Larry got a new bow for Christmas, so I guess we need to start planning our next safari =)
The priest answered them, “Go in peace. Your journey has the LORD’s approval.”
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Parting is such sweet sorrow
So our fairytale vacation was coming to a close. Parting is a sweet sorrow....on one hand we were so sad to leave, but at the same time filled with such joy, love, and happiness for our time together. We cooked up some of Alan's sable and made mango sorbet. I miss mango! I also wanted to get a few gifts for family back home and see the Pemba beach hotel before I left.
We are so happy for the life that Bekki and Alan have made overseas. As much as I miss my dear friend, its hard not to want her there. She is very much at home, has great friends, plus what a magnificent place to visit again!
Larry got a new bow for Christmas, so I guess we need to start planning our next safari =)
Larry got a new bow for Christmas, so I guess we need to start planning our next safari =)
Where the wild things REALLY are - Part 2
Derrick warned us that buffalo hunts can last up to 2 weeks, walking 6-10 miles a day, and hunters sometime still come up short. I was nursing my burnt (and still swollen) leg and the thought of having to walk that long just did not sound smart. So I sent Larry, Bekki, and Alan off at 3:30am and did my best to sleep a bit. Paula was going to take me to Lugenda, the photo safari camp, later that morning for a bit of relaxation.
The problem about that evening is that I did not sleep a wink! In my logic, the only thing protecting me from wild animals ready to eat me was a canvas piece of material. I probably heard ever flap of the tent and rustle of the leaves that night. I dreamt of African animals outside our tent and this was only encouraged by our "bedtime" stories from the professional hunters (PHs). It never failed that a close encounter of spitting cobras or lions chasing prey through the camp story would be told. "Don't shine your lights at the elephants, they might attack, but make sure you take them when you go to your tent to watch for snakes." I was a nervous wreck.
The group left at 3:30am and it gets light around 4:30am. It seemed that I finally dozed off when I was awoken by a loud thump on top of the tent. My worst fears were coming true. Surely it was a leopard on top of my tent, sniffing out his next prey. And there I was...by myself, in camp, without even a sharp stick nearby! I can't tell you the things that went through my mind. What was I going to do? Lay as still as possible? Anyone that knows me would know I could do that for about 25 seconds....I'm a doer! Yell for help? The nearest folks were probably about a 250 yards away and it didn't seem like a good idea to draw attention to myself in the tent. Try to scare it? Haha yeah right. Then the thump happened again...I found it highly unlikely that a leopard would use my tent as a trampoline and the curiosity was getting the better of me, so I crept over to the window to see what I could only imagine was going to be the death of me. At that moment a grey streak flew by.....monkeys! Why didn't someone warn me about the monkeys!?!?
Around lunchtime the gang made it back to camp with their heads held low saying the hunt was too difficult to continue so they decided to come back and go hunt something easier after lunch. Well I don't know who they were kidding, I know them WAY better than that. There is very little on this earth that would keep these boys from pressing on in pursuit of one of the most coveted game on earth. Sure enough, I was right! In under 2 hours the group had tracked, stalked, and killed a cape buffalo! This is just not done in this kind of time frame so needless to say a celebration was to be that evening!
What an adventure! Certainly not an experience very many 20 somethings get to enjoy. Life will never be the same after our African Safari!
To be continued.....
The problem about that evening is that I did not sleep a wink! In my logic, the only thing protecting me from wild animals ready to eat me was a canvas piece of material. I probably heard ever flap of the tent and rustle of the leaves that night. I dreamt of African animals outside our tent and this was only encouraged by our "bedtime" stories from the professional hunters (PHs). It never failed that a close encounter of spitting cobras or lions chasing prey through the camp story would be told. "Don't shine your lights at the elephants, they might attack, but make sure you take them when you go to your tent to watch for snakes." I was a nervous wreck.
The group left at 3:30am and it gets light around 4:30am. It seemed that I finally dozed off when I was awoken by a loud thump on top of the tent. My worst fears were coming true. Surely it was a leopard on top of my tent, sniffing out his next prey. And there I was...by myself, in camp, without even a sharp stick nearby! I can't tell you the things that went through my mind. What was I going to do? Lay as still as possible? Anyone that knows me would know I could do that for about 25 seconds....I'm a doer! Yell for help? The nearest folks were probably about a 250 yards away and it didn't seem like a good idea to draw attention to myself in the tent. Try to scare it? Haha yeah right. Then the thump happened again...I found it highly unlikely that a leopard would use my tent as a trampoline and the curiosity was getting the better of me, so I crept over to the window to see what I could only imagine was going to be the death of me. At that moment a grey streak flew by.....monkeys! Why didn't someone warn me about the monkeys!?!?
Around lunchtime the gang made it back to camp with their heads held low saying the hunt was too difficult to continue so they decided to come back and go hunt something easier after lunch. Well I don't know who they were kidding, I know them WAY better than that. There is very little on this earth that would keep these boys from pressing on in pursuit of one of the most coveted game on earth. Sure enough, I was right! In under 2 hours the group had tracked, stalked, and killed a cape buffalo! This is just not done in this kind of time frame so needless to say a celebration was to be that evening!
Buffalo tracks
Watch out for Crocs!
Trackers, Dave our PH and Alan - way to go!
Since the epic task of the buffalo hunt was over, we napped and then decided to head out in search of the elusive guinea fowl. Basically we were going to bang about in the bush and see what kind of trouble we could get into.
Alan's uniform
And the celebration ensued....
Lelipe, our host, wears a bow tie only when there are women in camp...precious!
