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South Africa Game Park Holiday

South Africa is a country of varied cultures, stunning scenery, dazzling beaches and intriguing wildlife.

My journey here was an unforgettable experience. I can only hope to cover some of what I saw and felt in this magical place.

Hluhluwe Umfolozi Game Reserve

This is one of the most popular safaris and it offers one a real feel of this grandiose game reserve. With its open savannah grasslands and rolling hills, it is a scenic reserve.

There are 360 black rhino and 1,500 white rhino, elephant, leopard, zebra, warthog, hyena, cheetah, giraffe, water-buck, kudu, Nyala, blue wild beast, bushbuck, 300 species of birds and 23,000 impala have been recorded.

We had 96,000 hectares to cover on Africa’s oldest game reserve. This game reserve is renowned for its conservation efforts of the white and black rhino. Just 120 years ago, there existed less than 100 rhinos worldwide. Presently, the reserve boasts hundreds of black rhinos and the largest population of white rhinos in the world.

Greg packed a camera, binoculars, batteries, jackets and memory cards. We drove in an open-backed 4WD from St Lucia Heritage Tours and it was the highlight of our trip. Greg’s knowledge of animals, birds and insects is unparalleled and it made the drive pretty much fun and inspirational too. He also proved to be excellent at spotting animals.

I noted that the guides at Heritage Tours loved showing off their country to foreigners and at the same time raising awareness of threats such as rhinocerous poaching.

Blyde River Canyon

This nature reserve in Mpumalanga forms part of the Greater Drankensberg escarpment. It features on the Panorama route.

Whilst Fish River Canyon is the largest in South Africa, Blyde River Canyon more lush as a result of more rainfall in a sub tropical climate. We decided to do one of the treks that took us past the epic waterfalls, along escarpments and to what appeared to us to be the top of the world – a rocky outcrop overlooking the full stunning vista of this vast canyon.

Kruger National Park

Kruger is the largest game park in the whole of South Africa and it boasts of being home to more mammal species than any other reserve in Africa and that includes the big five, giraffes, cheetahs and more. To be in this kind of place is really just a dream for most. We both had to pinch ourselves to really believe that we had finally made the trip here to see the animals in the wild. We were blessed to see so many different species in one day. I am sure that this will be the topic of many dinner conversations to come.

Delicacies

A visit to South Africa would be incomplete without trying out its famous cuisines. Greg and I sampled a couple including Biltong, which is a jerky type air0dried meat (normally beef) was savoured almost everywhere. This meal was a mainstay of the Boers during the Great Trek in the 1830’s.

We also tried out grilled game. The animals are normally farm raised. The others are either legally hunted or even less likely, poached. We tried out the most popular which were crocodile, antelope and ostrich meat.

The trip to South Africa proved to be an unforgettable experience and I hope we return someday in the future.

Africa, Travel

27

Mar

2014

Shanghai

Shanghai, or in short Hu, is the capital city of the world’s most populous country, China. My husband Greg and I decided to tour Shanghai which is a renowned global metropolis which draws worldwide attention. Located on the estuary of Yangtze River, this city serves as an influential financial, cultural and economic centre.

In addition to modernization, the capital’s multicultural flair and unique glamour made us fall in love with it instantly. We noticed the superb blend of cultures, the traditional and modern, and the oriental and western. The Shikumen and contemporary skyscrapers drew the skyline of the city.

What I noticed with Shanghai and Greg agreed with me is that doesn’t pride itself with having must-see sights like Rome and New York. The joys of Shanghai, rather, is at street level where day to day life unfolded with baffling variety. We saw elderly women in pajamas chopping vegetables on the steps of their lane houses, while Gucci-clad beauties sashayed past them on their way to a nearby art gallery and happy white bed sheets flapping from the sides of buildings.

Maglev Train

Our first act after arriving at the international airport was to take a ride on the famous Shanghai Maglev Train. This magnetic levitation train ride was the excellent metaphor for Shanghai. The train does reach speeds of up to 430 km/h. The trip lasted for about eight minutes. We both felt a little bit whiplashed but the disorientation was the perfect welcome to the fast-paced city. The Maglev train didn’t extend to the rest of the city. The train was built as a cachet project to awe visitors, not to be of service to the locals. A single ride costs 50 Yuan (9.77 AUD).

Fuxing Park

We also checked the Fuxing Park. Shanghai, unlike many of Chinese cities that seem to have forgotten that people like to walk about, is a city made for walking. We walked in the Fuxing Park precisely as it was in the colonial period French Concession, still with stuccoed villas and sycamore trees. Inside the park we found grannies bashing Chinese Opera and Mao-dressed men taking caged birds for a stroll. Not far from the park we saw the residence of China’s founding father. The house as we were told contained period furniture and books which remind people of how Shanghai was in its heyday.

