I just added more videos into older posts now that I'm a video pro.
Check them out.
Dung Beetle video
Airplane troubles - watch as we take off on our little plane to Lebombo
More to come...
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Afternoon Game Drive – Lion Redux
Continuing on the game drive, Themba happened to spy a huge male lion right off the road. Since the afternoon sun was still out but it was waning, lions tend to sleep well into the coolness of the evening, stirring only after it’s cool enough to begin their evening hunt.
This male was content to just lay there. However, he did get up and move and was walking with a huge limp. Dierdre surmised that he got injured in a hunt and it could have been from just about anything. You felt so bad for the guy as he was the king fo the pride and lions, especially kings, have to keep up with the pride as it moves to retain their status. The other big issue is that another male could fight him for dominance given his injured state. We let the guy rest and moved on.
As we headed out further into the bush, Themba spied a couple of female lions and three of their offspring, all about 8-10months old.. Seems we hit the lion mother lode today.
Dierdre knew something we didn’t and headed off road. The lioness’ were beginning to stir which means the rest of the pride would begin to wake up as well. As she pointed up the hillside toward another lioness making her way down, Dierdre told us to keep our eyes our for what was trailing her.
Trailing the female were three small cubs, no more than 3 months old Dierdre told us. So we had three females and five cubs. And then came a male. A huge male. This was the pride that the wounded lion belonged to as well.
As the cubs played and nuzzled with the other cubs and moms, we had a front row seat to seeing the pride come alive.
The male lion was less enthused, laying down. And then getting up.
And then walking right toward us. Diredre told us to stop moving all together. No movement. If cameras were up, they stayed up. He stopped to mark his scent on a bush, no more than 10 feet away, looking right at us. This guy was just huge. And in one short movement, you knew he could spring right into the truck. He began walking on and we were given the all clear sign, able to raise our cameras again (and take a deep breath).
This guy was too close for comfort and it was another one of those moments of feeling alive. Of feeling one with Africa. Of feeling lucky to be able to have the experience of being on safari in this truly amazing place.
This male was content to just lay there. However, he did get up and move and was walking with a huge limp. Dierdre surmised that he got injured in a hunt and it could have been from just about anything. You felt so bad for the guy as he was the king fo the pride and lions, especially kings, have to keep up with the pride as it moves to retain their status. The other big issue is that another male could fight him for dominance given his injured state. We let the guy rest and moved on.
As we headed out further into the bush, Themba spied a couple of female lions and three of their offspring, all about 8-10months old.. Seems we hit the lion mother lode today.
Dierdre knew something we didn’t and headed off road. The lioness’ were beginning to stir which means the rest of the pride would begin to wake up as well. As she pointed up the hillside toward another lioness making her way down, Dierdre told us to keep our eyes our for what was trailing her.Trailing the female were three small cubs, no more than 3 months old Dierdre told us. So we had three females and five cubs. And then came a male. A huge male. This was the pride that the wounded lion belonged to as well.
As the cubs played and nuzzled with the other cubs and moms, we had a front row seat to seeing the pride come alive.
The male lion was less enthused, laying down. And then getting up.
And then walking right toward us. Diredre told us to stop moving all together. No movement. If cameras were up, they stayed up. He stopped to mark his scent on a bush, no more than 10 feet away, looking right at us. This guy was just huge. And in one short movement, you knew he could spring right into the truck. He began walking on and we were given the all clear sign, able to raise our cameras again (and take a deep breath).This guy was too close for comfort and it was another one of those moments of feeling alive. Of feeling one with Africa. Of feeling lucky to be able to have the experience of being on safari in this truly amazing place.
Evening Evening Game Drive - Hippos and Elephants
As we left the comfort of our room once again and headed toward the lobby, the sweltering heat of Africa smacks you in the face every time. Those 15-20 minutes you spend with your guide, having a little dessert during tea (or a cocktail) can be agony as the sweat begins pouring from within.
By the time you walk to the truck, which invariably has been sitting in the sun, your shirt is soaked through and you begin the mantra, “Must have wind, must have wind, must have wind.” And then you start moving, and although the wind is hot, you’re moving, and starting to cool down a bit.
We got in the truck and set out among the softer light of the sun. We rounded the first bend and immediately saw the unicorn. Well that’s what they call it anyway, a one-antler impala. Poor guy – he’ll never mate again as impala lock horns for dominance and since he can’t lock horns, he can’t fight. And since he can’t fight, the ladies think he’s a wimp!
As we drove over the concrete road that also serves as part of a small dam for the N’wanetsi near the lodge, we noticed the hippos who live in the water there (and the ones we hear every night) we quite close. Alas, another truck had parked across the river and they were walking toward where the hippos were in the water, which meant we couldn’t (too many people).
So we continued on, seeing a great little striped baby zebra. Their stripes actually help regulate their temperature as the dark stripes absorb sunlight while the white ones reflect it. Their stripes are their fingerprints, with no two sets of stripes alike. I’m a regular Dierdre now myself, having been imparted with so much knowledge.
I think Dierdre felt bad about the hippos so she asked if we wanted to do another wildlife walk. We were all game, so she parked the truck and we headed on a 10 minute walk slightly downhill into the bush, with Dierdre leading the group single file, rifle in hand. At one point Dierdre gathered us around and told us to be quiet and stay grouped together because as we were going to roiund the next corner, we were going to encountered hippo in the water and they would be startled by us so we should have our cameras ready.
I don’t think any of us knew what to expect as we’d always only seen two, maybe three hippos together. Rounding the corner, cameras poised for the shot, we saw the thick pea soup water and then, there they were, over 30 hippos grouped together, like buoys floating on top the water.
A few of them splashed and then settled down once they got used to us.
And then they just hung out, once in a while doing their yawn, opening their mouths wide as a warning to us. But they were content to stand on the bottom, their heads slightly above water, covered in weeds to keep them cool. Silly hippos. They’re doing their thing again – “If I have this seaweed on my head, maybe the won’t see me.” 
By the time you walk to the truck, which invariably has been sitting in the sun, your shirt is soaked through and you begin the mantra, “Must have wind, must have wind, must have wind.” And then you start moving, and although the wind is hot, you’re moving, and starting to cool down a bit.
We got in the truck and set out among the softer light of the sun. We rounded the first bend and immediately saw the unicorn. Well that’s what they call it anyway, a one-antler impala. Poor guy – he’ll never mate again as impala lock horns for dominance and since he can’t lock horns, he can’t fight. And since he can’t fight, the ladies think he’s a wimp!
As we drove over the concrete road that also serves as part of a small dam for the N’wanetsi near the lodge, we noticed the hippos who live in the water there (and the ones we hear every night) we quite close. Alas, another truck had parked across the river and they were walking toward where the hippos were in the water, which meant we couldn’t (too many people).
So we continued on, seeing a great little striped baby zebra. Their stripes actually help regulate their temperature as the dark stripes absorb sunlight while the white ones reflect it. Their stripes are their fingerprints, with no two sets of stripes alike. I’m a regular Dierdre now myself, having been imparted with so much knowledge.
I think Dierdre felt bad about the hippos so she asked if we wanted to do another wildlife walk. We were all game, so she parked the truck and we headed on a 10 minute walk slightly downhill into the bush, with Dierdre leading the group single file, rifle in hand. At one point Dierdre gathered us around and told us to be quiet and stay grouped together because as we were going to roiund the next corner, we were going to encountered hippo in the water and they would be startled by us so we should have our cameras ready.
I don’t think any of us knew what to expect as we’d always only seen two, maybe three hippos together. Rounding the corner, cameras poised for the shot, we saw the thick pea soup water and then, there they were, over 30 hippos grouped together, like buoys floating on top the water.
A few of them splashed and then settled down once they got used to us.
And then they just hung out, once in a while doing their yawn, opening their mouths wide as a warning to us. But they were content to stand on the bottom, their heads slightly above water, covered in weeds to keep them cool. Silly hippos. They’re doing their thing again – “If I have this seaweed on my head, maybe the won’t see me.” 
What do you call a group of…?
After our great sighting of the crash of rhinos, we learned that not everything is a herd or a pod or a pack. Here are some of the more interesting groups of animals we saw or learned about:
Zebras = a Dazzle of zebra
Giraffes = a Journey of giraffe
Baboons = a Troop of baboons
Hippos = a Raft of hippos
I'm sure there are more....we came up with one too. What do you call a group of gay zebra? A gazzle! Gay and Dazzling! Lame I know but we all got a laugh out of it.
Zebras = a Dazzle of zebra
Giraffes = a Journey of giraffe
Baboons = a Troop of baboons
Hippos = a Raft of hippos
I'm sure there are more....we came up with one too. What do you call a group of gay zebra? A gazzle! Gay and Dazzling! Lame I know but we all got a laugh out of it.
Saturday, November 29, 2008
A Crash Of Rhinos
We didn’t drive for more than 10 minutes when we happened upon a beautiful area with green grass everywhere, scattered among trees and bushes. It didn’t take long to find another two rhinos….and then there were two plus another mother and baby…and then there were two more. We had ourselves a crash of rhino which is what Rhinos in a group are called. And then there were zebra and impala co-mingling with the rhino and we were all amazed at this confluence of such a variety of animals.
As we traveled we learned about the Leadwood tree where the wood is so hard that when it dies, the wood takes years to decay, so you see these beautiful skeletons of trees amongst the green of the bush.
We watched in awe as a giraffe ran across the road in front of us and learned that they don’t run often as their bodies can’t support their neck while running for long. We also learned if a giraffe falls down, it dies because its neck is so heavy that it can’t lift it up off the ground.
We learned about this frog and builds a nest that looks like a snowball hanging from a branch and it’s actually made of foam. The tadpoles are safely protected there before they are dropped into the water to begin their life.
