Three Black Girlz on Safari: Elephants and Buffalo at the Watering hole

Categories: Postaday2011, safari, TravelTags: African Buffalo, Cape Buffalo, Hwange National Park, Mbisa, postaday2011, Zimbabwe safariAuthor: Marcia Mayne

On our last full day in camp, Judith and I were resting in the lounge after lunch. I looked out towards the park and noticed a jet black line in the distance. I wasn’t sure what it was and asked Emmanuel, one of the Makalolo team.

“Buffalo,” he said, not missing a beat.

Cape Buffalo

Along with the lion, leopard, elephant and rhinoceros, the African or cape buffalo is one of the so-called Big Five animals. This was the first and only time we would see them.

When Godfrey arrived, I pointed in the distance. Rubbing his hands together, he announced excitedly, “Buffalo! Wherever there are buffalos, there will be elephants and zebras, and one or two lions hiding in the grass. Let’s go quickly so we can see them!”

About Marcia Mayne

Marcia Mayne travels a world full of books, music, art, fun people and great food. She raves about them constantly. Currently, she is journeying through Jamaica, her home country, to discover the places she missed.

05 Jan2011 4 Comments

Three Black Girlz on Safari: Elephants at the Watering hole, II

Categories: Paris, Photography, Postaday2011, TravelTags: coprophagia, elephants, game watching, postaday2011, Zimbabwe safariAuthor: Marcia Mayne

Shortly after we started out on our morning drive on the second day, we came across a jackal that had just made a kill. It looked up as we approached. From where we had stopped, we could hear the bones breaking as he chomped down on his breakfast – Godfrey thought it probably had been a bird.

Not long after we left the jackal, Sandra spotted an elephant just as it materialized from the bush a few yards from our jeep. Godfrey stopped so we could take her photo. We were so focused on taking photos that we didn’t see another elephant, probably her child or family member, across the path until Sandra called our attention to it.

This elephant’s not amused

By the time we shifted our attention to the other elephant, the mother had spread her ears so wide, she looked massive. I thought it was an impressive display and a wonderful photo opportunity until Sandra said it was how elephants intimidate a predator or rival. Since elephants are not famous for good eyesight, I’m not sure which she perceived us to be. Read more →

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04 Jan2011 2 Comments

Three Black Girlz on Safari: Elephants at the Watering Hole, I

Categories: Postaday2011, safari, TravelTags: elephants, game watching, Hwange National Park, postaday2011, Zimbabwe safariAuthor: Marcia Mayne

With 30,000 elephants in Hwange, it wasn’t whether we would see any, but when and how many.

As the sun came down on our first game drive, cold and blackness overtook us immediately. Dixon pulled out his infrared flashlight to make it easier to spot the animals that had become invisible to us.

We were following the flashlight as it darted from side to side, and complaining, through chattering teeth about how cold it had become when we saw what looked like small beads floating on dusty brown mounds directly ahead. Dixon stopped abruptly. I was shocked when the jeep’s headlights illuminated two elephants — they seemed to have just come out of nowhere. Dixon shone the flashlight at them but before they backed away, one shook its head as if annoyed at being disturbed.

I was a little unnerved at how close we came. It was our first day and our first time being that close and it brought home the fact that in this world, we were the intruders.

Elephants at sunset

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03 Jan2011 8 Comments

Three Black Girlz on Safari in Zimbabwe: Stalking Big Cats

Categories: Postaday2011, safari, TravelTags: big cats, game watching, postaday2011, safariAuthor: Marcia Mayne

On the afternoon of our second day, we raced to the spot where Godfrey, our guide, had heard that a cheetah was seen. When we arrived, two jeeps of game watchers sat waiting patiently, eyes trained on a spot in the tall grass where the cheetah was supposed to be.

We were looking at the same place for so long, I no longer trusted what I was seeing. Was that a log or the cheetah? The grass was so tall, the color so similar to the cheetah’s skin, I couldn’t be sure. My eyes could play tricks on me but my camera wouldn’t lie, so I pointed it in the general direction, ready to shoot when the cheetah appeared.