Shanghai Museum

Given the much talked about 5,000 years of history, the country’s museums are in a sorry state. The exhibits are awfully lighted, the English information a hodgepodge of incomprehensible nouns. Actually, some of the country’s finest artwork was taken by the departing Nationalists way back in 1949, when they moved to Taiwan.

The Shanghai museum was a welcome remedy to all the dark and dingy museums. We picked a section, ceramics to be precise, and dug in.

Din Tai Fung

A visit to Shanghai would be incomplete without a visit to the popular Din Tai Fung a Taiwanese chain restaurant. They served us the Xiaolong bao or the soup dumpling. The Xiaolong bow is to Shanghai what the chicken wing is to buffalo. A dainty dumpling skin is wrapped round a juicy pork filling. The dumpling contains a small amount of tasty broth.

Green Massage

Traditional Chinese acupressure is not for the timid. This is not some oil-greased Swedish relaxation method or even the passive Yoga characterized in Thai massage. The Chinese acupressure is similar to China itself: I cried a little, nonetheless, the experience was rewarding.

The procedure, which took place behind Huaihai Park, lasted three quarters of an hour and I parted with 98 Yuan (19.15 AUD) for it. At Green there are clean pajamas, proper massage tables, scented candles and soothing music. Nevertheless, none of these will prepare you adequately for as your body will be experiencing something between pain and pleasure.

The memories of this place will last a lifetime.

Asia, Travel

23

Apr

2013

Prague

Prague, the largest city and the capital of the Czech Republic was our choice of destination for Greg, my husband and I. What endeared us to Prague is that is has been a cultural, political and economic centre of central Europe during its 1,100 year existence. The town began to grow during the Romanesque and prospered in the Renaissance and Gothic eras, plus it became the seat of two holy Roman Emperors and the capital of the Holy Roman Empire.

The 20 hour flight to Prague and the 10 hour difference meant we took a rest on arrival, which also enabled us to adjust to the time difference. On our second day we embarked on a tour of the breathtaking city which surprisingly had actually been relatively unknown to most European tourists three decades ago.

Here is the list of places we toured

  • Powder Tower

We found out that this was actually among the original gates in Old town Prague. The tower was built in the 11th century and later rebuilt in the 15th century. In the 17th century, the tower was used for storing gunpowder, which is where it derived its name. The royal route, the accession route of the Bohemian kings started at this tower.

We climbed a spiral staircase with 186 steps which lead to the gallery where we got a view of the Old town.

  • Prague Castle

The Prague castle towers above the city and is a sprawling complex. We were told by the locals that the castle buildings have been there for centuries and consist of a cathedral, three churches, a basilica, defensive towers, a monastery, magnificent gardens, a lane where craftsmen worked, royal stables and a royal palace.

The castle is a sight to behold.

The cathedral in the royal palace is a splendid example of Gothic architecture. Emperors and Kings are buried here.

  • Letna Beer Garden

It doesn’t matter how many watering holes you visit, your trip would be incomplete without taking a trip to Prague’s best beer garden, at least for those who drink. Greg bought a couple of beers while I ordered pizza as we relaxed on the garden terraces.   

Prague Cuisine

Koleno

Greg and I made a point of sampling the Czech cuisine and we were amazed. Prague has a history of its renowned beer, graceful bridges and majestic spires, but, I have to admit its cuisine, for me, was the best experience that I had. Initially I was a little bit sceptical of testing after finding out that the Czech people preferred home cooked meals to restaurant food.

My fears were washed away after eating Konelo. This is a roast pork knee, a dish also very common in Germany. It’s a rough, ridiculously huge piece of meat the likes of which I have never seen before. Despite its caveman appearance, it was delicious. It was a blend of crispy skin, tender pork and fat underneath. The meat was roasted and marinated in dark herbs and beer. We were served with dark Czech bread, mustard, horseradish, sour cherries for dipping, pickles and pickled vegetables. 

Svickova na smetane

A good number of Czechs claim that this is the only dish unique to the country. According to them, it hasn’t been influenced by its neighbours. Greg and I loved this meal.

Beef sirloin was soaked in vegetable laden gravy (usually made with herbs and root vegetables such as parsley root, celeriac and carrots) and topped with jam, cream, a slice lemon and bread dumplings. It probably sounds unconventional, nevertheless, it was delicious.

Europe, Travel

06

Oct

2012

Kenya

I had never really thought about visiting an African country until Greg came up with the idea after talking with friends who had done so. We sampled a couple of countries on the internet and singled out Kenya as our first choice holiday destination.

