2geonomads

Thursday 12th October
Vic Falls to Hwange National Park
A nice, relaxing start to the day with the usual superb breakfast and it’s always good to enjoy the spectacular view over the Gorge in the early morning light.
Having almost given up hope of seeing the Verreaux’s eagles as we are due to leave the Lodge this morning these superb birds finally put in an appearance on branches high up on the walls of the Zambezi Gorge. Gorges Lodge owner Chris’s fascination, if not obsession , for these birds now makes more sense.

By mid-morning it’s time for us, together with Jeff and Terri, to set off on the long road journey to Dete, to the southeast of Victoria Falls where we will board the Elephant Express railcar which will take us to Bomani Safari Lodge situated in a remote, unspoilt corner of the south-eastern Hwange National Park.
It comes as a very pleasant surprise to have as our driver the very personable Matt who first brought us to Gorges Lodge two days earlier. Once again he is full of information as we make our way on the now familiar 11 kms back to the main road. Although one is ever-mindful of the daily hardships faced by the local population one can’t help admiring the industry of the villagers we encounter. Against overwhelming odds they seemingly remain optimistic that life will take a turn for the better in due course.
Arriving at the road junction we on this occasion turn left away from Victoria Falls and head east towards Hwange, stopping after about 90 minutes to take a break. The pit stop is to say the least rather basic but the splendid Royal Poinciana tree across the road brightens up the scene.
Continuing on our journey we come across many more scenes of Zimbabweans going about their daily lives, including schoolchildren who seem to walk very long distances to and from their place of learning and mothers, with children in tow, balancing on their head the most incredible loads. Little wonder that they all have the most perfect deportment.

Gail manages to take a photo from our vehicle to prove that against all the odds enterprise is still very much alive and this is personified by a I.Ndlovu who owns a restaurant, butchery and a bottle shop in one small roadside shopping strip. To complete this ‘one stop shopping’ scene there is also Gloria’s offering ‘ Baking so good no one can resist’ and PTA Investments.

Our 3 hour road trip comes to an end at the small community of Dete where we board the railcar of the Elephant Express which will take us to Bomani Lodge, situated on the Ngamo Plain.
There is a fairly lengthy delay in our departure as we need to wait for a goods train carrying coal to pass through the station from the opposite direction. Once again the local inhabitants, including many children, keep us entertained as they wander across the tracks for a closer view of the railcar and the motley band of travellers onboard.

Eventually underway we are soon served with a very tasty meal and judging by one of the photos of Terri and myself a good time is had by all.

An elephant sign trackside reminds us of our location as does a very heavily-laden ute waiting for us to pass through.

Our next stop is at Cecil’s Tree which is in memory of the famous male lion which was killed in July 2015 by Walter Palmer, a Minnesota dentist who had paid $50,000, and two guides initially using a crossbow and later a gun.
Reports at the time that they had lured the lion out of the National Park sanctuary were subsequently challenged. Regardless this killing created a furore and drop in   the much-needed tourist trade.                                   .
Those delightful creatures, baboons put in an appearance at a trackside water tank but thankfully they remain seated most of the time, sparing us the less than wholesale sight of their very red rear ends!
Approaching the halfway point of our rail journey at Kennedy we encounter a small herd of wildebeest crossing the track in front of us and shortly afterwards the railcar slows down to walking pace as we travel along a stretch of track which is clearly rather buckled. The need for some caution soon becomes clear when we are told that only one week earlier a train carrying oil had come off the track( without rolling over). Many of the problems have been as a result of inferior Chinese steel being used although this has been rectified by higher grade British steel as a reinforcement.

Over the remainder of the rail journey we are treated to the full gamut of African wildlife including elephants crossing the track and sightings of a grey hornbill, African crane, wildebeest, and the rarely seen sable antelope.

Another superb African sunset marks the end of our rail journey and vehicles are on hand to transport us to Bomani Lodge.     
We are delighted to find that the lodge is in a true bush camp setting with an outdoor camp fire. The individual tents are, however, of the same high standard as Okavango and Moremi and the staff are as usual very creative with their elephant design towels awaiting us on the beds.

The day ends with everyone seated around the camp fire ( we have now been joined by two more Americans and a group of Italians) and receiving a briefing from the camp manager before enjoying an excellent dinner in the nearby lounge. Having all guests seated at one long table makes for a very convivial get-together before we are escorted to our tents for the night, following the safety measures of previous camps.
Can’t wait to experience the Zimbabwean bush and wildlife at closer quarters tomorrow.

Cheers

The Obese Ferret

Wednesday 11th October 2017
Victoria Falls
We had been forewarned that October is the hottest month in this part of Africa and certainly we awake to highest temperatures than previously experienced on this trip. Nevertheless, it is a beautiful morning to enjoy the magnificent view from the breakfast room out over the Zambezi Gorge.

We have enjoyed some fine food so far on our journey but the breakfast served up here is of the highest standard and a perfect way to start the day on which we will tick off one of THE destinations on our Bucket List, Victoria Falls. Apart from visiting one of the Natural Wonders of the World we are also keen to compare them with Niagara in Ontario and especially Iguazu in South America.
It’s a pleasant change to be able take our time at the Lodge but shortly after 10 am our driver, Richman, arrives to take Jeff, Terri, Gail and myself on the 23 kms drive to the Falls.
Along the way Richman, in line with all previous guides/drivers is very forthcoming with information on Zimbabwean life, and does not in any way try to avoid discussion on the many hardships faced by the population. Even during this short drive we see ample evidence that a country which was once the food basket of much of Africa is now something more akin to a ‘ basket case’ and this is certainly in no way the fault of the people who, in spite of the difficulties, seem to be incredibly industrious.

