In 1986, Life Magazine called Route 50 through Nevada the loneliest highway in America. They actually issued warnings for parts of the drive. Cathy says lonely does not begin to describe it. Forlorn, desolate, rough, isolated, remote, vast, haunting, and yes, hauntingly beautiful.
Continue reading “The Loneliest Road”
Tomorrow, we’ll arrive at The House on Pink Street in Lisbon. It’s our jumping off point for a vacation in Portugal. Seriously, who wouldn’t want to stay on a Pink Street, especially one with a history? After a couple of days there, we plan to eat and drink our way across Portugal.
Continue reading “Pink Street”
Three years ago, Cathy and I went to Africa. It was literally the trip of a lifetime. We thought it would be our one and only visit there and we’d never return. We were wrong. We’re going back this fall to experience the magic one more time. Our friend Marty says some people get Africa in their blood and can’t get it out. I think we are two of those people.
On our last trip, we spent nearly five weeks in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Botswana. This trip will be shorter, but with more time spent in safari camps, again in Zim and Botswana. The animals are drawing us back – the elephants, big cats, zebras, hippos, giraffes, wildebeests, cape buffaloes, impalas and so many others.
Even now, I recall countless scenes and see them in my dreams … the two young lion brothers asleep in the shade of a tree … four giraffes standing with their legs askew as they drank at a watering hole … a young jackal fending off a pack of wild dogs at the site of a kill … the chase we gave in our four wheel drive vehicle to arrive at the sighting of a cheetah and her two young daughters … elephants throwing dirt on each other after emerging from a watering hole … watching a pride of female lions waken and start to stir in the late afternoon … massive herds of elephants … a small herd of sable, emerging from a tree line and taking twenty minutes to approach a watering hole with caution … hippos in a lake with only their ears and noses above the water line … zebras racing across the plain … the progression of different animals to a watering hole, each species seemingly taking it’s turn in arriving … a single giraffe in the distance during a gorgeous sunset … the astonishing sunsets, every single evening …
Ah, the sunsets. I look forward to watching the setting sun, while drinking sundowners once more. I know the term “ sundowners” is not unique to Africa, but I think I needed to go to Africa to really understand what it meant. Picture your vehicle stopping near a watering hole. The guide makes drinks for all and passes them around. You watch the elephants, or zebras, or giraffes, or whatever animals making their way to the water. The sun slowly disappears over the horizon in the distance, turning everything shades of orange and gold you didn’t even know existed. It’s an African memory I want to bring back to life.
I want to experience the magic of Africa again. I need to see it as more than just a painting in my mind’s eye. Yes, I have Africa in my blood, and I already know this upcoming visit won’t be our last.
Addendum:
If you want to learn a bit about our time in the safari camps on our last trip to Africa, you can read more here:
⁃ First Safari Camp, at The Hide (Fourth blog about the trip) https://mnhallblog.wordpress.com/2018/11/15/first-safari-camp/
⁃ He was Young and Made a Mistake (Sixth blog about the trip) https://mnhallblog.wordpress.com/2018/11/23/he-was-young-and-made-a-mistake-sable-valley-in-botswana/
⁃ Rra Dinare Safari Camp (seventh blog about the trip) https://mnhallblog.wordpress.com/2018/11/29/rra-dinare-safari-camp-in-botswana/
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** We are again using Karen Dewhurst, of Sikeleli African Safaris, as our travel consultant. For our last trip, She did all of the work to coordinate our trips to: The Hide Safari Camp and Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe, and Sable Alley and Rra Dinare Safari Camps in Botswana. All accommodations were amazing, the food and wine excellent, and the animal viewing exceeded all expectations. When we decide to return again, there was no question – we would go back to Karen to help coordinate this trip. If you are coming to this part of the world, I highly recommend her and them. You can reach Karen, and Sikeleli African Safaris at: karen@sikelelisafaris.com | (+27) 81 067 1094 (South Africa)
Sikeleli Africa Safaris Ltd.
(+1) 604 281 3274 / Toll Free: 1-844-972-3274(North America)
https://sikelelisafaris.com
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As a side note, Jane Goodall wrote a book titled “Africa in my Blood”. It tells her story and how she went from living in England as a young girl, to becoming one of the most renowned scientists of our time.
Live Life Exuberantly 