2014 In Review

December 30th, 2014

So yes I am still around, and still crossing things off that life list. I have absolutely loved my time away from the blog, and I am glad to still be continuing with the list.  It has been 10 years now since I started this dear old list, and I am proud to say I have accomplished a lot in those 10 years.

I made my annual trip to New Orleans, and this time I visited the Jazz Festival.  It was such a great time with some amazing bands and some great southern food. 

I made it to my 50th country and visited Ireland.  I learned how to pour the perfect pint of Guinness, kissed the Blarney Stone, visited the Cliffs of Moher, partied in Temple Bar, and walked along the Giant's Causeway. 

I then spent over a month in East Africa traveling through Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Zanzibar.  It was probably my hardest travel experience.  I camped in tents at times and even got stranded and had to be rescued when a group of hyenas and buffalos surrounded us.  I would go DAYS without a decent shower, and the amount of poverty I witnessed was just heartbreaking.   My first full day in Kenya I witnessed a man get hit by a car and die.  It was horrifying. 

I crossed the equator four times!

I also did one of the most physically difficult things I have ever done.  I went gorilla trekking in Uganda!!  It was probably one of my favorite travel experiences (and probably one of the most expensive). 

I can officially say I saw the Big Five.  That stubborn leopard made me fail my attempt to see the Big Five in 2010.  This time I finally saw it.  Granted the leopard ran away fairly quickly, but I saw it!!  I also got to witness the Great Migration in Tanzania, and during a safari in the Ngorongoro Crater we were FREEZING cold.  I often had to ask myself, "Am I in Africa or Alaska?"  Camping was not fun that evening.  BRR.

I managed to celebrate my birthday in style (as always).

Fitness has been a big part of my 2014!  I have really grown to love the outdoors.  I LOVE hiking now, and I find myself climbing any mountain I can climb whenever I get the chance.  I am still obsessed with Zumba, and I have become the favorites of many of my instructors for my enthusiasm and energy.  This year I have lost over 30 pounds, and about 90 pounds from my absolute highest weight.  

The above picture was taken on Christmas day, and I am happy and healthy.  Sure I still have a few more pounds to lose, but I am in such a better place than I was years ago.  There are enough "Before" photos on this site to see the difference. 

I am also happier because I made it a point to open my heart this year.  I dated a guy for a few months, and was very unhappy.  I lost track of who I was being with this man, and working out was my only way of feeling alive.  A few weeks after that relationship ended I met the most amazing man, and I love going into 2015 with him by my side.

2015 is going to be an amazing year.  I am starting it off with a 6 week trip through Asia, specifically Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Japan.  I will be traveling solo for the entire trip!  Me with my backpack.  I will also be traveling to New Orleans one more time for my best friends graduation, and hopefully to Costa Rica in the end of the year.  I am also hoping to squeeze in a trip to San Francisco and Sedona during the year.

The new boy owns a boat so we are already planning a few trips out to the lakes and rivers for some water fun. 

I am hoping to post more in 2015, but if I don't, at the very least expect one of these annual year-in-review posts. 

Here's to a great 2015!

Eat Stuffed Pigeon In Egypt

This is the story of the day I decided to eat a flying rat.

I'm sure you are quite aware what a pigeon is...

That's my friend Janice at the Piazza San Marco in Venice surrounded by pigeons.  I didn't want to get near them so I offered to be the photographer from a cautious distance.

When I found out that eating Stuffed Pigeon was a delicacy in Egypt I immediately knew I had to try it.  It goes along with my passion for trying weird eats like Guinea Pig in Peru.

Egyptians have been eating pigeon since 3000BC, so it can't be that bad, right?  Right!?!

While in Luxor, Egypt we went to a restaurant by our hotel that specialized in Stuffed Pigeon.  The catch was that you had to order the Stuffed Pigeon in advance. One day in advance?  Did they have to hunt my pigeon down on the streets?  I became weary, but my guide assured me that the pigeons were not like the ones you find on streets, and are bred solely for food consumption.   We then had the choice of having the pigeon stuffed with rice or corn.  I opted for rice because I was craving some rice (yes, I CRAVE rice!). 

