Horsing Around with Zebras

Our last stop before returning to civilization was the Mihngo Lodge at Mburo Lake. Each new park we visit has something special to offer and here we have zebras and the ability to explore the park on foot, or horseback.  There is only one lion in the park, an escapee from neighboring Tanzania.  It is a zebra, warthog and antelope party without predators.  One of my safari highlights was a sunset horseback ride through the park.  I just can't explain the thrill of riding Summer Song, my horse, through a herd of zebras at sunset.  What an experience!

Our last safari morning in our fantasy lodge started with a wake up call -- a young girl bringing coffee and tea in a basket to our open air tent/room at sunrise. I've never been so excited to get out of bed at the crack of dawn! We started the day with a walking safari in the park. It was amazing to encounter the wildlife on foot! This is truly the way to experience Uganda, around the watering hole.

After another five hour bumpy African road journey, we were back in Kampala.  Uganda's capital is pretty rough, and now I understand why many people stay out in Entebbe by the airport.  But, we had dinner plans with a friend, Paul, living in Kampala.

It was sad to say goodbye to our friend, driver and guide Richard, who showed us half of Uganda.  Luckily, Carrie had found us a rare boutique hotel, the Emin Pasha, to enjoy and recuperate before our journey home. Finally five star luxury, but I miss the sounds of Africa already...

Gorillas for Thanksgiving

After another thrilling day on Ugandan roads, the Mahogany Springs Lodge in the Bwindi rainforest was heaven. The tropical air was lush and the gorilla trek excitement was palatable.  The lodge was gorgeous. We were up early and anxious about our gorilla day.  Will it rain (and keep the gorillas up in the trees)?  How far would we have to hike?  How thick will the brush/nettles be? What will the other (5) people in our group be like? How close will we get? Will it live up to our expectations...

Our group (8 permits are given per gorilla family, $500 each for one hour visit, once a day) made a harrowing drive up a washed out mountain, hopped out and started to hike with our local porters, trackers and guide.  We were lucky that the sun was shining but the trail was thick with mud and the brush was hazardous. After an hour and a half gorillas were spotted.  We had to leave our packs, porters, and walking sticks behind to approach the gorillas.  Of course our huge silverback leader took off and led us racing through the brush.  Falling ass over elbows in nettles leaving a bloody trail, I missed Esra, my porter, and started questioning my sanity.  Then suddenly we were standing in the middle of about 16 gorillas.  There was a mom and her 22 day old baby, another 1 year old playing, a grumpy old man and of course the massive silverback leader eating and watching us. They are truly incredible creatures. Not only could I read their expression, but it was obvious that they could read ours. It was exhilarating, profound and humbling. I will forever remember this Thanksgiving Day.

When our hour was up and we were hiking away, the silverback charged our group twice.  It was terrifying.  Our tracker, armed with a machete did not flinch.  He just told the group to stay behind him and not to run.  Run?  No problem, I was scared stiff.  The silverback went on his way and my heart started again.  The guide speculated that although unusual he was charging to impress the ladies in his family.  Alpha males are the same the world over...  Our mission in Uganda was complete.  We bonded with "our cousins" and lived to tell about it.

Now it was time to relax. I had a massage in our room and the best shower in Africa.  Our Thanksgiving lemon chicken dinner in the dining room with rainforest views, was perfection.  In addition to great friends and exotic travels, I am also thankful for good South African wine this year!

The Lion King

Our next stop was the Queen Elizabeth National Park. In four hours we left the rainforest and were back in the hot savannah with big game.  Enroute we came upon on elephant family of about eight trying to cross the busy road. They were amazing and so close!

We swung off the highway and passed through an extremely poor village before reaching our next lodge, Katara, on the edge of the national park.  The breathtaking views provided the true Lion King experience.  The mesmerizing beauty stretched as far as the eye could see. Our room was extravagantly appointed, but of course very little lighting and no blowdryers allowed.  There seems to be a bad hair conspiracy in Uganda.

After an evening of listening to the local farmers make noise (including gun fire) to scare elephants out of their garden, we were up watching the sunrise over the Rwenzori Mountains and looking for lions. Richard's tracking skills are the best and we saw a lioness and her cubs on the move, two males resting extremely close to our path and another lioness sleeping in a tree. They were beautiful and so peaceful.  It's good to be the top of the food chain.

We skipped our afternoon boat ride in favor of happy hour and the lovely Katara Lodge view. This evening's excitement included an earthquake.  My first I believe, and Carrie and I thought it was just elephants again.

On our way to Bwindi, we visited Ishasha, the southern part of Queen Elizabeth Park.  This area is known for lions who like to sleep in trees. We found one perched in a fat fig tree.  This was the perfect lion sighting with no other safari vehicles around.  It was time to leave the savannah and head to the rainforest in search of gorillas!

