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Showing posts from September, 2011
Biltong
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We’ve seen signs advertising biltong everywhere and even bought a little during one of our mega C-Store stops. (We tried it once, mind you.) When our tour guide headed into what appeared to be a sporting goods store with a sign out front announcing “biltong!” we followed him in out of curiosity. You are being transferred to the updated version of this post at ExplorationVacation.net
Too Little Shoping Time in Swaziland
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The Swazi are renowned for their crafts and most of our time in Swaziland is designated for shopping. While I am eager to do some shopping (Christmas shopping as well as a few baubles for myself, you know), our designated stop is at the factory, noted for its range of “enchanting African animals, birds and fish, as well as tableware, made from recycled glass that is collected by the children of Swaziland.” Shouldn’t the children be in school? Not exactly what I’m looking for. You are being transferred to the updated version of this post at ExplorationVacation.net
Morning Game Drive (Kruger)
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Krueger is South Africa’s premier game park, but this area is very brushy, with few of the open expanses we saw throughout Botswana. Juan is continually conversing with the other guides one where they have seen game or are planning to go in search of game. It’s sort of odd – I had feared massive amounts of vehicles converging at every sighting, but the limited number of visitors allowed into Kruger (and the size of the park) seems to really reduce the odds of that happening – instead there is this continued radio exchange and then racing about in order to get to a “good” sighting before it is too late. This is how we got our best look at the rhinos, although we almost missed them (one of the other groups did) because the guide who found them gave the wrong info out over the radio. The rhinos had actually been on the road, but by the time we found them – after Jaun went zipping all over in the wrong area looking for them – they had moved into the woods. (And yes, there were two of t
Cats and Other Critters
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This afternoon we have signed up for an optional visit to the Lion Park. It’s sort of like a game park, but with fences to separate the predators from the prey and an area where you can pet lion cubs. I’d generally not partake of this sort of outing because a.) it sounds too much like a wildlife theme park and b.) lions are wild animals and should not be part of a petting zoo. On the other hand, lions are hard to spot in the wild and it would be fun to get an up-close and personal look at a cub. Our visit begins with a game drive through the section reserved for antelope and other prey species. There are a lot of types of antelope represented here, along with Burchell’s zebra and a few giraffe. The cubs are in two pens adjacent to a larger pen of adult lions. Visitors are allowed into the pens with the cubs for 10 or 15 minutes to pet and photograph the cubs. Handlers instruct visitors on how to pet the cubs (back and stomach rubs are good, stay away from the head and paws) and m
Soweto
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Soweto – the South-Western Townships – is the largest black residential area in South Africa, but it is NOT just a teeming slum on the outskirts of Johannesburg. It has a full range of housing, commerce, and services and was home to two noble laureates. You are being transferred to the updated version of this post at ExplorationVacation.net
As Close as I’m Going to Get to NYC (This Time)
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