, our transportation arrived and we were excited to be back in the open air safari vehicles. Maybe this would help delay the fading energy that seems to have taken over most of the group. We stopped at the Stanley and Livingston lodge to pickup a cooler with cold beverages, and continued on into the reserve. Almost immediately after stopping for a brief overview of the reserve and what we would be doing on the safari (our main objective is the rhino, so we don't plan on stopping for other animals we've seen), we came across a large male Cape Buffalo. Although we had seen a herd of buffalo from the air on our way to the air strip and Machaba, we had not seen one this close before. He was hanging out at a mud hole and scraping his big horns against a tree, which apparently helps to mark his scent and is a display of dominance.
Continuing on our search for the rhino, our guides had heard where there might have been a spotting earlier in the day. Unfortunately, the first two locations where there had been a spotting did not prove prosperous for us. We did see some other animals on the way. Plenty of baboons, plenty of tracks on the dirt path, different types of antelopes. Our guide even checked a mud hole that the rhino typically regular to check for fresh prints...nothing. Our truck headed up to the wooded area, where they say the Rhino like to hang out in the evening, and we were getting pretty nervous that we wouldn't find a rhino before we had to head back to get ready for our Boma Dinner and Drum Show reservations.
Our radio suddenly sounded, and the other truck had a rhino in their sights. We raced down the mountain to the same area we had just left, by the mud hole. We got there just in time to see a Momma rhino and her baby walking swiftly toward the safety of the wooded area. Had we been only a few minutes longer, we would have missed her! And, man, for their size, they can really move! Success!!
We pulled over alongside the other vehicle and the rest of our crew, with Zebra in the distance, for a quick celebratory cheers. We were all very excited to have come to Africa and been so blessed to see all of Africa's Big 5 in one trip! We didn't soak in our victory long before we had to pack up so we could try and make it back for our dinner reservation. We took our snacks and drinks to go, but everyone was much more lively on the way back than we were during the safari.
So, back to our question at the beginning of this entry. Have you been tracking along with me all of the animals that we've seen on our safari adventures since our arrival in Africa? Well, we had a bit of a disagreement on our way out of the game reserve. Someone (who is suppose to be, eh hem, Mensa-level) argued that we did not see the Big 5 because we had not seen a cheetah. Of course, we're out in the bush, so none of us could ask the Google for help convincing that the cheetah was not part of Africa's Big 5. So, we phoned a friend (not really) and asked our expert guide. Africa's Big 5 include: African lion (we saw 4 cubs in the wild at Meno, and the two at our Lion Encounter), African elephant (too many to count), Cape buffalo (landing at the airstrip, and on our Rhino drive), African leopard (the pregnant leopard at Machaba), and the rhinoceros (our momma and baby today!). BAM! Check, check, check, check, CHECK!
Since our guides knew we were in a hurry, they really stepped it up and we were able to get back to our hotel with enough time to freshen up and change before dinner...very quickly!
On the way to our dinner reservation we had a really cool experience. You see "elephant crossing" signs all over the place in Africa, and of course, when you're out in the bush on safari you expect to see them at random places and times. However, when you're in a more civilized part of Africa, more like a small city, it is still shocking to see them out walking around and crossing major roads. However, on our way to dinner, that is exactly what happened. Two large elephants crossed the main road, and a third was standing on the side of the road anticipating whether or not to cross. It was such a cool treat to see them in such a modernized environment and motorists giving them the respect they deserve by stopping and waiting patiently for them all to cross safely.
Boma Dinner and Drum show is very different than the dinners we've been used to throughout our trip. It's pretty touristy, however it is also a great place for large groups and to simply sit back and enjoy a silly, good time. As you enter the restaurant, you are dressed with a sash that resembles the local dress...kinda like a toga. TOGA! We walked an outside path while drummers in costume played and sang us in. The dining and kitchen area are under one very large thatched roof, and each of the separated dining areas have raised floors, almost like a deck, with natural wood railings. Although this was a structure, it felt as though you were outdoors, and there was a hole in the roof allowing the trees in the center of the space room to grow.
The dinner was a combination of a buffet and made-to-order. In the back was the barbecue area where they grilled your choice of meat over an open flame. The meat included "safe" options like chicken, and a more adventurous section, including warthog and impala. Plopped in the center of the buffet's walkway was a hightop table where, if you were adventurous, you could eat a Mopane worm. Yes, a worm. If you chose to partake in this "delicacy", you also received a certificate...but you first had to chew, swallow, and show the inside of your mouth to your Mopane chef! A few of us decided "when in Rome"...er, Africa, and took the challenge! The worm was definitely not good and the texture of it was the worst part. It was gritty, so it seemed to get in all the parts of your mouth. Had we been smart about it, we would have had some water with us to help wash it down. Poor Kevin had the worst time. His face turned white, his eyes watered, and his hand went over his mouth a few times...but he got it down! I thought we were going to have a, "clean up on isle" Mopane worm, moment. Ha!