Kibale Chimps

Today I learned the term African massage.  After 11 hours on the world's worst roads, we wanted to give Richard, our expert driver, a medal for getting us up to Kibale National Forest in one piece. It seemed doubtful at times.  It was wonderful to experience the countryside though and see the wonder on peoples' faces as a car of bazungu (group of white people) passed through their towns.  When we stopped to have lunch in the woods a group of kids found us.  They were both curious and scared of us.  Things warmed up when we broke out our stash of candy to give out.

The terrain turned from Africa hot to cool, humid jungle when we reached Kibale.  The Primate Lodge was made up of beautiful, romantic tents, but lacked all creature comforts. Our goal in the Kibale rainforest is to track chimpanzees. Our Ugandan Wildlife Guide, Alex, gave us a thorough briefing--follow me, I have a rifle, do what I say.  Understood. We slogged through the rainforest and were rewarded with several chimp sightings.  Their mannerisms are so much like us that it's unbelievable. Then we hit the jackpot with three males sitting on a log grooming each other.  We got 20 feet from them and watched them interact for about 10 minutes.  Priceless. They were called by other chimps and went nuts before running off. So exciting!

Our Chimp experience was amazing and has wet our appetite for the gorilla trek!

African Queen

Off at 8am with our driver, Richard, we followed the Nile River for 7 hours north to reach Murchison Falls. The falls were lovely, but the history was even better. Hemingway's plane crashed in 1954 while viewing the falls, Churchill and several royals visited and the African Queen was set here. We checked into the Nile Safari Lodge in Murchison Falls Park in time for happy hour while watching the sunset on the Nile.

We are now learning the lingo--"eco" lodge means limited electricity and hot water. As Kathleen and I tried to trap a man sized lizard in our room, I determined that I was mistaken to think I was "outdoorsy." The bucket shower concept didn't help.  This was by far the loudest night of my camping life.  The hippos were very active as was everything in the surrounding jungle and in our cabin.

Up at the crack and off on our first game drive.  Ranger Douglas joined us when we crossed the Nile ferry.  Nothing can compare to standing in the safari pop-up top viewing elephants, giraffe, buffalo, Ugandan Kob, Hippos, Baboons... Brilliant. I AM outdoorsy!

We took an afternoon cruise on the Nile (channeling Hepburn and Bogart) and saw all the wildlife and birds unobstructed. We even came upon a large crocodile waiting for his close-up. This was a totally different experience than my Nile cruise in Egypt (over 4,000 miles away).  Then I was struck by how the mighty river gave life to the surrounding communities. Now I see how the world's longest river provides life to a continent.

Landing in Entebbe

My 50th birthday present to myself is a Ugandan safari.  Why Uganda? 400 of the world's 800 mountain gorillas live here and I'm going to track them.  It just seems fitting to start a new decade with a tremendous adventure!

The gorilla safari idea was hatched on a girls ski trip last January.  Carrie Worley did the planning and chose Gorilla Tours to make the arrangements. Her friend Kathleen Murphy joined us at the last minute and the group was complete.

13 days, 3 women, 1 driver, 5 Ugandan national parks, 1,500 miles (covering half the country) and 1 Toyota Land Cruiser.

Flying to Uganda from Pensacola takes about 22 hours.  I hit Entebbe very late on Nov. 14.  It seemed surreal to land at the airport made famous by the 1976 hostage situation. The images of the terrorists and ranting dictator Idi Amin kept flashing through my mind as I requested a holiday visa.

The first hotel, The Boma, was the perfect introduction to Uganda.  A garden oasis in Entebbe.  I settled into Africa and visited the wildlife center and arboretum on Lake Victoria, the birthplace of the Nile.  Carrie and Kathleen arrived late that evening and the fun began...

Mahalo Maui

My Hawaiian adventure begins with four action packed days on Maui.  Since I’m living on Pensacola Beach, I didn’t come to Hawaii to relax in the sand.  August 1-4 are still a blur.  I landed on Maui at 9pm and was picked up at the Hotel Wailea at 2am for my first excursion.  Wearing a coat and ski gloves, I watched the sunrise above the clouds on the summit of Haleakala, the 10,000ft mountain in the southern central part of Maui.  Even on two hours of sleep it was well worth it! After a glorious start to August, our group of 13 drove down to 6,500 ft and hopped on bikes.  We spent all morning biking downhill through Eucalyptus trees, lavender farms and gorgeous tropical flowers. We ended up at about sea level in a cool hippy town called Paia. I fell in love with Hawaii that morning! 

After a visit to Polo Beach and a good nap, I met a friend of a friend for dinner at Capiche? in my hotel.  Jerry, a local ophthalmologist, treated me to my first Mai Tai. Maui sunsets are meant to be savored over a Mai Tai!

Day two was all about exploring the West Coast. My first stop was the town of Lahaina.  Precious! Lahaina was the original capital of Hawaii until it moved to Honolulu in 1845. The 1.5 mile coastal Front Street walk was full of shops, restaurants, bars, art galleries and a massive Banyan tree.  The former whaling town reminded me of Provincetown or Key West.  I felt right at home.

