Anxiously waiting to get a shot at my SoCal doctor’s office years ago, I remember perking up when I saw Joan, the medical assistant, showing a co-worker an album filled with photos and hearing her describing a trip she had just taken. Wanting to focus on anything but why I was there, I began eavesdropping. I soon learned that she and three girlfriends spent 10 days on safari in Tanzania! Wow! When Joan called me in, I asked if I could see her photos and she gladly obliged. The pictures of the landscape, their accommodations, and the Big Game Five were nothing short of surreal.
Then, a month later, we had dinner with our L.A. friends Jan and Dave, and they relayed details of their latest travel experience to Botswana! Having taught a unit on Africa to my 1st graders, I thought it would be great to have first-hand knowledge of African culture, food, animals, and the diverse geography. So I filed this travel idea away, until four years later. It’s then we were living in London, and Robert and I were scratching our heads. Where should we go next?
From my journal: March 31, 2008, E. Twickenham, England
“Just received our confirmation, itinerary, and packing instructions from Janice at Greenlife Africa Safaris for our South Africa trip…so excited! Two months away now!”
Unlike our impromptu European adventures, this one required planning. The reasons involved pet care, procuring visas, and malaria prevention. Happy that Mrs. McInerny could pet sit again, next we applied for our visas, then moved on to the packing information.
As expected, items like binoculars, cameras, and multi-plug adapters made the list. Same for hats, sunglasses, worn-in walking shoes, gloves, and for some reason pocket knives, which they recommended we pack in our check-in luggage! Other take-a-longs were toiletries, travel documents and of course, insect repellent.
Because the first part of our trip would involve traveling in jeeps and walking in game reserves, we pulled out hiking gear and things we could layer as the temperatures would range between 50–80 degrees Fahrenheit. Tee shirts, lightweight jackets, and long pants fit the bill. However, our instructions specifically said to bring only khaki, beige, and green colored clothes. Why? White and bright colors we were warned, would startle animals, and dark colors would attract bugs. So, camo colors it was! The FYI page also stated that there would be “no opportunity for fashion” but bringing a nice outfit for a special dinner was okay. Ha!
That just left malaria prophylaxis. Many medications were available, but we chose Lariam (Mefloquine). Taking it once seven days prior to leaving, twice while in South Africa, then weekly for a month when we got home, we stayed healthly and didn’t experience side effects like headaches, dizziness, and nausea.
From my journal: May 24, 2008, Johannesburg, South Africa
“Arrived in JoBurg…Gordie met us at the airport and showed us where to get our flight tomorrow…took the Emperor’s Palace bus to the Grande D’Oreale – beautiful hotel! Gordie also told us not to leave the hotel grounds because of the violence here…the hotel has a casino so I’m sure we’ll go there tonight…”
While our Virgin Atlantic flight from Heathrow to Johannesburg was a 12-hour haul, flying from JoBurg to Hoedspruit was a breeze! Taking in the scenic bushveld below us, we glided along in a 16-seater Air Charter plane for an hour to the Thornybush Game Reserve.
Johann, the proprietor of Thornybush N’Kaya, picked us up and soon we were shaking hands with Leona, his wife, who escorted us to our suite #2. Decorated in earth tones, our place had all the amenities we could want, including a private outdoor patio. Nestled into the scented thorn woodlands on the crest of a hill, N’Kaya Lodge was just west of Timbavati Game Reserve. So quaint! This property consisted of just four suites, a cozy lodge and bar for meals, an open-hearth fireplace for gatherings, a swimming pool to cool off in, and a watering hole to view the visiting animals and birds.
From my journal: May 25, 2008, Timbavati, South Africa
“Met the rest of the guests…William from London, Willie & Patrick from Switzerland, and Sandy & Makaela from Los Angeles…Our first game ride at dusk was fantastic! Saw 3 cheetahs, 1 leopard, and several white rhinos…so strange to see these animals up close, they seem so tame, but we know they’re not! When back, we had a 3-course dinner…rice and veg for me…beautiful black sky with bright stars…need to get up very early tomorrow…Sandy said she’s in the entertainment business and she knows Barry…”
We emailed Barry, Robert’s oldest brother, as soon as we retired for the evening. Our questions: Who is Sandy R? Who does she work for? How do you know her? Barry was an Imagineer with Walt Disney Imagineering for decades, so we figured it was a work connection.
Up before dawn each morning, and once dressed in knit caps, gloves, and jackets, we’d meet the our group at the lodge for coffee, tea, and rusks, then hop into an open-air land rover for our sunrise safari with Johann who not only ran N’Kaya, but was a ranger, too. Efrom was the main animal tracker who I might add, was always armed. With temps in the low 50s, thick blankets and hot water bottles were offered and greatly appreciated. For 90 minutes, Johann and Efrom would point out tracks and animals, and share their extensive knowledge of plants, trees, and shrubs. Somewhere in the bush, we’d stop to stretch our legs and enjoy a coffee and tea break before returning to N’Kaya where a breakfast of muesli, meats, fish, cheeses, eggs, and fresh fruit awaited us.
From my journal: May 26, 2008, Timbavati, South Africa
“It’s funny how you meet someone and instantly feel at ease with them…William and I were laughing in the back of the jeep and Johann hushed us!…Sitting on our patio now…it’s so quiet you can hear leaves falling off trees, a faint buzz of insects…bird sounds, my breathing.The sky is so huge here! Stretching from the horizon, up over us like a canopy…the trees vary, short & squat, tall & thin, their limbs reaching heavenward.. some look arthritic, some smooth…they have a permanence about them, their branches are like loving arms holding life…kudus are coming to drink water, so young… bounding about, their tails shooing away flies…”
After mornings at our leisure, lunch was served at 1:30p.m. which included sandwiches and salads, then high tea was offered at 3:00p.m., followed by an afternoon game drive that extended into evening hours. Always stopping in a scenic place, we’d watch the yellow orange sun melt into the horizon. Ah! Absolutely awesome. Recapping the day’s events over dinner, we’d sip night caps around the fireplace, before saying good night. Then we’d rest, and repeat.
From my journal: May 27, 2008, Timbavati, South Africa
“…saw a sleeping baboon in a tree, then a tree full of monkeys, walked up a path to see three giraffes – amazingly tall! So surreal…saw water bucks and seeing the lions lounging and playing I wanted to reach out and touch them…their colors are so vibrant, vivid..amazing…lots of warthogs at the watering hole when we got back…so rambunctious! Cloudy, cotton ball skies. Leaving tomorrow…”
Like most guests, our stay at N’Kaya was short and sweet, as we were moving on to another lodge in another area with the promise of seeing all of the Big Game Five, and to experience more of life under African skies.
But before we parted ways, Barry came through with answers to our questions. We found out Sandy was a bigwig, an executive in the animation world. She produced films for a number of studios like Paramount, Buena Vista, and Sony! Shrek was one of them. We loved Shrek! And as expected, Barry knew her when she worked for Walt Disney Studios. Wow! It really is a small world, after all!
And as luck would have it, Sandy and Makaela, and Robert and I, would meet up again, both staying in the same place, at the same time, a week later in Cape Town.
But, before then, we were off on another adventure in a new destination.
A Journal Journey 