We learned all about buzzards and the hierarchy of buzzards who come to the kill and get first through sixth dibs based on which type of buzzard they are. And what a buzzard roosting in a tree means (I’m tired and resting) vs. circling above (I’m soaring on a thermal) vs. circling above in a group (I’m awaiting my turn to feast after then lions are done).
Another successful drive as we headed back to the lodge among the mid-morning 90+ degree heat.
As we traveled we learned about the Leadwood tree where the wood is so hard that when it dies, the wood takes years to decay, so you see these beautiful skeletons of trees amongst the green of the bush.
We watched in awe as a giraffe ran across the road in front of us and learned that they don’t run often as their bodies can’t support their neck while running for long. We also learned if a giraffe falls down, it dies because its neck is so heavy that it can’t lift it up off the ground.
We learned about this frog and builds a nest that looks like a snowball hanging from a branch and it’s actually made of foam. The tadpoles are safely protected there before they are dropped into the water to begin their life.
We learned all about buzzards and the hierarchy of buzzards who come to the kill and get first through sixth dibs based on which type of buzzard they are. And what a buzzard roosting in a tree means (I’m tired and resting) vs. circling above (I’m soaring on a thermal) vs. circling above in a group (I’m awaiting my turn to feast after then lions are done).
Another successful drive as we headed back to the lodge among the mid-morning 90+ degree heat.
Walking With Rhinos!
Dierdre had mentioned a wildlife walk at some point during our game drives and now seemed to be the time.
It was quite simple, follow her (her leading the pack, rifle in hand) and we were going in for a close up view. And follow her quietly. No cameras, no binoculars, nothing.
What did we do? Barrel down the hillside, making a lot of noise with our feet, chatting a bit. She stopped us and asked us to gather round. The rules were 1. Single file so she could defend us with the gun if need be (she couldn’t defend us if we were all over the place); 2. No talking so as not to alert the Rhinos whose huge ears along with their sense of smell is how they detect things; 3. Walk slowly and deliberately, avoiding stepping on dry, brittle grasses and sticking to walking on the rocky gravel. Plus, rolling your foot from the outside to the inside to minimize the noise your boot makes when stepping; 4. When she snaps her fingers, you stop – immediately; and 5. When she says run, you run. When she says climb a tree, you climb a tree.
Now that we had it all down, we continued downhill. We had probably covered 75 yards when Dierdre snapped once. We all looked up and stopped in our tracks. She motioned with her hand and turned around and mouthed “stand still”. The baby rhino had heard us and was intently looking, not sure where the sound was coming from. Baby Rhinos have much better eyesight than older rhinos so she would be able to see us while the mother rhino couldn’t. However, if we stood still, she wouldn’t be able to detect us. So after about a minute, the rhinos went back to feeding and we continued down the hill.
Not more than 10 yards later, Dierdre snapped again. We all stopped. Now both Rhinos were looking, not our direction, but looking. They knew something was up. We stood rooted, like 8 tree trunks spread out amongst a stand of trees. Not sure what was going on, we stood while the Rhino and baby moved around a bit. Hearts were racing, not sure if the rhino would charge our way to protect the baby or flee. This is the stuff life is made of. Exhilaration. A touch of fear. A touch of wonder. After a tense minute, mother and baby run down the valley away from us.
Dierdre explained that although they didn’t see us, they smelled us. And that was their first sign that something wasn’t quite right. Most likely they heard us as well. And those two things were enough for mother to protect her young by fleeing, the most common tactic used by rhinos when in danger.
So back up to the truck, uphill the whole way to continue on our morning drive!
It was quite simple, follow her (her leading the pack, rifle in hand) and we were going in for a close up view. And follow her quietly. No cameras, no binoculars, nothing.
What did we do? Barrel down the hillside, making a lot of noise with our feet, chatting a bit. She stopped us and asked us to gather round. The rules were 1. Single file so she could defend us with the gun if need be (she couldn’t defend us if we were all over the place); 2. No talking so as not to alert the Rhinos whose huge ears along with their sense of smell is how they detect things; 3. Walk slowly and deliberately, avoiding stepping on dry, brittle grasses and sticking to walking on the rocky gravel. Plus, rolling your foot from the outside to the inside to minimize the noise your boot makes when stepping; 4. When she snaps her fingers, you stop – immediately; and 5. When she says run, you run. When she says climb a tree, you climb a tree.
Now that we had it all down, we continued downhill. We had probably covered 75 yards when Dierdre snapped once. We all looked up and stopped in our tracks. She motioned with her hand and turned around and mouthed “stand still”. The baby rhino had heard us and was intently looking, not sure where the sound was coming from. Baby Rhinos have much better eyesight than older rhinos so she would be able to see us while the mother rhino couldn’t. However, if we stood still, she wouldn’t be able to detect us. So after about a minute, the rhinos went back to feeding and we continued down the hill.
Not more than 10 yards later, Dierdre snapped again. We all stopped. Now both Rhinos were looking, not our direction, but looking. They knew something was up. We stood rooted, like 8 tree trunks spread out amongst a stand of trees. Not sure what was going on, we stood while the Rhino and baby moved around a bit. Hearts were racing, not sure if the rhino would charge our way to protect the baby or flee. This is the stuff life is made of. Exhilaration. A touch of fear. A touch of wonder. After a tense minute, mother and baby run down the valley away from us.
Dierdre explained that although they didn’t see us, they smelled us. And that was their first sign that something wasn’t quite right. Most likely they heard us as well. And those two things were enough for mother to protect her young by fleeing, the most common tactic used by rhinos when in danger.
So back up to the truck, uphill the whole way to continue on our morning drive!
Morning Game Drive – In Search of Black Rhino
Day 6 – November 24/Monday
Happy Birthday Mike! It’s Mike’s 42nd today and I have quite a few things planned unbeknownst to him.
Awhile back at a conference, I had met a guy from Singita who put me in touch with Jason, the Managing Director of Lebombo who helped arrange Mike’s birthday activities and it was going to be something to remember.
I did indeed sleep like a baby and awoke only when the 5am wake up call came. At least the phone ringing wasn’t some horrible jarring bell, but was more chime like - peaceful, like you'd expect to hear in the bush.
We headed down to the lobby to grab a little coffee and African Rusk and hooked up with Dierdre.
Today’s mission was to find black rhino and sable. To do that, we had to drive north about an hour to get to the part of the concession where these animals typically roamed. In order to shorten the travel time, we put a roof on the truck so we could drive the Kruger Park road and then hop back into the concession once we were further north, probably cutting off an hour of travel time.
This part of the concession was the most like Jurassic Park yet.
Huge cliffs and mountains with lush grass growing. A fire had swept through this part from Mozambique which Kruger extends into, leaving most of the trees standing, but destroying all the ground brush. As a result of torrential rains nine days earlier, the entire area had come to life, with a lush green carpet of grass juxtaposed by jagged, hard brown rocks and cliffs.
As we drove on, I found six inch black sticks across the road.
Inquiring about them, Dierdre told me they were millipedes. When the time was right, and we had enough open land around us (which meant we were safe from predators), we stopped to view them. They were incredibly strong and it was surprising how sticky their feet were, gripping incredibly tight to whatever surface they touched, like my hand here.
As we continued driving, we saw the usual menagerie of wildlife and then stopped for our morning coffee and snacks.
Incidentally, these stops also served as bathroom breaks. So you found the closest tree or bush, stepped behind it, and did your thing. Not a big deal but at night, it could be quite eerie as you never really knew what was lurking 10 feet away. We’ve all seen to many movies so your mind tends to play tricks and you think about what’s happened in the movies. Just a tad bit creepy.
Since we hadn’t had any luck with black rhinos or sables, we drove up a rocky ridge with a great view through the trees to a lush valley below. Leave it to Themba. Down below a mother and baby Rhino awaited a close up view.
Happy Birthday Mike! It’s Mike’s 42nd today and I have quite a few things planned unbeknownst to him.
Awhile back at a conference, I had met a guy from Singita who put me in touch with Jason, the Managing Director of Lebombo who helped arrange Mike’s birthday activities and it was going to be something to remember.
I did indeed sleep like a baby and awoke only when the 5am wake up call came. At least the phone ringing wasn’t some horrible jarring bell, but was more chime like - peaceful, like you'd expect to hear in the bush.
We headed down to the lobby to grab a little coffee and African Rusk and hooked up with Dierdre.
Today’s mission was to find black rhino and sable. To do that, we had to drive north about an hour to get to the part of the concession where these animals typically roamed. In order to shorten the travel time, we put a roof on the truck so we could drive the Kruger Park road and then hop back into the concession once we were further north, probably cutting off an hour of travel time.
This part of the concession was the most like Jurassic Park yet.
Huge cliffs and mountains with lush grass growing. A fire had swept through this part from Mozambique which Kruger extends into, leaving most of the trees standing, but destroying all the ground brush. As a result of torrential rains nine days earlier, the entire area had come to life, with a lush green carpet of grass juxtaposed by jagged, hard brown rocks and cliffs. As we drove on, I found six inch black sticks across the road.
Inquiring about them, Dierdre told me they were millipedes. When the time was right, and we had enough open land around us (which meant we were safe from predators), we stopped to view them. They were incredibly strong and it was surprising how sticky their feet were, gripping incredibly tight to whatever surface they touched, like my hand here. As we continued driving, we saw the usual menagerie of wildlife and then stopped for our morning coffee and snacks.
Incidentally, these stops also served as bathroom breaks. So you found the closest tree or bush, stepped behind it, and did your thing. Not a big deal but at night, it could be quite eerie as you never really knew what was lurking 10 feet away. We’ve all seen to many movies so your mind tends to play tricks and you think about what’s happened in the movies. Just a tad bit creepy.Since we hadn’t had any luck with black rhinos or sables, we drove up a rocky ridge with a great view through the trees to a lush valley below. Leave it to Themba. Down below a mother and baby Rhino awaited a close up view.
