Another Accolade for Micato Safaris

Turns out Micato won two Conde Nast Traveler Awards, this time for philanthropy via the AmericaShare program.

I know Betsy and I seriously considered participating while we were there, but I just wasn't sure at the time of booking the tour. Looking back now, I have no doubt we will be more active on that front, and I suspect we will take the tour on Saturday afternoon before the return flight. Several of our mates went, and they all loved it.

You know, there are a few things I keep coming back to when thinking about our trip. One, the elephant population in Tarangire. I remember Renny told us that overpopulation continues to be a problem - that the foliage cannot keep up with the growth of the herds, and there is always discussion about culling measures. How do you go about doing that? And how do you handle the backlash? There would surely be backlash.

The most recent matter involves the creation of a highway cutting through the Serengeti. You have to read this.

Wow. So many thoughts. First, is this really the best choice of route? The article suggests an alternate is available, though I'm sure there is a particular reason for the northern selection. Second, what does this do to the Mara? Again the article comments on this - as I'm sure the Kenyan authorities will.

Then I start thinking that perhaps the highway isn't needed. But I'm here in the States, where we have the infrastructure to support an economy. Who am I to say what the people of Tanzania should do with their land?

But aren't we in a global society? Isn't there a bigger obligation? And how do you balance the competing interests, anyway? These aren't easy questions to answer.

But it does raise one very important question for me - when am I going back? Soon, I hope....

Monday, 17 September 2007 – Serengeti NP (Cont.)

I got up rather slowly around 3:30 and went to the drive around 4:00. Our goal now was, in Renny’s words, ‘the elusive leopard.’ Not an LLT (leopard like thing), but an actual ‘spotted-up.’ (Versus a ‘spotted-down’ – anyone know what that is?

At first I was confused, because we were headed out where no one else appeared to be. Before too long we got a flat tire. I could tell Steven was serious, b/c he didn’t say he had to check the tire pressure – he said we had a flat.

NOW, of course, Betsy says “I get it now. He must need to go,” thinking she’s got the code figured out!

“No, Betsy, we really do have a flat tire.”

“Oh. Well, I need to check the tire pressure.”

“Now?”

“Yes.”

“You do realize, we’ve got like half a dozen Micato guys out there.”

“But how many safari guides does it take to change a flat tire?” she says.

“I don’t know, more than it takes to change a light bulb?”

“What? I don’t get it.”

Smiling, (she get's it, she's just playing along), I point out that it would take AAA a lot longer to get a truck out here, so this is not so bad. And at least they’re not all pointing at the tire, coffee in hand, nodding in agreement “yup, that’s a flat tire.”

Ten minutes later, we’re back off. I asked Steven why the other two Micato cars stopped behind us and waited while we made the change. It’s primarily a safety and assistance thing. And it turns out that they do an nightly inspection of every vehicle, plus a tune-up after every tour. The vehicles change out about every three years.

The guides said something in Kiswahili, about television and road 610. Apparently, their sources suggested they head out to route 610 for spotted up. Judging by the subsequent bumping and bouncing, I’d say we took a shortcut to get there.

We arrived to about 15 cars, stretched maybe a football field long or so, near a good patch of trees and dense foliage a bit away. Sure enough, up on a horizontal branch of a sausage tree, was the leopard. You can spot the leopard (pun intended) by looking for vertical branch hanging down from a horizontal branch. The vertical branch should curl back up, like the bottom of an old-style umbrella. This of course is the tail.

(In the picture at the top of this post, you can see the cat clearly. Trust me.)

Man, I had no idea how grand the leopard would be. She is a massive creature, just the picture of strength and confidence. For me, I couldn’t get enough. I could spend an hour looking at her. I think this was my highlight thus far. Alas, after about ten minutes, she let out a big sigh, and climbed down out of the tree, and into our memories. We did it – the Big Five!

We drove back for drinks in the tv room, where Renny explained that they decided to skip the bush drinks and go searching for the cat instead. We all agreed that was the better choice. Dinner was outstanding as usual, and we all went to bed knowing how hard it would be to say goodbye. (In retrospect, we had NO idea.)

Monday, 17 September 2007 – Serengeti NP

I still haven’t gotten my head around the idea that I AM ACTUALLY IN THE SERNGETI! My dreams always placed me here, but I never thought it would become reality. Mom says I need to blog more about my feelings when I do these reports…

I guess I’m blessed to have seen this beautiful place. Maybe part of the fantasy about it has been the idea that, in the 21st century, there really are no earthly unexplored frontiers. I wish there were new horizons to discover, accessible to me. There aren’t any more. But THIS IS. It is a new discovery for me. And that’s part of what I feel when I think about Africa, and the Serengeti in particular. The overwhelming sense of awe in being here. I don’t recall the last time I felt so content, just looking at the sky. An incredible blue in contrast to the greens and browns of the savannah.

We woke up to some wonderful natural sounds. At about 6 am we heard hyenas howling in the distance. Although that was a great experience, it was preceded by the European couple next door, answering the basic of human needs (and no, not food or shelter). Not exactly something I expected to hear, but at least it wasn’t someone we knew…

We ran a bit late this morning, so breakfast was just a bowl of cereal and some coffee. We again dropped off laundry, and headed to the bus at 8 for a four hour drive. (The laundry service was outstanding. I might have mentioned that before, but I’ll say it again. Next time, I’m packing lighter, and taking advantage of the amenities.)