On arrival at the Falls Richman gives us a brief talk on the area and then leaves us to spend a couple of hours on a self-guided walking tour along the rim.
Our first view of the Falls does not disappoint as we arrive at Devil’s Cataract and we are amazed to see one very brave local fishing in the water above the Falls before the river drops to the bottom of the gorge, hopefully minus the aforementioned angler!
Further along the path we come across the statue of the famous Scottish explorer Dr David Livingstone who was reportedly greeted by Sir Henry Morton Stanley with the immortal words” Dr Livingstone I presume” although this may have been a fabrication. What is indisputable is that Stanley did find Livingstone near Lake Tanganyika on 10th November 1871.

No words of mine can do justice to these magnificent Falls and I will therefore, let the many photographs tell the story.
It should be borne in mind that we have arrived at Victoria in the low season
and some sections of the Falls are either completely dry or with low water flow.
Having said that the Falls at High Water may be more spectacular but on the down side the spray can often make it very difficult to view or photograph them.
Each season has its advantages and disadvantages but it remains a magnificent sight all the year round.

 

Images show statistics for the world’s greatest waterfalls and Victoria Falls at the end of the winter dry season and after the summer wet season

How do Victoria  Falls compare with Niagara and Iguazu?
As you will see from the comparable statistics taken from the display board at the entrance to the Falls Victoria is the highest, Iguazu the widest and Niagara has the greatest volume.
However , these stats do not really tell the full story and Gail and I still feel that when one visits Iguazu one feels PART of the Falls rather than looking over at the Falls as in the case of Victoria. Apologies to all our Canadian and American friends but in spite of its impressive volume Niagara has become something of a Disneyland compared with the other two.

We arrive back at our rendezvous point with Richman a little later than planned but he seems totally unperturbed by it all.
By now we are all feeling a bit peckish and so it’s off to The Three Monkeys, a nearby restaurant, for lunch.

Next door to our lunch venue is located a Snake Park ( one of Gail’s favourites !) and a delightful young man, Divine, takes us on a walking tour past the various cages containing some of this land’s most venomous snakes including the feared Green Mamba and provides some comprehensive information on the various species.

Before leaving the area we are given a little time to check out a local market with numerous vendors all selling much the same items. Given the parlous state of Zimbabwe’s economy it comes as no surprise that we are continually hassled as we walk past the stalls and Gail and I spend some time talking to little guy called Bongo and his friend Trust both of whom are VERY keen for us to buy something.
I explain to Bongo that we have been unable to obtain any small denominations of US$ but we will come back to see them when we return to Vic Falls in a few day’s time. He gives me a gift of a 20 Billion Dollar note as an enticement to come back and he explains that this actually was the currency at the height of the hyperinflation. They currently use US$.
We leave with Bongo giving me a look that says ” I know you won’t be back”  but I  am determined to prove him wrong.
On this very busy day we are now heading off for an evening cruise on the Zambezi River, stopping for a short time on the way to the jetty to view The Big Tree, aged between 1000 and 1500 years.

The River Cruise is all that we could have wished for with plenty to drink and eat and some bird and hippo sightings along the way.

However, the grand finale comes in the form of two elephants who swim across the river from the Zimbabwean side to Zambia even the crew on board seem impressed by this apparently infrequent event.

Back at Gorges Lodge  we enjoy a fine BBQ with the rest of the lodge guests and meet up with a family from Canada who earlier in the day had gone white water kayaking ( grade 5!) and had had a truly memorable day in spite of finding themselves in the water of the rapids on more than one occasion. Oh to be young again!
Off to bed after a very busy but incredibly rewarding day here at Vic Falls.

Cheers

The Obese Ferret.

Tuesday 10th October
Camp Moremi to Victoria Falls.
On this our last morning at Camp Moremi Grass is taking us out on a drive to see if he can come up with any more surprises. First on the early morning roll call is a crested barbet followed soon after by the ubiquitous Impala.

      

We next come across some of Gail’s favourite animals, the giraffe , having an early morning snack as they make their elegant way through the bush and  a very pleasant change arrives in the form of a family of vervet monkeys. Certainly a case of the beauty and the the beast after the bare rear ends of the baboon.

It’s then on to the impressive, if ugly, Ground Hornbill before the ‘piece de resistance’ for this last day at Moremi, a magnificent lioness sitting in the shade of another safari vehicle carrying a small group of tourists.
We park ourselves a few metres away and we are soon on still and movie cameras to capture this magical moment. Gail and I bemoan the fact that the lioness is in the shade and is bewildered as to how the other driver and the female photographer could be so stupid to park in such a way. However, the ‘offending’ vehicle soon moves off leaving the lioness in the sunlight.
What happens next has us all in stitches as the lioness moves into the shade of our vehicle to avoid the early morning heat! Suitably chastened by OUR stupidity we spend a long period of time observing this glorious animal from the safety of the Land Cruiser. As you will see from one of the photographs it is nevertheless very unnerving when a lioness fixes her gaze on you, although hopefully she was thinking that I wouldn’t even make a worthwhile entree!

Some zebras and helmeted guinea fowl complete the morning tour and then it’s back to camp for brunch before heading off to the airstrip.

On arrival at the airstrip the ever-vigilant Grass spots a herd of elephants about to cross the runway and with the impending arrival of our aircraft he is keen to make sure that they do not double back. Initially all seems to be going fine until unexpectedly one elephant does double back, crosses the airstrip and is about to be followed by a second male. The plane is now on its final approach and Grass, alert to the danger, starts to rev up his vehicle to discourage this move.
This certainly does the trick but as the aircraft lands the bull elephant is clearly VERY annoyed at being prevented from joining his mate and is well and truly on the warpath. The photos do not do justice to the extent of his fury and Grass quickly takes us back to where our plane awaits with the bull crossing the strip in high dudgeon, with much trumpeting, stamping of feet and ears flapping. An awesome and unnerving sight.

