The early fog had lifted and the sun’s rays streamed through like the curtains falling between acts of a play. We pulled ourselves out of the duvet folds to prep for whale cruising. From the Hyatt Regency Oubaii Hotel in George, we rode the coach giddy with excitement for our first-ever Ocean Safari Premium Cruise.
The sun played hide and seek behind wooly grey clouds. The seas not as calm as we would have wanted for our close encounters with the whales. We proceeded to some craft shopping at Knysna Quays to while away the time, still hoping we can do our whaling adventure. As it turned out, we weren’t in luck. Sad. Very sad. Of course, it’s best safe than sorry but still….. a major, major letdown. Now there’s good excuse for a next visit. Hmmmm.
And so, it was the Bird Sanctuary instead for this otherwise exciting day. I’m no bird enthusiast. I would have uncomplainingly gone back to the hotel instead and reminisced over our trip to Boulders Beach back in Capetown where we met the penguins up close.
Or perhaps gone back to this rocky place with fantastic ocean views. Truly, South Africa is blessed with so many natural wonders that leave one with this gnawing feeling that this trip just can’t be your last. I only pray that next visit, the weather condition would be perfect for that much-coveted whale adventure.
So yes, there is always that next visit. With that prayer came this plea that we won’t be deprived of more adventures when we do the safari drives. Did we get lucky? You bet Lady Luck shone on us. We may have missed the whales, but the safari drives made up for it! Woo hoo!
We finally reached Entabeni Game Park Reserve after 3 1/2 hours on the road from Johannesburg. Made it with a couple of hours before sunset. A cooling breeze gusted under a hazy sun, perfect time for pleasant thoughts. I wanted to let out a blood-curdling scream with the exuberance of an 8 year old. “We’re in Africa, ready for our first safari!”
Entabeni Mountain. The Rock. All of 1.8 Billion Years Old. Jurassic!
Young Henri Taking Our Photo Here
The Entabeni Mountain looks so majestic in all its orange-ness. Entabeni means “place by the mountain”. Would you believe this natural wonder is 1.8 billion years old? Yes, Virginia. Jurassic. Imagine them dinosaurs crowding around this majestic creation in those times. Maybe planting some eggs around the 22,000-hectare park beside those humongous termite mounds we found littering the savannah.
Wildebeest or Gnus? Entabeni means “Place By The Mountain”
As my friend says “the swan of the African Savannah”
Did we get lucky on our first drive? We had the youngest, newest park ranger driving for us today and the next couple of days. Henry is a fine young man of 22 on his first job. Just a month on the job, and we’re in luck to be his first group. We climbed into our safari vehicle like we do it everyday, eager for our first adventure. With the wind riffling through our hair, we gathered dust as our safari jeep cut across the savannah in search of the Big 5. And more.
Free rider bird on a friendly Impala.
Our First Rhino. A White Rhino. And that has nothing to do with the color. Fierce.
In a matter of minutes, we had our fill of impalas, warthogs, eland and wildebeest. Then, our very first rhinoceros in all its 2-ton fierceness! As the day approached dusk, we found our giraffes. Looking truly regal, the giraffes walked ever so gracefully and elegantly twisting its long neck just enough to show us those wonderful eyes drooping with those luscious eyelashes. If there’s a Big 5 in the safari world, the giraffes should top the list for the Lovely 5 among the safari animals. Truly lovely in a regal sort of way.
Hi Gorgeous! Look at those eyes with those luscious eyelashes!
Elands. Like Kudus with straight horns and sometimes no body lines.
Henry showed us some rhino dung, followed some lion tracks, showed some impala dung, searched for more safari animals, talked about the birds, the trees, the termite mounds, and more dung. Before long, we asked our dear Henry “no more dung” for today. He obliged. What a lovely, sweet, young man! The same can be said of the rest of the safari rangers we met. Juan, Philip, Adrian and another fellow (who guided us through our Pedi Village Tour) whose name I can’t recall. All so friendly, cheerful and polite.
Our friend from Knysna Elephant Sanctuary. Trivia: Males are bulls. Females are cows. Babies are calves. Just like cattle!
NO, this is not a photo from the website. This is actual photo of our encounter with a Rhino who kept us still and quiet as it passed by the side of our safari jeep.
We’ve seen and touched the elephants inKnysna Park. We saw our first rhinoceros on our first safari drive. Done with 2. (The cheetahs, giraffes, hippos and zebras we found don’t count.) So, on our 2nd day we were drooling with excitement to see the next 3: cape buffaloes, lions and leopards.
