Tag: tourism

South African Safari 2025 Day 10 – The day of the Waterbuck

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After a restless nights sleep, which involved plenty of exercise in the form of getting in and out of bed to turn on and off the air conditioning, we prepared for our journey up to Letaba. The weather was very different to yesterdays….yesterday at 11 am it was 36 degrees Celsius where as today it was only 24 degrees Celsius. Letaba camp is about 90km north of Satara. We haven’t been up this high for probably 10 years….basically because the game has been scarce and sightings were few and far between. However we had been unable to book into Satara ( our preferred area due to prolific game) for longer, as it was full. So being flexible we decided to carry on up the park. John has never been to Punda Marie neither has he stayed in Shingwedzi. It must be about 20 years since I’ve stayed in the later…although for many years prior to this Shingwedzi was my favourite camp and I knew most the staff by name. We decided to stay 2 nights in Letaba before stopping in Shingwedzi for 3 nights….I couldn’t be persuaded to stay in Punda Marie, but have agreed to drive up there so John can have a look at the area. Many years ago I had booked Punda Marie, my son was a youngster and they provided me with a mattress for him on the floor…..the mattress was so old and stained that I wouldn’t even have let my dog sleep on it…disgusting..and it has put me off staying there ever since…I am certain 30+ years later it is absolutely fine but my memories remain vivid so for us it’s a no-no.

Back to the present…we had a meagre breakfast of 2 yogurts each and set off up the tar. The terrain is very different here…wide open flat spaces of nothingness. Our first half an hour was extremely enjoyable with 99+ zebra and wilderness traversing the plains.

After this our sightings became few and far between. We saw a few families of elephants in the almost dried up waterholes the road passes by. A couple of these waterholes had a flurry of mixed sightings. One in particular had zebra, Wildebeest, kudu and impala all streaming in longlines down to and then away from the water. A lovely view.

Some of the little streams of water had waterbuck on the shallow banks.

The Waterbuck is a large antelope, it has reddish brown course fur with white around its nose and eyes and a white collar around its neck. It also has a very distinctive “follow-me” white circle on its rump…many say this looks like a toilet seat or even a target 🤣. Like many antelope the waterbuck male has horns where as the slightly smaller female does not. The waterbuck is a very strong swimmer, it uses its hollow bearded neck hair for buoyancy. Its fur releases a smelly musky oil which repels water. We have also been told on numerous occasions by game rangers that the waterbuck also releases this oil when it is frightened. The lion is its main predator but has learnt to leave it alone because the oil it releases taints its meat which makes it unpalatable.

Our trip continued along the tar. As we drew closer to Letaba we decided to take one of the gravel road loops down and along the Letaba river. We saw zebra, elephant and impala.

We stopped at the edge of the water for elevenses. We are now reduced to park purchased processed cheese on some Woolworths crackers..not too bad. We watched three waterbuck walk along in front of us…they had a youngster with them. We saw a saddle-billed stork waddle along. An enjoyable half hour break from driving.

Our total viewing for the day was 99+ impala, 99+ wildebeest, 99+ zebra, 15 giraffe, 3 warthog, 2 grey Lourie, 6 kudu, 4 hippo, 37 elephants, 28 buffalo, 17 waterbuck, 2 steenbok, 1 bateleur, 1 saddlebilled stork, 1 squirrel.

We arrived at the Letaba reception at around 11.30….. too early for check in which is 2 pm. However we did book on to the sunset drive. We went to wait until check-in at the restaurant and decided to have a toasted bacon sandwich for lunch while overlooking the river, with its many islands which appear during the dry season.

At 2 pm we picked up our chalet key. Once again the chalet was the tired old variety but as it was on the perimeter fence we overlooked the river. It had a closed in veranda, with mosquito netting and wire , which makes you feel as if you are in a cage looking out🤣. This time we had a microwave, toaster, kettle ( thank heavens…can’t wait for a coffee), and full utensils but no hotplate or sink…however there is a large tub for putting your dirty dishes in and carrying to the communal kitchen to wash up….ummmm…no! I can’t see either John or I doing that so I guess it will be the restaurant for the next two nights🤣🤣

We arrived early for the sunset drive and our name was first on the list so we got a choice of where we wanted to sit. The truck was almost completely full, but this time with people who actually wanted to game view and knew the etiquette of the bush.

Off we set with our driver and guide “Happiness” . Unfortunate her name did not deliver. We saw lots of giraffes. Several were stood in “ push-me pull-me” positions. Lots of animals do this in particular zebras and impala, it is so they each look in different directions so they can see if any predators are coming.