The flight to Kasane in a 12 seater aircraft takes us first to the Savute Safari Camp, another highly recommended camp, where we drop off some passengers and pick up others. Good aerial shots of the countryside and the Zambezi River.

On arrival at Kasane we are met by a representative of Imvelo Safaris and then undertake a road trip of over 90 minutes which takes via the Kazungula Border into Zimbabwe and then on to Victoria Falls. We had been forewarned of delays at this border but these did not eventuate and the efficient, very friendly and at times jocular Zimbabwe immigration officials were a delight.
Our driver Matt from the border to Gorges Lodge overlooking the Zambezi River is likewise very personable, knowledgeable and ever-willing to provide information on the scenery and sights along the way.
As an illustration of this Matt explains that during his drive from Vic Falls to meet us he had witnessed the aftermath of a buffalo kill by four lions. He now sets about trying to find the location of what will no doubt by now be a half-eaten carcass. On arrival at the spot only one lion remains in the bush and pays little heed to us but by following the tracks made by the lions to drag the buffalo some considerable distance we duly find the carcass.
While we are filming the lion a second car pulls up in front of us and the driver GETS OUT to take what has the potential to be his last footage. Matt stares in disbelief at the risk that this guy is taking. As we have learned from previous trips to Africa viewing the animals from within the confines of a vehicle is perfectly safe but the dynamics change very quickly if someone is foolhardy enough to step outside the vehicle.
Eventually we turn off the main road for an 11 Kilometre drive on an unsealed road to our lodge which will be our home for the next two nights.
We soon see ample evidence of the parlous state of the Zimbabwean economy and the hardship faced by the population in a country with unemployment running at over 90 %!  Matt provides us with a real insight into Zimbabwean life as we pass numerous villages and their inhabitants on our way to the lodge.

The reviews on Gorges Lodge had all been very positive and the hype is more than justified. Situated on the rim of the Zambezi River Gorge over 200 metres above the river and several kilometres downstream  from Victoria Falls the lodge offers spectacular views of the surrounding countryside.

The individual lodges are beautifully appointed and just a short walk along the rim to the bar, lounge and the dining room.

We are soon introduced to Chris Esterhuizen and his partner Debbie Smith who manage the lodge which is part of the Imvelo group. Chris is larger than life in every way and is quite a raconteur with a seemingly endless stream of stories about life in this part of the world. He is something of an expert on Verreaux’s Eagles which may be viewed on a clear day along the walls of the Zambezi River Gorge. Unfortunately, on this late afternoon due to the lack of wind and thermals they are nowhere to be seen but we still have the next day to to try again.

We are invited to drinks and nibbles down on a balcony overlooking the river and it’s here that we meet Jeff and Terri from Denver, Colorado, with whom we seem to strike up an instant rapport. Jeff is a radiologist so Gail and he have something in common, but obviously not the salary!
Before dinner we are entertained by dances and singing by a Zulu group which has a more authentic and less staged feel than similar performances which we had seen in the Masai Mara some years earlier.

To finish the day a fine dinner is served in the dining room and we broach with Jeff and Terri the subject of the next day’s visit to Victoria Falls. Debbie has advised us that a vehicle will made available to each couple but the four of us may travel together if we wish to. Any fears that Gail and I might have had about imposing ourselves on our new-found friends are soon allayed when we all seem to agree that we will gain more from the experience if we spend much of the next day together.
On that harmonious note Gail and I head off to bed after what has been for us another very enjoyable and rewarding day. ( I almost wrote ” we all head off to bed ” but then realised that this would be taking togetherness a bit too far!

Cheers

The Obese Ferret

Monday 9th October
Camp Moremi
Just an oversight on my part from the previous day’s blog. I forgot to mention that as we arrived at what I will call the ‘Hippo’ lake for our sundowner we met up with another small group, travelling around under the guidance of Grass’s brother, who, rather than being based at a camp such as Moremi, offers a more nomadic style of safari under canvas and travelling from camp to camp. This probably accounts for his tall, lean build in comparison to Grass who is ‘ well-covered’ !

The usual display of bird life is on display as we set off on a clear morning and we are soon treated to a hippo which for once is out of the water. This has been a fairly rare sight during our trip.

We have become accustomed to frequent sightings of the Red Lechwe antelopes but the harem that we encounter this morning is very large and Grass points out the single male who must be kept a very busy fellow indeed.

  

Jackals have been rather thin on the ground so it’s a pleasant surprise to see one at close quarters. It’s now easy to see why it’s a case of safety in numbers when such as the larger hyena is around.

Grass is full of surprises and he soon brings us to an area where a flock of the beautifully coloured Red Carmine Bee Eaters  are enjoying their usual diet of ants and bees.

After considerable experience as a guide in this area it comes as no surprise that Grass is quick to recognise a couple of male lion brothers, familiar to him who are enjoying  a mid-morning snooze and from the safety of the vehicle we are able to spend an extended period observing their admittedly limited movements, although the larger of the two eventually gets up to take very short stroll. I make the most of the moment to take a short video and record Gail’s exasperated voice saying ” he’s deliberately ignoring us!” as she tries to take a photo. As far as I’m concerned when there’s only an iron bar and 10 metres between me and the King of the Jungle the apathy towards us is very welcome!

We have noticed  an antelope not far away and ask Grass why the lion seemingly holds no fear for this animal. He explains that in such an open area the stealth which is critical for a lion kill is more difficult to achieve and moreover the antelope has a speed advantage over its would-be predator.

We round off the morning with some close-ups of Kudu and return to Camp Moremi for brunch and siesta.

       

As we are due to leave Moremi the following day Grass has organised an evening boat trip and as always this proves to be a very tranquil, relaxing experience enhanced by the wide array of bird life including Cormorants, Pied Kingfishers,African Darters, Squacco Heron and last but not least the remarkable African Jacana which can appear to be walking on water although it is in fact wading on floating vegetation.