Kenya is the type of country  that will take your breath away. The wild landscape contrasts with modern cities and engaging people. It is a land of extremes. From its distinguishing savanna safaris, to its abundant lakes and ocean reefs, from the sprawling metropolis of Nairobi and colourful tribal cultures, Kenya is certainly a land of diversity. Deserts make way to alpine snow which contrast with green forests and expansive, wild plains. The wildlife safaris have been the leading tourist attraction in the country for many decades. Other activities such as hot air balloons in the Maasai Mara, snorkelling in Malindi, a coastal town and climbing Mount Kenya come secondary.

After the over 15 hour flight from Sydney, we stayed at the prestigious Inter Continental Hotel right at the heart of Nairobi’s central business district for the purpose of convenience.

National Park

We started our tour of Kenya on our second day. We started out with a 10 minute drive from the hotel to the world famous Nairobi National Park. Only a fence separates the park from the metropolis. Amazingly, it is possible to see Nairobi’s skyscrapers when you enter the park compound. We found this very surreal. In spite of its proximity to town and its relatively small size, the park boasts large and varied wildlife. The park is home to a rhinoceros sanctuary and has one of the only breeding programs in a semi wild setting.

Meal

On our second night, Greg and I decided to take dinner at the Carnivore, often considered ‘Africa’s greatest eating experience’. We were served with every type of meat beyond our imagination, including exotic meat that was roasted over charcoal and carved at our table. The side dishes and variety of sauces that complemented our meal were also incredibly delicious.

Coast

We decided to take a bus trip to the Kenyan coast unlike most tourists who prefer to take a 70 minute flight instead. The 10 hour journey took us through the Tsavo East and Tsavo West National Parks, a view of Mount Kilimanjaro – Africa’s highest mountain – and various scenic features such as rocks and obviously the Indian Ocean.

We stayed in Malindi, a small town, but with excellent beaches. This town has the unusual distinction of being the only town in the country where foreigners, mainly Europeans, live by their own rules. Actually, it is more of an Italian town than anything. Even indigenous politicians dare not meddle in the foreigners’ affairs least they are voted out.

Malindi has extensive coral rocks and dazzling beaches. We engaged in numerous activities such as deep-sea fishing, snorkelling, surfing and various water sports at the protected Malindi Marine National Park.

We also visited the Vasco da Gama pillar which was erected by the Portuguese in 1498, alindi Museum, Gede ruins, Malindi Crocodile Farm and Snake Park and the Jumaa Mosque and Palace.

Lamu Island

This Island is part of Kenya’s Lamu Archipelago. The island has managed to stay untouched and unspoiled by mass tourism that is experienced at the Kenyan coastline. This town has a distinction of being the oldest living town in the country. The town has retained much of its charm and character of the old.

Interestingly, there are no roads on Lamu Island, just footpaths and alleyways and thus there are no automobiles on the island. The common means of transport are by foot, donkeys or boat.              

Africa, Travel

27

Jul

2010

Barcelona

Greg and I recently visited Barcelona, Spain’s second largest city. The city had plenty to offer; cuisine, culture, art, architecture and so much more. I will share with you the experience in details as I proceed. We were on a limited time frame for this trip unfortunately. It proved to be a challenge, but nevertheless, we had a great time exploring the city. Here are some of the things we did on our tour:

Get Your Walking Shoes On

Barcelona may be a massive city but it is great fun to explore by wandering from one area to the next. We agreed to keep off the tourist and metro buses and took our time strolling and taking breaks to recharge with the numerous gastronomic options. Our first walking tour had us exploring the stunning Montjuic Castle along with the Parc de Joan Miro and Parc de la Ciutadella. There is also the Barcelona you wouldn’t even find in guidebooks such as the Sant Andreu district and the less known side of the Eixample where we feasted our eyes on the stunning, drool worth panorama.

Tapas, Pintxos and Vermouth

Pintxos are a specialty Basque tapas which served bread. It is a very popular culinary delight in Barcelona city. Traditionally the tapas are eaten with toothpicks – little did we know that we would be paying for each of the toothpicks! Another of our favourite places to eat was the Euskai Extea where the meal was excellently made.

Montjuiic

We found the Montjuic Mountain to be the brilliant place for a stroll with good views. It took a little bit of leg work to get us there and probably the reason why it wasn’t so much populated by tourists. Besides the spectacular vistas and natural surroundings, we found structures from the Barcelona 1992 Olympics games such as the Palau Sant Jordi and Santiago Calatrava’s spectacular telecommunications tower. We were also blessed with a view of the Jardi Botanic and the Olympic games arena.

Art

Taking a walk in Barcelona proved to be not only a good way to relax, but rather a way of discovering great art. We wandered around the expansive grounds of the Teatre Grec and later went to the Fundacio Joan Miro, one of the world’s largest museums and residence to a collected works of 150 sculptures, 225 paintings and a stunning range of graphics.

