Yangon

The first full day of the Myanmar tour began with a tour of Rangon, the capital city of Myanmar.  It’s the obvious place to start the tour and is highlighted by a handful of impressive pagodas (Buddhist temples). First up, a photo stop at Kan Daw Gyi Lake with with its brightly colored and elaborately decorated floating restaurant – modeled after the royal barge.  It was certainly picturesque, but I think my group enjoyed taking pictures of the WWII vintage tank in the adjacent park even more.

The clear highlight of the morning was the reclining Buddha at Chaukihtatgyi Pagoda.  It was amazing!  The Burmese version of Buddha statues are very different from those we’ve seen in Thailand.  The local version is not simply gilded gold, but rather porcelain white skin wrapped in golden robes.  It is striking and imposing, and resides in a warehouse-scale building, surrounded by shrines, smaller statues, and prayer mats.  The Buddha has a decidedly feminine demeanor, augmented by what can only be described as makeup.  He has lovely almond eyes, complete with eye liner and long lashes.  His lips are perfectly shaped and ruby red.  Lovely ears with elongated lobes are equally stylish.  And the coup de gras are the pink painted toenails.  Its really fun – whimsical and pleasing.  Like in Bangkok, the soles of the feet are etched with symbols for the 108 sacred attributes of the Buddha.  Oh – I almost forgot the impressive scale:  the Buddha is more than 200 feet long!

Our happy-go-lucky, ever smiling and laughing Myanmar guide, Tun Tun, excelled here.  He explained the many Buddha postures and their meanings. The group favorite is standing with right hand up, which means “no worries”.  It instantly became the adopted theme/symbol for the tour.  Tun Tun is great.  His English is easy to understand, his teaching is relevant and engaging, and he has a great sense of humor.  Most important for us, he has a million-watt smile and an infectious and ready laugh. Hard not to have fun in his presence.  He also occasionally uses the most pleasant turn of phrases.  He says “very plenty” quite often.  And in describing the disparity between the rich and poor of Myanmar he said “its like earth and sky.”

We continued our explorations with a quick photo stop at Aung San Suu Kyi’s house – not very impressive but interesting for us.  Then a downtown stroll.  Yangon is typical developing world city – a mix of sometimes attractive colonial buildings, a few modern ones, and many more horrible, decrepit ones.

We took a coffee break at storied Strand Hotel Before concluding our morning at Bototaung Pagoda – an impressive glittering gold stupa made interesting because it is hollow and visitors can go inside.  For Buddhists it is important because it contains a hair of the Buddha - encased in a reliquary-like structure, replete with gilded gold and jewels.  Tradition suggests the pagoda might be as much as 2500 years old.

After Bototaung we had a free afternoon.  Maia and I went had lunch at My Garden Restaurant.  I'm finding Myanmar food to be excellent.  Today I had eggplant with chicken – savory good, served on a sizzling hot plate.  At the Golden Rock Maia and I had tried Cashew Chicken and something called Hot Dry Chicken.  The Cashew was perhaps the best I've ever had and the HDChicken was spicey (guess I should have seen that one coming) and rich, but not at all dry.  I usually don't care for spicey food but we couldn't put this in our mouths fast enough.  We coughed and sputtered our was through every bite.  Maia indulged in a dark choc orange frappe, probably not typically Myanmar.  All in all, it was a great half day to kick off the tour.

Myanmar Day 1 - The Golden Rock

Day 1 Myanmar – wow!  Maia and I have experienced one of those kamakazi, intense, demanding, grinding travel days that was ultimately rescued in dramatic fashion by an amazing cultural connection experience – the Golden Rock Temple.  It was one of those days that is so grueling that you constantly question your decision to plan/endure such an ordeal.  But in the end, the payout is so spectacular; all discomforts of the journey are instantly forgotten.  Better yet, they fade into that wonderful magical realm of the “great travel story” – which at its heart must always have a travel disaster.  I often tell my tour members when they’ve had a catastrophic experience, that after the passage of time, their disaster will become a travel story they will tell over and over, and the pleasure derived from the tellings will easily tip the scale and become a favored, if not cherished, travel memory.  Let’s call this - Coen’s Axiom; and its corollary – the worse the experience, the bigger the payout.  Usually, it takes time for CA to work its magic, but Maia and I got that less common experience of instant karma (thanks John Lennon).  But I’ve gotten way ahead of myself.  We had to get to the Rock first.

We endured the typical trying “hurry up and wait” enervating journey to our destination.  We survived a 12-hour flight, a frantic 45-minute connection, 6 hour flight, Myanmar immigration (smooth and easy), 2 hour wait, taxi to bus station, 1 hour wait in grubby, loud, peddler-filled developing world bus station, and finally 4 hour bus ride to Kyaikhtao.  Upon our arrival at Kyaikhtao, the gateway town for the Golden Rock Temple, we happily departed our bus, booked our return bus, and headed for the final stage of our transportation “journey”.

One is transported up the steep, winding, mountain road to the temple in huge, converted industrial trucks.  A cross between a flatbed and dumptruck, they’ve been tricked out with benches to sardine in 45-50 people per load.  The loading bay is industrial scale too with about 6 loading stations – stepped metal platforms for loading.