Another magnificent African sunset to provide us with a lasting impression of this superb location.

Cheers
The Obese Ferret.

Wednesday 4th October 2017
Arrival in Pretoria.
Not a bad night’s sleep although as we have come to expect the track was rather rough over some sections. Nevertheless, we are awake shortly after 6.00 to see blue skies again. The landscape greeting us is far flatter but more fertile and with fairly large herds of cattle in the trackside paddocks.
We are also fortunate to come across reasonable numbers of ostriches grazing in the fields.

After the usual very tasty breakfast we sit about in the various lounges just chatting about the previous couple of days and there seemed to be a general consensus that Rovos had certainly lived up to expectations.
We had thoroughly enjoyed the company of Peter and Suzanne Gallagher from Mandurah and we had agreed to try and catch up with them on return to Australia. Others with whom we had some enjoyable chats were Ashley and Barbara Schilling from South Australia and Andrew and Helen Pang from Victoria. The extensive travels of the last couple made us look like a couple of old stay-at-homes!
Finally as we approached Pretoria we were given one final treat as we watched a Rovos steam train link up with us and pull into the Rovos private station. Here we were able to see the work still going on to refurbish more trains to join the ever growing Rovos fleet.

  
Rohan Vos was on hand to greet all passengers as we stepped off the train and one can only admire what this man has achieved since 1989.

We say our fond farewells to fellow passengers and meet a very grumpy driver who drives us to O Tambo Airport  Johannesburg and our hotel, the Peermont D’Oreale Grande for one night only.
Back to reality with a shared pizza in a nearby food hall and then it’s time to reduce our bags to a maximum of 20 kgs for the light aircraft flight to the Okavango Delta. We both think it’s all a bit unfair as Gail and I combined weigh not much more than some of the ‘ well-covered ‘ people flying.
Cheers
The Obese Ferret

Tuesday 3rd October 2017

Kimberley to Pretoria
Wake up once again to clear skies as we continue towards the Diamond City of Kimberley through an increasingly arid region.
Kimberley was one of the towns besieged by the Boers during the Anglo Boer War and the British Army suffered two serious defeats in the battles of Modder River and Magersfontein, both in 1899. This campaign also marked an ignominious defeat for the famous Black Watch Regiment who, exposed to the intense heat and the Boer Mauser fire, were forced to flee.
Today Kimberley is synonymous with the diamond industry and the Big Hole, which lays claim to being the largest man-made excavation worldwide. Whether this remains true today the fact remains that the discovery of a small hill where diamondiferous ‘ blue ground’ Kimberlite ore was found led to thousands of would- be miners converging on Kimberley to try to make their fortunes.
All passengers on the train visit the very impressive Diamond Museum and see the Big Hole at close quarters. Gail and are fortunate to have as our guide a former Scot ( called ‘Scottie’ of course ) who used to work in the mine but now imparts his encyclopaedic knowledge with dry Scottish humour to the hordes who make this pilgrimage to the Diamond City.

Back on the train we head out of Kimberley and in the late afternoon light  bonus  comes along in the shape of considerable numbers of pink flamingoes along the shores of a small lake.

When we first received our notes on the Rovos Train we were decidedly amused by the following notes for the trip- ” For days on the train dress is smart casual. Evening attire is more formal. For gentlemen a jacket and tie is a minimum requirement while for ladies we suggest cocktail/evening dresses or suits.”
We had not really taken this request too seriously but I had put brought one jacket and tie with me to be on the safe side. As it turned out all of the Aussie men on board wore a tie but no jacket on the first evening although some succumbed on this our final evening. Judging by some of the mismatched outfits on some guys their days of formal wear were long since gone.
Most of the ladies, however, had really come up trumps for this final dinner.
We knew that this was not going to be a normal evening when all of the Rovos staff arrived in dinner suits and bow ties and once again really went out of their way to provide us with a truly memorable evening.

We all congregated in the lounge area for late night cocktails to round off a perfect day.
Cheers
The Obese Ferret.

Monday 2nd October 2017
Capetown to De Aar

Having packed our suitcases the previous evening we are able to take our time going down to breakfast and as the 110 religious ladies have now headed off back home the buffet breakfast is an altogether more leisurely affair.
However, it is amusing to see that they have been replaced by considerable numbers of U.K. Holidaymakers who seem to be equally intent on racking up the calories and ironically are in hurry to go the swimming pool and acquire a skin tone as close as possible to their African counterparts!
It’s soon time to check out and take our rental car back to the Budget office and from there take a taxi to the Capetown Station.
The taxi driver obviously feels that we are in need of some spiritual guidance as he keeps reminding us that we should be grateful to the Lord for all manner of things. He can obviously pick out a couple of heathens when he sees them.
At the Rovos building we are met by a veritable lineup of staff welcoming us to the world of Rovos Luxury Travel.

Rovos is one of two luxury train companies( the other being the Blue Train ) operating in South Africa and it was founded in 1989 by Rohan Vos.
Gail and I had had some misgivings about taking this trip for some time as it is somewhat removed from our usual mode of travel. Our initial introduction to Rovos did little to allay our concerns as on entering the Rovos lounge we were offered a range of drinks and were serenaded by two admittedly excellent musicians on violin and guitar. All a bit of a hoot really!
The man himself, Mr Vos, gave a speech about the journey( during which he chided a couple of travellers for not paying attention, forgot to thank the musicians for their efforts and couldn’t remember the name of the lady in charge of the onboard team). In short he left no-one in any doubt as to who the Rovos kingpin was.
However, we soon realised that many of our fellow travellers were equally amused by the whole charade and in fact proved to be delightful companions.
The Rovos owner shook everyone’s hand before sending us on our way and after a short walk we board the Pride of Africa which is a beautifully reproduced train designed to remind us of the days of more elegant train travel.
From the moment we arrive on board the superb staff are on hand to make meet any request we may have and in no time at all we are seated in one of the two dining cars and being treated to a wide variety of dishes, all complemented by some great local wines.

