Last day in Botswana

After we ate a nice classic English breakfast at the main Selinda Great Plains lodge, Nthabi drove us one last game drive on the way to the bush airport… We said our goodbyes at the airport lounge…  And rode a bush plane from camp airstrip to Maun… Where Great Plains spoiled us once again

Bedridden in Botswana

Welcome to the flattest country on Earth! At least that’s what our open-door chopper pilot told us as we flew over the border between Botswana and Namibia. Sometime before that flight yesterday, I realized I wasn’t just queasy from the plane ride anymore. Had to hustle to the toilet after a game drive, on the

First!

Very fortunate search for mammal life this morning. After pre-dawn caffeine, of course! Landscape is much drier here in Sabi Sand Nature Reserve than Kariega reserve… Finally and slowly awake, we hit the road where they say, “The bush owns the time, we own the watches.” They also say the customer is always right until

Private nature reserve highlights

Spent a few relaxing days at Kariega Game Reserve in one of their private luxury suites… Meeting at the main lodge for drinks, meals and sit-downs with our private photography guide, Brandon… Along with photography tips and tricks, Brandon drove us around the reserve to see many of the wild animals wandering the property… Most

Beyond glamping

Stopping for a moment to reflect on our South African experience so far. Tens of thousands of years of history rolled into this trip. Disregarding religions or social conflicts and focusing instead on lives right here and now. Simple things like our grazing at corner shops… Or the road traffic jams… The solitary travelers… These

Madiba and Magellan in my coffee

Madiba (Nelson Mandela) looks to the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds for advice in my coffee this morning!

Graaff-Reinet and safari

Our knowledgeable guide, David McNaughton, despite nursing a head cold today… Filled our heads with the history/architecture of Graaff-Reinet… Such as this house which shows up on map from early 1800s… The Boer “war”… And local flora, including aloe plants still harvested by indigenous descendants today… We learned a lot! After late morning tea, an

SALT of the earth looks to the sky

Driving five to six hours in one stretch is not that big of a deal. Usually. But after driving four hours yesterday over hill and plain, finding our way to a dark sky reserve for one night’s stay… Yesterday afternoon we puttered our poor little Polo 12 kilometers from the entrance to an eco-village over

Talking to myself 24/7 these days

Back in the U.S. of A., before we left for Africa, we ate at a Dairy Queen restaurant. Whilst waiting for our food, a young man in grungy, smelly clothes (most likely homeless) walked in. He mumbled to himself in a running conversation between voices. Possibly schizophrenic. The restaurant employees knew him and placed his

And we’re off…on the road again!

After one last romantic evening in our private forest suite… Sunrise with meditative blogging… Walked back to the main lodge, stepping over a tiny dead snake… Avoided a thorny vine reaching out for me… Finished a delicious breakfast with local honey, jam, and butter (oh, for another confetti bush muffin smothered in Erica irregularis honey!)…