Maia and I squeezed in and the adventure began.  As we left the loading bay our truck rumbled under a big sign with the price and, I’m not making this up, the line “life insurance included”.  A light bulb should have gone off right there.  I’m not sure what it is about the Asian maindset, but they seem ALWAYS to be in a hurry when behind the wheel of a vehicle.  For whatever reason, the trucks go racing up the mountain at breakneck speeds.  Every bump (many) sends you off your bench a few inches and you return with a spine tingling whomp on the barely padded bench.

Our driver barely slowed before careening around hairpin curves and then powering up impossibly steep pitches.  Maia decided it reminded her of the Indiana Jones ride at Disneyland – only this was the real deal!  It was simultaneously wonderful and scary, a real adventure.  I loved it and Maia quickly embraced the adventure quest aspects.  For me, this is real travel – not the comfort of our tours, but real get-your-hands-dirty in the culture, rubbing elbows with the natives, no seatbelts in sight, connection travel - genuine Traveling with Intent.   Wind-whipped and white knuckled, we arrived at a midway stopping station.  The truck stops next to a platform and several people approach with alms bowls.

They make a pitch and people make donations, gaining merit in the Buddhist karmic cosmos.  I thought it was extremely clever.  I know after the death ride beginning, I was critically aware of my mortality and was in a proper mood for tending to my soul or karmic destiny.  I tossed in a few hundred Kyat (40-45 cents) just to be on the safe side.  Then it was on up the mountain.  Impossibly, the road got steeper and narrower as we progressed.  Every developing world adventure has to include some event that defies western understanding.  We stopped no less than four times for the alms bowl breaks.  It seemed like gross overkill and was almost comic when we stopped the fourth time.  Oh well, at least it gave the locals a chance to sell us sweets, snacks, or home made toy guns (which seemed ironic on our way to a sacred site).

Finally we arrived at the temple complex.  I fired off a quick prayer of thanks to the Buddha (where are those alms bowls now?) and what set off in search of our hotel.  We found it easily, got checked in, and headed up to the Golden Rock itself.  As we approached I realized how appropriate Maia’s Disneyland reference had been.  It seemed appropriate to be conveyed on a Disney adventure ride to arrive at the temple.

The scene was equal parts Disney/Las Vegas and monastery/temple.  Burmese Buddhists seem to love modern decorations for their shrines and Buddha statues.  The preponderance of flashing lights, colored Christmas-style light strands, and radiating light Buddha halos made me feel like I was entering a disco rather than a temple.  Huge crowds added to the carnival atmosphere.  Thousands of pilgrims were coming or leaving.  Most seemed to be in holiday spirits - lots of laughter and smiles.  And ALL Burmese!  I bet we saw fewer than a dozen westerners.  Maia, with her blond hair, attracted lots of attention.  We had our photos taken several time by beaming, bobbing Burmese.

The pseudo-carnival atmosphere actually added to the experience.  You couldn’t fail to have your pulse quicken and adrenaline pump a bit.  All the human energy was palpable and exciting.  Every step toward the Golden Rock itself increased the anticipation and sharpened the spirit.  Beyond the spectacle, there was also a genuine spiritual ambiance.

We removed our shoes and socks to enter the actual temple complex (best not to think about what you might step in).  The outer courtyards were abuzz with animated supplicants, many of whom were sitting on mats having dinner or setting up to camp.  And finally we ended up on a terrace with a view of the Golden Rock itself.

And it was amazing!  Words fail.  Probably 35-40 feet in diameter, the precariously balanced golden boulder is truly a sight to behold.  It’s not hard to imagine why ancient Buddhists considered this a sacred spot – because only god could have placed/balanced/secured the stone in its place.  It seems to defy gravity, balancing on the edge of eternity.  The striking impression it makes is heightened by the stupa pinnacle on its dome and the thousands of worshipers and red-robed monks who are praying, lighting candles or lamps, chanting, or rubbing gold leaf onto the stone.  Maia’s and my experience was augmented by the fact that our first glimpse was just after sunset.  The sky was still streaked with some light but predominantly an angry dark purple.  One couldn’t have asked for a more dramatic backdrop to the now illuminated gold orb.  Truly breathtaking!

After soaking up the atmosphere and exploring various corners, angles, and views for taking lots of pictures we retreated back down the hill, retrieved our shoes, and sought out some dinner.  It may be hard to understand if you’ve never encountered a milieu like this, but the experience was actually enhanced by the grueling ordeal of getting to our goal and the spectacle scene at the top.  All memory of the miserable long bus ride and harrowing truck evaporated and only the transcendent glow of the temple experience remained.  Real travel.  Real Travel with Intent!

Maia on Safari

Guest Blogger - My 16-year old daughter Maia was on the third Southern Safaris tour to Africa.  Following is her account of her safari days.  All photos taken by Maia Coen. I have seen more of the world in my 16 years than many will see in a lifetime. I have tasted decadent yogurt and honey under the Greek sun and seen Bali from every angle. I have seen the mountains where the Lord of the Rings was filmed and explored my way through half of Europe. In all of my travels I have never experienced what I did in Southern Africa this summer.