Initially heading northwest out of Capetown we head to Paarl, which we had visited on our previous day’s tour of the wine region, and shortly before the town the shanty dwellings and the incredible piles of refuse along the roads is a very confronting reminder of the huge gap between the wealthy and the poor.

   

 

  

We now pass through some very attractive scenery to reach the town of Worcester, at the southern end of the Hex River Valley and eventually we reach a new pass opened in November 1989 to supersede the old one which had carried traffic into the interior since 1876. This new pass involves four tunnels, longest of which is 13.5 kms, and represents a saving of 8 kms over the length of the old pass.
It is now on to the historic town of   Matjiesfontein which we all disembark from the train. This town has something of an eerie, ghostlike look about it but it does have some fine old buildings and a surprisingly impressive motor museum complete with a photograph of a visit by King George V1, Queen Elizabeth and the very young princesses Elizabeth and Margaret. The Lord  Milners Hotel is still in operating though one wonders how it manages to survive. Apparently quite a few people, including some ‘ bikies’ come here at weekends to breath a little life into the town.

Dinner comes along all too soon as we continue towards De Aar, a major railway junction where the lines from the Western and Eastern Cape, Gauteng and Namibia meet.

Off to bed at a reasonable time to allow another glorious meal to make its way south.

Cheers

The Obese Ferret

Saturday 30th September 2017

Table Mountain/ Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden.

At last the day arrives to finally tick off a major item off our Bucket List , namely the famous Table Mountain Cable Car, and so we are out of bed early and down to breakfast by 7.00. However, you know what happens to the best-laid plans of mice and men and the day did not start well when we learn that the 110 religious ladies , apparently from the north-west of the country, have taken over the breakfast room and most of the tables, completely cleared all of the sweet pastries and in any case we will have to wait for a table to become available.

Eventually, the staff responds to our protests and we are given a table in an adjoining room. Notwithstanding these problems we still manage to get up to the cable car station by shortly after 8.00. Gail has already purchased tickets online so we park the car along the roadside and pay the obligatory tip to a guy who appears from nowhere and promises to look after our car while we are on the mountain. Full of excitement we walk up to the station where we are greeted with a board with the dreaded words ” Closed until further notice due to excessively strong winds. We briefly ( very ) toy with the idea of trekking to the top but the round trip will take over 5 hours out our day. Instead, we decide to undertake a fairly taxing trek up the lower slopes of the mountain escarpment.

Imagine our delight when on return to the cable car station we receive the news that the wind has abated and it’s all systems go again in a variety of ways! Those who are familiar with my vertigo problems will know what I mean.

No superlatives can do justice to the experience of taking the cable car to the top of this magnificent mountain which provides the backdrop to this stunning city.  No location could be more deserving of its listing among the 7 Natural Wonders of the World. Hopefully, some of the photos accompanying this blog will go some way to illustrating what all the fuss is about.

By the time we get back in the cable car to return to ” terra cotta” as David Lloyd, the English cricket commentator incorrectly described it , I am quite relaxed and am able to really enjoy the magical vistas from the car. On the way up I hadn’t really been able to enjoy the novelty of a cable car which revolves 360 degrees as all I could focus on was the metal bar to which I was clinging !

We return to the car feeling that we had had an unforgettable experience and we now head off to the Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, the largest in South Africa.These certainly do not provide the adrenalin rush of the morning but these beautiful gardens, perched on a hillside above Newlands( home of the famous sports ground ) and the Capetown Flats are a true haven of tranquility and peace.

From the sublime to the ridiculous we drive back to the hotel just in time to see the Wallabies draw with the Springboks in Bloemfontein 27 all. Not the greatest of games but probably a fair result.

To finish off a memorable day we now look forward to an a la carte meal in the hotel restaurant. We are, therefore, well and truly peed off to find that, probably to ease the workload involved in feeding the spiritual hordes, only a buffet is available for the second evening. Quite apart from the fact that the buffet had been less than special the previous evening, we had no wish to gorge ourselves with too much food.

We eventually found an understanding and cooperative restaurant manager who organised for us a lovely fish meal with wine to match.

A great way to end a truly memorable day.

Cheers

The Obese Ferret

 

Friday 29th September 2017

Cape Point/ Cape of Good Hope.

Awake to another clear day so we get down to breakfast at a reasonable time as we have planned a trip down to the Cape of Good Hope.

Some sort of religious convention is taking place at the hotel and the breakfast room is crowded with hordes of  African ladies resplendent in stunning brightly coloured outfits . In one very funny episode one very voluptuous, shapely young lady made a very impressive entrance into the breakfast area and one middle- aged Asian man in the queue for some toast looked in danger of going into cardiac arrest as she sashayed past him!

We leave the hotel in our rental car shortly after 9.00 and head down the Atlantic coastline which becomes ever more spectacular the further south we venture. We soon leave the Twelve Apostles peaks behind and after travelling along the eastern shore of  the beautiful Hout Bay we find ourselves on the magnificent Chapman’s Peak Road. This is a masterpiece of modern engineering and is certainly the equal of Highway One in the USA. At one lookout point we pull over to take in the scenery from this very high vantage point only for a guy on a bike to alert us to 3 adult and one calf Southern Right Whale very close to the shore. They do put on a bit of a show for us and we linger at this spot in anticipation of a possible breach but all to no avail. Murphy’s Law comes into play again because as we drive off we catch just a glimpse of one adult in our rear vision mirror putting on a superb breaching performance for the benefit of the more patient drivers we have left behind.

