retirement – Page 13 – Destination NOW

“Bungle in the Jungle” – Jethro Tull

Our bodies may have been back in the USA for a week and a half now, but my mind is still basking in the afterglow of Africa.

Full disclosure–although the trip was amazing, magnificent, exciting, it was definitely not for the faint of heart, or the stiff of joints.

We didn’t get much exercise, because we spent most of our days riding around in jeeps, but climbing into that last row required some agility. The steps up were pretty high!

The roads provided what our guides called “the African Massage”. Ruts and holes in the road? No problem. Just grab a bunch of rocks, throw them into the holes and you are good to go!

For those that saw the movie Urban Cowboy, oh so many years ago, imagine riding the mechanical bull at Gilly’s and you’ll have a good idea of what traveling in the jeep was like.

Bridges? Who needs them? There were MANY reasons I was glad we were not traveling during the rainy season, and here’s one of them. Bet the water is a whole lot deeper during the rainy season.

We had some experiences that, depending on your point of view, could be called mishaps or adventures. We decided to go with adventures.

At Karongwe, our first camp, we had been chasing a leopard off road, through fields of acacia trees and thorn bushes when our guide got a radio message telling him “nagalas are in the area”. At least that’s what it sounded like to me. Immediately we were in hot pursuit of this mysterious animal. Although I questioned him, Setepi wouldn’t tell me a nagala was his language’s word for lion, because he was afraid the lions might leave before we got there, and we’d be disappointed. No worries. There were SEVEN nagalas, feasting on a kill.

How close were we? THIS close.But why is the jeep at such an odd angle?

Our wild leopard chase resulted in a slow leak that turned into a flat, right by the lions. If we had gotten out of the jeep, the lions might have attacked, so there we sat while Setepi and Sondi changed the tire. Another jeep pulled between them and the lions, blocking the lions’ view of the activity, just in case they decided to look up from their kill.

One of the group wondered what might happen if you got more than one flat tire while out in the bush. We soon found out, because our leopard chase resulted in not one, not two, but THREE punctures. Fortunately we had a resourceful guide, who used radio and good ol’ foot-power to borrow spares from other jeeps.

Running to another jeep to make the exchange.

Our second camp was in Chobe National Park, Botswana. Once again, we were lucky enough to encounter lions. Because this is a national park, we weren’t able to go off road, so couldn’t get quite as close as we did in Karongwe, which was a South African private reserve. Still, we were able to get some good shots. But just because we didn’t go tearing off road didn’t mean that we were adventure-free.

Why are we milling about, outside our jeep, with lions close by?We are getting ready to try to push our stuck jeep. No action photos–I stopped photographing to help push.

Although we were mired down, the bigger problem was that the shift was stuck, so we had to wait for help to arrive from camp, over an hour away.

It was a beautiful day, we had sufficient water, the company was great, so it was not tough to take.

Leaving our stuck and disabled jeep for the mechanic to fix, while — We left our stuck and disabled jeep for the mechanic to fix, while we rode back in his jeep.

Onward to the Okavango Delta. Here we watched the King of the Bush, and he was regal indeed.

I suspected that he was posing for us. In fact, when he turned to show his good side, I was CERTAIN he was posing. He also has a playful side, which he demonstrated.

Of course, before we got to him, we had to experience the “curse of the lions. Yep, another jeep adventure.

If you didn’t like rocky roads, then the Okavango was your kind of place. Take a look.Well, at least it wasn’t mud! But we did manage to get stuck.

Mike tried to problem solve, but ultimately a tow from another jeep was needed to get us out of the sand.My grandmother was right: “things come in threes”, and in Africa, they did. No more lion curse, no more adventure/mishaps with our vehicles after this third incident.

And now, in Grammy’s honor, I figure we should have a THIRD, and final Africa quiz. You ready?

