Tag Archives: Elephant

Tangerine Light

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The midnight flight from Libreville to our rest stop in Johannesburg began without air conditioning but with thumping music coming through scratchy speakers. Before takeoff, the flight attendant generously sprayed the aisle (and us) down with a can of eu de toilette... insecticide. Had we made a mistake? I wondered, envisioning southern France, our alternate vacation choice, ruled out due to higher costs and longer flights from Gabon.

Our doubts were cast aside once we arrived in Cape Town. We stowed our luggage and strolled to the pier. The refreshing 65-degree weather and sensational scenery revived us all. Seals floated and lolled in the harbor with panoramic Table Mountain as a backdrop. Fog horns echoed and a heron fished in the water beneath the twinkle lights from nearby eateries.

At the Watershed artisan co-op, we met Grayton, an artist who creates images on rawhide. He happily showed Ramsay how to carve leather with a soldering tool (and they even made a personalized key chain ).

At Boulders in Simon’s Town, the penguin colony was amusing to watch. Some nested on eggs and nuzzled their fuzzy brown baby chicks. Others darted with speed under waves then popped up at the shoreline to shake sea water from their tuxedos before waddling in our direction.

In Kalk Bay, we walked through an abandoned metro stop to a seaside restaurant known for fish and chips. The food was decent, but the view of the glittering sea and the small lighthouse on the pier made it feel special.

We headed to Stellenbosch wine country and made a detour to a toboggan park. (Think “Cool Runnins,” if you’ve ever seen the film about the Jamaican bobsled team- this was similar). Runnels of metal had been carved into a hillside. We climbed onto our narrow-wheeled carts and serpentined the way down with glee.

My husband abandoned his hand brake altogether and left the track at one point. (He later had to take an anti-inflammatory for his back). I’m all for trying new modes of transportation, but I admit, three toboggan trips were enough for me. I was ready for a glass of Creative Block #3 when we arrived at Spier Vineyards. Ramsay used all six of his ride tokens.

Back in Cape Town, I visited nature photographer Carolina Gibello’s gallery. I discovered her work years ago and love how she captures light in her wildlife images.

In the lush garden of the Mt. Nelson Belmond Hotel, even the patio cushions were iconic pink. Three geese flew by as I penned a postcard to Mama and enjoyed the live piano that was piped outside. I chose roobois, cinnamon, orange peel, and mint iced tea from the menu, along with a tapas plate of tiny salmon blinis that tasted even better than their adorable presentation.

The next day at the Aquarium, sea anemones, clownfish, and a striped pajama shark topped Ramsay’s list.

On the return to Johannesburg, a little girl with her forehead glued to the plexiglass plane window exclaimed, “We’re flying.. over the WHOLE EARTH!” I shared her enthusiasm and wonderment as I peered down at the vast topography etched with crop circles and tributaries snaking like spidery veins through the russet African desert.

On our last day, Ramsay and I took a safari to Planesburg, a national park a few hours away from Jo’burg. We grabbed our “knosh pack” snacks (apples, cheese and crackers and juice) from the concierge and set out before dawn.

At daybreak, we saw a bright moon on the left and bands of tangerine light on the right; a majestic African sunrise. Backlit acacia trees dotted the golden savanna and fields of sunflowers angled skyward to greet the day.

On the jeep tour, we spotted guinea fowl, a wildebeest, a zebra, a giraffe, a hippo, and a cow, which the guide called “a walking stop light.”

In the end, two sparring elephants appeared from the bush. It was an unforgettable sound, the trumpeting, and clash of their tusks.

In the Flamingo Room of Tasha’s in Mandela Square, the server asked what we hadn’t seen yet in South Africa, but hoped to. I mentioned the Blue Train route from Pretoria to Capetown. “Oh, well, the Blue Train isn’t running at present because someone stole some of the tracks, so you’re not missing out on anything.”

Cheers to adventures ahead!

-Tracy

The (other) Mosquito Coast and Crocodile Bridge

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Historically, people think of Nicaragua and Honduras as the mosquito coast, but Africa has its share of mosquitoes and malaria zones; Maputo and Komatipoort being two of those. Below are the initial impressions of these vastly different cities.

We crossed the border from quiet Swaziland into Mozambique, and the sidewalks were bustling with people and activity.  Wood-framed stalls were stacked side by side like a crooked house of cards.  Inside: mufflers, clothes, fruit, bags of cashew nuts (yum), tires, lumber, and bric-a-brac galore.

Trucks were filled with green bananas, and women balanced buckets of grapes on their head, scissors dangling on a string to cut off the plump clusters. Tractors wobbled slowly down the road, passed by fast-whizzing cars that do not stop at “robots” (stop lights) or stop signs. The polarity of rich and poor in the capital city of Maputo is glaring.  Beautiful, old-world hotels dot blocks of buildings that are dilapidated and beyond repair.

Maputo is a town heavily influenced by its Portuguese origins, but is a buzzing meld of cultures. Our summer visit there was a heady mix of sublime Caipirinhas (a drink of sugar cane, lime, and rum), hot sun, anti-malaria medicine, and delicious food. It also has its share of crime. We parked on the street to board a ferry to nearby Catembe Island, and gone only an hour, we returned to a stolen review mirror.

A few hours by car in a different direction, the terrain completely changes, along with the ambiance. In the peaceful, tiny town of Komatipoort, we spent the night on the other side of Crocodile River from Kruger National Park.  Rarely am I wide awake and giddy at 5:45am, but crossing Crocodile Bridge to begin a day of safari, I was overwhelmed with anticipation.

I had never seen an elephant in the wild until that day, and it really is something to behold. Elephants are not just intelligent, but expressive and emotional. They mourn and bury members of their beloved herd, and they celebrate the birth of a baby elephant with joy.

It was an amazing day of collecting bits of knowledge about animals and the bush, and witnessing nature at its finest. The light changed frequently and was beautiful to watch, moving from bright and sunny to foreboding clouds that cast long, dark shadows, then the golden light of late afternoon appeared, illuminating the trees and grasses. Favorite images:

Sometimes the best part is back at the lodge, at the end of a full day, listening to dinner conversation. And as a response to the question, “What’s all the fuss about? It’s an elephant,” I would quote something a great friend sent: “Don’t forget to stop and be grateful for the ordinary.”  I guess locals forget that seeing wildlife like this is not an ordinary experience for most. For some (like me), this is the stuff of Hemingway novels. I suppose for others, it’s just another crocodile story… ”

IMG_4411Enjoy the journey,

Starry