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Evening Game Drive – Lion Hunt!
The afternoon was too hot to do anything except sit in your room. We did head to the lobby and played a couple games of cribbage in the “lobby” while sweating profusely. But that was about the only time we did anything mid-day.
We headed back up around 4pm for tea and to hook up with Dierdre again for the afternoon game drive.
The morning drive we had all hoped to see lion but after Themba and another tracker went out on foot (with rifles) for over two hours, they found the pride sleeping in an area that we couldn’t get a vehicle into. And we certainly couldn’t get out on foot to view them.
We set out to find another pride, given that lions sleep most of the day into twilight so we weren’t going to see any movement from the pride that morning until later.
We rounded a bend and bumped smack into two baboons on a rock. The big male was being preened (groomed) by a female and they just sat there content to do their thing as we stopped to watch.
A bit later we found African Buffalo. They are huge and aggressive and not so nice looking. We happened upon two of them just hanging out about 50 yards off the road. Too far away for a good view, Dierdre took us 4-wheeling over rocks and ruts – this Land Rover could handle anything. As we got closer, Dierdre warned us to not make any sudden movements and to make sure we moved slowly.
It seems that the aggressive nature of the buffalo often caused them to charge anything, event the trucks. So, we got within 10 yards or so, good enough for great pictures and to observe them.
We continued onward, viewing a variety of animals along the way. Soon enough, sunset was upon us. Another perfect sunset in a once foreign feeling place that had become more like home, like the place where visions are realized and where the sight of a sunset can bring forth a sense of wonder we seem to lose as part of living our everyday lives.
Tonight's cocktail hour was special in that it was Erica’s birthday. As we arrived at our sunset viewing point, we found a few of the staff there with lanterns and chairs set up for perfect sunset viewing. A small table had been set up with snacks and the bar on it. And champagne was popped as we arrived. What a perfect surprise for a birthday and one not soon to be forgotten. After hanging out for 30 minutes, we were on our way again, this time for the lion hunt.
As it was dark, the lions were on the move, and so we were. We were headed toward a pride that had been spotted earlier. In constant communication with another truck, they had found the pride as they were heading straight toward us. Dierdre quickly left the road and we found ourselves driving through the bush toward a place they should be walking toward. We saw the other truck in the distance, its headlights and spotlight shining our way.
And then it was lights out! And Dierdre cut our engine. And dead silence. With nothing but the sound of the bush as a backdrop, the excitement (and a bit of tension) was palable. We had no idea what to expect. A quick flash of the floodlight by Themba, and then it’s there. A lion….no more than 50 feet away. A quick follow and then it’s lights out again. As Themba continued to flash his light, we found at least 8 more lion, gently walking right across our path.
As they moved, we moved, always getting out in front of them for a (ahem) killer view – pun intended. So we had many shots of them as they stalked.
According to Dierdre, this was their stalk. They continued to walk, sensing for prey through sight, smell, sound. As they continued their walk, Themba shined his light elsewhere and uncovered eyes – Impala eyes! We were going to be part of a kill!
Then it was lights out for good. It wasn’t fair to give either animal an advantage. So we waited. It was quiet, and dark. And lions were everywhere. And there we sat in our truck, like little prey. We were told not to talk and not to move. This was a little scary.
Dierdre told us to listen for sounds….and then we heard it, the sound of running. Of dead grass rustling. Of branches being bent. Sometimes you can hear the crunch as the neck breaks. But there was no crunch. No roaring. No sounds of a struggle. The impala had escaped.
Exhilerated (and a bit disappointed) we began tracking the lions again and ran through the entire cycle. Impalas = 2, Lions = 0.
We headed back toward the road and continued on our nighttime journey through the bush.
We headed back up around 4pm for tea and to hook up with Dierdre again for the afternoon game drive.
The morning drive we had all hoped to see lion but after Themba and another tracker went out on foot (with rifles) for over two hours, they found the pride sleeping in an area that we couldn’t get a vehicle into. And we certainly couldn’t get out on foot to view them.
We set out to find another pride, given that lions sleep most of the day into twilight so we weren’t going to see any movement from the pride that morning until later.
We rounded a bend and bumped smack into two baboons on a rock. The big male was being preened (groomed) by a female and they just sat there content to do their thing as we stopped to watch.A bit later we found African Buffalo. They are huge and aggressive and not so nice looking. We happened upon two of them just hanging out about 50 yards off the road. Too far away for a good view, Dierdre took us 4-wheeling over rocks and ruts – this Land Rover could handle anything. As we got closer, Dierdre warned us to not make any sudden movements and to make sure we moved slowly.
It seems that the aggressive nature of the buffalo often caused them to charge anything, event the trucks. So, we got within 10 yards or so, good enough for great pictures and to observe them.We continued onward, viewing a variety of animals along the way. Soon enough, sunset was upon us. Another perfect sunset in a once foreign feeling place that had become more like home, like the place where visions are realized and where the sight of a sunset can bring forth a sense of wonder we seem to lose as part of living our everyday lives.
Tonight's cocktail hour was special in that it was Erica’s birthday. As we arrived at our sunset viewing point, we found a few of the staff there with lanterns and chairs set up for perfect sunset viewing. A small table had been set up with snacks and the bar on it. And champagne was popped as we arrived. What a perfect surprise for a birthday and one not soon to be forgotten. After hanging out for 30 minutes, we were on our way again, this time for the lion hunt.
As it was dark, the lions were on the move, and so we were. We were headed toward a pride that had been spotted earlier. In constant communication with another truck, they had found the pride as they were heading straight toward us. Dierdre quickly left the road and we found ourselves driving through the bush toward a place they should be walking toward. We saw the other truck in the distance, its headlights and spotlight shining our way.
And then it was lights out! And Dierdre cut our engine. And dead silence. With nothing but the sound of the bush as a backdrop, the excitement (and a bit of tension) was palable. We had no idea what to expect. A quick flash of the floodlight by Themba, and then it’s there. A lion….no more than 50 feet away. A quick follow and then it’s lights out again. As Themba continued to flash his light, we found at least 8 more lion, gently walking right across our path.
As they moved, we moved, always getting out in front of them for a (ahem) killer view – pun intended. So we had many shots of them as they stalked.
According to Dierdre, this was their stalk. They continued to walk, sensing for prey through sight, smell, sound. As they continued their walk, Themba shined his light elsewhere and uncovered eyes – Impala eyes! We were going to be part of a kill!
Then it was lights out for good. It wasn’t fair to give either animal an advantage. So we waited. It was quiet, and dark. And lions were everywhere. And there we sat in our truck, like little prey. We were told not to talk and not to move. This was a little scary.
Dierdre told us to listen for sounds….and then we heard it, the sound of running. Of dead grass rustling. Of branches being bent. Sometimes you can hear the crunch as the neck breaks. But there was no crunch. No roaring. No sounds of a struggle. The impala had escaped.
Exhilerated (and a bit disappointed) we began tracking the lions again and ran through the entire cycle. Impalas = 2, Lions = 0.
We headed back toward the road and continued on our nighttime journey through the bush.
Mountain Biking In The Bush? You Bet!
Upon our arrival back to camp, Dierdre asked if any us wanted to do anything else like Mountain Bike, archery, etc. I really wanted to experience the bush on bike. No one else on the truck did. So Dierdre and I made a plan to hook up at 10:30. She and I would bike and Themba would follow in the trucks with the rifle – no lie.
After some breakfast (we literally ate 6 times a day – three meals and three snack times), I relaxed for a bit in the room and then headed back to the lodge to meet Dierdre and Themba.
We took off right from the lodge and biked. That plan was to be out for an hour as at that time the temperature was over 90 degrees. We ended up biking about 13km with Dierdre tiring out and trading with Themba, then later they switched back again.
It was hot! And it was tough work! But we pedaled through it. I got the chance to learn more about Dierdre and how they lived life in the bush. Beyond all the training
I mentioned earlier, they work for 6 weeks straight, then have 2 weeks off. They live about 20 minutes away from the lodge in a little village of 164 people who work at both Sweni lodge and Lebombo. They are a mix of people from different parts of Africa – some from the city and some from local villages around Kruger including many who are Shangaan tribe as mentioned earlier.
Themba learned how to do what he does from living in the village his whole life. It was their way of living and those skills are passed from generation to generation.
As for the animals, we got up and close to zebras, giraffes and lots of impalas. But the animals were less used to bikes than they were the trucks. So for the most part, the animals were skittish around the bikes and tended to run off as we approached. Nonetheless, it was a different type of experience in traveling through the bush.
As we bicycled home, the last leg was up a hill for a good 10 minutes all the way back to the lodge. Not much but in the 90 degree heat, it was brutal. It took a 45 minutes to sort of cool down including a 15 minutes soak in cool water.
I later learned that I was the toughest mountain biker they had ever had (usually they take out families and kids) and later that day, many of the staff basically told me that they heard I “kicked Dierdre’s ass” mountain biking.
After some breakfast (we literally ate 6 times a day – three meals and three snack times), I relaxed for a bit in the room and then headed back to the lodge to meet Dierdre and Themba.
We took off right from the lodge and biked. That plan was to be out for an hour as at that time the temperature was over 90 degrees. We ended up biking about 13km with Dierdre tiring out and trading with Themba, then later they switched back again.It was hot! And it was tough work! But we pedaled through it. I got the chance to learn more about Dierdre and how they lived life in the bush. Beyond all the training
I mentioned earlier, they work for 6 weeks straight, then have 2 weeks off. They live about 20 minutes away from the lodge in a little village of 164 people who work at both Sweni lodge and Lebombo. They are a mix of people from different parts of Africa – some from the city and some from local villages around Kruger including many who are Shangaan tribe as mentioned earlier.Themba learned how to do what he does from living in the village his whole life. It was their way of living and those skills are passed from generation to generation.