After the excitement of the Chapman’s Peak road we arrive at the town of  Noordhoek with its pristine white sandy beach. Noorhoek is favoured by artists and is a centre for horse-riding. Suffice it to say that this town would not appear to be populated by the lower socioeconomic groups!

We now head over to the east coast of the cape and eventually drive through Simon’s  Town and the nearby Boulders, home to a colony of  African Penguins. We decide to view these delightful creatures on our return journey from the Cape of Good Hope.

Fortunately, we arrive at Cape Point before the huge crowds of tourists and take the relatively taxing trek up to the lighthouse which is no longer in use. After being built in 1860 it was quickly discovered that, at 238 metres height above the ocean  it was shrouded in mist for most of the time and a second lighthouse was then built at nearby Dias Point only 87 metres above the ocean.

For those visitors feeling a little less energetic there is the Flying Dutchman Funicular up to the old lighthouse from where one is able to see both the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. Time now for a quick snack at the aptly named Two Oceans restaurant where one of the many scavenging birds dive bombs Gail and steals part of her baguette.

We now leave our car at Cape Point and take the short walking trail to the Cape of Good Hope. The boardwalk high above the water is in reasonable condition although as we near the end the trail seems to disappear as it climbs to the high point of the Cape. Come what may we are able to enjoy some superb views of this spectacular coastline.

We now drive to the Cape of Good Hope where the crowds are somewhat  smaller than at Cape Point but it is still very crowded on the actual climb to the top of the lookout. Seeing the state of some of the visitors coming back down the decidedly strenuous climb it occurred to me that they could do with the signs that used to be displayed near Uluru warning visitors of the risks involved.

As we leave the area we manage to see some seals on the nearby rocks, an ostrich and a large eland in the roadside scrub.

After a short drive we return along the eastern side of the peninsula to the attractive town of Simon’s Town with its fine selection of well- preserved old buildings and at the adjoining Boulders we take time out to view the very large colony of African Penguins. These beautiful creatures always put a smile on your face with their Charlie Chaplain gait.

Proceeding further north we come to the waterfront town of Fish Hoek which we had expected to be a quaint village. Wrong again and we later learn that we should have continued our journey to Kalk Bay with its abundance of antique, arts and craft shops, and great cafes and restaurants. In fact all of the attractions that Fish Hoek clearly lacks!

We had had a few problems following the correct route on our drive south  but on the return journey Gail’s normally excellent navigation directs us on to the M3 and heading northeast up onto a mountain road, which would have eventually brought us back to Capetown. However, we want to enjoy the return drive on Chapman’s Peak road so it’s U-turn time and back to the attractive town of Noorhoek.

The return journey on this superb road confirms that this is truly one of the great highways, especially viewed in the late afternoon light.

By the time we return to the hotel we are really in need of a nice quiet, relaxing meal in the restaurant. Unfortunately, the 110 colourful ladies here for a religious conference have taken over the buffet and we are forced to wait for a table. More concerning is the rate at which the food is disappearing on to the plates of some very

shall we say, ‘well-covered’ ladies. As it turns out there is plenty of food for all although it is really a case of “Never mind the quality, feel the width”!

In bed at a reasonable time after another splendid day down on the Cape. Tomorrow Table Mountain await if the weather gods are kind to us.

Cheers

The Obese Ferret.

 

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Thursday 28th September

Capetown/ Robben Island

Both of us very refreshed from a very good night’s sleep we head down to the restaurant where a superb breakfast awaits us. By 9.00 am on a fine but chilly morning we set off on foot to walk along the bay to the V and A wharf and the jetty from which the ferry to the infamous Robben Island where Nelson Mandela and so many others were imprisoned for many years will depart. Our walk to the jetty takes us past the huge Green Point or Capetown Stadium which hosts many leading sporting events and concerts.

We duly board the ferry at 11.00 am and arrive on the island after a 1 hour trip across the bay.

Our tour across also includes a 45 minute bus tour on the island with a very interesting and at times amusing commentary from a guide. We are then taken to the prison and a tour of the buildings by a former inmate who spent from 1984 to 1991 incarcerated along with many other political prisoners. His personal recollections only make his commentary all the more meaningful.

During the tour we meet up with a couple from Queensland, Jeff and Cathy, with whom we are able to discuss travel in South Africa, as they have also rented a car and are visiting some of the same places that are on our itinerary.

As we haven’t eaten since we made gluttons of ourselves over breakfast we go on search of a restaurant for dinner. However, before doing so we visit an I-Shop to buy a cover for Gail’s new I-phone 8. A young girl serving us is sent into what I can only describe as an ‘ orgasmic state’ when she sees the latest I-Phone 8 which is not due to arrive in their store for another 6 weeks. She asks her colleagues to photograph her holding the phone and another young male shop assistant shakes my hand and thanks me! ( we still haven’t actually bought anything from them at this stage).

Gail eventually gets her phone cover and I leave the store bemoaning the fact that during my youth I had to work a great deal harder to excite a young female than show her the latest model of a mobile phone!

We enjoy an excellent dinner at a Belgian restaurant on the waterfront with the most magnificent view across the marina to Table Mountain.

With night drawing in by the end of our meal we decide to take a cab back to the hotel and our driver is a rather cultured guy who regales us with his views on politics and some of the world’s leaders, including Mr Trump whom he considers a complete clown. His fare only costs about $10 for a fairly lengthy drive.

A great day in this truly spectacular which is living up to all of the hype which we had before before setting off on this trip.

Cheers

The Obese Ferret

 

 

 

Perth to Johannesburg

Tuesday 26th September 2017

Having recently spent 8 days walking sections of the Bibbulman Track from Albany to Dwellingup we decided it was time to try and reduce our Bucket List a little more and shortly before midnight we find ourselves on a South African Airways flight from Perth to Johannesburg.