After a good lunch at Cheeseburger in Paradise, I was back on the road up to see the beach at Ka’anapali.  This is the premier resort beach in Maui.  It’s lined with fancy hotels and has a great beach path stretching down to the Black Rock end.  I passed several luau’s on my walk, but the highlight was hearing Don Ho’s famous “Tiny Bubbles” performed at sunset.  Check!

Apparently you can’t leave Maui without snorkeling the Molokini Crater.  So off I went.  I sailed with a fun group on the Paragon, a catamaran.  We sailed ten miles from the Ma’alaea harbor to this cool sunken crater that’s now a marine sanctuary.  There was some nice coral, but the real attraction was the parade of tropical fish.  I hated to get back on the boat, but at least we had lunch and more sailing to look forward to.

I spent the afternoon on what many consider the best beach on Maui.  “Big Beach” is just past my Wailea resort area at the end of the line in Makena.  The beach is through woods and feels hidden.  The almost 2/3 mile long 100 ft wide beach looks like a post card.  No resorts, no vendors, just golden sand and clean surf. At one end of the beach I climbed over some lava rocks to find “Little Beach” which is an illegal nude beach. Then low and behold, I got to watch naked surfing.  My trip is complete! Unfortunately I couldn't take photos.

I couldn’t leave Maui without driving the Road to Hana. The most famous drive in Hawaii allows you to “experience the tropical fantasy.” I don’t know if I would go that far, but it was a blast to drive. It’s a two lane, twisty cliff side road that is filled with one lane stone bridges. Guide books say there are 600 turns, but I never remember going straight. The views were breathtaking and the hikes to waterfalls were amazing.  The places along the way to pull over and explore were endless. I’ll put this on my list to do again when I return to Maui one day…

Loving and Leaving Lima

I've spent three days exploring three districts of Lima, only 27 more to go.  Lima is huge.  The main city spreads over 300 miles, without the suburbs.  Over one-third of Peru's population lives here.  When I arrived on May 1 our group explored the historic city center with museums and churches. I'm now hanging out in the coastal upscale neighborhoods for some local flavor.

Miraflores -- My hostel is in this lovely area.  Located on cliffs above the Pacific Ocean, Miraflores has a very Southern California feel.  The architecture is contemporary and beachy, bougainvillea everywhere, the best restaurants in the city, great surfing, posh stores and a generally relaxed vibe.  If I moved to Peru, this is where I'd live.  My favorite place is the Lovers Park overlooking the Pacific.  There is a very Gaudi-esque decor and a floral garden to rival Disney World.

Barranco -- This is the nightlife capital and supposedly the bohemian area.  More of the artisan class live in the area, but well to do young Lima comes here to party.  The churches and momuments are lit at night and you can see the Pacific.  It's a goregous area to explore at night!  And by explore I mean sample the endless ways to drink Pisco.

San Isidro --This is the "Upper East Side" of Lima.  Madison Avenue quality shopping, a central park filled with pram pushing Moms, and perfectly manicured streets.  The people watching was superb. Right on the border with Miraflores is a pre-Columbian temple site.  Huaca Pucllana is a restored adobe ceremonial center that dates back to 400 AD. It was incredible to learn about all the rituals and human sacrifices while seeing the plush surrounding.

In my opinion, Lima has it all.  Fabulous food, gorgeous views, an abundance of spas, great style and a true coastal feel make these areas of Lima a beautiful place to live. I've decided not to head to the beaches in Peru.  The coastal May gray weather and off season feel make Pensacola sound like a much better beach destination.  So, tomorrow I'm off for home.

Amazon Queen

Three days ago I floated off on the Amazon with my guide Freddy to tame the wilderness, or at least see a little bit of it.  Our small boat also carried two travelers from Sweden and Columbia in search of adventure.  We were able to find a slough, macau, parrot and several monkeys, which boarded our boat to play.  We also went by a village house where a boy rowed out in a canoe with an Anaconda for the obligitory photo. The other travelers took a swim in the Amazon, but I passed on the opportunity after having seen what went into it as we made the three hour journey down river from Iquitos.

After an evening in the Dolphin lodge, where we had only three ours of electricity, I was ready to explore the jungle.  Freddy used a machete to blaze a new trail.  I learned about trees that cure everything from ovarian cancer to goiters. Trees that make beautiful white floors and those that make dark parquet patterns.  I stopped counting the mushroom types.  I enjoyed the "decorative" things like the bird of paradise.  However, Freddy clearly favored termite mounds, ant colonies, spider holes, bascially anything insect related.  Did mention that we were knee high in mud the entire time? I was thankful for the rubber boots, but regretted my decision to only bring one pair of pants to the jungle.

We passed one afternoon fishing for piranhas.  Our boat captain caught a white one and showed me the strong teeth.  It was only a baby so we tossed him back.  My biggest Amazon moment was seeing the pink dolphins.  It took several tries, but we found them! They are shy and beautiful.  The natives think they are bewitched.  I just think they are amazing!

It was an exciting three day jungle adventure.  I can live without electricity when surrounded with beauty, but it was time to come back to civiliazation when they ran out of coffee!