Since I couldn't get my stuffed pigeon that day I opted for some moussaka and took a few bites of my friends camel dish.  I was surprised at how tasty camel was!

The following evening I found myself back at the restaurant for my stuffed pigeon dish.....

Before I continue I have to tell you that I have a texture issue when eating any type of meat.  I hate bones!  I'm a boneless type of gal if ordering any type of meat.  I knew the bone-in pigeon would be a challenge for me.

Just before I could start diving into my dinner this happened.....

City Wide Blackout!   Apparently this happens quite often due to the government.   The restaurant owners profusely apologized for the blackout and began a long rant about the demise of their government.  This was a constant topic throughout my travels through Egypt, and I could feel the increasing tension in every Egyptian person I met!

So they finally lit a few candles, and in almost complete darkness we began to eat our pigeon.  Don't people pay big bucks to dine in the dark at those fancy schmancy restaurants? 

Crack, crack, as I heard wings and pigeon backs breaking in the darkness.  I was beginning to feel queasy.  

I took small bites, but it was really difficult to taste the meat because their wasn't much of it.  I got to the rice and I wasn't impressed.  The flavors and spices they used for the rice were not good at all.  As I started really tearing into the pigeon, I was beginning to feel blessed that we were eating in darkness.  My guide noticed I was having difficulty and told me to just hold the pigeon with both hands and just crack the bones to open it up.  I couldn't do it, so I just kinda ate around the bones.

While some of my friends ate it in its entirety with only the bones remaining, I was only able to eat about 1/4 of it.  I'll stick with the camel next time. 

Date Accomplished:  March 27th, 2013

....And Do The Harlem Shake

I will dance to just about anything, and just about anywhere.  This is likely no surprise to those that personally know me.

I was the "inventor" of dance parades and dance parties at my hospital.  The main focus of the project was to get patients out of bed, to have fun in a hospital setting, and to see their doctors, social workers and nurses boogie.  I won a nation wide award recognizing my care for my patients, and the entire unit threw me a dance party to celebrate!  The dance parties have become known hospital wide, and it even made it onto the local news (I'm still working to get on Ellen!).  I am not claiming to be a good dancer, I dance to have fun. 

The more absurd the dance, the more I gravitate to LOVING it.

For example, remember that time I did the Gangnam Style (horribly) in the middle of a park in St Louis?  In case you may have blocked the images from your brain, let me refresh your memory....


Then the Harlem Shake came along, and it was even more ridiculous, and more approving of my horrendous dance moves.  It was a dance that encouraged outrageous and discombobulated movements to form a successful dance.  Wikipedia has an entire HISTORY behind the Harlem Shake (...and I don't know about you, but Wikipedia is most definitely a reliable source in my book...like ALWAYS). 

After watching what seemed like 873 versions of the Harlem Shake I decided that I needed to do it.

We had some time to kill in Abu Simbel, Egypt, and with a laptop in hand, I somehow managed to get my guide to log onto You Tube to watch the Harlem Shake.  He became obsessed.  We both looked at each other, and then looked around to find our future Harlem Shake victims.  Muhahahahaha.  Victory is mine!

My group was not difficult to persuade, partly because we were all nuts that were void of any ounce of attention growing up, and now we were seeking attention from anyone and everyone.

I mean, just look at us.....


Our first Harlem Shake attempt was on the Nile River on top of our support boat.  The "support" boat had the least supportive side rails ever created.  The side rails would probably fail to protect a gnome from being pushed overboard.  Somehow during the dance I found myself surrounded by three sweaty, shirtless men bouncing in every direction. It almost sounds like the beginning of a kinky porn flick, but think more horror flick.   I started screaming "DON'T PUSH ME GUYS!!!!!!!"

Thankfully I didn't get pushed into the Nile, but I'm sure that would have made for a good video.