The reviews Gail had found on-line were not exactly glowing  on SAA but we didn’t really fancy flying the midnight horror to Sydney with Qantas and then taking the longer flight back to Johannesburg. This sort of scenario seems to be cropping up more frequently with Qantas continually reducing the flights from Perth to a number of destinations. Air Mauritius was another option but on this occasion we just wanted to get to Jo’burg as quickly as possible.

A South African friend of mine had forewarned me not to expect the level of in-flight service usually associated with Business Class( yes I know that we do pamper ourselves in our dotage!) but in fact the cabin staff were very attentive and friendly. In any case, our main concern was to get a quick meal and then have a good sleep.

I took my usual sleeping tablet which gave me a few hours but Gail decided to ignore Mr Temazepam and paid the price.

Dinner just out of Perth had been adequate but the breakfast coming in to Joburg was decidedly below par.

Craig would say, with some justification, that these were all First World Problems and hardly life-threatening. However, what was of more concern was the fact that the door to the cockpit was often left open allowing passengers to have full view of the instrument panel!

However, we arrived on safe and sound in Jo’burg and with over 2 hours to transit to our flight to Capetown. What we had not bargained for was the long queue at Immigration and Customs and the world- weary apathy of the officials. In the event we arrived at the departure gate with only 15 minutes to spare before take-off!

The domestic flight to Capetown proved to be quite comfortable and the second breakfast represented a real improvement on its international counterpart on the previous flight.

Much to Craig’s alarm his oldies had booked a rental car for our 5 night stay in Capetown and Gail’s confirmation that the rental was very cheap didn’t seem to reduce his concern. He seemed to be highly amused at the thought that any would-be  car hijacker would factor in the cost of the rental when selecting possible targets!

A trouble- free drive brought us to the excellent President Hotel in Bantry Bay and as our room was not ready for us we decide to take a walk along the waterfront. Whilst the beaches are hardly pristine and covered in some very large kelp there is no denying that Capetown is blessed with the most magnificent backdrop of Table Mountain and Lion’s Head.

With Gail feeling very tired and both of us somewhat jet-lagged we return to the hotel for a rest before setting off on a drive up to Signal Hill which affords us a superb view of both Table Mountain and the city.

This we have to share with hordes of mainly Asian tourists taking selfies. We decide to forgo the pleasure of viewing what will no doubt be a spectular sunset and return to the hotel, but not before taking a closer look at the famous cable car which we will be taking during our stay. Getting closer does nothing to comfort this vertigo- suffering blog author.

     

A quick meal at the hotel and we turn in by 8.30.

Cheers

The Obese Ferret

 

 

Day 14 – 9th April 2017

Once again we wake up to a decidedly overcast day and the view of Mt. Fuji will just have to wait for another day.

At breakfast we seek out Amos and Eva from our group as they are not joining us on our final tour to the Imperial Palace with Chiaki and they had left the previous evening’s dinner before we had time to wish them all the best. We are pleased to catch up with them again and reminisce with them on what has been a delightful tour. Both of them are very appreciative of the assistance given to Amos but the fact that he has completed a not undemanding tour has been in no small way due to his remarkable guts and determination, especially given his health problems.

The travel notes for the tour had indicated that we might be able to visit the famous Meiji Shrine on this our last morning but Sunday does not live up to its name. We, therefore, head off with Chiaki for a last minute ‘ cherry blossom fix’ walking along the moat surrounding the Imperial Palace. Notwithstanding the teeming rain we are rewarded with some magnificent blossom displays.

   

Finally, it’s time to say goodbye to Chiaki and to all of our travelling companions as they go their various ways. We could not have asked for a more convivial group.

 

           

 

With the rain abating slightly Gail and I decide to take the fairly long walk along the eastern perimeter of the Palace eventually arriving at the famous iron Niju-Bashi bridge,located at the southern end of the Imperial Palace Gardens. It’s here that we have agreed to meet up with Gail’s niece, Nicole and her husband John, who have recently arrived from Perth to do their own tour of parts of Japan.

We decide to take the underground and head for Shibuya Crossing reputedly the busiest pedestrian crossing in the world although as always there will no doubt be a number of cities which will contest that.

This crossing is not known as the Shibuya Scramble for no reason as with every traffic light change hundreds of people ( for peak times read thousands ) cross at a time from all directions. Apparently, the best time to visit this intersection is on a Friday or Saturday night when the hordes of fashionable young people embark upon a night out on the town. We will leave that to the youngsters but we have seen enough of the frenetic pace, the mind-boggling crowds, neon lights and giant screens to understand what has made Shibuya famous ( or maybe infamous ).

We are all now feeling a bit peckish and with guidance from Nicole and John , who have already been to this area before, we find a suitable restaurant and enjoy a more than passable meal. It’s good to get out of the ever-present rain and to have a nice long chat. Although we only live about 250 kms from John and Nicole this is probably the longest time we have had together over the past twelve months.

It’s now time for us to say cheerio and for us to head back to our hotel but it is good to see them both looking so well at the start of what should be a great trip. The weather seems to be picking up over the next few days so they should be able to let us know what Mt Fuji looks like and see the cherry blossom in all it’s glory.

It seems strange to be returning to the hotel without our traveling friends but tomorrow we still have 5 days on our own to truly explore Japan’s capital city.

Cheers

The Obese Ferret

Day 13 – 8th April 2017
Today is the day for us to set out on a coach for the Holy Grail of a visit to Japan, a long-awaited view of Mt Fuji. Sadly the weather gods seem to be conspiring against us again and we set off west from Tokyo under ever more threatening skies.

Although viewed through mist, rain and clouds the scenery along the way is very picturesque and eventually we arrive at the impressive Fuji Sengen Shrine, dating from the 8th century. Chiaki takes us through the procedure to be followed when offering prayers to the Sun God, namely bow twice,clap hands once, a moment for silent prayer and a final bow before making one’s way down the steps from the Main Hall. We now had off to put this to the test but in spite of Chiaki complimenting me on my very respectful conduct at the altar the rain has got heavier and I can only assume that the Sun God only works on weekdays!