As for the animals, we got up and close to zebras, giraffes and lots of impalas. But the animals were less used to bikes than they were the trucks. So for the most part, the animals were skittish around the bikes and tended to run off as we approached. Nonetheless, it was a different type of experience in traveling through the bush.
As we bicycled home, the last leg was up a hill for a good 10 minutes all the way back to the lodge. Not much but in the 90 degree heat, it was brutal. It took a 45 minutes to sort of cool down including a 15 minutes soak in cool water.
I later learned that I was the toughest mountain biker they had ever had (usually they take out families and kids) and later that day, many of the staff basically told me that they heard I “kicked Dierdre’s ass” mountain biking.
Morning Game Drive – Rhinos and Zebras and Owls Oh My!
It was a gorgeous morning as always. At 5:30am, it’s not horribly hot yet. Very pleasant as a matter of fact. We headed out today on a broad tour of the concession, looking for all kinds of things including any one of the four prides of lions that call the concession home. I think this is the day we’ll see all types of creatures big and small.
First up – an owl of some sort.
I don’t want to minimize it since it was beautiful in its own right but I don't remember which type of owl it was. In fact, it was quite young given how furry it still was, molting its feathers as it came into adulthood.
Birds were all over the place and some of the most beautiful birds I’ve ever seen. They were hard to capture however without an extreme telephoto lens. If there was one regret about the trip, it’s that I didn’t buy a better camera to capture the animals close up. But next time!
Next up, on the side of the road, a big pile of dung.
And that means dung beetles! I think these things are amazing and there at least six varieties digging through the pile of dung. Here’s the deal – they get up on two legs and roll the dung into a ball. They then deposit their larvae into the dung ball and bury the dung ball in the ground. The larvae then feed off the dung ball, and finally emerge as little dung beetles. This one was about 1.5 inches long and we learned that this was all over our room last night! You can see them in action in the video -- look at the earth "breathe" -- that's all dung beetles burrowing in shit!
Same as last night, these things would power up, then slowly take off and fly -- imagine...a 2.0" x 1.5" flying hard insect with dung all over it! Even better
was watching these things land. Since they were so heavy they would come flying toward the dung pile, then crash land into it since they couldn't slow down enough to land and sustain their weight at the same time.
Themba then helped us spot a white rhino mother and baby. We learned that a lot of babies of all types were born within the past couple of months so we should expect to see more.
These Rhino really were quite stunning and something right out of Jurassic Park.
We continued on, finding other animals along the way. By 9am the sun was high in the sky and blazing hot, yet we continued on with the wind keeping us somewhat cool under our khakis and hats.
As we continued driving, we would hear a slight buzz that would get progressively louder until, sort of like the buzzing under electrical wires along telephone poles. Turns our they were cicadas, just not the 17 year kind like we have in the states. But just two cicadas calling to each other could be heard over the roar of the truck and just became a constant din.
Enough of the game drive, we're heading back to the lodge for breakfast!
First up – an owl of some sort.
I don’t want to minimize it since it was beautiful in its own right but I don't remember which type of owl it was. In fact, it was quite young given how furry it still was, molting its feathers as it came into adulthood.Birds were all over the place and some of the most beautiful birds I’ve ever seen. They were hard to capture however without an extreme telephoto lens. If there was one regret about the trip, it’s that I didn’t buy a better camera to capture the animals close up. But next time!
Next up, on the side of the road, a big pile of dung.
And that means dung beetles! I think these things are amazing and there at least six varieties digging through the pile of dung. Here’s the deal – they get up on two legs and roll the dung into a ball. They then deposit their larvae into the dung ball and bury the dung ball in the ground. The larvae then feed off the dung ball, and finally emerge as little dung beetles. This one was about 1.5 inches long and we learned that this was all over our room last night! You can see them in action in the video -- look at the earth "breathe" -- that's all dung beetles burrowing in shit!Same as last night, these things would power up, then slowly take off and fly -- imagine...a 2.0" x 1.5" flying hard insect with dung all over it! Even better
was watching these things land. Since they were so heavy they would come flying toward the dung pile, then crash land into it since they couldn't slow down enough to land and sustain their weight at the same time.
Themba then helped us spot a white rhino mother and baby. We learned that a lot of babies of all types were born within the past couple of months so we should expect to see more.
These Rhino really were quite stunning and something right out of Jurassic Park.We continued on, finding other animals along the way. By 9am the sun was high in the sky and blazing hot, yet we continued on with the wind keeping us somewhat cool under our khakis and hats.
As we continued driving, we would hear a slight buzz that would get progressively louder until, sort of like the buzzing under electrical wires along telephone poles. Turns our they were cicadas, just not the 17 year kind like we have in the states. But just two cicadas calling to each other could be heard over the roar of the truck and just became a constant din.
Enough of the game drive, we're heading back to the lodge for breakfast!
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Daybreak
Day 5 – November 23, 2008
We awoke early. Like 3:30 early. I’m sure it is still a bit of jet lag that wreaking havoc with our senses. I tried to go back to bed, which I was semi-successful at, but being father north than Joburg and even farther east, it seemed only a matter of minutes before the sky started getting lighter. And although the bedroom part of the room had a wraparound blackout curtain, it wrapped around 90 percent and left a doorway-sized opening that conveniently was where the sun rose, allowing perfect passage to shine on my face.
So, I slept on and off for the next 1.5 hours, covering my head with the blankets, turning away from the sun and doing my best Dracula impression to avoid that brightness rising from the horizon.
At 5am the wake up call comes.
I unlatch the door, and step out onto the deck. The sun is beautiful, a giant orange ball casting an orange juice colored hue across the N’wanetsi river and Lembombo as it rapidly ascends. Savoring the view, I breathe deeply, inhaling the intoxication that is Africa and the experience that I’m having, relishing it’s ability to transform one’s mind.
Back inside, I’m excited at the prospect of what the day brings so it’s a quick brush of the teeth, donning of the sun cream as they call it here and heading toward the lodge to meet up with Dierdre for coffee, tea, and some light snacks before heading out.
One of the snacks is African Rusk. It’s sort of like biscotti only not as hard – kind of a flaky crunch. It’s baked like a sheet cake, then cut into bite sized squares and is really hard to describe the taste. It’s perfect for dunking in coffee!
Dierdre gives us the game plan for the day and we head to the truck.
We awoke early. Like 3:30 early. I’m sure it is still a bit of jet lag that wreaking havoc with our senses. I tried to go back to bed, which I was semi-successful at, but being father north than Joburg and even farther east, it seemed only a matter of minutes before the sky started getting lighter. And although the bedroom part of the room had a wraparound blackout curtain, it wrapped around 90 percent and left a doorway-sized opening that conveniently was where the sun rose, allowing perfect passage to shine on my face.
So, I slept on and off for the next 1.5 hours, covering my head with the blankets, turning away from the sun and doing my best Dracula impression to avoid that brightness rising from the horizon.
At 5am the wake up call comes.
I unlatch the door, and step out onto the deck. The sun is beautiful, a giant orange ball casting an orange juice colored hue across the N’wanetsi river and Lembombo as it rapidly ascends. Savoring the view, I breathe deeply, inhaling the intoxication that is Africa and the experience that I’m having, relishing it’s ability to transform one’s mind.Back inside, I’m excited at the prospect of what the day brings so it’s a quick brush of the teeth, donning of the sun cream as they call it here and heading toward the lodge to meet up with Dierdre for coffee, tea, and some light snacks before heading out.
One of the snacks is African Rusk. It’s sort of like biscotti only not as hard – kind of a flaky crunch. It’s baked like a sheet cake, then cut into bite sized squares and is really hard to describe the taste. It’s perfect for dunking in coffee!
Dierdre gives us the game plan for the day and we head to the truck.
BUGS!
We arrived back at the lodge to our trio of Catherine’s (there were three "hostesses" that were our point people for anything and everything we needed -- Catherine, Cathryn and Kate) there to greet us with cool wet cloths in that delicious lavender/citrus scent. After wiping our faces, we headed back to our rooms.
But since it was after darkness, we weren’t allowed to “walk the plank” alone. We had to have a night porter lead us anytime after dark since it was the bush, and animals lurked in the bush. And any animal could be there waiting to pounce if need be. This is a daytime shot of the plank but it gives you an idea of how it's situated and this is only a portion of it that we had to walk.
We arrived back at our room to find the bed had been turned down, the mosquito netting had been lowered and the entire place warmly lit.
And then we noticed it. A huge beetle took flight from the table in front of us. This thing sounded like a buzzing bee times 10 in terms of sound. It was like watching in slow motion as the thing powered up, slowly got airborne, then flew. It was bizarre. As we looked around, more bugs had been attracted to the light. And then our eyes were drawn to the floor where we found at least 20 more beetles, ready to create a buzzing nightmare.
Needless to say that Mike, the bug-o-phobe wasn't really digging the Africa experience at that point but he was a good sport about it all.
The whole scene reminded me of that Travelocity commercial where the family books a great vacation online with another website, then wakes up in the middle of the night to find their entire mosquito netting teeming with bugs.
We took showers, got changed, then called the night porter to take us to dinner.
We also alerted the Catherines about our bug issue and Marty and Matt said they didn't have the issue. Catherine explained that so many factors could have caused the bugs. From that moment on, we arrived back at our room each night to a very dimly lit, bug-free environment.
Dinner, and every meal was amazing. We meet Edward who was to take care of us for all of our meals -- similar to your guide and tracker, the philosophy at Singita was to connect you with your team of people who were going to take care of every aspect of the trip for you, and that creates a bond between the employees and the guests. We pretty much had the same night porter, housekeeping team, tracker, guide, waiter, bartender, etc. throughout the entire trip.