Our second Harlem Shake was while we were heaps drunk at our resort on the Red Sea.  We had been to Cairo the day before and practically cleared out an entire bottle shop! We had two days to drink our entire alcohol stash before leaving on a boat to Jordan.  Our livers were aaaaangry with us those two days.

Because we were beyond intoxicated, we were a little off on the timing of our Harlem Shake.  None of us were even remotely sober enough to even recognize.  Oh and yes, I call the guy humping the pillow, and subsequently beating it up, my friend.

It was ridiculous.  It was fun, and it made some great memories with new friends.

How many of you guys can say you did the Harlem Shake on the Nile River?  How many of you probably would never want to (admittedly) say you have? 

Date Accomplished:  March 24th, 2013

Visit The Cape Of Good Hope

The Cape of Good Hope in South Africa, is where the Atlantic Ocean (cold water) and Indian Ocean (warm water) merge.

The Cape is also famous to many sailors, who often call it "The Cape."

The Cape itself is beautiful, but the thing that will take your breath away is the drive down the Cape Peninsula.

Before heading to the Cape we visited the Cape Fur Seals on Diuker Island and watched a seal take a piece of a fish from a man's mouth.  No big deal.

The drive down the Peninsula will make you want to relocate there.  If you have driven the California Coast, I guarantee that portions of the drive will remind you of it.

Our next stop was a small naval town called Simonstown off the shores of False Bay.  Right before hitting the town's main strip we spotted Southern Right Whales!  We pulled over, ran through some train tracks, and watched the spectacle in front of us.  Some of the whales were mere FEET from where we were standing.  It was incredible.

We had some time to spend in Simonstown, and I took that time to find an ATM Machine, and walk into some of the cute shops along the main road.  Just a short drive from Simonstown was Boulder Beach, home of the Jackass Penguins.

Once we arrived at Cape Point I had a bite to eat, but I ate my meal with extra caution.  There were several warning signs about keeping an eye on your food because of the baboons.  The baboons can cause havoc in the Cape, and they don't appear fearful of humans at all.  They climb onto cars, try to sneak into open windows, and they show no mercy.  If you Youtube "Baboons in Cape Point" you will see an endless amount of videos of recorded baboon attacks.

Once I finished my baboon-less lunch I took the funicular up to Cape Point.   I recommend this option if you are on a time constraint, otherwise you can hike up to the top.  I wanted to spend as much time at Cape Point as possible.  From the drop off point, there is short hike up a few flights of stairs to get to the lighthouse, and from the lighthouse you have a 360 view of the entire area.

I must warn you about one thing......

It gets mighty windy up there, so get ready to take some attractive combover shots.  I'm sure I am making all balding men jealous.

After visiting Cape Point we headed down the hill to visit the Cape of Good Hope.  While driving down we saw wild ostriches, and more baboons causing havoc. 

The drive back reminded me a lot of Big Sur in California, especially the large coastal cliffs with roads etched onto the sides of the mountains.

If I ever make it back to Cape Town (and one day I sure hope I do), I'd love to make it back down to the Cape!   I didn't think it was possible to see so much nature, animals, and breathtaking views in ONE day!

Date Accomplished:  September 3rd, 2010

Disclaimer: I used them to make the trek down the Peninsula, and I paid for it with my own hard earned money.

Go Wine Tasting In The Stellenbosch Winelands

When a social network profile asks me to lists my hobbies, I always type wine tasting as one of them.  It is a legitimate hobby right?

Pinky in the air, sniffing the wine,  gently swirling the glass to inspect the legs, and describing to the wine sommelier the aromas and flavors I smell and taste in the biggest words I know.  Yep, that's me in a wine tasting nutshell. *cough* wine snob *cough*

I have officially gone wine tasting in five continents, and wine tasting in Stellenbosch has been my faaaaave.  I don't normally like to buy many souvenirs when I'm on the road, but I do like to save my wine corks when I travel.  I have an apothecary jar filled with corks that I have collected during my travels.  The corks are small and light, and bring back fond memories of my journeys. 