I left home with the excitement of a child, I was going to see African animals in the wild! It was impossible to wrap my head around it. I traveled longer than I have ever traveled to reach Africa but I would do it again in a heartbeat. When I arrived in Botswana with my mother I had the biggest smile plastered across my face, dying for my next adventure. We settled into our tents and went to bed for it had been a long day. Despite the exhaustion that threatened to drag me under I lay awake that first night and I listened to the sounds. There were so many new interesting and intriguing sounds. The distinct and unusual clicking of the local frogs, the night songs of inumberable bird species, the croaking of hippos in the nearby river, the steady background singing of jungle insects, and other outrageous sounds I couldn’t have placed in a million years. Before I go any further let me tell you this; I am not a bug person. There were spiders the size of my hand. Although my stay at the camp could have been more comfortable because of this, I’m almost glad it wasn’t. My experience was wonderful and I was able to lie in complete darkness and listen to the sounds of Africa as I drifted off into sleep. It was a magical and being pushed beyond my usual comfort zone added to the sense of adventure.

We woke at 5:30 and were on the road, or dirt path rather, by 6:00 AM. At first everyone had that half asleep look in their eyes but as soon as we started to move it was like a curtain was lifted and our eyes were clear and bright and ready to see the world. There was a nervous kind of excitement running through me. I was finally here, in Africa, and we were going to see the animals today. Everyone else chatted about what they were hoping to see and how excited they were. But I was quiet. I had been bubbling with excitement for weeks but now was not the time or place for it. I simply looked out at the rising sun and the environment in bliss. I was letting go and living in the moment and simply enjoying the way the cool wind whipped my hair around and chilled my face. We didn’t see much that day and some people felt disappointed but I was not despairing. I was here in this beautiful country living an adventure. So it started off a little slow, I was okay with that. I was patient. I knew I would get what I wanted eventually. I was happy to just look at the trees and the birds that day.

The following days were filled to the brim with excitement, anticipation, and giddy fulfillment. We saw everything in those next three days. We saw the elephants, the impalas, the hippos, the lions, the giraffes, and many more. The only animal who eluded our eye was the leopard. I have experienced so much culture and so much beauty in my lifetime but I have never felt something so pure and wonderful as I did when I saw the elephants. They were huge majestic creatures who towered over you and made you feel like maybe we are not as important as we seem to think. I looked into their eyes and they stared back in serene calmness. They looked at me and I saw a wisdom and grace in them that I have never seen before. I looked at them and I felt they knew more about the world than me or any other person ever will. When I was around them I felt calm, like nothing else mattered. They left me at a loss for words which does not happen often. They made me feel like they had the secrets of the universe locked up tight and only they had the key for no one else in this world was able to baer such a thing.

The other animal that had an incredible impact on me was the lion. We came across a whole pride of them one day. You could feel the excitement and joy eminating from all of us. Our driver took us in closer, and closer, and closer until we were a mere ten feet away. It is difficult to put into words everything I was feeling. They were right there, casually lying around and dozing. Lions, elegant and deadly, right in front of my eyes. You’ve heard people say how certain situations can give a false sense of security, well our safari vehicles made us feel a little like that. There was no glass, just open sides. I felt uneasy but at the same time completely safe due to the fact that I was in a seat in a vehicle. Even though I knew at any minute one of them could attack and we wouldn’t stand a chance. The lions humbled me. These beautiful animals made me understand that I was not the best, I was not on top. They were so peaceful and content and the most majestic creatures I have ever seen. When they yawned and I saw those deadly teeth - I knew that they had the power and I was okay with that.

There are many things that people may think about when they hear the word Africa. I will now forever think of the elephants and the lions that changed my perspective. We may think that we’ve got it all figured out. We may say that we are in charge, that we rule this world. What we don’t tend to realize is that we don’t, and we never will as long as these animals roam the earth. We see out technological advances and our advanced society and think we know best. Mistakes are being made every day by people and everyone seems to overlook that. The elephant’s wisdom and the lion's majesty made me understand a little better. We do not have it all figured out. We do not have all the answers. We only pretend we do.

-Maia Coen

Victoria Falls - Maia's View

Last week I blogged about Imprint Tours' first visit to mighty Victoria Falls. On the third Southern Safaris tour, my 16-year old daughter Maia got to see them as well.  As a guest-blogger, I've asked her to share her experiences of the great falls.  All pictures taken by Maia. So far I have seen two of the seven natural wonders of the world. One was the Grand Canyon and the second was Victoria Falls. On my way to see the falls I could hear the water roaring and I swear it was the most powerful sound I’ve ever heard. It made me revel in the moment. I was about to see the most magnificent waterfall in the world. When we came around the last corner and I finally saw the falls I simply stopped and starred for a moment. Most people around me immediately took out their cameras and started snapping away in the hopes that they would be able to remember what it looked like once the moment had passed.

I took photos of course, but not immediately I let the wonder of it all sink in first. It’s difficult to describe how wonderful it was. It’s the kind of thing that makes you forget about the problems of our society for a moment and just marvel at the earth for what it created. The waterfall formed a giant chasm in the earth and water poured out of it with a sound like thunder. As I watched the water flow I doubted how there could ever be a shortage of water in our future. There was so much of it I could not imagine it ever running out.

As we walked along the pathway and made our way along the famous waterfall it got progressively mistier. Each viewpoint was as spectacular as the last. If there’s one thing I remember most it is the rainbows. I’ve seen rainbows in my life but never so many. Everywhere I looked there was another, each brighter and more amazing than the one before.

Toward the end was a place I remember as particularly special. We walked out to the edge of a cliff where the spray was the most intense. I stepped out onto a rock and looked at it all. I could see so much of the falls from that one spot. I stopped trying to keep the water out, pulled my hood back, and let it soak my face. I should have put my arms out and smiled at the sky but I didn’t. I just stared, unable to think of any better thing to do.