For every meal, you ordered from a menu. But you ordered whatever you wanted. Since all meals were included, you just did your thing whenever and however you wanted to, 24 hours a day. If it wasn't on the menu, then they'd make it for you. I love that!
Exhausted (remember, we had arisen at 5am that same morning and left the comfort of the Saxon in Joburg), we ate dinner and returned back to our room at 10:45 to find all the bugs had been swept away and the room cleared. We fell into bed, knowing that we had to awake at 5:00 the next morning.
But since it was after darkness, we weren’t allowed to “walk the plank” alone. We had to have a night porter lead us anytime after dark since it was the bush, and animals lurked in the bush. And any animal could be there waiting to pounce if need be. This is a daytime shot of the plank but it gives you an idea of how it's situated and this is only a portion of it that we had to walk.
We arrived back at our room to find the bed had been turned down, the mosquito netting had been lowered and the entire place warmly lit.
And then we noticed it. A huge beetle took flight from the table in front of us. This thing sounded like a buzzing bee times 10 in terms of sound. It was like watching in slow motion as the thing powered up, slowly got airborne, then flew. It was bizarre. As we looked around, more bugs had been attracted to the light. And then our eyes were drawn to the floor where we found at least 20 more beetles, ready to create a buzzing nightmare.
Needless to say that Mike, the bug-o-phobe wasn't really digging the Africa experience at that point but he was a good sport about it all.
The whole scene reminded me of that Travelocity commercial where the family books a great vacation online with another website, then wakes up in the middle of the night to find their entire mosquito netting teeming with bugs.
We took showers, got changed, then called the night porter to take us to dinner.
We also alerted the Catherines about our bug issue and Marty and Matt said they didn't have the issue. Catherine explained that so many factors could have caused the bugs. From that moment on, we arrived back at our room each night to a very dimly lit, bug-free environment.
Dinner, and every meal was amazing. We meet Edward who was to take care of us for all of our meals -- similar to your guide and tracker, the philosophy at Singita was to connect you with your team of people who were going to take care of every aspect of the trip for you, and that creates a bond between the employees and the guests. We pretty much had the same night porter, housekeeping team, tracker, guide, waiter, bartender, etc. throughout the entire trip.
For every meal, you ordered from a menu. But you ordered whatever you wanted. Since all meals were included, you just did your thing whenever and however you wanted to, 24 hours a day. If it wasn't on the menu, then they'd make it for you. I love that!
Exhausted (remember, we had arisen at 5am that same morning and left the comfort of the Saxon in Joburg), we ate dinner and returned back to our room at 10:45 to find all the bugs had been swept away and the room cleared. We fell into bed, knowing that we had to awake at 5:00 the next morning.
Things that go bump in the night
As late day settled into twilight, Dierdre pulled the truck over in a clearing and asked everyone to get out for some snacks and cocktails. 
Out of the back of the truck came coolers full of wine, beer, ice and liquor for mixed drinks. And then three tins full of snacks – are we’re not talking chips and pretzels. We had vegetarian sushi rolls, small squares of toast with grilled springbok (a version of venison) and other stuff on it, and fresh fruit kabobs. Simply delicious and amazing.
After the quick cleanup, it was now dark. But the next show was about to begin as we would continue on our game drive for another two hours. Themba was given a spotlight by Dierdre and as she began to drive, he would move the spotlight back and forth 180 degrees, side-scanning in a straight arc but scanning up and down trees as well. The picture doesn't do it justice but you can see how far the spotlight reached.
He was looking for eyes. Since most nocturnal creatures have special eyes that allow them to see at night, it also means there’s some type of reflective part of the eye that allows it to stand out among just about anything. It was these reflections that Themba was looking for. Themba was so experienced, he could identify what type of animal it was just by seeing the reflection of the eyes – and it could be hundreds of yards away. Themba's scanning was constant, like some science fiction cyborg robot - he had this uncanny ability to see peripherally without moving his head.
One of the more interesting things that Themba came across was a 10 foot tall bush with all green leaves except one yellowish leaf. That was enough for Themba to stop Dierdre and then she saw it too. She stopped the truck, got out and pulled a 8 inch long chameleon from the branch, resting it on her shoulder. The chameleon immediately turned dark brown/grey in anger as it was angry, Dierdre told us. After all of us got a chance to see, she put it back on the branch and we continued on our journey.
Now dark for over an hour, there not only was relief from the intense heat and sun, but it was quickly becoming cooler, where a jacket or blanket was needed.
As we continued our drive, Themba did a backward sort of scan and found something that was going to look pretty bizarre - a hippo out of water. Seems they only come out of the water at night to feed and we spotted one, covered in wetness -- a sort of sticky secretion that I can't remember what the purpose of it was. The hippo just stood there, almost deer in the headlights style with it's head hung low. It was almost as if it was saying, "If I don't move, and avert my eyes, then these people won't see me." Although we were shining the spotlight on it, it didn't budge. As we drove on we found two other hippos out of the water as well.
It was after 8pm as we made our way back to the lodge to get cleaned up before dinner after what turned out to be an exhilarating first game drive.
Out of the back of the truck came coolers full of wine, beer, ice and liquor for mixed drinks. And then three tins full of snacks – are we’re not talking chips and pretzels. We had vegetarian sushi rolls, small squares of toast with grilled springbok (a version of venison) and other stuff on it, and fresh fruit kabobs. Simply delicious and amazing.After the quick cleanup, it was now dark. But the next show was about to begin as we would continue on our game drive for another two hours. Themba was given a spotlight by Dierdre and as she began to drive, he would move the spotlight back and forth 180 degrees, side-scanning in a straight arc but scanning up and down trees as well. The picture doesn't do it justice but you can see how far the spotlight reached.
He was looking for eyes. Since most nocturnal creatures have special eyes that allow them to see at night, it also means there’s some type of reflective part of the eye that allows it to stand out among just about anything. It was these reflections that Themba was looking for. Themba was so experienced, he could identify what type of animal it was just by seeing the reflection of the eyes – and it could be hundreds of yards away. Themba's scanning was constant, like some science fiction cyborg robot - he had this uncanny ability to see peripherally without moving his head.One of the more interesting things that Themba came across was a 10 foot tall bush with all green leaves except one yellowish leaf. That was enough for Themba to stop Dierdre and then she saw it too. She stopped the truck, got out and pulled a 8 inch long chameleon from the branch, resting it on her shoulder. The chameleon immediately turned dark brown/grey in anger as it was angry, Dierdre told us. After all of us got a chance to see, she put it back on the branch and we continued on our journey.
Now dark for over an hour, there not only was relief from the intense heat and sun, but it was quickly becoming cooler, where a jacket or blanket was needed.
As we continued our drive, Themba did a backward sort of scan and found something that was going to look pretty bizarre - a hippo out of water. Seems they only come out of the water at night to feed and we spotted one, covered in wetness -- a sort of sticky secretion that I can't remember what the purpose of it was. The hippo just stood there, almost deer in the headlights style with it's head hung low. It was almost as if it was saying, "If I don't move, and avert my eyes, then these people won't see me." Although we were shining the spotlight on it, it didn't budge. As we drove on we found two other hippos out of the water as well.
It was after 8pm as we made our way back to the lodge to get cleaned up before dinner after what turned out to be an exhilarating first game drive.
The First Game Drive
As Stefan drove us out to meet our truck, we prattled along on a dirt road through the bush. Sometimes wide open, sometimes running through thick brush, we soon learned more about the diversity of the some 60,000 hectares of land that comprised the Singita Lebombo and Singita Sweni land concession. All told however, there were only 42 guests staying in 21 rooms between the two lodges, so it would be rare to see another truck on the roads while on game drives. Kind of nice.
We soon hooked up with our truck and Themba (Tem-ba) our tracker and Deirdre our guide. Also in the truck were Erica and Kitt from Washington DC on their honeymoon, then Mike and I are our friends Matt and Marty who we were traveling with jumped from one truck to the other. The trucks are Land Rovers with tiered seating in three rows so everyone has great views and plenty of room as each row seats three although only two people actually sit per row.
It was like being in a moving stadium seat. As customary in South Africa, drivers sit on the right. On the left front of the vehicle just in front of the hood was Themba’s seat, situated right out in front so he could track – and track he did – something so amazing that the only way to believe it is to see it first person.
Themba’s job was to look for signs of where animals may have been or where they are going. He does this by looking at tracks on the ground, in the brush, how fresh the animal’s dung is, what animals may be traveling together and more. At times we would be traveling along a road at 20mph and Themba would point to the left. Deirdre would stop, back up a bit and then it would become apparent what Themba had seen – a baboon 100 yards away in the shadows, an owl hiding in the branches or a tree, hippos 500 yards away – truly amazing in the daytime. His ability to find animals at night dumbfounded all of us over and over.
Deirdre was the resident guide. She drove and serve as the Julie McCoy of the trip making sure everyone was comfortable. More importantly, she worked hand in hand with Themba and then educated us. She had gone to school for a related field, then throughout her career had received certifications in all kinds of subject matter related to her job. We would later learn that she knew of geology, plant life, animal life, astronomy, and more. There never really was a question that she couldn’t answer. She, like Themba, astounded us over and over again.
Driving along, the terrain was simply astounding. The afternoon sun was incredibly hot but began casting beautiful shadows on anything it hit.
This shot is the epitomy of Lebombo. Rocky outcroppings along the ridge, full of beautiful boulders -- I'll spare you the Lion King references but it was humorous that a lot of us used them to describe what we were feeling, thinking and feeling initially (that's like Pumba from the Lion King (to describe a wildebeast), that's the kind of place that the lions would live, etc.). Dierdre was a good sport about it all and said she's heard that a million times. What novices we were.