After most of the diners had gotten their first round of food, they came around with drums for everyone and the drum group that had serenaded us on the way in came in and started the show portion of the evening. They even did crowd participation, having us all pick up our drums and learn a few beats. Once we got them down, we competed against the other diners for the best drumming. I may be a bit bias, but I definitely think our section outplayed the others. :) Just say'n.
Update: After putting the video below together, if we were the best group...the other groups must have been REAL terrible. Ha!
At the end of the evening, the ride home was pretty quite. There was no late night party, popping champagne and wine, when we got back to Botanka. Everyone was pretty exhausted from such a fun-filled day, and we had to get up early for our final full day in Africa in the morning.
It's our last full day in Africa and we're starting it off with breakfast and an elephant excursion. They picked us up in what resembled a tank or armored truck. Unfortunately, after eating the Mopane worm last night, I had some serious acid reflux that was still hanging on a bit that morning, so I was not feeling 100. But, I was excited to go see the elephants, so it was time to push through. Thankfully, Jenni had some medication and I could already feel that it was starting to work. I am sure I can't solely blame the Mopane worm, but since that is what I had eaten when it really got started, I am (not the loads of alcohol and exhaustion).
The elephants that we were going to see were located back at the Stanley and Livingston game reserve and lodge. It is their sanctuary and when they are not being used for education purposes, they are freely roaming around the reserve. Our guides educated us on the lifespan of the elephants and how much longer they live in a sanctuary like this one, due to the medical attention they are able to receive. Typically, elephants only have so many cycles for their teeth. If in poor health and they lose their teeth at a younger age, they end up starving to death. At a sanctuary like this one, because of the vitamins and medical care they are able to receive, they can live to be over 100 years of age.
While we were with the elephants and their guides, we learned about how sensitive they are and how attached they get to one another and the guides. It was explained that even if they are not being used, they come along with their herd because of their sense of community. They also protect their guides. As you can imagine, reserves like this one that have elephants and rhino are susceptible to poachers. The reserve constantly has armed guards roaming the area to prevent poachers. The guides even take rotations when the elephants are out roaming to keep track of their location and ensure poachers are not in the area. Being that this is a big game reserve, poachers are not the only predator. Our guide told us a story about how he was out on patrol when one of the elephants ran up and "gave him his leg" to step up on and climb on his back. He said that when an elephant does that, you don't ask questions, you just take it's advice and climb aboard because there is likely a predator in the area.
We're still working on getting our video and pictures off of the CD we got from this particular adventure, but some of us were able to capture some of our own. Here's a look at our day with these gentle giants.
Back at Batonka lodge, we decided to take the afternoon and relax by the pool and have lunch onsite, verses going back out into town. It was a beautiful day, and we had been going since we arrived in Zimbabwe, so it was a much needed few hours of relaxation. Although, there was some serious business going on at the pool to the tune of water competitions! There was a much debated cannonball competition, along with a handstand and washing machine competition. We actually had to have a rematch of the cannonball competition over Memorial weekend with Kevin coming out as the victor, although Marta had a solid showing on form (and gets extra points for hurting her foot!).
After lunch, it was time for one of the main events (duhn, duhn, duuuuuhn...that's my best dramatic music). It was time to head back to Victoria Falls, one last time, to jump off the bridge! Now, I will say, originally I was the only one who had signed up for this activity. After talking to my mom about it, she wanted to do it with me, so we had it prepaid as part of our Pure Africa itinerary. However, we quickly gained in numbers as a large part of our travel-squad decided they have to do it, since we're here! I mean, how many people can say that they have jumped off of the bridge in front of Victoria Falls? Well, probably a lot, but not many that I know personally (outside the squad).
We actually had to cross over into Zambia for this one. We got a visitors pass (we were all bummed we couldn't get a stamp on our passports) and had a long walk to the bridge. As we approached the bridge there was a tandem jump off the bridge for the "swing" which is what most of us were going to be doing. The "swing" that I imagined in my head and had seen on other videos was not what I was seeing in front of me! It was basically a free fall until you almost hit the rushing river at the bottom of the gorge below, when the line finally loses slack and saves you from plummeting into some of the most severe rapids I've ever seen. Yep, that about paints the picture.
