Straight from Sunny South Africa

  

So I've been a little behind on updating the blog. For this I apologize.  The fact that I actually have people asking me to update and whatnot makes me feel pretty special though.

My first week is officially finished and it's been quite the experience so far!

After Tuesday's game drive, I visited another on Thursday, this time the Nyaru Game Lodge, where you were allowed to drive your own vehicle and go through the lodge at your own pace.  It was fantastic chasing down wildebeest and giraffe and zebra.  I saw a couple more baby giraffes and their proud poppa, a huge giraffe who didn't want to take his eyes off of us.  So much fun getting to watch all the animals again.  So very surreal; absolutely loved it.

Friday morning I headed out with some of the oceans research interns on their sea dolphin research and spent the first half of the day out at sea.  That was an absolutely stunning morning; we found a pod of dolphin about fifty large who were incredibly active heading out to the open water.  Timing was perfect.  I hadn't ever seen so many dolphin before in my life; I couldn't believe how lucky we got!

 

Today was spectacular.  Never in my life would I expect to do what I did today: walk with lions and ride an elephant.  All in the same day even!  Walking with lions has got to be one of the most amazing experiences of my life. And riding an elephant was simply fantastic; the view from up there is incredible.  The sheer power of these animals is amazing.  I'm so lucky to have this opportunity in my life.

Additionally, I finally bought sun screen, so that's a good thing.

-K.

PS. There's a bird here that makes awful noises because it's afraid of heights.  What a life!

Baby Giraffe Smiles

Today officially marks my first ever game drive.  Headed out this morning to the Garden Route Game Ranch about a half hour away.  A couple of hours driving around in an open top Land Rover through a game ranch full of animals and suddenly I'm feeling a little Jurassic Park-esque.

The animals were just fantastic.  Rhinos, ostriches, lions.  With the sun beating down many of them were ready for a nap (and really, how can I blame them?  That's the story of my life right there.)

Word was that there was a baby giraffe somewhere around and we were going to try our best to find him.  And find him we did!  This little guy was the most adorable thing I had seen in quite some time.  Here he was standing on top of a rock like he was king of everything.  I had to get some snaps of this guy and I might have gone a little camera crazy until I realized, I should probably just take in this moment as it is.

Sometimes it's nice to just set the camera down for once and actually live in the moment.  It's amazing how much you can miss when you're concerned about the picture.

So the baby giraffe and I just smiled at each other instead.  It happened.  That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Tomorrow I spend editing pictures!

-K.

PS.  I find cricket a highly boring and ridiculous sport.

Twelve Dollar Paninis, Window Seats, and One Hell of a Ride

 

 

There's always a trapped feeling when you know you have to buy food at the airport.  Where is the line drawn between "don't want to overpay" and "don't want to starve to death"?  Twelve dollars lighter and a mediocre panini later, I'm left realizing there's only an hour left between me and an Airbus A340-300 Jet (go for it, Google Image that sucker) taking me across the Atlantic.  My trip from Atlanta to DC was fine - I rode the smallest airplane in my life and enjoyed the window seat all to myself.  But anyone can do an hour and a half flight - that's not even the length of a James Cameron movie.

But that next leg of the trip?

So the seventeen hour flight wasn't as bad as I had thought it would be - possibly because my memories of it are a mixture of in flight movies, solitaire, sleeping, and eating three meals.  I was on a plane long enough to be fed three times.

Three times.

With real silverware!

I digress.  Landing in Johannesburg was an experience.  I walked straight off the plane onto the tarmac, onto a bus, and into the customs line of the airport.  For the first time the whole trip, I'm unaware of what time it is and I can't call anyone if I needed them.  The best feeling of the entire trip was seeing my bright green luggage slowly come shifting their way toward me on the baggage claim carousel.

I walk through the airport.  I'm tempted to buy a bottle of wine because it has an elephant on it.

My thirteen hour layover leaves me cold, so I strike up a conversation with the baggage attendant before rechecking my bags.  "I have a thirteen hour layover," I begin.  He looks at me like I have grown a second head before pointing me in the direction of the information kiosk.

I make the executive decision to get a hotel for the night, because suddenly thirteen hours in an unknown airport leaves a lot to be desire.  In a matter of minutes, a shuttle has come to whisk me away to a little bed and breakfast a few kilometers away, where my room is protected by a locked gate and key.  Money well spent, that's for sure.

Arriving back at the airport was surreal.  I manage my way through security and realize some food would be good.  Standing in line at the Wimpy (didn't appeal to me at first, either, but was the only thing open by my gate), I order a breakfast croissant and a chocolate milkshake.

The man behind me laughs a little and comments, "Isn't it a bit early for a chocolate milkshake?"  He's rubbing is forehead a little; after all, it is 5am here in Johannesburg, and I stuck out like a sore thumb with my order.

I just smile and reply, "It's never too early for a chocolate milkshake.  Besides, my body is still probably on its own time zone."

"Where from America are you from?" he asks.

"Georgia," I reply, waiting on my chocolate milkshake to be made.  "It's 10pm there."  I felt further explanation was necessary to justify my chocolate milkshake order.

"Then it's too late for a chocolate milkshake!  Where are you headed this morning?"

"I'm flying to George, but I'm ultimately going to Mossel Bay."

"Ah, for holiday?"

"Internship."

He looks me up and down a little before asking, "What for?"

"Wildlife photography," I respond.

"First time in the country?  South Africa?"

"It is."

He laughs like he knows a secret that I don't.  "You're in for one hell of a ride, then!  How long?"

"Five weeks."

More chuckling before he adds, "Mossel Bay is nice, though. You will enjoy yourself."  I thank him and take my milkshake and croissant to sit at a table to people watch.

He passes me moments later, large cappuccino in hand, and leaves me with, "I hope you don't run into any...unfortunate circumstances.  I don't think you will, but still.  But enjoy your stay!  I meant that!"

It was the best chocolate milkshake I had had in a while.

The George airport was but a hop, skip, and a jump away from Jozi, and I enjoyed it unshared by the window seat.  Another smooth landing, another exit straight onto the tarmac.  The purpose of this story was really to say that my luggage and I safely arrived in Africa.  And that the first animal I have seen is a dairy cow.

And ultimately, I now choose sleep over lunch.  My body doesn't want to eat lunch at 6am anyway (it's 1pm here, but it doesn't know that yet).

-K.

Twenty-four Hours

So in exactly twenty-four hours I'm going to be boarding a flight ultimately headed to South Africa.

Granted, I won't get there until Friday, but the beginning is oh so soon!

So it would mean so much to me for everyone to keep up with me through my blog.  I'll be 8,300 miles away from you and I'm going to miss you all!

-K.