I knew I was going to love South Africa when my Bed & Breakfast welcomed me with some yummy South African wine.   The key to my heart!

Because I was traveling solo through Cape Town I decided to take a day tour for the 45 minute drive to Stellenbosch.  On another note I made it onto the tours video, specifically near the beginning when you see three people walking through the wine cellar.  Just more proof that I'm one famous chick loser!

Julius, my guide, picked me up at my bed and breakfast, and then we picked up a sweet gay couple from New York City.  The four of us headed to Stellenbosch and first stopped at J.C. Le Roux Winery.

J.C. Le Roux Winery specializes in sparkling wine, and I love me some bubbly.  I was able to easily find a bottle of J.C. Le Roux in many grocery stores throughout Africa, and even bought a bottle to enjoy during the evenings.

 Champagne in tin camping cups.  That's how I roll.

My favorite champagne at the tasting was La Vallee.

We then headed to Spier Winery to pet some cheetahs.  Just any average day of wine tasting.

Our next stop was Asara Winery.  I chose the white flight along with the rest of the group.  Not only did we love bubbly, but we also loved our whites.  The Asara Winery was stunning.  The grounds were open and beautiful, and it's no surprise that it's a constant spot for weddings.  The Winery also has a hotel, conference rooms and restaurants.

Do you notice something in the photos above?  NO PEOPLE! This is one of many reasons why I loved wine tasting in Stellenbosch.  I'm used to the pushing and shoving just to get an arm in for them to pour my next wine.  Every tasting I was allowed to sit at a table, and the sommeliers came to me to pour my next wine.  The absence of people made me feel like I got a special invite to a private winery, and it made for such a peaceful and relaxing experience.

We made another stop before lunch at Rust En Vrede.  This was a smaller winery with predominately red wines.  Great weather and a table outdoors created a perfect setting.  The restaurant at Rust En Vrede is supposedly amazing, but I didn't stick around to try it.

For lunch we headed to Dornier Winery.  The restaurant at Dornier opened up to stunning views of the Stellenbosch mountains making for a lovely ambiance.  Fittingly, we each accompanied our meals with a glass of wine.  By then we had enough alcohol in our systems that we were borderline lushes, however we acted as we were all old friends that had known each other for years.  It's amazing what a bit a lot of wine can do to a person!

Like the saying goes, all great things must come to an end, and the finale to our day was Waterford Estate.  It certainly did not disappoint, in fact, Waterford was my favorite winery of the day.  Our tasting was paired with bars of chocolate that complimented each wine.  Yes, I said CHOCOLATE!  The other key to my heart, I was officially in pure bliss!  After our tasting we were given a great tour of the cellar and production area.  The grounds were lovely, and reminded me of a Tuscan Vineyard.

As an added bonus, a few days after my Stellenbosch trip I visited Org de Rac, an organic vineyard located in the Western Cape.  This was my first time visiting an organic winery, and I even received an extensive tour of the vineyard.  It wasn't the best tasting wine, but we were all given a full bottle of complimentary wine for the road. 

Stellenbosch exceeded all my expectations.  If you have some time to spare in Cape Town, and you love wine and unbelievable vistas, then a trip out to the Stellenbosch Winelands needs to be on your to-do list.

Date Accomplished:  September 5th, 2010

Visit A Cheetah Sanctuary

Joseph

Cheetahs are beautiful spotted felines that are sadly on the endangered list.  There are several factors that have put these big cats onto the endangered list, low sperm count, inbreeding, and cheetah cubs having difficulty surviving attacks of bigger predators.  

At the beginning of the 20th Century, an estimated 100,000 cheetahs roamed the world, now only 7,500 are left, and less than 1,000 of those are found in South Africa.  A huge percentage of living cheetahs are part of conservation programs.

There are many cheetah conservation programs all over the world, and while wine tasting in Stellenbosch, South Africa I was able to visit one!  Talk about killing two birds with one stone!

