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February 2023

februari 2023 - juni 2025
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Sailing to Africa, rounding the cape, & crossing the Atlantic! Meer informatie
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  • Namibië
  • Zuid-Afrika
  • Mauritius
  • Bijeenkomst
  • Madagascar
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  • Alles weergeven (8)
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Rond de wereld, Koopel, Cruiseschip, Cultuur, Natuur, Zelfontdekking, Bezienswaardigheden bekijken, Vakantie, Wildlife
  • 12,3kafgelegde kilometers
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  • 67Footprints
  • 868dagen
  • 376foto’s
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VolgenKalenderDelenBucketlist
Oudste eerst
  • ReizigerFebruary 2023

    Impala for Lunch

    22 februari 2023, Zuid-Afrika ⋅ ☀️ 82 °F

    After a nearly four hour game drive, we enjoyed a splendid lunch back at Sibuya Game Reserve.

    Barbecued impala was featured on the menu along with a lovely pumpkin and garbanzo bean salad and fresh baked bread.

    The chef was excited when he heard Larry and I are from Texas. “Aha!” he exclaimed. “The land of barbecue! Let me know what you think.”

    I told him it was the best impala I’d ever had, while Larry made some joke about how he’d once had an Impala, but then he got a Belair. (Luckily, the man got it. It took me a minute!)

    The whole meal was a treat. We washed it all down with a glass of Sibuya’s own red wine and some rooibos tea. (I drink rooibos all the time at home, but it only grows in South Africa, so I was excited to have some here.)    Meer informatie

    Zie vertaling
  • ReizigerFebruary 2023

    Lions will be lions!

    22 februari 2023, Zuid-Afrika ⋅ ☀️ 81 °F

    They keep the lions in a separate part of the game reserve at Sibuya. Not only does it have an electric fence, but it has an electrified area on the ground.

    As we entered the lion section, Nick told us to speak quietly and move slowly. Quick movements might attract unwanted attention.

    “They’re cats, after all,” Nick warned. “And cats can be tempted to chase things that move quickly.”

    Just like house cats, lions sleep most of the day. They are hard to see in the tall grass, so none of us could really get a good photo.

    “Want to hear a scary story?” Nick asked.

    Of course we said ‘yes,’ so he told us about some poachers who came to a sorry end. They were after the game reserve’s rhinos, but ended up in the lion section by mistake.

    It was night, so the lions were in hunting mode. This time, however, instead of going after wildebeest or impala, they made a meal out of the trio of poachers.

    The next day when one of Nick’s coworkers drove up, he found the lions playing with human heads.

    Beyond that, all that was left of the poachers were their guns, and their shoes!    Meer informatie

    Zie vertaling
  • ReizigerFebruary 2023
    1

    The Big 5

    22 februari 2023, Zuid-Afrika ⋅ ☀️ 79 °F

    Our excursion to Sibuya Game Reserve got off to a dubious start. Not only did our bus smell so strongly of urine that it made my eyes water, but instead of a guide, we were mistakenly given a Spanish translator and she was not happy about this mistake.

    So rather than hear info about South Africa, we spent an hour and a half listening to her loudly complain about this error on her cell phone.

    At least it gave me a chance to practice my Spanish comprehension. I now know all about her and her two kids. (They’re doing fine, in case you wondered.)

    It was a pretty drive, although I was surprised how deserted the roads were. We only saw, maybe, six other vehicles during our hour and a half drive.

    Much to my surprise, the terrain reminded me a lot of Texas as we passed through rolling hills, windmills, and ranchers in cowboy hats driving herds of cattle.

    Once we reached Sibuya Game Reserve, everything improved greatly. Our “photo safari” driver, Nick, was friendly and knowledgeable about all aspects of local flora and fauna.

    He didn’t just point out mammals, but also birds, bird calls, insects, reptiles, and wildflowers along the way. I had fun checking off as many species as I could on the handy list they gave us.

    We also managed to see four of the “Big 5” on our game drive: Elephants, Cape Buffalo, Rhinos, and Lions.

    I was amazed at the terrain those land rovers could handle. At times the roads were so steep and bumpy that I was surprised we didn’t tip over!

    I write more about our game drive in some other posts, but just so you know, we took a different bus on the drive back to the ship!    Meer informatie

    Zie vertaling
  • ReizigerFebruary 2023

    An Elegant Snack

    22 februari 2023, Zuid-Afrika ⋅ ☀️ 77 °F

    Partway through our game drive, Nick stopped at a pretty overlook where we enjoyed a snack of dried mango, nuts, and some chilled white wine. I don’t usually drink white wine, but this was very refreshing.Meer informatie

    Zie vertaling
  • ReizigerFebruary 2023

    Chaise Lounge Mystery

    22 februari 2023, Zuid-Afrika ⋅ ☀️ 61 °F

    What’s so great about chaise lounges? Can someone please explain?

    I find them uncomfortable, yet judging by the myriad folks I see lounging in them every day, I’m in the minority.

    Sure, I enjoy kicking back with a book, but the angle that chaise lounges are tipped is really uncomfortable.

    Maybe it’s because, for whatever reason, I don’t enjoy slouching. As a teen, I was teased for sitting up straight, and I even attempted to cultivate a slouch. It didn’t last.

    Also, as you can probably guess by the shade of my skin, I’m not someone who enjoys laying in the sun to cultivate a tan. Chaise lounges seem perfect for that.