Honestly, I don't even think I can try to describe this one...I think I'll just show you...here's the video! You'll be able to see the sheer terror on my face...while my Mom completely shows me up and acts like we're just jumping off the bottom step in the front yard. Enjoy!
After such a rush, we decided to head over to the Victoria Falls Lodge for a sunset cocktail. We had heard a lot of great things about the view there, including a watering hole in the valley below where at sunset have had reports of all kinds of wildlife and game that came to drink in the evening. Apparently, the night before a pride of lion had come and the patrons had quite the showing, with the lion taking down an impala.
Although we didn't have as much action as the night before, there were loads of impala, buffalo, and elephant that came out at dusk. It was a great way to end the day...and we still had dinner back at the lodge to go!
Our very last night in Africa, we spent at Batonka lodge. We decided to have a group dinner out on the patio, so after coming back from our exciting bridge jump adventure, we all showered and got dressed for our last evening together. It was hard to believe that our trip was coming to an end and that the people we've become so close with would mostly be going separate ways.
We definitely went out in style, moving over to the sitting area of the patio after we finished eating for after dinner drinks and oh so much laughter (and, if you've watched any of my videos you know about my laugh...it's LOUD and hearty)! We did another sharing circle, similar to the one we did while we were at Meno a Kwena. We love a good sharing circle (and the tradition has continued a few times since coming home from Africa). It was a beautiful night and a few of us toughed it out for a pretty long evening reminiscing about our trip and how we didn't want to leave.
We had breakfast at Batonka and settled our bills in the morning before heading off to the Victoria Falls airport for our flight back to Johannesburg, and then later on, back to the United States. It seems that everyone had the trips exhaustion catching up to them...not just those of us who tended to stay up too late. :)
The journey from Batonka to Victoria Falls was bearable. Once at Victoria Falls airport, there was a amazing group singing in costume outside. Of course, that was my queue. I went over to take some video, gave a tip, and before I knew it I was crowned and a member of the group. It was an amazing send off and I found myself getting a bit emotional (surprise, surprise).
After checking in, the group took up camp at one of the cafes for mimosas and coffee before our flights. When you've been in close proximity with a group for two weeks, you bond with people in a different way than you would have just seeing them sporadically. We were with each other every day, all day. Bonds were made and emotions were high. It was starting to get difficult to say goodbye to our "squad" bit by bit (for each different flight), we slowly shrunk. We lost part of our group before Victoria Falls, then during our time in Zimbabwe, now at the airport. Certainly, some bonds were stronger than others, but I am truly blessed to have had this opportunity and such an amazing group of people to share such an amazing experience with.
It came down to my Mom (who I give the "Breakout Award" to for the trip), Sherry, Marta, Channing, and myself left on the flight to Atlanta. Once in Atlanta, we had to leave my Momma (which I did very quickly...because as you know, I am emotional), and it was down to four. Sherry, Marta and I went to a restaurant for a mimosa (don't judge) before we hopped our flight back to Charlotte.
We're home. We're waiting on hearing from the squad to make sure everyone made it home safely. I am reunited with my boy, Malbec (who actually growled at me, while licking me, when I got home. I guess he was pissed!). Although I was exhausted, I couldn't help but feel a bit alone. I had been with this group for two weeks experiencing things that some people never imagine being able to experience. I made some new friends (some, really really close friends) and I couldn't be more blessed to have all of them in my life's memories.
Lastly, I also got to do all of this with my Mom. I can not even put into words how grateful I am that she trusted me when I told her she had to come with me on this trip. She took this on wholehearted and blew my expectations out of the water. She was always positive and willing to do whatever it was we threw at her (and MORE). The experiences that we shared are ones that I will never, ever forget. I am so grateful for my Father, for encouraging us to do this trip together and for trusting me to get her home safely. I learned so much about our relationship and love on this trip, and I couldn't have asked for a better travel partner (sincerely). Not only did our bond grow, but the entire travel-squad embraced my Mom (not that it was hard to do) and made this experience so special for us...and for all of that, I am and will forever be grateful.
Until next time, Africa, I've left you a piece of my heart (once again). I'll return one day, for you are one of the few places that connects with me in a way hard to describe...it's a feeling. A feeling that I only hope that those reading this have an opportunity to experience. It will change your life.
If you are wondering, wander. What you are looking for is in the space between hesitation and letting go. You won't find the answer, unless you open your mind, your heart, yourself. - with love, Lisa