On the grounds of Spier Winery is an outreach program for Cheetahs.  The cheetahs at Spier have been orphaned, and several of them having grown up there.  They also have a program to educate others, including bringing the cheetahs to schools to educate youth on the importance of cheetah conservation.

I am always skeptical visiting places like these, mainly because of known stories of animal abuse, and several gimmicks to make one solitary man filthy rich.  I didn't visit a lion "sanctuary" in Zimbabwe for this very reason.

The sanctuary was large, clean, and the trainers seemed to truly love the animals.  

For less than $20, I was able to enter the sanctuary, and experience a close encounter with one of the cheetahs. 

Before entering the sanctuary we had to wash our hands, and put all our belongings (except for our cameras) into lockers. 

We first attempted to visit an eagerly excited cheetah named Joseph, but after 15 minutes of waiting for Joseph to settle down, the trainer called it quits and decided we should try visiting another Cheetah.

We then went to go visit two year old Phoenix.   His trainer was by his head trying to make him relax.  I called him the Cheetah Whisperer. 

When we entered his enclosure we were brought to the opposite corner of his cage.  One by one we got a chance to pet Phoenix and take a photo with him.

For lack of a better phrase to sum up the experience, IT WAS SOOO COOL!  Phoenix purred as I slowly brushed his body, and as you could see I had a huge grin on my face rather than a look of utter terror.  To me, it was not scary at all, this is coming from a person that would run away from all animals as a child up until college!  The trainers had our safety in mind, so that helped settle any nerves.  Keep Calm and Carry On.

Since my visit, the Outreach Program has since moved to Somerset West.

Oh, and according to their website, Phoenix and Joseph are still alive and doing well.  :)

Date Accomplished:  September 5th, 2010

Have A Close Encounter With Penguins (AKA Jackass)

I feel like the biggest debbie downer lately.   Wah Waah. 

The most recent topics on my blog have included  loved ones passing away, me being diagnosed with cancer, and then the devastating floods in the Philippines. That has been the tone of my blog lately.  Unfortunately, life happens, and bad sh!t happens, but it's what you do to overcome those challenges that reflects who you are the most.

So I was thinking, "CeCe, how do you get out of this DD rut?"

How about I talk about my experience at the Anne Frank House?  Oh no.  The Holocaust.  That's not a light subject.

How about my visit to the Rock of Gibraltar?  Flying Monkey's nearly attacking me?  Not so fun.

So hmm, what is something very likeable?

Then last week at work a penguin came to visit, like a real life penguin!

PENGUINS!  People love Penguins, right?  I was in love with them after Happy Feet, and cried over them when I watched March of the Penguins.

I wish I could tell you I visited the penguins in Antarctica (that's still on the life list).  Just guess where I saw them, and they were not in a zoo!

I saw penguins in their natural habitat in the most surprising of locations...I saw them in South Africa!

Why, hello there good lookin'!

What a cute JACKASS!

I feel like I should be locked up, and have the key thrown away for eternity for calling these cute little penguins a jackass.  Before you judge me, I must clarify that the word 'Jackass' is the nickname of the African Penguins.

Apparently, the penguins sound like donkeys, hence why the South Africans began calling them Jackass Penguins.  Just about an hour or two from Cape Town you can visit these penguins in their natural habitat at Boulder Beach....

Boulder Beach is located on the Cape Peninsula, and has become a popular tourist stop for people on their way down to the Cape Of Good Hope.  The African Penguins began appearing on the beach in 1982, and now their are over 3,000 penguins that call Boulder Beach their home.

The penguins scatter across the beach, and sometimes they make their way up to the homes nearby.  Some houses even have little penguin proof gates so that the penguins don't crawl into their property.  They can come over to my house anytime!

At some moments I was mere inches from the penguins, but I never felt in danger, and they did not seem fearful of the humans.  Boulder Beach is a worthwhile stop to see a rare animal (in most parts of the world) in their natural habitat!

Date Accomplished:  September 3rd, 2010

Capture The Color

Thanks to Elle for nominating me for the Capture the Color contest. 