I’ll never forget the feeling I experienced when I first saw the falls. It was truly beautiful and made me thankful for everything the earth has given us. The truth is I won’t remember because of the pictures I took, I will remember because it was beautiful and it was important. I hope to remember because it had an impact on me. People often build things up in their head, they make something to be more than it is. I do this like everyone else. But when I saw Victoria Falls it was better than I could have imagined. My advice would be to try and not imagine what something will look like. People are too often disappointed when it doesn’t live up to their impossible expectations. Live in the moment, take it for what it is and be happy that you’re experiencing it. Nothing is ever exactly how we imagine it will be. But sometimes it turns out to be better.

-Maia Coen

Spectacular Victoria Falls

Victoria Falls – What a spectacular reward and finale for our Southern Safaris Tour!  The name alone evokes images of deepest, darkest Africa: Stanley and Livingstone, drums, skin-clad natives, jungles, exotic animals, and even Tarzan.  A Unesco World Heritage Sight, it is also an undisputed member of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World.  It is all that – and more.  The native Kololo name is Mosi ay Tunya, “The smoke that thunders,” eminently more appropriate than Victoria.

"Mosi" is so much more descriptive, captures some of the visceral experience of the falls, and paints a more vivid mental image than the mundane appellation given by Livingstone.  But Victoria Falls is how the world knows this wonder and so I will refer to it (its easier to spell too).

Victoria Falls boast mind boggling dimensions. The falls occur where the mighty Zambezi River drops its entire width (just over a mile) over a 350-foot cliff into a narrow gorge. The volume of water typically ranges between 10,600-106,000 cubic feet per second. The annual mean volume is said to be just over 38,000 cubic feet per second or 1 million liters per second.

Mist generated by the falls can be seen and felt from several miles. In all waterfalls, the river erodes the underlying rock making it "creep" upstream over geologic time. What makes Victoria Falls unique is that instead of moving gradually over time, it creates cracks in the underlying basalt at a different angle than the cliff at the brink of the falls.

That angled crack eventually forms a new chasm intercepting the flow of the Zambezi River, forming a new brink for the falls and leaving the remaining cliff that once supported the edge of the falls bare and exposed. The last such redundant edge forms today's respective (Zimbabwean & Zambian) national parks, the viewing area for the current falls.  Over time, the result has been a series of gorges.  Currently there are 6 or 7 of them zig-zagging their way downstream.

The reward of Victoria Falls was not without cost.  Two hours spent at the border crossing in the hot African sun made us appreciate our comfortable accommodations at the Rainbow Hotel.  The redundancies and inefficiencies of the border experience were enough to make us Americans pull our hair out   In our computerized world, watching a tedious task done by hand is hard to endure.  But we persevered and continued the last 45 minutes to the town of Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe.  The town itself is a bit sad.  Two streets in a T, with aged and deteriorating strip malls, a couple banks, adventure sports companies and safari outfits, a handful of restaurants, and a couple big hotel complexes make up the entire business center.  Dusty roads, broken pavements, and too much garbage didn’t add to the ambiance.  But we didn’t come for the town.

Our hotel, the Rainbow, was a nice comfortable retreat.  A cheerful and light breakfast room looked out over the beautiful pool, poolside bar, and manicured grounds complete with entertaining but pesky monkeys (we were advised never to leave our windows open).  Though worn, our rooms were spacious and clean and the air conditioning worked well.  A heaving breakfast buffet provided everything imaginable (and some things not imagined) for breakfast.  And the coffee was good!  We were set.

Our first afternoon was free.  Ordinarily we would have headed straight for the Falls, the ultimate reason for coming.  But as fortune would have it, we had arrived the night after full moon – one of the evenings when a special, nighttime visit to the falls is allowed to witness the singularly unique “moonbow”.  I had been anticipating this magic moment for months and I prepared by purchasing sparkling wine for a surprise toast.  But the magic never came.  Sometimes the best laid plans are for naught and the travel gods smile not.  A rare, for April, storm front moved in and the moon was obscured by clouds.  The park officials stalled and waited, finally deciding to plunge ahead when the clouds momentarily cleared.

The park rangers gathered everyone together, gave too rapid and unclear instructions, and took off at an unbelievable pace.  Within moments, all but about 7-8 people had fallen behind, including the majority of our group and me.  We stumbled blindly along in the dark, hoping we were headed in the right direction.  When we reached the clearing opposite the middle of the falls, we got hit with the torrential downpour that forms from the “Smoke that Thunders”.  I don’t really have words to describe how wet we got.  We were soaked to the bone.  Moreover, most of us never saw the moonbow.  Apparently, those with the lead ranger got a quick glimpse before the clouds closed back in.  Like most of the crowd, I trudged back to the gate, having seen nothing, soaked, and in my case, carrying a heavy, wet pack of unopened champagne.  Hardly magical.  You win some you lose some.