We continued to sit and wait, whispering among ourselves from time to time; the radios silenced, so as not to startle the animal. After a while, the other jeeps gave up and left but Godfrey didn’t move. The cheetah, he said, had eaten the previous night and was resting, so we stayed put.

I’m not sure how long we waited, excitement bubbling in my stomach. Then Godfrey, binoculars covering his eyes, whispered urgently and pointed.

Where was it? There it is! Where? Where? We were all talking at the same time.

The cheetah had gotten up and was walking along. But by the time we spotted it, it dropped unexpectedly into the grass, as if its legs had failed him.

I couldn’t see much through my digital camera so I just snapped several times, hoping I’d get something. This is the best of the lot. If you look closely at the middle of the photo just before the log, you’ll see it.

Cheetah or log?

Caroline did much better.

Cheetah (courtesy of Caroline Billot)

I’m glad Godfrey decided to wait as this was the only cheetah we would see.

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02 Jan2011 0 Comments

Welcome to Makalolo Plains!

Categories: Postaday2011, safari, TravelTags: game watching, Hwange National Park, Makalolo Plains Camp, postaday2011, safariAuthor: Marcia Mayne

Lights signaled the end of our first night drive through Hwange National Park and as our jeep came to a stop, we could see that a party was waiting to greet us. Tracey, Cynthia, Jeremy and Godfrey welcomed us with warm towels and glasses of brandy and ushered us into the main part of the camp.

Cynthia warned us that we had to be escorted, especially at nights, by someone from camp who’s usually armed with a rifle – a reminder that we were surrounded by dangerous animals.

The word camp conjures up images of roughing it, of being without our usual comforts. But that’s not the case at Makalolo Plains.

Makalolo Plains main building

Located within Hwange, the main building houses a pub, reception area, lounge and dining room. A small pool is situated at one end of the patio that runs the length of the main building. There’s also a sitting area where at night guests trade stories of their day’s activities around a fire that provides warmth as well as illumination.

A warm fire

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01 Jan2011 0 Comments

Countries I want to visit?

Categories: Postaday2011, TravelTags: postaday2011, Travel, travel bucket listAuthor: Marcia Mayne

Funny you should ask. Just yesterday, I emailed a friend and travel partner about visiting Gabon, a place I’ve

Sculpture from Gabon

visited and she wants to visit.

Why Gabon? Well, besides the fact that I have longtime friends who live there, Gabon has stunningly beautiful wildlife, so a trip to the Lope-Okanda Reserve is a must; fabulous white sandal beaches, at Pointe Denis and Cap Esterias, for example. (I remember Le Cap being almost deserted.) I’d also like to see and do more outside of Libreville, like visiting Port Gentil and perhaps M’bigou, from where the popular M’bigou stone comes.

Rounding out my three would be Ethiopia and India. Both rate high on my scale for culture and history.

Ethiopia is an enchanting place that I’ve always wanted to see. Photos of the ruins of Aksum and the churches at Lalibela draw me in. I’m surprised that I have not been yet.

India has been on my radar for many years now but I’ve never made the next move even though I also have a friend who lives there and who extends annual invitations. A visit to the Taj Mahal alone would be worth the trip.

Bon voyage to me!

Posted with WordPress for BlackBerry.

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01 Jan2011 0 Comments

I’m posting everyday in 2011!

Categories: BloggingTags: postaday2011Author: Marcia Mayne

I’ve decided I want to blog more. Rather than just thinking about doing it, I’m starting right now. I will be posting on this blog once a day for all of 2011 – God (and WordPress) help me!

I know it won’t be easy, but it might be fun, inspiring, awesome and wonderful. Therefore I’m promising to make use of The DailyPost, and the community of other bloggers with similar goals, to help me along the way, including asking for help when I need it and encouraging others when I can.

If you already read my blog, I hope you’ll encourage me with comments and likes, and good will along the way.

Signed,

Marcia