I've always had a love for photography, and have no problem hauling my huge Canon 7D with me on my travels.  What is the best souvenir you can possibly take home from your trip but your photos....or a hot guy with an Olympian swimmers body (Okay seriously, I need to stop crushing on these swimmers bodies.  I feel like a Pedophile).  But I digress, you don't need a fancy SLR camera to take great photos, in fact, two of the photos I chose for the contest were taken with a small Canon Point & Shoot.  I won't tell you which two they are either.

>>>>Blue

This photo was taken in the Philippines on an island called Boracay.  I chose this photo mainly because it had several shades of blue, the deeper blue skies, and the almost teal-like colored waters.  What you don't see is my poor aunt next to me fanning me while holding my freshly cut coconut drink, because I was near the verge of dehydration. 

>>>>Green

This photo was taken in the Caribbean island of Dominica during our hike to Trafalgar Falls.  The whole island was filled with Green landscapes, even more so than my favorite country, New Zealand.  

>>>>Yellow

If you have seasonal allergies like I do then this photo is probably your worst nightmare.  I feel like sneezing just looking at it, but I also feel happy, maybe because I was drunk on lots of wine when I took it.  The photo was taken in Sonoma Wine Country in California during the winter.

>>>>White

For me, probably one of the most beautiful spots in the world are the Salt Flats in Bolivia.  There are no paved roads, strip malls, or traffic lights.  The photo was taken at a Salt Hotel (a different one from the one I stayed at).

>>>>Red

I had several photos that I wanted to choose for the Red Category, but the lady from the Himba Tribe in Namibia became an obvious choice.  While modern women are applying moisturizer on their face in the morning, the Himba women are applying otjize (a mixture of butter, fat, and red ochre) that causes the red hue on their skin and hair. 

I now nominate five other bloggers (including some new blogs I have recently discovered) to take part in the Capture The Color contest:

• Jackie from 6 Months To Live
• Ashley from Wanderscapes
• Celine from The Happily Ever After Project
• Fidel from Scene With A Hart
• Megan from Meganotravels

Go On A Walking Safari (Part 2)

Read:  Go On A Walking Safari (Part 1)

The following day after my first walking safari, we set out on a mokoro to another island in the Okavango Delta. 

I was feeling more comfortable with my new found powers of deciphering animals with their associated poop.  We did find a herd of impalas in the distance, and a shy mongoose living inside a termite mound.   But yet again, the poop craze struck once more, but this time we found a pile of hyena poop.  After you finish Ooohing and aahing, I must confess that I was beginning to get a tad worried.

I began picturing myself as the Olympic Gold Medalist of an imaginary game called "Guess Who?:  African Poop Edition."

"Are you the size of my head?"

"Do you look like blueberries?"

"Are you white?"

Okay, okay, I promise I will stop the poop jokes....for now.  I was delusional, and losing my mind.  I needed to see something other than doo-doo!

Well I think the African Gods (Yo Mufasa!) were listening because things started to get exciting! 

As we were walking through the bush we spotted one of the Big 5, an Elephant in the distance.  Our safari guide, Fillmon, told us to stop and slowly move the opposite direction.  We were so excited to finally see something other than poop, that our primary focus became taking photos of the elephant rather than listening to our guide.  Pretty much we were flunking "Walking Safari 101."

We noticed the elephant walking towards us.   Fillmon immediately changed his tone and told us that the elephant could smell us and that we were in danger.  He loudly whispered, "WALK FASTER!"  What, huh?  I saw the Spanish people in my group ignoring Fillmon and continuing to snap away.  I nudged one of them to start moving.  Then I heard, "Run, Run, Run!"

FUUUUUUUUUUUdgesicle! At this point the Elephant was only a few meters from us.  Finally the rest of the group got the hint and hurried towards us.  We climbed up a giant termite mound, and then proceeded to get a massive lecture from our guide....

"Don't you guys remember the rules from yesterday?  When I tell you to run, you guys need to run!  Do you think I was kidding?  People have died not following the rules!"