Until we started seeing some really dramatic animals like a journey of giraffe (as a group of them is known). What a beautiful site and so hard to put into the right context when all you've ever seen are animals in a zoo. Impalas are everwhere.
They are like the deer of the bush. Skittish and more often in groups of 10-15, but sometimes in groups of up to 50, they were amazing when we spooked them enough to get them moving. Their ability to bound is dramatic and graceful and beautiful.
We soon hooked up with our truck and Themba (Tem-ba) our tracker and Deirdre our guide. Also in the truck were Erica and Kitt from Washington DC on their honeymoon, then Mike and I are our friends Matt and Marty who we were traveling with jumped from one truck to the other. The trucks are Land Rovers with tiered seating in three rows so everyone has great views and plenty of room as each row seats three although only two people actually sit per row.
It was like being in a moving stadium seat. As customary in South Africa, drivers sit on the right. On the left front of the vehicle just in front of the hood was Themba’s seat, situated right out in front so he could track – and track he did – something so amazing that the only way to believe it is to see it first person.Themba’s job was to look for signs of where animals may have been or where they are going. He does this by looking at tracks on the ground, in the brush, how fresh the animal’s dung is, what animals may be traveling together and more. At times we would be traveling along a road at 20mph and Themba would point to the left. Deirdre would stop, back up a bit and then it would become apparent what Themba had seen – a baboon 100 yards away in the shadows, an owl hiding in the branches or a tree, hippos 500 yards away – truly amazing in the daytime. His ability to find animals at night dumbfounded all of us over and over.
Deirdre was the resident guide. She drove and serve as the Julie McCoy of the trip making sure everyone was comfortable. More importantly, she worked hand in hand with Themba and then educated us. She had gone to school for a related field, then throughout her career had received certifications in all kinds of subject matter related to her job. We would later learn that she knew of geology, plant life, animal life, astronomy, and more. There never really was a question that she couldn’t answer. She, like Themba, astounded us over and over again.
Driving along, the terrain was simply astounding. The afternoon sun was incredibly hot but began casting beautiful shadows on anything it hit.
This shot is the epitomy of Lebombo. Rocky outcroppings along the ridge, full of beautiful boulders -- I'll spare you the Lion King references but it was humorous that a lot of us used them to describe what we were feeling, thinking and feeling initially (that's like Pumba from the Lion King (to describe a wildebeast), that's the kind of place that the lions would live, etc.). Dierdre was a good sport about it all and said she's heard that a million times. What novices we were.Until we started seeing some really dramatic animals like a journey of giraffe (as a group of them is known). What a beautiful site and so hard to put into the right context when all you've ever seen are animals in a zoo. Impalas are everwhere.
They are like the deer of the bush. Skittish and more often in groups of 10-15, but sometimes in groups of up to 50, they were amazing when we spooked them enough to get them moving. Their ability to bound is dramatic and graceful and beautiful.
Arriving at Lebombo
There were warm greetings for us as the staff lined up at the entrance (nothing more than a wooden plankway along a gorgeous wall that looked like it was made with dirt, rock and mud embedded in it). If this was the first impression, then I couldn't wait to see the rest.
I have to admit I was a bit jaded though as we're so used to living our manufactured lives that I wasn't sure if I was in Adventureland at Disneyland or the real deal. While it took time, I soon left behind all vestiges of the U.S. and [sort of] became one with Africa and the entire experience.
Walking into the main lodge (which isn't realy true since there really isn't an inside, just a wall here or there and roofs in some places), the vistas were amazing -- the N'Watetsi (the Shining) river below and the Lebombo (literally, the ridge) mountains in the background.
Upon entering the “lobby”, we were greeted with wonderfully citrus/lavender cool towels to wipe our faces with and refresh. And it was 4pm tea. So cocktails and great little desserts awaited.
We quickly went to our rooms,
changed and then scope out the room before heading back for tea as it’s the meeting place for the afternoon game drive.
The room deserves describing as it’s more of a cliffside treehouse. You walk by the pool and then a long wooden that runs along the top of the ridge that Singita is situated on. No railings, but not more than a few feet to the ground on either side.
The view atop the landing before descending into our room was beyond compare.
Upon entering our room, we found a one gigantic room suite with 180 views of the river below and the surrounding bush, it truly is a sight to behold. Since the river is below is mainly dry because the country is just coming off the dry season, a couple huge water holes exist at either end of the lodge with its residents “raft” of hippo as a group of hippos is known.
And they let it be known that they are there, especially at night.
We also were told by the staff to ensure all the latches on the doors were engaged before leaving. The latches were eye and hook type and they were put on all the doors to stop the baboons from entering. Apparently, you couldn't leave yours doors open (there were no windows, just giant sliding doors everywhere) as the baboons would come in raid all the food in the mini-bar, then leave you little surprise piles of crap throughout your room.
We quickly changed, headed back to the living room area, had a couple snacks and we were off.
As we were running late, Stefan, who brought us back from the airstrip lead us out into the bush to hook up with our guide and the two other people in our truck.
I have to admit I was a bit jaded though as we're so used to living our manufactured lives that I wasn't sure if I was in Adventureland at Disneyland or the real deal. While it took time, I soon left behind all vestiges of the U.S. and [sort of] became one with Africa and the entire experience.
Walking into the main lodge (which isn't realy true since there really isn't an inside, just a wall here or there and roofs in some places), the vistas were amazing -- the N'Watetsi (the Shining) river below and the Lebombo (literally, the ridge) mountains in the background.
Upon entering the “lobby”, we were greeted with wonderfully citrus/lavender cool towels to wipe our faces with and refresh. And it was 4pm tea. So cocktails and great little desserts awaited.
We quickly went to our rooms,
changed and then scope out the room before heading back for tea as it’s the meeting place for the afternoon game drive. The room deserves describing as it’s more of a cliffside treehouse. You walk by the pool and then a long wooden that runs along the top of the ridge that Singita is situated on. No railings, but not more than a few feet to the ground on either side.
The view atop the landing before descending into our room was beyond compare.
Upon entering our room, we found a one gigantic room suite with 180 views of the river below and the surrounding bush, it truly is a sight to behold. Since the river is below is mainly dry because the country is just coming off the dry season, a couple huge water holes exist at either end of the lodge with its residents “raft” of hippo as a group of hippos is known.
And they let it be known that they are there, especially at night.
We also were told by the staff to ensure all the latches on the doors were engaged before leaving. The latches were eye and hook type and they were put on all the doors to stop the baboons from entering. Apparently, you couldn't leave yours doors open (there were no windows, just giant sliding doors everywhere) as the baboons would come in raid all the food in the mini-bar, then leave you little surprise piles of crap throughout your room.
We quickly changed, headed back to the living room area, had a couple snacks and we were off.
As we were running late, Stefan, who brought us back from the airstrip lead us out into the bush to hook up with our guide and the two other people in our truck.
Monday, November 24, 2008
Onward to Lebombo
We headed toward Lebombo on the main drag through Kruger National Park – a paved street that allows the various lodge owners as well as day drivers and those staying at rest camps to access their land concessions. 
This was our first initiation into the animals of Africa.
The minute someone saw an animal,
cameras were whipped out and everyone started snapping pictures. Not such great quality as they were through the van windows. Baboons, a warthog, some wildebeast and giraffes made for great viewing, although 
I don’t think anyone who hasn’t been in the bush had any sense of what was to come.
This was our first initiation into the animals of Africa.The minute someone saw an animal,
cameras were whipped out and everyone started snapping pictures. Not such great quality as they were through the van windows. Baboons, a warthog, some wildebeast and giraffes made for great viewing, although 
I don’t think anyone who hasn’t been in the bush had any sense of what was to come.
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Airplane Troubles
Sorry gang -- internet issues at Lebombo with a fleeting signal. We've moved on but there are tons of stories and pix forthcoming.
We arrived at tiny little Federal Air on the backside of the Joburg International Airport – a quaint little thatched roof
terminal where you checked in with the woman who sat at her card table with folding legs.
We watched as a few other people and their planes took off. Flight 6 now boarding. Flight 7 now boarding. Flight 8 – not boarding. And then 15 minutes after scheduled takeoff we were called to board. About 16 of us hopped onto a small plane that only had about 5 feet of head room so you had to duck as you walked down the aisle - only one seat on each side of the aisle - incredibly claustrophobic. The cockpit was open to the cabin which was kind of cool. And oh yeah, it was hot in there.
We sat for about 10 minutes and then they shepherded all of us off where were asked to wait as they had mechanical difficulties. See they have airline issues in this country too.
So back to the little thatched roof hut we went.
We were called about an hour after the original flight time and a new plane awaited us to fly the one hour to Singita (two of the Singita lodges were here at this first stop).
A quick one hour jaunt and we landed on a small airstrip to drop passengers. From there, eight of us flew on to Singita Lebombo and Sweni lodges, our final destination.
Flying over Kruger National Park after leaving the first passengers behind at their lodges, I finally found the Africa I was looking for. Completely void of civilization, with nothing but green earth below for as far as the eye could see, that was the Africa I wanted to visit.
We landed 20 minutes later on a dirt airstrip, the red earth kicking up dust as we landed and made our way to the “terminal." And yes that word is used loosely. It consisted of a bathroom, and a small covered area where we were offered dried mango, a beef stick (kind of like a Slim Jim but must better (dried beef, spices and then encased in intestines, it was delicious). They also had the real version of Corn Nuts which were amazing and cold drinks.
A quick loading of the luggage onto the van, and then we were off on a 40 minute drive down the main [paved] road of Kruger National Park to Lebombo.