1. Do you know what this is? Extra points if you know what it is used for.

2. What about this?

3. What are these objects, and why are they grouped together?

4. Four South Africans received the Nobel Peace Prize. Who were they?

5. A famous South African founded De Beers diamonds, had a country named after him, left a ton of money for charitable endeavors when he died at an early age. Who was he?

Answers by Friday. Have fun!

Adventures? We Had A Few.

What an amazing trip! I couldn’t possibly include ALL of the adventures in one post, so here are some of the highlights, which, coincidentally happen to be the answers to Africa Quiz #3.

1. Bungee jump? No way! Even after Jeanne and I were offered two for the price of one, we declined. Did the vendor want to show that insanity knows no age limit?

2. Zip line across the gorge…you bet! And it was GRAND! Fortunately, my friend Jeanne was up for it as well. And no, that is NOT a tattoo on my arm. It is a special code– so if the rope broke, the divers would know who was who. (Only kidding–it was our weight, in kilograms, and other secret stuff). You are probably going to want more than just a photo of us leaning against a sign, aren’t you? Well, Jeanne went first, so she was able to take these photos of my transit.

Did I enjoy the experience? See for yourself.

3. Yes, we did play netball, a type of basketball, with six very pregnant young women. The staff at the health center encourages them to exercise, so after their checkup they go to the school playground for a fun game of hoops. And yes, I WAS tossing the ball to a member of the other team. She’s PREGNANT, for crying out loud! I didn’t want her to have to run TOO far.

4. All 8 of the women in our group were taught the many uses of the chitenge by lovely Doris. Here we are, rockin’ our new look. 5. Friends and family will be shocked, because I am known as a picky eater, but I DID consume a mopane worm. Despite the look on my face after that first bite, I actually DID finish it. Jeanne was equally enthusiastic. 6. On the other hand, I did NOT finish the beer. One mouthful was more than enough– enough to convince me that it tasted exactly like dirty gym socks. Not that I have ever tasted dirty gym socks before, but if I had, that is exactly how I imagined they would have tasted. 7. Since I am sharing the contents of my overactive imagination with you, I might as well admit that wallowing in the mud with the hippos was indeed an imaginary activity. The only mud wallowing was done by this fine fellow. What’s he doing? Why, he’s asking the others if two tones makes his butt look smaller. I think their body language indicates their answer. 8. Mike and I loved the helicopter ride over Victoria Falls. The views were spectacular! 9. Yes, I did trade my tevas, and fortunately had flip flops in my backpack so I didn’t have to walk back to the hotel barefoot. Same for the tee shirt. Us former girl scouts are ALWAYS prepared. No photos of the transaction exist, fortunately.

10. Although I climbed more than one tree, I never made it to the TOP of a baobab (sorry Sammy). This one was growing through the lobby of the Moremi Wilderness Camp. I made it as high as the ceiling allowed. 11. We had a fantastic dinner at Savoy Cabbage. Mike gave me a taste of his warthog, and I sampled the “other” Mike’s kudu, but stuck with rack of lamb for my entree. Neither of us had our cameras with us, so sorry–no visuals exist.

12. I never missed a chance to sing and dance with the camp staff. They were incredibly talented. We were willing and enthusiastic. That blue arm on the left belongs to me. 13. The kids were sweet, beautiful and curious. When one asked about snow, I ran back to the bus to fetch my ipad. 14. I did not grind millet, but Connie and Marisa (mother and daughter) did. 15. We all had our Ringo Starr moments in the Boma, an outdoor meeting place, where we would gather around the fire the last evening at each camp for a great dinner and entertainment. Check out my very own rock star! Remember I said I did 10 of the 15 activities? Well, I was in such a hurry to upload the post before I ran out of time and MBs that I miscounted. I actually did 11 out of 15. The only ones I DIDN’T do were: bungee jump, wallow in the mud with the hippos, climb to the top of the baobab and swing down, and grind millet.

Our Africa trip is over, we are back home, but if I get inspired, I might be able to come up with one last Africa quiz. Thanks to those who played! I loved seeing the answers and the logic behind the choices.