Maybe hard to imagine why cape buffaloes would land in the list of the Big Five. Our very able guides and safari rangers explained how hunters feared these buffaloes as they can attack without any provocation at all. Much unlike the lions, leopards, cheetahs and many other fierce- looking animals, these buffaloes can attack even if they don’t feel threatened at all.
Sssssh….. This cape buffalo is staring us down.
Horses with stripes? ZEBRAS.
To be honest, I had my apprehensions sitting in an open safari vehicle before this trip. Without any protective bars, I imagined cruising across the savannah in search of safari animals completely EXPOSED and UNPROTECTED. I was tempted to google search safari accidents before signing up for this trip but decided against it. I’d never consider chickening out, for sure. Let those lions roar. Just don’t expect me to walk into a thicket and step within a few feet of a lion’s paws. I’m adventurous with a capital A but my nerves get in the way sometimes.
Rawr! This is my territory, roared the tawny lion with a fluffy mane.
Get outta here, this lion seems to say!
We found an entire herd of cape buffaloes on our afternoon safari drive. Looks like they’re having a party! Actually, Entabeni has a breeding farm and we just happened to stumble upon these breeders. They don’t look threatening at all but we kept still and quiet as our safari rangers advised. A lucky break came just before dusk when we spotted a pride of lions in the bushes. Busily feeding on what looked like wildebeest or what’s left of it, we watched a cub happily munching its feast while mommy lion grabbed another piece of dark meat for the other cub. My heart must have skipped a beat, thudding like crazy. Lions in the wilds! So this is how it feels like watching them. Therein lies the thrill, an odd feeling of detachment. I don’t remember how long we stayed, but I do remember there’s a brittle air of expectancy as I looked into a pair of eyes that seem not to miss nothing. I’m telling you, the spirit of adventure is a snatch more intense here. A few meters away, yet the sounds are closer!
Hunter Lioness is busy feeding her cubs.
Warthogs. Pumba?
As my pulse steadied and my heart found its rhythm, I forced myself to breath deeply. I can’t speak for the others in the same safari cruiser with me, but I bet their heartbeats weren’t normal like mine. Our ranger said they have been searching for these lions the past 2 days. Weren’t we in luck! The saying “Be careful what you pray for” couldn’t be more true in this instance.
Mommy Lion takes a rest while her cubs happily feast on what looked like a cursed wildebeest.
The Savannah and the Mountains. Check out the lone cheetah under the tree.
Exhaling after holding my breath for what felt like years, I realized I had my mouth wide open in a mindless gape of surprise, excitement, and fear. In that order. As my mind went on a sabbatical, my fingers busily pressed for snapshots to document this rare animal experience. Wish my shots were clearer, but can’t complain. A video of a cub shaking its head as it pulled, chewed and enjoyed its meal in the wilds makes my day!
And now there are 2 cheetahs.
Hippos playing hide and seek?
Most certainly, this is the highlight of my African adventure. Thank you, Travel Bounty! Thank you, dear Henri of Entabeni Private Game Reserve.And thank you Juan and this fellow from the Pedi Village who “rescued” me out of an African toilet. Now , that episode deserves a separate blog. Meanwhile, here’s the link to our African Safari video.
The most famous tag line is “this is the southwestern most tip of Africa”. But I remember more the trivia that this is also where the Atlantic Ocean meets the Indian Ocean. From Cape Point, one can do a 1 1/2 hour nature trek towards the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve.
Cape of Good Hope
Fish-Eye Image of the Cape where Atlantic Ocean meets Indian Ocean!
I felt like an impressionable teenager when we reached the place. Errr, no. More like “as we drove along Chapman’s Peak“. The bus window was like a slide show of oceans, mountains, and gardens. If you’re lucky, you’d even spot a humpback whale etched on the glassy surface of the Atlantic Ocean as it blows and gushes water up. Aaaaaahhh. And that’s when I heave one deep sigh.
Made in Heaven!
God was busy with his creations here in Capetown!
Brace yourself for more sighs as you view a chaotic mass of wild African plants dotting the landscape. Nature has truly blessed this corner of the world with the rare combination of sea and mountain sceneries and allowed God’s glorious creatures to roam around this Eden. Makes one think. Did Noah’s Ark land here with all those paired animals? (A friend says NO. It landed in Mt. Ararat)
I can live here!
Ostriches completely oblivious to camwhore tourists!