We notice walking through the temple park that certain large trees have ropes tied round them in a bow and we are told that this represents a bonding of couples who also leave messages on nearby wire lines.

    
Continuing on through more pleasant scenery and stopping for some lunch we eventually arrive at Hakone on the shores of Lake Ashi. Hakone was one of the checkpoints/guard posts along the Old Tokaido Highway, established in 1619 by Tokugawa Shogunate to safeguard the security of Edo ( now Tokyo ). A number of these guard posts were created along the road from Edo to Kyoto.

In spite of the very inclement weather ( in fact it’s bucketing down ) we decide to brave the elements and take a 15 minute ferry trip on the lake.

The umbrella that I had purchased on our second day in Japan for 4 Dollars has succumbed to the very high winds and what I thought was a very sturdy handle has snapped off. The good news is that it will now fit into my case should I wish to get a little more use out of it and the umbrella is now at the same height as most others carried by the Japanese as we make our way through the crowds!
Apparently, Lake Ashi is famous for the inverted reflection of the fabled Mt Fuji and we had planned to take a ride on the Hakone Ropeway which on its way up to Mt Komagatake offers more of this iconic view. Sadly, the gale- force winds render the journey too hazardous and we can hardly see our travelling companions let alone dear old Fuji! However, by way of compensation Chiaki allows herself to be photographed while she contorts her neck to represent the upper slopes of Mt Fuji! She is definitely not an ‘ inscrutable oriental lady!
All that remains is for us to take the return coach trip to Tokyo under slightly more promising skies and prepare for the group’s farewell dinner back at our hotel. During the journey Chiaki explains that the Japanese have a deity for almost everything. Chiaki homes in on the deity for toilets because if a girl keeps her toilet clean she will marry well. In her self- deprecating way she comments that her cleaning obviously failed to come up to the required standard!
The buffet-style meal is of the highest order and starts off on a great note when Sally is surprised with a cake to celebrate her birthday. The evening is made all the more memorable by some truly heartfelt words of appreciation to Chiaki from Ray, Keith and Mirec on behalf of the whole group. Keith, in particular, gives a very fine speech which perfectly encapsulates what we all feel about Chiaki and her immense contribution to making the trip so memorable.

Tipping or giving gifts in such a situation is not the accepted norm in Japan but her performance has been such that we feel justified in ignoring protocol and presenting her with a couple of gifts.
For Gail and myself and no doubt many in the group she has been truly remarkable in every way and is certainly the best guide we have encountered on our travels.
Cheers
The Obese Ferret

Day 12 – 7 th April 2017.
Nagoya/ Tokyo
After breakfast we all gather in the hotel reception prior to travelling by bus to the very impressive Toyota Museum in Nagoya. However, before setting off we say a very fond farewell to our young friend from Virginia, Luke, who is leaving the tour a couple of days early to spend some time with a friend in the USA who has managed to get much sought-after tickets to a Japanese Major League Baseball game. Apart from reducing the average age of our group of Grey Nomads by a considerable number of years he has at all times been an amiable, knowledgeable, entertaining and most of all an adventurous young guy, always ready to immerse himself in all that Japan has to offer. We will miss having him around.
In what is basically a self- guided tour we first learn that the company initially known as Toyoda was founded towards the end of the 19th century by Sakichi Toyoda and become a significant player in the textile industry, especially after Sakichi invented an automatic loom.
However, during a visit to the USA Sakichi’s eldest son, Kiichiro, saw for himself the burgeoning automotive industry which was clearly going to make such a huge contribution to the USA economy.
Kiichiro returned to Japan and set up an automotive division of the company that has gone on to become the world’s largest car manufacturer.
This superb museum was founded in 1994 and it is interesting to note the contrast between this exhibition and the automotive museum in Turin, Italy, which Gail and I had visited 3 years earlier.

The admittedly magnificent Turin museum focuses far more on the glitz and glamour of cars and includes a section on the world of Grand Prix racing whilst the Nagoya Toyota museum gives far more emphasis to the technical aspects of car manufacture with not a Grand Prix vehicle in sight. Probably a reflection on the two nationalities!
An interesting footnote on the change of the company name from Toyoda to Toyota and 2 photographs have been attached which explains this move.

In another effort to balance the ‘ Cherry Blossom’ ledger Chiaki suggests that we take a quick trip on the train out to Nagoya Castle where, we are promised , cherry blossom will abound and she proves as good her word. As time is short most of the group do not go inside the castle grounds but the glorious display of blossom in the areas outside the walls is all that we could have wished for.

 

Finally, it’s time to travel back to Tokyo by Bullet Train and after a few subway changes to get across the city we check into the splendid Grand Nikko Tokyo Diaba. Diaba is an area which is primarily on reclaimed land and we travel across the remarkable Rainbow Bridge on a driverless train and on a track which does a form of ‘loop the loop’ to avoid too steep an incline onto the bridge. We notice that some very keen passengers try to get on the train first so that they can occupy the seats at the front, probably living out some long-held childhood dream.

As an introduction to the Diaba waterfront Chiaki takes us on a quick sunset tour to view the city skyline across the water and the faux Statue of Liberty, although we are all rather bemused as to why Tokyo should be celebrating the 4th of July 1776, US Independence Day and the 14th July 1789, Bastille Day.

 

 

Maybe it has something to do with the hold Starbucks has on the coffee scene here and the presence of the excellent Vie de France boulangerie chain which we have come across during our travels.

 

 

Fuji Television & Tokyo skyline from Daiba

Off in search of a view of Mt Fuji tomorrow.

Cheers

The Obese Ferret.