The “Adventure” part of Overseas Adventure Travel

During our trip, we had so many wonderful opportunities for what Arthur, our wonderful guide termed “learning and discovery –and I took advantage of MANY of them.

Are you ready for another quiz? My sisters, cousins and friends MIGHT have an unfair advantage with this quiz. But maybe not. Let’s see who does the best determining just how much of a spirit of adventure I have.

Which of these activities do you think I did? I’ll give you a hint: I did 10 out of the following 15, and a couple of the activities are figments of my imagination.

1. Bungee jump from the Victoria Falls Bridge

2. Zip line across the gorge

3. Play netball against a barefoot and pregnant team

4. Model a chitenge

5. Eat mopane worms

6. Drink local beer

7. Wallow in the mud with the hippos

8. Ride a helicopter over Victoria Falls

9. Trade the shoes I was wearing for bracelets and my tee shirt for a carved hippo

10. Climb to the top of an Baobab tree and do my Tarzan imitation to get down

11. Taste kudu and warthog, but pass on the zebra.

12. Sing and shake my booty with the camp staff

13. Play with the children at a village school

14. Grind millet in a village hut

15. Play the drums in the Boma

Answers when we return to the USA and I can upload photos, because I know you’ll want visual proof!

Answer to Quiz #2

August 3, 2014
Today will be a travel day. We leave Victoria Falls, change planes in Johannesburg, and end up in Cape Town tonight.

I loved YOUR answers to Quiz #2 — and you definitely get points for creativity!

Here are MY answers.
1. Yes, deer have antlers and antelopes have horns. The horns are actually part of the animal’s skull. Antlers are shed every year.

We didn’t see any deer during our safari. Guess I’ll just have to wait till I get home and look on my back yard for one of them!

2. That is a termite mound! Africans use it to build their homes. Termites are edible, but our guide, Sondy chose not to demonstrate. He just dug into the mound with that stick and pulled a couple out for show and tell.

3. The two names are Wildebeest or Gnu hanging out with his buddies, the impalas.

4. Can you see the eagle peeking out of his nest?

5. The impala was dragged up the tree by a leopard who wanted to keep his dinner safe from other predators.

6. There are two correct answers for this one: lower jaw of a hippo, or African bush toilet.

Just flip it over, prop the back up with a stick, and you’re in business!

That’s all for today. Thanks to all who have been playing along. I hope it’s been as good for you as it was for me!

Two Hours Till Blast Off

Remember that standard issue duffel bag? The one that all OAT travelers get? I decided I didn’t want to waste time at baggage areas determining which of the identical bags belonged to me, so I did a bit of “bag enhancement”.I know, I know…I probably should have given it some thought BEFORE I went wild with the sharpie markers, but hey, I figured I dramatically decreased the odds that this bag will be stolen. What self respecting thief would want to be seen dragging this along? Besides, a smart thief would suspect the bag’s contents would be equally jumbled and lacking in style.

I very thoughtfully had a “go” at Mike’s bag. A bit less exuberantly, but enough to provide the afore mentioned advantages.

We will be flying almost 8,000 miles. To put that into perspective, it is the equivalent of 2.5 flights from NJ to California, and it will take about the same length of time–15 hours.

We spend the night in Johannesburg then leave the following morning for Karongwe, a game reserve close to Kruger National Park. For all the map lovers, here’s a visual.

Three nights later, we return to Johannesburg. If I’m lucky, I’ll have wildlife photos to post.

Over and out!

Packing for A Month in Africa

OAT’s (Overseas Adventure Travel’s) wonderfully helpful website is loaded with lots of hints from those that have gone before. Thanks to them, I have a good idea of what to pack, and equally important, what NOT to pack.

I need to be prepared for cold mornings and evenings, high mid-day temperatures, and a school visit. Then after the tour ends, Mike and I are on our own in Cape Town for several days.