Busted.

As we were being scolded on the termite mound, we realized we were surrounded by a herd of elephants.  I counted almost 15 of them.  As soon as we started our walk again, we spotted another elephant, but this time when Fillmon told us to move, we moved.  This happened another few times. 

My favorite moment of the day was when we climbed up another termite mound, and silently watched three elephants just meters away eating.

After our several elephant scares we saw a few bones, and a giant spider that we made (fake) spider pendants with. 

As soon as we got back to our mokoros we exchanged stories with the other groups.  "Oh, so you guys were the group in danger!  We overheard your guides on the walkie-talkies." 

We surely won all bragging rights that day, and I didn't have to go home crippled after being trampled by an Elephant, nor did I have to tell people that the most exciting thing I saw was poop.

Date Accomplished: September 21st & 22nd, 2010

Drink Amarula In Africa

During my Mexican Cruise I went to the Duty Free store that was hosting a free alcohol tasting.  Have you noticed yet how I am always around when the word FREE is spit out?  I immediately spotted a bottle of Amarula and quickly got flashbacks of my travels in Africa.

"I'd like a shot of that please" as I enthusiastically pointed at the Amarula Bottle.

The guy pouring the shots said "Have you ever had it before?"

"Ummm Yeah!  I had it nearly everyday in Africa!"

When I walked into the store I saw a wall of Amarula bottles, and I just about died and went to heaven.

My friend asked me how it tasted like, I told her that people say it tastes like Bailey's, but that I don't even like Bailey's.  It's a fruitier version of Bailey's.

Amarula is made out of fruit found on an African Marula Tree.  Elephants love the fruits on the Marula trees, hence why their is a photo of an Elephant on the bottle.  The company is also a huge supporter for elephant conservation.

The photo above was a typical dinner in Africa.   The white blob was Pap, a tasteless maize porridge that made me want to vomit.  In the tin cup was dessert....a few ounces of Amarula.  It made my meal. :)

But the best part of drinking Amarula, is singing the Amarula song in conjunction.

While sitting around a fire in Africa, we heard the song from a distance for the first time.  It didn't take long for us to learn the tune to the song. We learned that it was a popular song especially around Namibia.

The following night we were walking by the dinner hall as they started singing the song again.  We quickly rushed in and joined the Amarula party.



It's always a pleasure to find a food or beverage that can transport you somewhere unexpectedly.  Who would have thought that I'd be slap dab somewhere in the Pacific singing the Amarula song, and being right back with all those lovely people.

Date Accomplished:  September 13th, 2010

Go On A Walking Safari (Part 1)

I have no idea why it has taken me over 1 1/2 years to finally start posting about all the amazing safaris I went on in Africa.  Let's face it, I am so behind on posts it is RIDICULOUS!

Me with my walking safari guides

I had the luxury of going on two walking safaris while in Africa.  Most parks do not allow walking safaris due to them being dangerous, but in the Okavango Delta we were allowed to take part in them using caution.  Our mokoro ride headed to an island along the Delta, and we were off on our walking safari.

First we needed to learn the safety rules.  We had guides (or bodyguards) leading us, and two more behind us.  We would have to walk in a single file line, being extremely cautious of our surroundings.  One of the guides behind us also carried a gun and knife in case we were in any danger.  The last rule was to listen to your guide.  If he told you to run, you need to RUN. 

One of the most dangerous parts of a walking safari are the Ardvark holes scattered everywhere.  They are giant holes that can have hidden animals and snakes *eek* living in them.  Anytime you saw a hole you would have to point it out so the person behind you was aware of the hole as well.

During the first walking safari we didn't see many animals except for a few warthogs and impalas.

We saw many termite mounds like the one above, and learned a lot about the vegetation, animal poop and animal tracks (yes I did say poop!).  The sun was beginning to set so we had to hurry back to our mokoros.  It was a great little intro to walking safaris, and fortunately our second one was much more of an adventure....

Date Accomplished:  September 21st & 22nd, 2010