Not but 5 minutes out, on the road to the park proper, we saw an African porcupine. It’s nocturnal, so this was a rare sighting. It is BIG! I had no idea they got that large. (That was really exciting, to see one in person. I’m quite giddy at this point.) Now I can imagine what that fight last night looked like. And the quill is considered a game trophy, along with the feather of a guinea fowl.

A bit later we saw another jackal, and eventually we came across a beautiful male lion sitting on a kopje. It has a sort of gray mane. Probably a much older male. Again the coat is just beautiful.
Still no leopard sighting, though we continued hunting. So we went over to the soda lake and met tons of birds. We turned back and not too far away was a beautiful lioness, just laying down. The area had a little bit of water in some small streams and pools. She got up, stretched, and walked over to the pool. First one leap, then another, and a drink. She looked so serene drinking the water. We noticed she was probably nursing. Sure enough, she moved to the other side and up a hill, to rest. Probably the cubs were up there.

We had visited the rhino information center earlier. This is where we learned about conservation efforts, and how the TZ officials, together with the Frankfurt Zoological Society (I hope that’s right), work on tracking and protecting the rhino throughout the Serengeti.

At about lunch time I started feeling a bit off. I ate just a little at the lodge, then went straight to the room. I had taken some Pepto during the drive, to help with the discomfort. I was probably crashing from the excitement and the food. I was asleep pretty quickly.

Let me say, there is never much time to rest. I guess this is a good thing, but I didn’t expect then when planning for the trip. I was pretty sure that we’d have a few hours every afternoon. Although we didn’t get the time generally, until this point I never really felt it. I think excitement takes you a long way.

Is there any way to explain to people how I felt about this trip? It really is a life-changing experience. You know, I’ve never been a great salesman, but I know the key is being passionate about what you’re selling. And when you’re passionate, you just start getting excited and want to share with anyone who will listen. I still do that to this day. I try and share whenever I can. And I think about the trip all the time. I want to tell all the birds, and animals, and trees, how much I love them, and how much I miss them. There’s a favorite song of mine, Find Your Grail. It’s all about focusing on what you want, finding that one that to help you through the tough times, and seeking it out. That’s your grail. Well, I always wondered what my grail was. And I found it. Africa.

I’ll continue soon with the incredible story of the evening (with pictures). Anyone reading this, please don’t hesitate to comment!

Saturday, 15 September - Ngorongoro Crater

We decided to skip breakfast this morning, as we were both pretty full from the non-stop feeding. Although in retrospect we should have grabbed a yogurt or something, as we were both hungry well before lunch.

Every time we check in to a new lodge, I charge up the batteries. The power strip I plug into the adapter, and then plug everything into the strip. The stuff that needs power conversion (110 v 220) I charge later without the strip so I can use the adapter on the item.

We've done laundry twice now, once at Amboseli Serena Lodge and once here, at Ngorongoro Crater Sopa Lodge. Both times the clothes came back in excellent condition. I'm trying to avoid a third washing so we'll see how I do. (Aside - in the future, just do the laundry as needed, even every other day. It's very reasonable and the service is wonderful. It would save on packing. Since there were just one or two items I loved wearing, I would pack less and wash more.)

As I sat Sunday morning the 16th, writing in my journal, I took some time to just look around from me seat in the sun room at the Sopa and think about where I was. It was 8:48 am, or 11:48 pm in Colorado, where FSU was playing game 3 or so on the season. When we were in the crater Saturday, I didn't even begin to think about what was happening in the States, beyond thinking about Mom and the puppies at home (who were in my thoughts every day). I guess the truly important things come into focus at times of reflection.

Our wake-up call was not the three knocks, each louder than before, that we got in Tarangire. Instead, it was a hard rapping at 6:00 am. No jackals or hyenas, however.

Renny joined our car the entire day. He and Steven seem to make a great team. It's fun to watch them, and listen to tehm use Kiswahili, looking for the best game. I love how clear it is that they love doing this. It is clear that they love Tanzania, and want us to have an unforgettable experience.

Our drive into the crater, with me in the first row behind Renny and E now in the back with Betsy, (I'm thinking - OK, these girls are really hitting it off now) descends slowly through various areas, from teh montane forest down to the open savannah floor. (Savannah floor? Not sure, but that's what I thought of.)

We first spot a male lion in the distance, walking away from us out into some better hunting ground. Later we see three lionesses, each one apart from the other, but in the general area. One of them had her kill about 10 feet away from her resting spot in the shade of a tree. I was able to spot a jackal in the distance while the others were focuses on the lioness (way to go me). Renny had told us about how the aged elephants moved into the papyrus 'forest' to die. Sure enough, we saw an old bull, with long tusks, moving into the forest. Renny said the ele will make it no more than three months and then pass. The scavangeers will then move in and clean up.