The 3 hour drive showed us giraffe and elephant. A rather lovely sighting was a nyala buck and 3 cows in a dried river bed. As we were nearing the end of our drive we saw a black backed jackal, however Happiness was reluctant to reverse the truck so that everyone could see it. Just before we turned in the camp gate 2 hyena appeared, but once again Happiness didn’t reverse even though most the truck were asking her to….a little disappointing…..so for the first time this trip we decided not to tip….we don’t believe in tipping when it’s not earnt or deserving.

Squirrel, kudu, Wildebeest, Buffalo and Elephant.

We headed for the restaurant and once again John had Venison pot pie and I had roasted chicken and …yes I did have a Savannah light🤣

The night saw us playing cards in the cage before an early to bed was required.

Tallinn, Estonia – BEEN THERE GOT THE T-SHIRT

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Estonia is a country situated  in Northern Europe it has borders on the west with the Baltic Sea, on the north with the Gulf of Finland, on the south with Latvia and on the east with Lake Peipsi and Russia. It was formally part of The Soviet Union. Soviet authorities recognised Estonian independence on 6 September 1991, and on 17 September 1991 Estonia was admitted into the United Nations. 

Estonia consists of the mainland and a lot of islands……if you ask one Estonia they’ll tell you 1500 and if you ask another you’ll be told 2300 Islands….so I’ll just say a lot!!! The largest islands are Saaremaa and Hiiumaa. Estonia covers a total of 17,504 square miles(45,335sqkm).  It has a very diverse terrain which includes rocky beaches, old forests and many lakes. It’s attractiveness is not just one of scenery but it also in its very aesthetically beautiful castles, churches and hilltop fortresses. 

We visited Estonia as part of a Northern Europe, Capital city, cruise with Princess Cruises. We had had it booked before the arrival of the pandemic and it had been moved twice….so we were delighted to finally go  even though the itinerary was much changed from our original booking. This had been pre-invasion of Russia into Ukrainian and had included both St Petersburg and Helsinki, both of which were removed from the itinerary, the former because it was a country at war and the later because it was too close to Russia. 

Our trip to Estonia included a day trip to Tallinn, it’s capital city. Tallinn has a population of about 461,000. Tallinn is renowned for its preserved Old Town and museums. Our coach picked us up at the port and took us to the monument complex which commemorates the victims of communism. 

Our next stop was the Tallinn Song Festival Grounds it is valued architecturally and is the first post-war building in Tallinn which was completed in 1960. When not being used for The Song Festival the park is open for walking, sports activities and having a picnic. There is a beautiful statue of Gustav Ernesaks  who was an Estonia composer who died in 1993. The statue of him sitting overlooking the festival ground was erected in 2004. 

The coach parked up outside the old city walls and we followed our guide to Toompea Hill. Toompea or “Upper Town” is the home of some of Tallinn’s oldest architectural wonders and home to Palace Square. Our first stop was Alexander Nevsky Cathedral . This is a historic Russian Orthodox Cathedral. St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral serves as the dominating landmark in Palace Square, the cathedral’s cupolas and golden crosses rise high above the rooftops.

Turn your back on the Cathedral and you come face to face with Toompea Castle. The castle with its late Baroque façade was built between 1767 and 1773 and sits on the site of the foundations of a 13th century fortress. It’s outside wall is pink which was an attractive contrast to the wet dark cobbles of the area on this particular grey rainy day. The castle is now home to the Parliamentary buildings.

We then slipped and slid our way around the streets, if it hadn’t been for the heavy rain we would have been more enthusiastic about the history and beauty of the quaint streets. Instead of concentrating on what our guide was saying we were more concerned with staying upright and keeping warm. We made our way to Piiskopi Viewing point. It was worth it …the views were terrific. We looked down on Lowe Old Town. Our guide pointed out many buildings but we were ready to scurry into a tourist souvenir shop and get into the warm and out of the rain for a few minutes.

We made our way back to the coach which returned us to the port terminal. The weather really impacted on our tour and we were a bit disappointed that we couldn’t appreciate this obviously beautiful historical capital city….maybe sometime we will get to visit again.

Bonaire, Caribbean- BEEN THERE GOT THE T-SHIRT

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Bonaire is a Caribbean island which forms part of the ABC islands. Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao are three islands closely located which are all special municipality’s within the Kingdom of the Netherlands in the western most group of the long arc of Islands, known as the  Lesser Antilles in the Caribbean Sea.

Bonaire lies 50 miles (80 km) north of the Venezuelan coast and 20 miles (32 km) east of Curaçao. The capital is Kralendijk.

The northern part is hilly, with a peak, Brandaris, 787 feet (240 metres) high, while the southern part is flat, with desert like vegetation.