We arrived at tiny little Federal Air on the backside of the Joburg International Airport – a quaint little thatched roof
terminal where you checked in with the woman who sat at her card table with folding legs. We watched as a few other people and their planes took off. Flight 6 now boarding. Flight 7 now boarding. Flight 8 – not boarding. And then 15 minutes after scheduled takeoff we were called to board. About 16 of us hopped onto a small plane that only had about 5 feet of head room so you had to duck as you walked down the aisle - only one seat on each side of the aisle - incredibly claustrophobic. The cockpit was open to the cabin which was kind of cool. And oh yeah, it was hot in there.
We sat for about 10 minutes and then they shepherded all of us off where were asked to wait as they had mechanical difficulties. See they have airline issues in this country too.
So back to the little thatched roof hut we went.
We were called about an hour after the original flight time and a new plane awaited us to fly the one hour to Singita (two of the Singita lodges were here at this first stop).
A quick one hour jaunt and we landed on a small airstrip to drop passengers. From there, eight of us flew on to Singita Lebombo and Sweni lodges, our final destination.
Flying over Kruger National Park after leaving the first passengers behind at their lodges, I finally found the Africa I was looking for. Completely void of civilization, with nothing but green earth below for as far as the eye could see, that was the Africa I wanted to visit. We landed 20 minutes later on a dirt airstrip, the red earth kicking up dust as we landed and made our way to the “terminal." And yes that word is used loosely. It consisted of a bathroom, and a small covered area where we were offered dried mango, a beef stick (kind of like a Slim Jim but must better (dried beef, spices and then encased in intestines, it was delicious). They also had the real version of Corn Nuts which were amazing and cold drinks.
A quick loading of the luggage onto the van, and then we were off on a 40 minute drive down the main [paved] road of Kruger National Park to Lebombo.
The Sunrise That Wasn't
Day 4 – November 22
Still screwed up from 23 hours of flying and 10 time zones, I woke up really early. Mike had mentioned that we should wake up for the sunse. But at 5:00am, it was far too late as the sun rises around 4:15!
So we decided to take advantage of the day and grabbed some space on a comfy sofa
under a veranda back by the pool.
For the next three hours we drank coffee, we read newspapers, sat on our computers, talked, relaxed and just enjoyed the peace. We even eschewed the restaurant and had breakfast on the veranda, expertly served by Lucky – the guy we kind of adopted who served us lunch the prior day.
We were the only ones at resort, or so it seemed, as we didn’t see another guest except for two people wheeling their suitcases by. We could have easily spent another day just relaxing here but alas, Singita and our journey into the bush (South African’s don’t call it going on Safari) awaited.
Still screwed up from 23 hours of flying and 10 time zones, I woke up really early. Mike had mentioned that we should wake up for the sunse. But at 5:00am, it was far too late as the sun rises around 4:15!
So we decided to take advantage of the day and grabbed some space on a comfy sofa
under a veranda back by the pool.For the next three hours we drank coffee, we read newspapers, sat on our computers, talked, relaxed and just enjoyed the peace. We even eschewed the restaurant and had breakfast on the veranda, expertly served by Lucky – the guy we kind of adopted who served us lunch the prior day.
We were the only ones at resort, or so it seemed, as we didn’t see another guest except for two people wheeling their suitcases by. We could have easily spent another day just relaxing here but alas, Singita and our journey into the bush (South African’s don’t call it going on Safari) awaited.
First Views of Johannesburg
Day 3 – November 21
We flew into Johannesburg (Joburg) nearly 12 hours later. As we flew above the clouds and began our descent, I had no idea what to expect as the city is situated in the middle of South Africa. Was it lush and green or was it dry and brown? A cover of clouds obscured the view until we got closer to the ground, revealing a land that was vast and green, kind of like you expected it to be, yet unlike anything I’ve flown over before.
We were both anxious to get off the plane, find our driver and head to the hotel.
We cleared customs and got into area outside customers where friends and relatives met up with their friends and families who were arriving from somewhere else. We searched for our driver but to no avail. No driver, no ride, no sign saying Kraus or Poullos/Saxon hotel. Plan 2. Call the hotel – but first you have to figure out how to dial the hotel from a US cell phone but you’re on the cell network of the country you’re in. Having gone through this in January in Paris and Germany, we got through to the hotel who tracked the driver down and who found us in about a minute after we had placed the call.
Finally, the final leg, a 40 minute ride to the hotel. As we drove down the highway, we could have been anywhere. The buildings and the types of businesses were all the same as you find anywhere, except of course that driving is on the left side of the road, not the right as we in the states drive.
Of course, not everything can go to plan. An accident slowed traffic to a crawl. After 40 minutes of that, our driver took a long, roundabout way to get us to the hotel but avoided what we later learned was a 10km backup (and we were at the end).
That detour gave us a unique perspective on Johannesburg -- and that was an eye opening experience.
I had recently watched a movie Tsotsi about a hustler and thief in South Africa and thought it might have been filmed in Joburg. After seeing the townships and neighborhoods, I knew it was filmed here. Beautiful homes were surrounded by 10 foot high walls and electric wiring at the top. Modest homes were surrounded by 6 foot walls and fences and electric wiring at the top. And you’d break out of those neighborhoods to vistas not of wide-open green space, but of places Alexandra Township
that stretched as far as you could see. These were miles of shack towns, built by the government and given to citizens to live freely as they were mostly unemployed…they simply had to pay for water and electricity.
My sense of wonder about Africa and all the romance associated with it (maybe Out of Africa wasn’t so relevant anymore) quickly gave way to reality. And harsh reality. This is a city that has issues and I couldn’t help but be saddened by the woman at the side of the road cooking something and selling it. At the unemployed at many intersections who were begging, or passing out flyers, or selling everything from a child’s bright red inflatable vest for swimming in one hand to handful of car cell phone chargers, dangling like the legs of some bizarre sea creature in the other. Or collecting empty cans and bottles to trade in for change.
One driver in the car next to us rolled down his window and placed an empty Coke bottle in a young man’s plastic bag, taking its place alongside a cornucopia of cans and bottles of different shapes and sizes. It was his lucky day as the driver placed a coin in his hand as well. The young African man thanked him profusely, as if this was not a simple coin, but a gold Krugerand, worth hundreds of dollars. To this young main, it may have well been a Krugerand, for you could see the value he placed on it in his eyes.
I was thankful to have seen part of Joburg I may have missed if it was just a simple trip down the highway.
So 90 minutes after leaving the airport, we made our way down winding roads through a residential neighborhood full of mansions behind 15 foot walls, eventually coming to the gates of the Saxon Hotel.
We flew into Johannesburg (Joburg) nearly 12 hours later. As we flew above the clouds and began our descent, I had no idea what to expect as the city is situated in the middle of South Africa. Was it lush and green or was it dry and brown? A cover of clouds obscured the view until we got closer to the ground, revealing a land that was vast and green, kind of like you expected it to be, yet unlike anything I’ve flown over before.
We were both anxious to get off the plane, find our driver and head to the hotel.We cleared customs and got into area outside customers where friends and relatives met up with their friends and families who were arriving from somewhere else. We searched for our driver but to no avail. No driver, no ride, no sign saying Kraus or Poullos/Saxon hotel. Plan 2. Call the hotel – but first you have to figure out how to dial the hotel from a US cell phone but you’re on the cell network of the country you’re in. Having gone through this in January in Paris and Germany, we got through to the hotel who tracked the driver down and who found us in about a minute after we had placed the call.
Finally, the final leg, a 40 minute ride to the hotel. As we drove down the highway, we could have been anywhere. The buildings and the types of businesses were all the same as you find anywhere, except of course that driving is on the left side of the road, not the right as we in the states drive.
Of course, not everything can go to plan. An accident slowed traffic to a crawl. After 40 minutes of that, our driver took a long, roundabout way to get us to the hotel but avoided what we later learned was a 10km backup (and we were at the end).
That detour gave us a unique perspective on Johannesburg -- and that was an eye opening experience.
I had recently watched a movie Tsotsi about a hustler and thief in South Africa and thought it might have been filmed in Joburg. After seeing the townships and neighborhoods, I knew it was filmed here. Beautiful homes were surrounded by 10 foot high walls and electric wiring at the top. Modest homes were surrounded by 6 foot walls and fences and electric wiring at the top. And you’d break out of those neighborhoods to vistas not of wide-open green space, but of places Alexandra Township
that stretched as far as you could see. These were miles of shack towns, built by the government and given to citizens to live freely as they were mostly unemployed…they simply had to pay for water and electricity.My sense of wonder about Africa and all the romance associated with it (maybe Out of Africa wasn’t so relevant anymore) quickly gave way to reality. And harsh reality. This is a city that has issues and I couldn’t help but be saddened by the woman at the side of the road cooking something and selling it. At the unemployed at many intersections who were begging, or passing out flyers, or selling everything from a child’s bright red inflatable vest for swimming in one hand to handful of car cell phone chargers, dangling like the legs of some bizarre sea creature in the other. Or collecting empty cans and bottles to trade in for change.
One driver in the car next to us rolled down his window and placed an empty Coke bottle in a young man’s plastic bag, taking its place alongside a cornucopia of cans and bottles of different shapes and sizes. It was his lucky day as the driver placed a coin in his hand as well. The young African man thanked him profusely, as if this was not a simple coin, but a gold Krugerand, worth hundreds of dollars. To this young main, it may have well been a Krugerand, for you could see the value he placed on it in his eyes.
I was thankful to have seen part of Joburg I may have missed if it was just a simple trip down the highway.
So 90 minutes after leaving the airport, we made our way down winding roads through a residential neighborhood full of mansions behind 15 foot walls, eventually coming to the gates of the Saxon Hotel.
Stopover in London
Day 2 – November 20th
Well, we made it to London. A quick stay here including a jaunt into city center for 5 hours, and then back to the airport for the flight to Johannesburg at 9pm.
Rocker man didn’t even look at me this morning on the plane and as we deplaned (embarrassed or memory lapse perhaps, who knows).