But the evening was not over for me or my group.  We had lost someone.  After determining that she we not back at the hotel, we organized a search for her.  It took about 20 minutes, but the park rangers found her at the furthest reaches of the park.  All is well that ends well, but there were some scary and confounding moments before the good ending.  But there was a silver lining.  A lifetime of travel has taught me that, sometimes, the most special and spontaneous travel moments are forged from the refining fires of disaster.  In my personal case on this evening, that is precisely what happened.  When we organized the search I took the area of the park which includes the statue of Livingstone and the first 3 cataracts.  I had not been there earlier in the mad scramble to see the moonbow.  In the intervening time, the clouds had cleared and the light from the nearly full moon was bright and clear.  Abruptly I found myself alone at the viewing edge opposite the first two cataracts.  It was my first and completely unanticipated view of the falls.  The power, energy, and thunderous noise were heart-stopping. Bathed in the shadowy moonlight the thunderous falls were dramatically ethereal.  While searching for my lost tour member I’d seemingly stumbled through a magic portal to an unexpected mystical realm.  I felt like I’d awakened in one of Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings movies, so powerful was my reaction.  It was THE moment of the tour for me.  My only regret was that my group did not share it with me – and that is a powerful regret.  I later learned that 4-5 of my group had been with the lead ranger and had seen the moonbow glimpse as well as returning via the first cataracts and seeing them in the moonlight as well.

As always, my Imprint alums were stalwart and philosophical about the disastrous falls visit.  But I felt terrible.  I can’t control nature and the weather, but I also felt like our local guide did little to mitigate the tough situation faced at the falls.  So the tour paid for everyone to visit the falls again, during the day.  And it was spectacular! Perhaps not the magic I had hoped for on the moonlight visit, but the wondrous spectacle of power, majesty, and the unbridled force of nature was suitably and singularly impressive.  Everyone got wet again, but at least we were mentally prepared this time.  How do I describe an indescribable experience?  You FEEL the falls in your bones.  It’s a visceral reaction, not an intellectual one.  You feel connected to the most fundamental elements and unbridled power of the earth.  It is humbling and exciting at one and the same moment.  You feel incredibly tiny, weak, and insignificant yet your spirit soars with the transcendent joy of discovery, pursuit, and the shared wonder of the universe.  The ear-to-ear smile that greeted me on the face of every tour member assured me that the experience was felt as deeply by all.  Despite the flop of the night visit, the Falls turned out to be the perfect finale of the tour.

Chobe River Sunset Cruise

Certainly one of the game viewing highlights of the entire Southern Safaris tour was the Chobe River Sunset Cruise.  This cruise is a travelers’ institution not to be missed if one visits ChobeNational Park in Botswana.  In fact, the reputation, and therefore the expectation of this excursion is so lofty, I had some concerns that I might have “oversold” it to my travelers.  I need not have worried.  What a wonderful, rich experience!  It was one of those fantastic events that words and even images will never sufficiently describe how truly wonderful it was.  But I shall endeavor to do so.  

After a lovely and leisurely afternoon around the swimming pool of Kwalape Lodge we loaded up for our transfer to the river.  After our drivers had lugged aboard an iced cooler full of beer, soft drinks, and water we boarded a medium-sized pontoon boat, just right for our group of 24.  The boat, more of a floating platform, had open sides for unobstructed viewing and photography.  Our captain gave the commands and we pushed off into the slowly flowing river.

At first he felt compelled to visit the shore for every animal spotting opportunity – impala, small lizards, monkeys, etc.  But eventually I was able to convince him that we’d been on safari for several days and we wanted to see only the best of the wildlife.  But before we churned upriver in earnest we did see some brightly colored birds whose nests were mere holes in the mudbank of the river.  Pretty interesting.  We also saw Wildebeast, Cape Buffalo, Warthogs, and a couple of nice Kudu on the shore.

But very soon more impressive sightings began.  We came across a fairly good-sized crocodile sunning himself on the riverbank – or perhaps he was merely waiting stealthily for unsuspecting prey to venture within “snapping” range.  We had seen many crocs, but few so large and none so close.

Next we spotted the largest monitor lizard encountered on the tour.  This fella was probably 4 to 4.5 feet long.

However, the clear favorites of the evening came after we’d been underway for some time.  It seems that everyone loves elephants and hippos – I suspect it’s the shear scale of these lumbering yet graceful beasts.  Certainly it was true for us.  First we came across a very young elephant at the riverside for his evening drink.

Clearly, he was used to humans and cruise boats because our pilot brought us to within a few feet and we were able to interact, at least photographically, in an “up close and personal” way.  I positioned myself in the bow, armed with my camcorder and filmed from no more than 8-10 feet away.  Even a youngster seemed dangerous and I was a bit intimidated and nervous.  But our captain seemed to know what was safe and the experience was exhilarating.

I won’t say we saw hippos next, because we were seeing isolated hippos all along the way.  But after 30-40 minutes of motoring, we arrived at hippo central.  What had looked like a large collection of rocks from the shore were in fact a goodly sized herd of the great water horses.  I’d say we saw something on the order of 30-35 lounging together mid-stream.  We spent quite a bit of time drifting lazily close by, opportunities to snap photos of the great hippo “yawns” periodically presenting themselves.  Wow, what a show.  Several in our group got great shots.

The highlight of the evening was an elephant that had chosen to make its way out into the middle of the river for its dinner.  Out in the middle of a great swath of reeds, right where we could come very near, she tore up great bundles of vegetation with her prehensile trunk and enjoyed a massive, watery salad for dinner.  Another great show.  She obviously relished both the meal and the shear pleasure of being in the water.  There was lots of splashing, snorkeling, and crunching.  We spent quite a long time enjoying her enjoyment, recording it with our cameras.