Renny also mentioned that poaching has been significantly reduced here, thanks to increased security, ranger compensation (to combat graft), and international ivory trade bans. Those caught poching face seven years in prison mandatory.

We had lunch out on the lake, which I dubbed hippo lake. Apparently this is where all the tours eat, as all the safari vehicles were pretty much lined up around the shore. The Micato boys set up a beautiful red table cloth and china arrangement, all sorts of great drink choices, and delicious foods.

Looking back on it, I realize I saw more wildebeest and zebra than I've ever seen in my life (then again, given this was day six of the trip, that's a somewhat loaded comment). Apparently we should have seen even more flamingoes, but the soda lake had too much water and hence the crustacean population was not right. Renny was disappointed that we weren't surrounded by lions at times (from what I understand, that is not an uncommon experience). But none of us were in the least bit disappointed. We honestly couldn't have been more thrilled with everything!

After lunch we made it to the heavily forested area, where perhaps 20 to 30 cars were watching a black rhino. I got a quick shot of it on video.

On our way out of the crater we stopped and watching a cheetah, making her way around the cars toward a watering hole. Yet another feline experience to wrap up a safari locale. The next one would be even better....

A Question On Colors

I think I've said before that God must have been playing with his Crayolas when he got to Africa. I mean, that Lilac-Breasted Roller alone is enough to brighten any den. If I'm right, coloration usually has to do with either mating or environmental factors, yes? We know that the male ostrich turns bright pink during mating season, for example. But why the unique colors on the Agama? They don't seem to blend with the environment. Is it a mating purpose, then? Anyone have any idea? Maybe Alfred or Renny would know - I should have asked them.

I miss the colors of Africa.

My First Serengeti Lions

The Lilac Breasted Roller

19 hours to take off...

Will I even get any sleep tonight? Probably, I'm pretty beat.

Lord, please be with us all while we go on our adventure. Even when our family is apart, we know that we are together because you are with us. Thank you for this blessing.

One more day at work...

Then it's off to Africa. Trying to wrap up everything here and get my mind in the right frame of mind. Funny, how some vacations will put you in the right frame of mind (Disney, anyone?) and others need a little prepping. I think just being over there will do it for me, but I enjoying trying to focus on what's to come.

Mother just sent me a wonderful message, the Real Simple Daily Thought:

September 06, 2007
The world is a book and those who do not travel read only a page.
— St. Augustine

Even longer than I thought

OK, I'm at work, so I have to make this quick, but MAN, this is going to be a long week. I've checked the countdown clock (get it here at http://www.timeleft.info) on my desktop about 30 times already. I've even set my watch ahead 7 hours. This is nuts.

The final countdown

Something tells me this is going to be one of the longer weeks in recent memory...

In one week, I'll be in Nairobi

The bags are packed, saved for a few items. We've been through our list a few times, and the weight in each duffel (duffell?) is less than 33. It helps to add the heavy stuff to the backpack, and make sure they don't weight that!

I wonder how relaxed or removed from stress I'll feel this time next week. I hope so.

One Week

Flight leaves a week from today. Now is the time to go through the bag and make sure we have everything. I noticed that Micato changed the recommended packing list. No they say just 4 sets of underwear, fewer changes of clothes, etc. That's not a bad thing, I guess. It all turns on weight and how often you wish to have your clothes cleaned.

I've updated my backpack, now it's ready to go.

And currently playing on mouseworldradio....Horizons ride-thru. Nice.

A Brief Detour

Only because I like spreading the word, a few great blogs for Disney-philes out there. Or really anyone who likes interesting trivia, news, and information about Disney, especially if you plan on taking a trip at some point.

Jeff Pepper's blog - http://2719hyperion.blogspot.com/
Lou Mongello's site - http://disneyworldtrivia.com/
Lou's Podcast (go listen to show #26 for 8/5/07 - Lou read my email) - http://wdwradio.com/
Foxxfur's blog (I don't recall her name - great stuff about theme park design) - http://passport2dreams.blogspot.com/
DIS Unplugged (awesome podcast) - http://www.wdwinfo.com/disney-podcast/
Mouse World Radio (24/7 streaming of real in-park audio) - http://mouseworldradio.com/

9 Days, 6 Hours....

OK, I had to pack a few extra items. Now that I know my carry-on doesn't count against my weight limit, I've put back some shampoo, and some spray-on insect repellant. I've also added one more pair of shorts and some pajamas. Normally, I wouldn't worry about over-packing, but in this case, I will. However, given that the camera and film take up about 6 pounds, and they will be on my back, I think I'm going to make it.

10 Days And Counting

Well, I think I've got just about everything packed. My Micato bag weight is under 33 pounds. (Thanks to Lynda for the reminder.) B and I will probably just go through everything again this weekend, make any last minute purchases, then watch the calendar. I need to get a flickr account or something set up, and I've got to check on power options one more time.

Oh man, I'll be on a plane a week from Saturday, on my way to Africa....

Just 60 days away from the trip. Most of the items have been collected, save for some new sunglasses and tapes for the video camera. Once the duffel arrives from Micato, we can start packing.

My adventure begins soon

I'll be posting all sorts of updates and other stuff as I approach my dream trip - Africa!