We walked for hours (or so it seemed) from our gate in search of the Star Alliance lounge where a hot shower awaited (and never felt so good) before we hit the Heathrow Express train into London.
Not really knowing where we wanted to go in London, we disembarked and decided to head for Sloane Square, an upscale shopping district with great stores and restaurants.
We opted to have a spot of lunch (nod to Mouse Club) at the busiest restaurant (and the only really busy one) at 3pm in the afternoon called The Botanist. Full of life on a chilly London day, a glass of red wine and a delicious lunch followed by a decidedly British version of carrot cake was perfect. Although the tiredness we both felt was starting to creep in.
A couple of Brits (women) two tables down started chatting us up about where we were going and what were doing. And then the conversation turned to politics and they wanted an American perspective on Obama. They said that everyone they know was really excited at the prospect of Obmaa being president and ready for America to take the lead again in world issues. We couldn’t agree more.
We headed out into the dark, chilly London evening at about 4:45
and yes it was dark and strolled down Sloane street, popping into a few shops here and there, eventually winding up at Harvey Nichols – London’s version of Bergdorf-Goodman meets Barney’s meets Fred Segal.
Tired of lugging a 50 pound carry-on (ok that’s a bit of an exaggeration), we got a wheelie duffel bag which took a huge load off our shoulders and then it was back on the Tube to the train station and back to Heathrow.
Nothing horribly exciting to report except we hopped aboard our South African Air flight to Joburg exhausted.
I needed to sleep so I popped an Ambien which took effect immediately. Twice Mike woke me up as I had fallen asleep mid-dinner, literally while chewing my food. Gross, I know, but it wasn't like I sat there for hours with food in my mouth -- just seconds....but man, was I tired.
Long flight!!!
Well, we made it to London. A quick stay here including a jaunt into city center for 5 hours, and then back to the airport for the flight to Johannesburg at 9pm.
Rocker man didn’t even look at me this morning on the plane and as we deplaned (embarrassed or memory lapse perhaps, who knows).
We walked for hours (or so it seemed) from our gate in search of the Star Alliance lounge where a hot shower awaited (and never felt so good) before we hit the Heathrow Express train into London.
Not really knowing where we wanted to go in London, we disembarked and decided to head for Sloane Square, an upscale shopping district with great stores and restaurants.
We opted to have a spot of lunch (nod to Mouse Club) at the busiest restaurant (and the only really busy one) at 3pm in the afternoon called The Botanist. Full of life on a chilly London day, a glass of red wine and a delicious lunch followed by a decidedly British version of carrot cake was perfect. Although the tiredness we both felt was starting to creep in.
A couple of Brits (women) two tables down started chatting us up about where we were going and what were doing. And then the conversation turned to politics and they wanted an American perspective on Obama. They said that everyone they know was really excited at the prospect of Obmaa being president and ready for America to take the lead again in world issues. We couldn’t agree more.
We headed out into the dark, chilly London evening at about 4:45
and yes it was dark and strolled down Sloane street, popping into a few shops here and there, eventually winding up at Harvey Nichols – London’s version of Bergdorf-Goodman meets Barney’s meets Fred Segal.Tired of lugging a 50 pound carry-on (ok that’s a bit of an exaggeration), we got a wheelie duffel bag which took a huge load off our shoulders and then it was back on the Tube to the train station and back to Heathrow.
Nothing horribly exciting to report except we hopped aboard our South African Air flight to Joburg exhausted.
I needed to sleep so I popped an Ambien which took effect immediately. Twice Mike woke me up as I had fallen asleep mid-dinner, literally while chewing my food. Gross, I know, but it wasn't like I sat there for hours with food in my mouth -- just seconds....but man, was I tired.Long flight!!!
Friday, November 21, 2008
Africa Here We Come
Day 1 – November 19th
Of course, no trip would be a trip without the usual pre-trip stress. We were our customary 15 minutes behind schedule – something that drives me nuts and after 11 years, something that I still fail to plan for. Now I know why my parents always got in little tiffs on Christmas morning as we were trying to get the family out the door on the way to Grandma's house -- there never failed to be a little spat that was over once we all were in the car and on the way.
So we kept the car service waiting and a bit of traffic delayed our arrival at LAX, but not enough to cause any harm oh er than a few irritated nerves.
But enough for the bad stuff -- on to Africa.
Upon making it through security at the airport, we headed over to the International lounge to hang out for 25 minutes before boarding. A rocker and his wife and two sets of business guys were the only people in there.
And then the fun began.
We boarded our flight, enjoyed a quick glass of champagne and then we were pulling back from the gate. Because Mike and I were in the middle section, our two seats faced inward/forward, while the window seat on either side of us faced outward/forward. Looking to my right was most natural as we taxied toward the runway, given the augment of my seat. I looked past Mike, across the aisle to the window, but all those window shades were closed. And who was sitting in that seat? The rocker guy from the lounge. And his wife was in the other window seat to my left across the aisle from me. Just the rocker guy and his wife in our row, with Mike and I in between the two of them.
Since I couldn't see out the window to my right, I had to crane my neck around to the left to see out as we taxied, then took off.
No sooner had the wheels left the ground than the rocker guy started screaming at me to stop looking at his wife. Huh? “Stop f#*king looking at my wife. I see you checking her out, “ he yelled in a drunken or drug induced rage.
I told him I was looking out the window and that I would happily look the other way but his shades were drawn. I was happy that Mike was in the seat to my right and the barrier between us. Not sure Mike felt the same.
Rocker guy then stood up (and the wheels had just left the ground), slammed all four of his window shades up and started yelling at me again. Drama to my left as his wife started yelling at him to stop it, to sit down. I chimed in that I was gay and didn’t really care what his wife looked like which got a laugh from the people around me.
I motioned the flight attendant who was already out of his seat and basically told Rocker man that he would have the flight turned around immediately if he didn’t settle down.
A few minutes of peace and then rocker man started in again. I motioned the flight attendant who went over and threatened him to stay quiet for the remainder of the flight or he would be forcibly restrained, the plane would be diverted and he would be arrested upon arrival.
He settled down but kept looking at me. The flight attendances couldn’t be more apologetic. Apparently rocker guy was upset because he wasn’t sitting next to his wife but he had requested a window seat of which there was only one. The flight attendant had to explain to him that there wasn't such a thing as two window seats next to each other which got a chuckle from a bunch of us.
So the flight attendants attempted to disrupt the cabin, moving others around to satisfy rocker man once the plane had leveled out. Long story short, the guy had passed out, and hard. So they didn’t end up moving him and he pretty much kept quiet the rest of the flight.
I won’t bore you with the rest of the details like movies and food. Suffice to say, it’s now 10:30am London time (2:30 LA time) and we’re here (and I’m beyond tired), having probably slept about four hours.
Of course, no trip would be a trip without the usual pre-trip stress. We were our customary 15 minutes behind schedule – something that drives me nuts and after 11 years, something that I still fail to plan for. Now I know why my parents always got in little tiffs on Christmas morning as we were trying to get the family out the door on the way to Grandma's house -- there never failed to be a little spat that was over once we all were in the car and on the way.
So we kept the car service waiting and a bit of traffic delayed our arrival at LAX, but not enough to cause any harm oh er than a few irritated nerves.
But enough for the bad stuff -- on to Africa.
Upon making it through security at the airport, we headed over to the International lounge to hang out for 25 minutes before boarding. A rocker and his wife and two sets of business guys were the only people in there.
And then the fun began.
We boarded our flight, enjoyed a quick glass of champagne and then we were pulling back from the gate. Because Mike and I were in the middle section, our two seats faced inward/forward, while the window seat on either side of us faced outward/forward. Looking to my right was most natural as we taxied toward the runway, given the augment of my seat. I looked past Mike, across the aisle to the window, but all those window shades were closed. And who was sitting in that seat? The rocker guy from the lounge. And his wife was in the other window seat to my left across the aisle from me. Just the rocker guy and his wife in our row, with Mike and I in between the two of them.
Since I couldn't see out the window to my right, I had to crane my neck around to the left to see out as we taxied, then took off.
No sooner had the wheels left the ground than the rocker guy started screaming at me to stop looking at his wife. Huh? “Stop f#*king looking at my wife. I see you checking her out, “ he yelled in a drunken or drug induced rage.
I told him I was looking out the window and that I would happily look the other way but his shades were drawn. I was happy that Mike was in the seat to my right and the barrier between us. Not sure Mike felt the same.
Rocker guy then stood up (and the wheels had just left the ground), slammed all four of his window shades up and started yelling at me again. Drama to my left as his wife started yelling at him to stop it, to sit down. I chimed in that I was gay and didn’t really care what his wife looked like which got a laugh from the people around me.
I motioned the flight attendant who was already out of his seat and basically told Rocker man that he would have the flight turned around immediately if he didn’t settle down.
A few minutes of peace and then rocker man started in again. I motioned the flight attendant who went over and threatened him to stay quiet for the remainder of the flight or he would be forcibly restrained, the plane would be diverted and he would be arrested upon arrival.
He settled down but kept looking at me. The flight attendances couldn’t be more apologetic. Apparently rocker guy was upset because he wasn’t sitting next to his wife but he had requested a window seat of which there was only one. The flight attendant had to explain to him that there wasn't such a thing as two window seats next to each other which got a chuckle from a bunch of us.
So the flight attendants attempted to disrupt the cabin, moving others around to satisfy rocker man once the plane had leveled out. Long story short, the guy had passed out, and hard. So they didn’t end up moving him and he pretty much kept quiet the rest of the flight.
I won’t bore you with the rest of the details like movies and food. Suffice to say, it’s now 10:30am London time (2:30 LA time) and we’re here (and I’m beyond tired), having probably slept about four hours.
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