After our fauna encounters, which could only be described as magical, we started heading back to our riverside landing.  But the last show of the night remained.  As impressive as the animals are on the river, nothing takes a back seat to the sunsets.  Great, billowing clouds created the fiery backdrop to an African sunset none will soon forget.  The tranquil waters of the river provided the reflective, electric foreground.  We’d seen some impressive sunsets on our African travels, but this one took the prize. We drifted at a snails pace, accompanied by the sound of whirring camera shutters and the contented oohs and ahhs of our group.  Hushed but animated conversation seemed imbued with a low-grade electricity as we marveled at nature’s beauty.  The smiles on everyone’s faces, themselves illuminated by the yellow-orange of the day’s last rays, bespoke the success of the excursion.  It was a fitting end to another great day in Africa.

Chobe Drive

Day 4 of the bush safari segment of our tour began with an early start and a long road.  I knew this would be our longest driving day.  Even though the miles were not great, Botswana's roads leave much to be desired.  And even thought our safari vehicles were considerably more comfortable than the Namibia "Battle Bus," I expected a long, tiring, road day.  So I was pleasantly surprised to learn our entire drive would take place in Chobe National Park - another of the great game viewing venues of Africa. It was more like a day-long game drive than the dusty, bumpy, enervating trek I anticipated. Sometimes I love being wrong on a tour.

The day's highlights, while still exciting for us, were mostly repeats of game I have already written about.  But I will mention we saw ANOTHER cheetah! Inconceivable. This was the cheetah tour for sure! Also, we saw our first kudus. These are the largest of the African antelopes and very colorful too.

Their redish-brown bodies are brightly accented with black and white markings on face, neck, and hindquarters - and the whole ensemble is crowned with majestic twisting horns. Really quite elegant and striking animals (and good to eat too). We saw them at the very end of the day as we approached Kasane in the north-east corner of Chobe and the late afternoon light made them even more enjoyable.

Additionally, we saw Sable Antelope, another large, dramatically black antelope, similar to the Kudus in size and majesty.  One other "spot" was not of the fauna variety. We saw our first Baobob trees. Wow - are they ever big.  No wonder so many African legends and stories revolve around a Baobob.  Almost as exciting as seeing one of the Big 5!

While the game viewing was still fantastic this day, I must confess the real highlight was man-made: Kwalape Lodge. I was expecting another rustic, permanent tent safari camp like Mogothlo. Instead, Kwalape is more like a mid-range resort.

We were greeted by the excessively charming Ompile (who went by the nickname of OP to make it easy on us) who welcomed us to the lodge, gave us the logistical run-down, and directed the staff in assisting us to our accommodations. And what accommodations they were! Most were in permanent tents  - but you would never know you were in a tent: pictures on the wall, air conditioning, TVs, mini-bars, and beautiful, large, attached, brick and mortar bathrooms.

It was a standard of safari elegance unanticipated, therefore serendipitously pleasing.  And I haven't yet mentioned the beautiful swimming pool, welcoming bar, big bonfire pit, and 2-story Boma dining hall - all tastefully laid out in rolling terrain and connected by concrete walkways.

But honestly, I wasn't even thinking about the facilities when I mentioned Kwalape as a highlight.  That event came after dinner.  I had arranged for a performance by a local music/dance group. After another huge and filling buffet dinner we retired to the bar where the staff had arranged the seating to create a stage-like venue.  Then the fun began.  We enjoyed one of the best performances I've ever seen anywhere (or at any price).  This group was nothing short of spectacular! Half men and half women, each side played off the other in "story-telling" musical pantomime.  They had no musical instruments, not even a drum.  The entire musical portion was acapella voices accompanied only by clapping, stomping (some with noise enhancing ankle wear which produced a maracas kind of sound), and the slapping of some calf wraps that produced a dull thumping sound.  I recorded it and intend to upload it to the Imprint Voqul sight when I get home in June (www.voqel.com).  I can't ever remember being so swept up by a performance.  I could barely contain my impulse to jump up and join them (which I'm sure would have been welcomed - perhaps I'll try it next time around). And best of all, I've never seen a group that seemed to enjoy performing as much as these people. They looked like they were having the time of their lives - and I believe they were.  I wish I knew someone in the entertainment business in the US.  This group could storm the country like an African "riverdance".  What a show! What a day!

Okavango - Moremi

Our second full day at Mogothlo (Okavango) was spent in the famous Moremi Game Preserve.  One of the great game viewing parks of southern Africa, Moremi boasts a dizzying array of animals, including 4 of the Big 5 (Elephant, Lion, Leopard, Cape Buffalo; Rhinos are missing having been poached to near extinction).  We were forced to make a longer drive to the south gate as the north was inaccessible due to record rains in the delta this summer.  So we didn't arrive until mid-morning but we still had great success.

The clear highlight of the day came almost right away.  While bumping along Beaman spotted a big cat in the far distance. It was a cheetah!  What luck! Beaman later told us he'd not seen a single cheetah last season.  And we found one our first day in Moremi. Even more lucky, we were able to follow a small service track to approach the cat. We got within about 70-80 yards I'd guess, before she got up and sauntered slowly off with nary a backward glance. She reminded me greatly of our own cat Mango, who often ignores us in the same dismissive (disdainful?) way.  An amazing "spot" and a beautiful compliment to our running cheetah family experienced in Namibia. A find like that energizes the group and all eyes are tuned to the environment for the next big sighting. Awesome!