History

I love hitting a new city, exploring its lanes and alleys, learning about the history and gaining and insight into the culture and how people live. I am also a bit of a sucker for a good museum so our next stop was the Museu d’Historia de Barcelona where the city’s historical heritage has been conserved and displayed.

Seafood

Barcelona is renowned for its spectacular seafood. The range of sumptuous restaurants from curbside stalls to high end fine dining. Seriously, there isn’t a dish on the menu that would be a disappointment. We had quite a few nights of delicious food moments that will long remain in our memory.

I would advise all touring fanatics like us to visit Barcelona if at all they have never done so. It really is a city with so much to offer – more than I could write about here from our short trip.                                    

Spain, Travel

12

Apr

2009

Ao Nang Visit

We were all so excited to be heading over to Ao Nang. It was our first long drive in Thailand and after stopping to check out the Sarasin Bridge which links Phuket to the mainland of Thailand, we continued over to Ao Nang. The scenery on the way was totally stunning. The limestone karsts, stunning ocean vistas and cute little villages along winding jungle roads, really made for a delightful drive to Ao Nang.

Hubby and I were pumped to be staying at the Vogue Resort and Spa for our second visit, and even more stoked when we checked in, they remembered us, and let us have the honeymoon suite. Think massive spa bath, ocean views, four poster bed, shaggy rugs and you start getting the idea. We sooo love this resort, we would stay there every time we go to Ao Nang except that it can prove too expensive for a long term stay.

Troy and Em were hanging at another resort about a 1km walk away from ours, so we did our best to co-ordinate our meet ups. We had some great evenings strolling along the beach and enjoying the massive variety of street seller food. We did notice a few changes from our last visit 2 years before. The street sellers have been pushed towards the edges of the township, which is really sad, the beaches were a little dirtier and there were a few bags of garbage hanging out on the side walks gathering flies and smelling intensely. The plus sides were a lot better range of restaurants, mostly friendly locals and lots of great little shops. Of all things in Ao Nang though, I can’t go past the monkeys on the beach. They are so cool, get a little friendly and totally love a banana. The other thing I really love are the fresh cut, ice cold coconuts for $2. I could drink them until the cows come home.

Asia

15

Jul

2008

Catching Up with Friends in Patong

Today was a very exciting day. Our friend’s Troy and Em arrived in Phuket. We have always wanted to go on holidays with them and this was our time to have some fun together. After meeting for lunch, Em and I headed to get a spa treatment including a facial, massage and body scrub. Pure bliss – except that it turns out I am slightly claustrophobic, something I found out when my face got fully covered with cucumber with only a small nose hole to breath out of. Em thought it was hilarious as I started totally freaking out. Eventually my treatment lady came back to rescue me from what I was sure to be certain death by asphyxiation!

After our treatment, us girls did some shopping before heading back for a swim and cocktails. The boys took the opportunity to go to see a Muay Thai kick boxing match at the international stadium in Patong. They came back pumped, absolutely loving it. Us girls were far to chilled out to care and let them babble on about the match.

We spent the rest of the evening thoroughly enjoying the balminess of the tropical night air, swimming and drinking beers and cocktails. We were gearing up ready for a big day tomorrow – hitting Central Festival.

Asia

07

Jul

2008

Poppa Palace Patong

After flying in incredibly late last night, we decided to have a quick light snack across the road from our new home for the next couple of weeks – Poppa Palace – and then crash for the night.

Early the next morning, we dragged ourselves out of bed for the first of many hotel breakfasts. We were so excited to be getting away on a much needed 2 week holiday. After hoovering down breakfast, we hit the streets of Patong in Phuket for the day. We took a wander down to the beach via Bangla Road. Seriously, this road during the day isn’t much to get excited about. It is only night time that it comes alive. The beach was a stunning as we remember from our last visit, though it was insanely crowded with deck chairs. Still, the sand was like powder and the ocean sparkled the quintessential, tropical island blue.

We found a great little restaurant to have some lunch at after our walk. The Sweet Restaurant is one of the last remaining, cheap eateries around Phuket. This place is slowly being taken over by mega malls and hotels, and the market places that we loved so much along the beach and back road is being pushed further and further out of the main beach area.

As sunset slowly bathed the beach in a golden glow, the streets started to come alive with performers, touts and tourists. Gone are the day traders and in their place are the people of the night. Bangla Road fills with a carnival like atmosphere, as the lady boys set up their shows, the discos start to pump and the tourists get more and more inebriated. Time for us to retreat.

After having a few snacks from the remaining street vendors, we booked in for the first of many massages. My choice was feet and legs after a long day. The lovely ladies taught me such helpful words as Bou Bou (too soft), Reng Reng (too hard) and Jep (bloody painful!). After an hour of pure bliss, we quietly went off to bed so we could be ready for the next day of our trip.

Asia

05

Jul

2008