Suggestions for what to bring for the school visit included uninflated soccer balls and flip-flops plus the usual books, crayons, paper, pens and pencils. I also like to bring along a few frivolous things, like small stuffed animals.

The camps do our laundry every night, so 3 changes of clothes will do the trick, but I also needed a warm jacket, a hat, gloves, plus shorts and tee shirts and a bathing suit. Dressing in layers is key. I also need to plan for our time in Cape Town when we will be without daily laundry service.

I found jumbo zip lock bags at the supermarket and am using them to organize my wardrobe. But will all this, plus toiletries, fit into the duffel bag?

Fortunately, it doesn’t have to. One traveler suggested putting the duffel inside a much bigger bag, then packing everything into that one large suitcase. I tried that, but I easily exceeded the 50 pound weight limit. THEN I decided to check out South African Air’s luggage rules and was very excited to learn that in addition to my carry on, I can have TWO checked bags!!! I’m so used to the United Airlines restrictions, it didn’t occur to me that another airline’s checked baggage policy could be more liberal.

Being able to bring that second bag meant another trip to the Dollar Store for toothbrushes, combs and LOTS more school supplies, plus any odds and ends that I thought might be useful. I packed it all in an old suitcase that I plan to leave in Africa.

So, now my duffel will only contain MY stuff–plus another small duffel that I will use to bring back any purchases I make–good news for sisters, hermana preferida, cousins and other loved ones!

Anticipating Africa

OAT, like Road Scholar, provides an excellent package of preparatory materials. These include everything you need to know about visa requirements, immunizations, climate, what to pack, how much money to bring, plus a reading list for people like me.

I haven’t read ALL of the books on the list, but I have made my way through almost half. Many were available from my local library, others I ordered from Amazon. Here’s a visual of the ones that haven’t been returned to the library yet. (Okay, I’ll admit it. I’m a bit obsessive, but I figure if I am lucky enough to be able to spend time in another country, I should at least expend the effort to learn about it before I go.)

Much too much for one post, so I’ll start with the book that is a bit dense, but is crammed with fascinating information–much of it news to me.

Africa, A Biography of the Continent by John Reader
In its 800 pages, this weighty tome covers a little bit of just about everything: genetics, linguistics, anthropology, history, archaeology, geology, geography, economics, agriculture–from the beginning of time right up to the 1990’s. And if THAT isn’t enough, you can delve into footnotes and bibliography for more on the various subjects. The best part? Each of its 55 chapters starts with a short summary of what will follow, which makes it easy to decide whether or not you want to read further.

Here are just a few of the interesting tidbits I picked up from skimming through:

I knew Africa is big, but didn’t know HOW big. China, the USA, India, Europe, Argentina and New Zealand could all fit into its 18.9 million square miles! Hard to believe, but take a look.

Pretty cool, huh? Here’s another one–showing Pangaea before the continents drifted.

Although I knew about plate tectonics from my days of hanging out with geology professors while selling them college textbooks, I couldn’t tell you the difference between Pangaea and Gondwana. But now I can. And I had never heard of Laurasia, from which North America was eventually formed.

But wait, there’s more…

The earliest evidence of life on earth was found in Africa. Fossilized microscopic organisms from 3.6 billion years ago were discovered in the Barberton Mountain region of South Africa.
Geneticists, analyzing DNA mutations, have concluded that our entire modern population descended from a relatively small group of people who left Africa about 100,000 years ago (roughly 10,000 generations ).
The DNA of chimpanzees and humans is 99% identical. Here’s a little visual courtesy of the Auckland Zoo. What a difference 1% can make!

Linguists have shown that the most ancient languages originated in Africa.

I could go on and on, but I won’t. For anyone anticipating a trip to Africa, this book is definitely worth a trip to your local library. Remember, you don’t have to read it ALL–just the chapters that interest you. And there is something for just about everyone!