As the game drive progressed we saw a number of elephants, a few Waddle Cranes and at least one Marshall Eagle. We also saw our first herd of Lechwe - smallish antelope with a distinctly red coat. Sometime after our picnic lunch we encountered our first small herd of Wildebeast. Boy are they ugly. Beaman joked that Africa has more than the Big Five, they also have the Ugly Five (Hyenas, Aardvarks, etc). Wildebeast easily make that infamous list.  But still fun to photograph.

After the cheetah spotting, a second highlight was a group of 5 giraffe.  We had seen lots of giraffe, but these performed a "synchronized" maneuver that we all appreciated. They were meandering across an open section of ground in their distinctive, oddly loping, but graceful gate.  It just happened they were aligned by size, from largest to smallest.

They seemed to be meandering randomly across the plain when the biggest stopped walking. Nothing remarkable there, just a nice profile shot for us.  But then the second pulled up immediately behind the first, matching exactly his posture. Sure enough, he was followed by the third, fourth, and remarkably the fifth giraffe. They looked exactly like a planned carving, each matching the other like pieces of an animal puzzle for children.

It was exceptional in its symmetry and simplicity. Nature's wonder!  Best of all, one of our tour members got it recorded on video.  With some creative and humorous voice-over, we could have a Youtube sensation!  It was great fun.  But the show wasn't quite finished.  The two larger animals soon broke formation and the first reversed his position 180 degrees.  The result was the two leaders with perfectly crossed necks, still in profile for us.

We finished out the game drive with more warthogs, hippos, zebras, and a huge crocodile. Unfortunately, the croc was quite far off and only observable with binoculars. Soon we were bumping along on Botswana's dusty roads back to Mogotlho Camp. But just before pulling into our long drive, we got our first look at a retreating heard of Cape Buffalo. We finished our day with another informal happy hour on the terrace and a hearty meal served by our friendly Mogothlo hosts, all the while being serenaded by the croaking hippos in the nearby river.

Okavnango Delta - Mokoros

​After wrapping up our adventures in Capetown and the Western Cape we boarded an early flight to Maun Botswana, gateway for the Okovango Delta. Botswana would be our venue for the game viewing portion of the tour.  The twin engine prop plane was tiny but the flight was smooth and we arrived ready to explore the Delta.

Our first activity was a Mokoro exursion.  Mokoros are the traditional mode of transportation in the Delta.  The Okovango, one of the largest inland deltas in the world (it dissipates into the sands of the Kalahari Desert) swells to immense size after the rainy season but nonetheless is never very deep.  The Mokoros, carved from the logs of Sausage Trees (yes there really is a Sausage Tree) are shallow dugouts, propelled by polling. They are perfect for the shallow and ever-changing channels of the delta.  It has become a traveler's checklist activity to explore the delta via Mokoros.

We were driven to a nearby dugout "station" and divided up among 10 or 11 of the small boats.  It was our fist exposure to Botswanans and we all found them to be wonderful, charming, and self-assured folk.  A highlight of this first encounter was getting to know one's respective "poler."  The Botswanans all go by nicknames, mostly self chosen.  So one hears some pretty interesting names:  Galaxy, Captain, Master, Lucky, etc.  When I told my poler Moonshine that nicknames are only bestowed from without in our culture she seemed incredulous and giggled at the thought.

The excursion itself was peaceful and unspectacular.  Gliding along with a water-level perspective does not necessarily allow for much in the way of visual fireworks. Rather, it was the enjoyment of exploring the delta environment in silence, looking at papyrus reeds, water flora, and the occasional amphibian or spider for wildlife.  I'm made to understand that people see hippos, crocodiles, and even elephants from Mokoros, but we encountered no mammals.  Our biggest highlight was the sunset sky.

I think everyone enjoyed the experience, though all spirits were literally dampened when the skies opened and we got rained on for the last 10 minutes.  Many of us (me included) got caught unprepared and got really soaked.  It made for a soggy and cold 45 minute ride back into Maun to rendezvous with our baggage, change into dry clothes, and proceed to our Safari Camp, Mogothlo.  Our already tight schedule was delayed by a vehicle breakdown and we arrived very late in camp.  But my intrepid veteran Imprint travelers maintained a positive attitude throughout and we eventually settled in for the night.

The discomforts of the previous day's rain and delays were quickly exorcised by the experience of the early morning game drive and the genuine kindness and cheerful nature of the lovely people running Mogothlo Safari Camp.

Okavango - First Safari Day

Our game viewing excursions while staying at Mogotlho Safari Camp were outstanding. Our first game drive was a spectacular success.  We departed early for the best photographic light and to see animals while most active.

We drove along the nearby river, spotting lots of Impalas immediately.  They are beautiful and graceful, but so plentiful that we soon began to refer to them as "MacDonalds" - fast food and one on every corner (the zebras eventually became the Starbucks, and the Warthogs, KFC). We also saw, and heard, lots of interesting and colorful birds.  As we had no birders in this group our interest had a quick decline, unless we saw something really interesting - like Marabou Stork or African Fish Eagle.

We also saw Sacred Ibis, Egyptian Geese, Short-Tailed Eagle, Tawny Eagle, and various herons, storks, or other brightly colored avian neighbors.  There were far too many to keep track of - but our ace guides Beaman and Master knew every one.  We even saw a Cori Bustard, one of Botswana's national birds.  Its a big bird, somewhat like a smallish ostrich, though a bustard can fly.