We have cruised into Bonaire on numerous occasions. However they have recently introduced a US$75 per person visitor tax so less cruise ships are stopping at this delightful island. This is perhaps why the tax has been introduced as some Caribbean Islands dislike the influx of thousands of tourists who arrive by cruise ship and spend very little of the much needed foreign exchange, which boosts their economy. They are perhaps trying to encourage the single destination holiday maker who stays in their hotels, eats in their restaurants and gets a greater understanding of the eco-systems they are trying hard to protect.
There is lots to do and see on Bonaire and our trips have included visiting Goto Lake. This used to be a well known area for large flamboyances of flamingo. However every time we have visited there have only been a couple and the main Flamboyance have now made Pink Brine Lake their home. Goto lake is still a charming, picturesque place to visit.

The island grows a lot of cactus. In the centre of Rincon The Cadushy Distillery can be found. It makes a unique Cactus liqueur which has won awards and has created another tourist destination.

During our tour we saw several wild donkeys. These were originally used for labour by the Spanish, who brought them over with them, in the 17th Century. As modern technology took over these animals were no longer required and left to roam wild. there is a Donkey Sanctuary on Bonaire which also attracts tourists.

We have thoroughly enjoyed touring around Bonaire and seeing its many varied sights.

On leaving the Island by Cruise ship you get a great view of the salt pans and the piles of extracted salt. Since the Dutch gained power in the 17th Century, salt has been an important export. The extraction declined at the end of slavery. Today it is once again in full production after the industry was revived by Cargill’s a Canadian company.

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Penang – Malaysia- BEEN THERE GOT THE T-SHIRT.

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Our ship..The Sapphire Princess…cruised into the port on Penang Island. This is an island of Malaysia, (114 square miles/ 295 square kilometres) lying in the Strait of Malacca off the northwest coast of the Malaya peninsular, from which it is separated by a narrow strait whose smallest width is 2.5 miles (4 km). Penang Island is roughly oval in shape.

We were up early because we had a full day of exploring and sightseeing.  Penang might be small, but it has a wealth of history and culture. It is known as the culinary capital of Malaysia. 

We started our day in the UNESCO-listed George Town. It houses Hindu temples, Buddhist pagodas, faded Chinese shop fronts, and crumbling relics of Malaysia’s colonial past, while further afield, you’ll find dense jungle and white-sand beaches in Penang National Park, which is the smallest national park in the world.

Our tour included visiting: Wat Chayamangkalaram Temple, a Buddhist Temple. It is situated on Lorong Burma Road, opposite Dhammikarama Burmese Temple, it is the oldest Siamese temple in the state. The temple features one of the world’s longest reclining Buddha statues as well as several coloured statues and other mythical creatures. The Buddha measures 33 m (108 ft)from end to end. It was incredibly hot and humid in the temple and I have to admit to sitting down in the doorway, catching what ever breeze there was, while John wandered around.

Our next tour stop was the wonderful temple Kek Lok Si.   Situated strategically on a sprawling hill, Kek Lok Si is often called the jewel in the crown of heritage temples in Malaysia, and has been identified as one of the largest and finest temple complexes in Southeast Asia. It is known not only for the beauty of its historic buildings, which attract thousands of tourists every year, but also for being a center for Chinese culture and Buddhist teaching. The scenic view of the hills outside the temple complements the temple’s beautifully designed rooflines which really enhance the facade of the Kek Lok Si Buddhist Monastery.

Our next stop was the Museum….an actual wedding was having their phot-shoot in the museum, what a wonderful occasion for the bride and groom…. Once again after a walk around the heat overtook me and I found myself sitting on a seat enjoying some intellectual conversation with my new found mate !!!!

Feeling a little overwhelmed by not just the heat but also the sheer size and majestic beauty of the temples our tour continues on to Entopia – the Butterfly Sanctuary . It began its journey with David Goh, a young teacher with an interest and passion for butterflies, setting out to establish a tropical butterfly farm as a tourist destination in Penang. In 1986, this self-taught entomologist, founded the tropical world’s first butterfly and insect sanctuary, known as the Penang Butterfly Farm. The sanctuary has more than 15,000 free-flying creatures amid more than 200 species of plants. Entopia doubles as a research and conservation center for butterflies, insects, and their habitats. Both John and I have a passion for butterflies so this was of great interest to us…a truly magnificent Sanctuary. 

Our final visit for the day was too Craft Batik, one of the pioneers of Batik factory’s  on the island. The Batiks produced have became an icon of Malaysia. They produce an array of unique hand-drawn Batik and hand-blockprinted Batik as well as the combination of both, called hand-painted Batik. Motif of flora and fauna are the main subject that have been adopted in the design of hand-drawn Batik, while the hand-blockprinted Batik adopts mostly an abstract design. It was totally fascinating going around the different printing tables and watching how the different styles of printing, hand and block, was done. Then it was, of course, a visit to the shop…it would have been rude not to buy anything….so a couple of purchases were made to take home as gifts for family and friends. 