When we reached the Cape of Good Hope, there were some ostriches grazing on the patchy land oblivious to the human intruders. They sure looked like they’re used to tourists all eager for a snapshot behind the signage proclaiming this area as the “southwestern most part of Africa” complete with the relevant latitudes to support that claim. They must have found the human creatures, myself included, really funny. 😄☺😉
Check out those latitudes!
Heave a big sigh for this beauty!
When I scaled the steps towards the Lighthouse in Cape Point, I saw similar latitudinal signs marking Cape Point in relation to Jerusalem, Sydney, New York, etc. The view from here is incredibly breathtaking. (Another sigh…..)
I am just a plain tourist here. No adventurous breaks like cage diving with those sharks, nor the extremely interesting hobby sport of bird watching. But I am so happy with this lucky break. Spotted this raven as I was climbing up to the Lighthouse. It flew just when I got my cam ready for a shot. Voila! Happiness.
There’s the RAVEN sitting contentedly as I scaled the steps.
The weather forecast says rainy Sunday. Just what we need to dash any hopes of a cable car ride to the Table Mountain. But not enough to cancel the boat ride to Seal Island in Hout Bay. Inevitably, my mind goes autopilot to remember those stinky, hysterical seals in San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf. This time around, we sail from the pier in Simon’s Town, brave the swells of the not too calm waters of Hout Bay, up to this island where seals are pleasantly quiet, either swimming not too far from that tiny patch of land stones clustered to form an island, or simply basking in what’s left of the sun on this cloudy day.
The Seals of Hout Bay
It took some effort to remain calm. At one point, I was up front when I felt “lifted” as the boat passed a swell, momentarily up in air, before bouncing back to let hull meet water. Thank God that was just ONE moment. As the boat rocked, I anxiously and gingerly walked back to join my group. I never ever imagined myself as a sailor but I managed to hold my breakfast during the entire ride.
Rough. Bumpy. Wavy.
HOLD TIGHT, FELLAS!
While I thoroughly enjoyed the inflight movie “Dark Tide”, I wish I saw it AFTER this Hout Bay episode. By itself, the boat ride – swells and all – was fine. It’s just that the movie reminded me that these are shark-infested waters and I worried for a while if those great white sharks may prefer me in my “tourist’s outfit du jour” over their typical meal of seals. Yes, you may call me paranoid. But try watching that movie! (Movie is about shark encounters and I don’t mean whale sharks. It’s the real thing, baby. Give the great white sharks some respect, honey.)
Before heading for Sunday Mass, we stopped over at Green Point Stadium of football fame. You know, that white porcelain bowl sitting on reclaimed area.
In South Africa, Green Point touches a sensitive chord. Its history embraces many childhood memories for many South Africans. Home to an 18,000-seat stadium dating from the 1940s, it hosted many football matches and concerts of great artists the likes of the late Michael Jackson and Whitney Houston. It was also the modest venue for the Concert for the benefit of AIDS victims in 2003.
To pave way for a colossal stadium hosting the World Football Cup (FIFA) 2012, this historic building was (regretfully?) demolished in 2007. History erased.
Now 15 storeys high. Spanning 6 city blocks. Seating all of 68,000 eager spectators. Retractable glass roof to allow more natural light. 530 toilets, 16 lifts and a jail (Yes, Virginia, a jail!) 250 VIP lounges. 59 gates. 115 entry turnstiles. 530 lavatories . And four TV studios. The edifice rises like a porcelain bowl somewhere in this posh “white” neighborhood. Very impressive, indeed. And for sure, this stunning white apparition looking like a UFO cost the South African and city government a whole bunch.
Was it worththe US $330 million spent on it? Well, one thing’s for sure. Football is BIG here in South Africa.
It was an uneventful flight into South Africa. Via Emirates, we took our connecting flight to Capetown out of Dubai. The flight was fully booked from Manila to Dubai, and there was hardly an airport seat without a sleeping passenger waiting for a flight. Airport shopping presents an alternative but in my sleepless condition, it offers no pleasure. Dubai Airport makes one feel like you’ve never left Manila as many sales people hail from dear Philippines.
It would be another grueling 9 hour flight into Africa. Literally pushed myself out of my aisle seat and shouldered my bag walking out of the plane. Overcast skies did not dampen my excitement as we exited the airport in Capetown. Table Mountain greeted us upon arrival. I felt like Alice stepping into the looking glass. Though overwhelmed by its beauty, everything felt incredibly safe and familiar. Must be in my dreams. After all, this has been in my bucket list since I watched “Out of Africa” back in 1986.