Geography Lesson

Geography was never a favorite subject of mine. Memorizing capitals and products was excruciatingly mind numbing. At the time, knowing where to plop countries on a mimeographed map didn’t appear to be knowledge I’d ever find useful. Back when I considered a one hour trip to Boston a thrilling excursion, it was hard to imagine that I would ever be lucky enough to set foot any place outside of the continental USA.

I’ll admit that I wasn’t disappointed when Sister Pauline explained that there was no point in studying the geography of Africa, because everything was changing. How sad that statement is one of the few things I remember from my geography studies!

Fast forward a half a century. I will soon be filling that gaping hole in my knowledge of the world with a trip to that continent I didn’t have to learn about in elementary school. Well, only the southern part of Africa. But you gotta start somewhere.

This will be the first trip that Mike and I take with Overseas Adventure Travel (OAT). Although we have had wonderful experiences with Road Scholar, and RS has a similar trip, we decided to go with OAT for the following reasons:

If you pay the full amount in cash a year in advance, you get a 10% discount (and I SO love a bargain)!
If you take another trip with them within the next 12 months, you get a 5% credit.
They have an amazing website, with very informative reviews and an incredibly helpful forum in which travelers share information and helpful hints.
They offer options: you can do only the trip, or you can add pre and/or post trip excursions.
There is a maximum of 16 participants

Mike and I figured if we were going to shell out the money for airfare, and subject our bodies to a total of 30 hours (round trip) in the air, we might as well stay a while, so we are doing the pre and then visiting Cape Town on our own. Who knows if we will ever be able to get back to this part of the globe?

We start in Johannesburg, then fly to Karongwe Game Reserve for the pre-trip. Four days later, we return to Johannesburg for the main trip, going first to two camps in Botswana, then one in Zambia, one in Zimbabwe, ending with a few days in Victoria Falls, before we fly back to Johannesburg. At that point, Mike and I will leave the tour and fly to Cape Town for a few days on our own, before returning to Johannesburg for a flight home. All told, we will be gone for 26 days.

Oat created this very helpful map, with the trip extensions in the insert.

While on safari, we will be staying in tents in the national parks. WiFi will therefore be limited to the few times we are in cities. (So, sisters and cousins, when you don’t see a post, it will not be because I have met with foul play…it will just mean I am still off the grid).

We will be flying in very small planes, which limits both the weight and the type of luggage allowed. One duffel bag each, without an internal frame, weighing no more than 44 pounds, plus one carry on. Here’s a visual of my duffel bag, supplied by OAT, and my new (larger) back pack. Previous travelers had experienced problems with the duffel splitting open (I told you the forum was helpful), but fortunately that appears to be old news. Nevertheless, I’m packing some duct tape…just in case.

Years of business travel trained me to travel light, but we will be visiting a school, so once I assemble the minimum amount of clothing and supplies needed, I’ll be cramming books, pencils, crayons and other odds and ends into the remaining space up to the weight limit.

Next post will be about pre-trip readings.

Seven Selfish Reasons to Become a Cook Island Global Volunteer

It seems that this time of year we feel compelled to create and/or read lists–the ten best movies, the thirty best female vocalists of the decade, five foolproof ways to lose weight, eight helpful hints you can’t live without. So, I figured I might as well jump right onto the ol bandwagon with MY list. LIke Letterman, I’ll do it as a countdown.

7. WAKE UP EVERY MORNING TO THE SOUND OF THE OCEAN

The KiiKii, your home while volunteering, is right smack dab on the ocean. But then, just about everything in Rarotonga is right on the ocean–the island’s interior is completely mountainous. If you have trouble falling asleep to the sound of the waves crashing on the shore, you need to bring earplugs!

6. HANG OUT WITH THE OWNER OF RAROTONGA’S ONLY BREWERY

Yes, Global Volunteers’ country manager is indeed the owner of Matutu Brewery. And, as a Rarotonga resident, James knows everything of importance, like where to get the best pizza I’ve ever tasted! That’s where we were heading right after our brewery tour. Pizza and beer, what could be a better ending to a volunteer’s day?