Penang is certainly a very interesting place to visit. We could quite happily have spent a week there doing the things we did, at a slower pace, and seeing more of the sights. Whilst driving from place to place we caught sight of some gorgeous looking white sand beaches. A really beautiful state of Malaysia. …… Note to self …future holiday destination. 

Day 23– 27th February 2024- Our Last Full Day in Sri Lanka – sun, sea watching, pool and packing.

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The waves were really crashing in during the night. They woke me a couple of times and I could not only hear their force but also felt as if I could feel it. Finally back to sleep and didn’t hear John get up and join the sun lounger saving brigade…oh! we are hypocritical!!! But sometimes if you can’t beat them you have to join them. I woke about 8.00 am, John was sitting up editing photos and uploading to our 2Jsworldofadventure Flickr account which you can find at https://www.flickr.com/photos/worldwildlife/

He once again took on the task of making coffee…unfortunately the plug socket which worked yesterday no longer wanted to do its duty…having tried all plug sockets we decided we would wait a bit and see if the electricity strengthened…after all during the night several, lights in the bedroom, which had never worked, decided to flash on and off several times….sure enough half an hour later the kettle started to boil…yeah coffee time…

We headed off to breakfast at 9.00 am and our friendly Floor Manager, told us he was The Food and Beverage Manager…the FBM …he has a great sense of humour…he added “ But I do everything else as well”, which actually he does. He also has a great memory and from day one he remembered we both have black coffee no sugar, no milk, fruit, pancakes and toast, no eggs or omelettes. Having finished with the breakfast ritual, we retired exhausted to the sun lounger, John had earlier reserved….even though some one had already nicked one of the parasols, we still managed to get some shade.

The waves weren’t quite as big as on previous days so quite a few from several hotels were in the sea…The waves were still too rough for us to venture in, so we had several pool swims instead and enjoyed watching others braver than ourselves.

Having had a doze we both looked out across the sand to the sea and said in unison “Mad dogs and Englishmen, go out in the midday sun” ….sure enough it was midday and a jogger who could of been English went past us on the sand..Really!! In this heat !!! …time for the cool solace of our room.
We went down for lunch and occupied our usual table. The FBM came for a chat..

Having eaten, the chef came out of the kitchen to ask what we wanted for supper as he was about to go and buy fresh fish…after a brief discussion he said he’d get me some tuna….i love it straight from the sea….and John fancied jumbo prawns again…..That sorted we took up residency on our sun beds again. I was pleased when the 2 couples of Russians who had arrived yesterday decided to go into town….One of the men was loud and his tone was always brash…. it interrupted my peaceful ideal world. We had a swim and a long chat with a family who had been there for two weeks. They were Ukrainian, but the day before war broke out they had gone to Moldova to carry on to Romania for a holiday with their 2 children, they have been living in Moldova ever since. It was interesting talking to them and learning about their views.

We spent a little more time sunning and beach watching.

As the heat of the searing sun began to disappear we returned to our room and virtually packed our bags. Tomorrow Suminda will be collecting us for our transfer to the airport.

Our friendly FBM came to say goodbye as he was taking his daughter to Colombo. We gave a tip big enough to make him smile and thanked him for his kind service.

We went for supper at around 7.30. Our chosen meals were soon served….I am afraid my tuna became a bit insignificant and I turned into a green eyed monster when I saw Johns…

I am certain we would have called them lobsters!!! John was kind enough to give me a mouthful…yuuuummmmmy!! The elderly Indian and English couples who we had been chatting to for a couple of days ( the 2 men met at Oxford University probably 50/55 years ago and have been friends ever since) had ordered baked Red Snapper it looked devine and the chef carved and deboned it at the table. What a lovely meal. We thanked the chef profusely.

With the FBM on leave it meant the Manager had to stay late. Some guests arrived around 7.30 ish accompanied by, we can only presume, the owner. Suddenly everything was singing and dancing…the water-feature wall was switched on, the shallow end of the pool it seems is a jacuzzi, all frothy and foaming..wow… I asked the manager why in 4 days of staying we hadn’t experienced this…no answer..I said perhaps we just weren’t VIP enough…he looked embarrassed and said “ no, no, not at all”…..but that’s what it felt like….the hotel had been full at the weekend and even then it wasn’t shown off at its full potential, but when the owners friends arrive that’s a different story…what a shame……when we got back to our room the bathroom leak which had been fixed was no longer fixed and a steady drip began to soak through the 4 towels we piled up …

Having said that…the FBM and the Chef were superb and the waiter lads were very professional, it’s just a shame that some of the facilities are hidden and only aired for the very most important guests. However we retired to bed happy with our great meal and our last few sun drenched days.