    So tell me. Am I missing the joys of a chaise lounge? Or what???    Meer informatie

    Zie vertaling
  • ReizigerFebruary 2023

    Rough Seas & Broken Bones

    19 februari 2023, Zuid-Afrika ⋅ 🌙 79 °F

    Seas were rough on the way from Durban to Elizabethtown (or Gqerbah, as it seems to be called on the maps!)

    Simply walking around the ship was a challenge as it pitched and rolled, but Larry and I didn’t mind, nor do we get seasick as some folks do.

    For some reason, our dock wasn’t ready when we arrived in Elizabethtown, so they sent us to a different dock.

    Three ambulances met the ship to cart off four injured people. One was a member of the kitchen staff who broke his arm during the rocky transit.

    Two more passengers were injured by the rocky ship, but the fourth had a medical emergency of some other kind.

    Unfortunately, our photo safari was cancelled because the tour buses were at the dock where we were originally supposed to be.

    We opted to stay on the ship today. We’ve heard so many tales of crimes from other passengers in South Africa, that it’s less than inviting to go for a stroll. We might get more of an adventure than we bargained for!

    Instead, we had a relaxing day on the ship, swimming and playing Scrabble. While we play Scrabble, I edit photos and write blog posts.

    The shore excursion folks have shifted us to a different game reserve for tomorrow. I’ll let you know how it goes.

    p.s. The photo here is a Chantilly swan dessert from last night’s dinner. Yum!    Meer informatie

    Zie vertaling
  • ReizigerFebruary 2023

    A Literal Tidal Pool

    19 februari 2023, Zuid-Afrika ⋅ ☀️ 82 °F

    When I hear the phrase “tidal pool,” I think of a natural formation at low tide. Here in South Africa, it means a literal swimming pool created at the seaside.

    In addition to shark nets, this walled off section of ocean creates a safer environment for swimmers by lessening the chance of them being pulled to sea by the powerful riptides here.

    Despite these dangers, our guide tells us that an international surfing competition takes place here every year.

    I love the sea, and found a peaceful looking spot to wade. As I walked down the steps, however, a big wave came and drenched me!

    Even though I got utterly soaked, it was so hot out that it was actually quite refreshing and I was nearly dry by the time we returned to the ship.    Meer informatie

    Zie vertaling
  • ReizigerFebruary 2023

    Crime in Durban

    19 februari 2023, Zuid-Afrika ⋅ ☀️ 82 °F

    Of all the places we have visited in our many travels, Durban has the dubious distinction of being the place where the most people we know were mugged!

    A trio of friends went for a stroll around 10 a.m. They didn’t get far before a couple of men ran up and attempted to steal one guy’s fanny pack.

    As he struggled with his assailants, some locals came up and helped chase the attackers off.

    None of the victims were walking alone, at night, or in areas that seemed “dodgy.” One attack occurred within sight of the ship, very close to the dock.

    No one was hurt, at least, although one criminal put his hands around a woman’s neck as if to choke her. Scary!

    Meanwhile at the beach, a woman had her cellphone snatched from her hands and she relaxed in the sun.

    These are just a few of the muggings we heard about. All of them were in broad daylight!

    We took the ship’s tour today, and they only let us off the bus once. Along the way, we passed sign after sign for “armed response” security companies.

    Barbed wire and electric fences were on the perimeter of every apartment and house. Many had guards sitting at the entrance.

    As we drove through the downtown, our guide said, “This is a bad part of town. Don’t go walking here.”

    After all the stories I heard today, I certainly believe her!    Meer informatie

    Zie vertaling
  • ReizigerFebruary 2023

    Mauritius

    15 februari 2023, Mauritius ⋅ ⛅ 84 °F

    We leisurely taxi tour in Mauritius. The town was pretty dingy, but we enjoyed the local market.

    Larry bartered long and hard with the man you see in the photo. They were having a good time, though, and other shopkeepers were chuckling over the intense negotiation, as well.

    I got a kick out of the “hipster Shiva” t shirt. There’s quite a mix of cultures here, since after slavery was abolished in the 1800s, many folks came from India to work the sugar cane fields. (Of course, even though they were not technically slaves, the conditions weren’t exactly great, either.)

    The market smelled of curry and fresh fruit. Dodo birds were a common design motif here, since this is where they once thrived.

    In fact, as part of Larry’s wheeling and dealing, the shopkeeper gave us some Mauritian currency featuring a dodo bird.

    After the market, our cabbie took us to a beach that locals enjoy. We had it all to ourselves because it was a weekday.    Meer informatie

    Zie vertaling
  • ReizigerFebruary 2023

    Rainy Day on Reunion Island

    14 februari 2023, Bijeenkomst ⋅ ☁️ 77 °F

    We had a mellow day on Reunion Island. The rain made it too foggy to justify a taxi tour, so we took a shuttle into Port Louis and wandered around, instead.

    We’d heard that due to the French influence here that the bakeries were quite good, but hardly any were open today.

    There was a place called “O’Tacos” that claimed to be home of “the original French taco.”

    Say what?

    At that point, however, I was holding out for a chocolate croissant, but as mentioned before, most places were closed.

    During our stroll we passed a colorful Hindu temple, but it was also closed today.

    I did buy a pair of beach sandals to replace the ones that fell apart on the Seychelles, as well as a colorful dress that was locally made.

    As I said, it was a very mellow day!    Meer informatie

    Zie vertaling
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