The first excitement of the morning came in the form of hippos. We came upon a group of 4-5 (hard to be sure as they bob and down like apples at Halloween) including a baby.  The baby had a tiny head (relatively speaking) and its hide was more pinkish than the adult chocolate brown.  As always with game sightings seeing a baby adds to the viewing pleasure.  The hippos occasionally made their croaking bellows and we were told this is the way they warn off intruders to their territory (they mark their land-based territory with their scat).

It became a common sound during out 3 days in the delta - both far and near.  In the forward safari vehicle (SV) we were treated to what I can only describe as a hippo "breaching" like a whale.  An adult lunged up out of the water and spun around to face the opposite direction. Big splash and big drama for us!  The following SV, some 5 minutes or so behind, was treated to a cranky hippo charge.

Apparently, the SV seemed big and close enough to constitute a threat and one male made several watery (read not very fast) but clear charges.  One of our tour members got the whole scene on video, including the animated comments of: "He's coming after us!" Pretty exciting stuff - but Master kept them easily out of harms way.

After various other Macs, Starbucks, and KFC sightings (and yes, we were still stopping to take tons of pictures) we came across 4 giraffe - all seemed to be young, though clearly not babies.  Our first exposure to these lumbering but graceful (sounds like an oxymoron I know, but they are simultaneously both) creatures was truly exciting!

They were a big favorite throughout our safari days, no matter how often we found them.   Even so, the first sighting of each animal is inevitably the most exciting. Continuing on through the bush we came upon two Giant Eagle Owls - as the name suggests, theses are immense birds. Even though we've all seen owls and know about their amazing necks, is was still remarkable to watch them turn to look down upon us - without turning their bodies at all. We also saw bushbucks, striped mongoose, and more I've forgotten.  We also stumbled upon our first group of baboons. We would see hundreds more, but this first exposure was pretty amusing. Baboons cavort and play rather vigorously. The guides even talked about how they play to an audience. It really seems like they are showing off.

Our safari vehicle

We'd stopped for a snack and the morning was waxing  so we headed back to our safari camp.  Having had the experience of safari 20+ years ago, I was not anxious for us to see more animals on our first outing.  In fact, I said aloud, "This has been a perfect morning.  I hope we don't see any more signature animals on our way back to camp." As if on cue, we rounded a bend and there was a huge tusker right next to the road. I saw hundreds of elephants in East Africa in 1993, but I'm quite sure I was never this close to one.  And he was immense! It was quite intimidating, but he seemed quite unconcerned with us. Many of my tour members had ridden elephants with me in India and Thailand but none were prepared for how much bigger the African version is. Wow! What a spectacular finish to the morning.  We returned to our camp literally buzzing with excitement.

After lunch and some down time (I think most had a nap) and tea with cake we began our walking safari. More a nature walk than a safari, our very knowledgeable guides taught us about the local flora, including their medicinal and cultural values.  Less spectacular than big game spotting, but interesting and enlightening.

We got our first glimpse into Botswanan culture and started to learn about our hosts and host country.  Oh, and for those hoping for or expecting a bit more excitement, we stumbled upon another, albeit smaller elephant about 5 minutes from camp. We did not approach and we never got close, but seeing these immense beasts, even a smallish example, while on foot is a totally different experience.  Intimidating is the first word that comes to mind.  I certainly felt comfortable and safe with Beaman and the now-armed Master, but I have to admit that vulnerable was probably the second thought/ feeling I had.  But Babar, or so I later christened him in my mind as we saw him almost daily, kept his distance and all was well in the jungle.

After returning to camp much of the group gathered in the Boma-style dining hall for one of our usual, unplanned happy hours.  Somehow having a cold beer or glass of wine under the immense thatched roof with a hippo-stocked river a few yards away was more special that the usual hotel bar gathering.

A few minutes before our scheduled dinner, we heard crescendoing music coming from the cookhouse.  The entire staff of our safari camp made a musical procession to the Boma and sang a handful of "welcome" songs.  What a treat! This seems to be a pretty regular tradition in much of southern Africa (we had it twice in Namibia) and the staffs seem genuinely to enjoy it. And it seems that everyone is musical as the harmonies and melodies are excellent. Needless to say, a musical tradition based on percussive accompaniment meant the singing was always pleasingly rhythmic.  I am not particularly musical and rarely listen to music, but I found myself swept up in the rhythms and harmonies of Africa.  It certainly touched something in me.  Perhaps I lived in Africa in a former life.

After a delicious home-style meal, we headed out for our last activity of the long first day - a night safari. We piled into our respective SVs and proceeded into the bush, armed with powerful spotlights. I really didn't know what to expect but it was another amazing experience.  We found more Giant Eagle Owls perched high in trees, caught impala literally like "deer in headlights", and spotted some mysterious unidentified "glowing eyes" in a distant tree.  Our imaginations probably exceeded the reality.  The night's clear highlight was again the massive waddling hippos.  Hippos leave the water at night to graze and we discovered 2 or 3 wandering out on shore. That was fun - and a very different experience than seeing them 95% submerged in the river.

That night I think we all slept soundly after such a full and rewarding day. Except we were all awakened several times by very close hippos croaking out their defiance - perhaps as retribution for our having disturbed their evening?