As our bus weaved along the coast, the glassy surface of the Atlantic Ocean presented an amazing seascape in all its hues of blue. For the next 2 nights, we would enjoy this seascape from where we were booked for the next 2 nights. Twelve Apostles Hotel and Spa is one very charming hotel. Twelve Apostles Mountain Range behind you, and the Atlantic beckons from the hotel entrance. The sun has set and it’s twilight time here in Capetown as we checked in. Lovely from every angle.
This landmark hotel combines nature with luxury. All the trappings of modern amenities and comfort without losing its colonial charm. It would have been perfect to check out the state-of-the-art therapy or treatment rooms. The ultimate luxury! But I was so zonked out after that day-long flight it would be wasteful to sleep through a good massage.
The mood here in Twelve Apostles Hotel and Spa is definitely very exclusive and relaxed. The jaw-dropping panorama of oceans, blue skies and mountains makes it a nearly sacred place. And such polished elegance! If you ask me, I felt like I was in some film set. Expect Brad Pitt or Richard Gere to step in through the glass-paneled door to the balcony! No, make that pre-botox Robert Redford of “Out of Africa” fame.
I could have said they could starve me here so long as I get this daily dose of earth, sky and ocean. Bloated from all that airline food while our legs cramped from lack of mobility, I failed to do justice to the buffet spread of kudu pies and biltongs, vegetable bredie, grilled lamb, boerewors (that very South African sausage), koeksisters which resemble our local “pilipit”, salads and coal-roasted sweet potatoes. There were more, but I was just not into it tonight. A pity, but this sleep-deprived zombie was no foodie tonight. Rather, I hurried back to my hotel room dreaming of a bath and drying my hair just enough before diving into the folds and softness of the duvet. Aaaahhhh….. Dreamland. Ssssshhhhh. Night Night
Back from nearly 3 months in Spain and done with all my back blogs, I only managed one weekend out-of-town trip, a day trip to Pampanga, a trip to the Museum and an afternoon in Chinatown. In between, I was blogging, researching and reading travel books and blogs.
It’s been almost 3 months since I got back. Armchair traveller? Or a couch potato? I have long had all of 45 movies in my iPad to fill in the time waiting at airports, bus terminals and train stations. None watched. Till lately. I even managed to watch “Oro, Plata, Mata” on YouTube! That, plus all the research on my much-coveted Camino de Santiago and African safari. Nearly a daily routine…… Just the latest in my string of “bad habits”. 😄
Sourced from the Net: An African Safari
I looked at the photo above with giddy enthusiasm. The sensation approximates my earlier terrible obsessive desire to go toMacchu Picchu. Missed out on the latter while my dear friends went without me. 😢 The Camino de Santiagois something I’d also want to do. More so now when I learned a friend has done the 100 kilometer walk recently. All apprehensions banished. I’d do this for sure. Perhaps next year.
Sourced from the Net: An African Queen Sunset Cruise (Victoria Falls, Zambia Side)
Must be post-travel blues to explain all this laziness. I’ve been knocking books off the shelf to fill in the time. I have gained 3 pounds since I got back. I don’t even do my daily exercises now. For sure, something feels off-kilter. When I start cleaning out my closet and begin feeling sluggish putting the stuff back, something’s terribly wrong. So, how do you shake off the blues?
Sourced from the Net: Garden Route, South Africa
I did what most others advise. I’m off again. Soon. Those post-travel blues wiped away as I start feeling peppy again over the prospect of crossing out another item in my bucket list. Watch this page, amigos y amigas.Pretty soon, I’d be donning my loafers and bush jackets as I psyche myself to do that bush walk. Maybe meet and greet a pride of lions. Or ride an ostrich, if an elephant won’t do.
Sourced from the Net: One of My All-Time Favorite Movie
My Canon G12 packs well in my handbag! Have you read my earlier blog on my non-DSLR cam-toting travels around the country? Well, the same P&S traveled with me and i adore it!
The lovely temple in Punakha, Bhutan housing over 600 monks and where 2 rivers merge and then flow as one.
Parque Maria Luisa in Sevilla, Spain
Even if I wanted to, I can’t hold a heavy cam well. No worries. My Canon G12 suits me well. And hey, this is not a paid advert. Just happy with my P & S. I don’t even need to lug it inside a backpack. My small handbag will do. When in a crowded place, I hang it around my neck and zip up my jacket to hide it….. Only to bring it out for a few seconds to snap a shot. I call it “no frills” photography. 🙂
Ton Le Sap Lake filled with water……..emptying out as Siem Reap’s dry season approaches.