5. MAKE WONDERFUL NEW FRIENDS

The nicest people become Global Volunteers…take a look

4. LEARN TO DANCE

It seems like everyone on the island sings and dances. Those in the know (like us volunteers) catch the professionals practicing the routine they perform at the local resorts. There is also a show every Saturday at the outdoor market. Here’s a 30 second clip of my favorite dancers. Check out the expression on the little girl’s face, second to the left. Watching her always made me smile.

3. EXPERIENCE A DIFFERENT CULTURE

Cook Islanders are gracious, friendly people who welcome visitors to their island. Family is everything to them. As a volunteer you become a member of the extended family, sharing food and laughter.

Best of all, you learn to appreciate “island time” and a life style that is safer, slower and friendlier than what you might have been used to. You come home more relaxed and more aware of what really matters.

2. ENJOY UNSPOILED BEAUTY

New Zealanders in general, and Cook Islanders in particular, are in tune with nature, and care about preserving the environment–and it shows. No billboards, no litter, no traffic jams–just flowers and mountains and ocean.

Hiking up one of the mountain trails with Niki. Check out the size of those leaves!

1. FALL IN LOVE

Look at these beautiful faces–how could anyone NOT fall in love?

What a wonderful way to spend three weeks!

Long Live the Queen!

Timing is everything in life, and Vaca 139’s was perfect. How many other Global Volunteers got to watch a Rowing Regatta AND witness a Maori coronation? Not many, I assure you!

As one might expect, the coronation took place at the palace. So what comes to mind when you hear word “palace”?

You ready?

I took this picture from the bus (I DO love those bus rides) the day before the big event. If you look closely, you can see the red plastic chairs that were being set up on the palace lawn for the expected guests. Not quite Buckingham Palace, but a whole lot friendlier and far more inclusive.

As mentioned in an earlier post, there was a bit of disagreement over the line of succession, and protesters were anticipated. Not to worry–these guards were ready!

Okay, so maybe this protest wasn’t quite what you might have envisioned either. No riot police, no gas masks, no picketers with signs. In fact, if Willy hadn’t made friends with a Maori lady who translated, I would have figured that the shouting we heard was all part of the celebration.

The Maori are very inclusive, so all were welcome to join in the festivities. Old…

young…

Islanders…

Visitors from the good ol US of A.

Willy and his new friends from Utah — Willy with his new friends from — can you guess? The white shirts are your hint. Utah, of course.

Climbing on walls, trees, chairs, the stage — all was allowed, as everyone tried to see over the crowd to catch a glimpse of the queen.

And here she is, dressed in gold, regally listening to the man serenading her. I’m not revealing how I got that shot, but remember, climbing WAS allowed.

Isn’t it fascinating to see the juxtaposition of tradition and technology?

Cell phones, ipads, microphones--all capturing the action — Cell phones, ipads, microphones–all capturing the action

Sharing food is very much a part of the Maori culture, and this event was no exception. An enormous pig was presented to the queen. Sorry, I wasn’t able to get a shot of the pig–all I could see were the tops of the heads of the several men it took to carry the beast over to her. Not a very compelling image. So, instead, I took pictures of the “take out” packages that were being prepared for all guests.

Coconuts, chicken, pork, sweet potatoes, etc all packed into these biodegradable containers. We could learn a lot from the Maori!

This will give you an idea of how massive an undertaking it was to feed the crowd.

Full disclosure, I haven’t gotten the hang of videoing under the best of circumstances, and this event was a challenge to capture. BUT the singing was beautiful–the crowd quite colorful and entertaining, so if you would like to experience the queen’s entry or listen to the flag raising ceremony, just click and make your way over to YouTube. You’ll feel as if you were there, after imbibing a large quantity of wine perhaps. Or maybe you’ll need to drink some first to flow along with my camera!

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