Imagine Lara Croft lurking somewhere here in Ta Phrom, Siem Reap, Cambodia
Neither is it a demanding camera. It thinks on its own. I have experimented with the settings but really, it is simply a memory catcher for me. Memories captured to be revisited at some future time. Available for easy review. I need not be too technical about it. 😉
Yummy Vietnamese snacks!
So colorful in Wat Po, Bangkok, Thailand!
Freson Con Nata is the specialty snack here in Aranjuez, Spain. That’s strawberry with real fresh cream for you and moi!
So there. And my G12 has a lovely travel buddy. My iPhone takes pretty good photos too. Yes, it’s good for those days you want to just step out with a fancy belt bag, or no bag. Tucked inside my pocket, I’m able to step out with a few bills and my iPhone. Loving it!
Oh, ok. The iPhone is likewise handy for a few stolen museum shots.(Mi apologia. No flash, of course)
My handbag easily fits a Canon G12, my iPhone, a bottle of water, a chocolate bar, wallet, brush, powder, lipstick, some snacks and a book!
Tagaytay has always been a favorite day trip and weekend destination. Just an hour and a half drive south of Manila. What new things can we do here? It wasn’t like we needed a new adventure. Perhaps we just needed to be someplace cooler where we can be together and be a family.
We booked ourselves at Tagaytay Crosswinds Resort Suites. There are other new hotels in the area but we liked the idea of having our own condo-like suite where we can actually cook in. That meant doing our groceries in a nearby supermarket to buy steaks and chops, corn and rice. The not-so-little ones loved our steak dinner much and the idea that we can actually cook in!
The suites are complete with kitchen essentials from rice cooker to frying pans. The elves watched TV while we prepared dinner. There isn’t much to do after, so we got busy with our iPads and iTouch after 😊. I skipped breakfast the morning after, choosing to have an extra hour of sleep. Breakfast was served in a hall in the next building. Hopefully, Crosswinds will have a new dining destination within its complex the next time we visit. That, plus wifi INSIDE the suites.
You don’t get a view of Taal Volcano from your room nor anywhere within Crosswinds area, but you may enjoy an early morning walk around. Pine trees everywhere and the cool breeze make you feel you’re somewhere near Baguio. Since the hotel is right within Crosswinds (the subdivision), it’s more quiet and peaceful here. Of course you can always drive out to dine in any of the many bistros and cafes along the Ridge.
All my life, I have only owned 4 cameras. Imagine me traveling with only a disposable cam before. No wonder I had very few shots — all blurry — back then when everything was an adventure. Many first times then, largely undocumented. A pity.
Twilight in Donsol, Sorsogon, Philippines
I owned my first digicam only in 2004. Away with trips to the photo shop to have my films developed. Away with photo albums. These days, we simply just snap away and store what we like and delete the rest. I look at others and at times, feel envy watching them change their lens, set up their tripods and the like —- all for a better shot. I don’t have that option. My bad neck and shoulder won’t let me carry all that weight around my neck nor balance that cam even with 2 hands. Thanks to many photo editing apps, I am now able to “improve” even bad shots taken on a whim.
BenCab Museum Garden in Baguio City
Traveling around the Philippines, I began to appreciate my new Canon G12. It’s light and easy to operate. I set the cam on automatic and it makes all the decisions for me. Other times, I pretend to know my stuff and tinker with the camera. I sometimes end up with better shots but most of the time, you couldn’t tell whether I set it on automatic or not. 🙂
The Face Masks @Balaw Balaw Restaurant in Angono, Rizal
There is no reason to complain. I do not have to tote around a heavy DLSR and adjust my lens or set up a tripod. God knows I’d easily lose patience and interest if I have to go through all these steps just for a good shot. It is enough that I find something worth photographing as a memory aide so I can revisit my fond memories anytime I choose. When I am in the mood, I would choose an angle or several angles to take a photo. Often, I love taking distant and close-up shots of a place. Human interest shots are swell, but they come and go. One has to have quick hands to get the cam ready or you lose the moment. I have been lucky with a few. But they are few.
The Street Vendors of Quiapo, Manila
Wish there were more.
Sheltered, Educated, Loved. These are the boys of St Martin de Tours in Bustos, Bulacan.
lifeisacelebration 