For the next 2.5 days we spent driving around looking for a trophy sable. The ride in the back of the truck is not exactly easy. I don't know how people do it for 14 days! Our hunt was broken up by a few awesome finds:
Bekki got a guinea!!! Thanks for putting food on the table that night =)
Lion tracks....the trackers said it was a female...
The celebration continues....fellow hunters, wildlife researchers, and friends
We decided to give the sable hunt one more go the next morning. We drove around for about 4 hours and decided to throw in the towel. We got a buffalo, and that was more than we could have asked for. We must have been only 2-3 km from camp when we came upon "the one." He was absolutely gorgeous and the first "fuzzy" animal I've ever seen hunted. Alan is an excellent shot and brought that sable down quickly which both I and the PHs were very glad about. I believe they enjoyed these Texas boys, their ethics, and their aim!
To be continued.....
Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father
Mathew 10:29
Where the wild things REALLY are - Part 1
As I mentioned earlier, Kruger National Park in South Africa felt like an entire vacation in itself. The up close and personal experience with some of the most revered and feared animals in Africa gave us all a sense of adventure and a bit of danger. We were terrified to get out of the car and certainly did not exactly feel safe behind the flimsy electrical fence around our camp at night.
Well, then we went to Luwire. Suddenly our safety net was gone. There were no electric fences and no locked doors. We were up close and personal with the African bush, living as Livingstone, Stanley and Burton might have along the riverside listening to the wind whip around our tents and the occasional animal call in the night. Well it would be just like Livingston if only he had generators, hot showers (albeit river water), hunting guides, a bed to sleep on and all the wine and food that you could eat and drink. But there were tents!
Like I said previously, Bekki and I didn't get much sleep the evening before we left on the 9 hour trek from Pemba to Luwire, but what I didn't mention is that I was also nursing one of the most bizarre sunburns I've ever had from our fishing sightseeing trip the day before. I used the spray-on sunscreen and somehow missed one strip right down my leg. Of course Dr. Watts was on it and got me cream to keep from blistering, but my leg swole up like a baloon! I was a mess, determined to be a trooper, but a mess! I don't know if it was exhaustion or a deep desire not to let Larry say "I told you so," but I did my best to sleep through our trip and to complain as little as possible.
A really incredible benefit of driving instead of flying to Luwire was the ability to see some of the more remote villages and landscapes of Mozambique. We tried to wave to every kid we saw. Most of them enthusiastically waved back and the others were quite in shock that we were waving at them and starred at us slack-jawed. There is nothing that will fill your heart more than these precious kiddos.
I don't know exactly what I was expecting this trip to be. When Alan told us we'd all been invited up to Niassa to stay and hunt, I had no idea what was in store. I always underestimate Africa.....always. It unfailingly takes longer, is more difficult and more magnificent that I dreamed. I guess my brain is hardwired to American expectations. We met Derrick and Paula, the professional hunter and his wife who run Luwire a few evenings before and asked them 1 zillion questions about what our trip would be like. Yet, I was completely floored when we got there. I guess its not the same for everyone, but there is something about the African outdoors that my soul immediately connects with. You feel closer to God, more spiritual. The second we stepped out of the car I had that old familiar feeling that I did looking at Victoria Falls and the great Zambizi River. You become immediately aware of how powerful our Creator is and humbled to be a witness to his greatness. We quickly settled in and set down to amazing dinner of reed buck. Yes, I ate reed buck....and it was delicious! The group was going to begin a buffalo hunt the next morning and we had to get to bed early.
Well, then we went to Luwire. Suddenly our safety net was gone. There were no electric fences and no locked doors. We were up close and personal with the African bush, living as Livingstone, Stanley and Burton might have along the riverside listening to the wind whip around our tents and the occasional animal call in the night. Well it would be just like Livingston if only he had generators, hot showers (albeit river water), hunting guides, a bed to sleep on and all the wine and food that you could eat and drink. But there were tents!
Hot showers, a toilet and a sink with a mirror...not exactly roughing it
A really incredible benefit of driving instead of flying to Luwire was the ability to see some of the more remote villages and landscapes of Mozambique. We tried to wave to every kid we saw. Most of them enthusiastically waved back and the others were quite in shock that we were waving at them and starred at us slack-jawed. There is nothing that will fill your heart more than these precious kiddos.
I don't know exactly what I was expecting this trip to be. When Alan told us we'd all been invited up to Niassa to stay and hunt, I had no idea what was in store. I always underestimate Africa.....always. It unfailingly takes longer, is more difficult and more magnificent that I dreamed. I guess my brain is hardwired to American expectations. We met Derrick and Paula, the professional hunter and his wife who run Luwire a few evenings before and asked them 1 zillion questions about what our trip would be like. Yet, I was completely floored when we got there. I guess its not the same for everyone, but there is something about the African outdoors that my soul immediately connects with. You feel closer to God, more spiritual. The second we stepped out of the car I had that old familiar feeling that I did looking at Victoria Falls and the great Zambizi River. You become immediately aware of how powerful our Creator is and humbled to be a witness to his greatness. We quickly settled in and set down to amazing dinner of reed buck. Yes, I ate reed buck....and it was delicious! The group was going to begin a buffalo hunt the next morning and we had to get to bed early.
They have to put the white plates and cups up in the evening or else the hyenas carry them off thinking they are bones.
Sunrise
To be continued..... The Lord is my light and my salvation- whom shall i fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life- of whom shall I be afraid?
Psalm 27:1
Friday, December 24, 2010
Pemba
After what felt like a full vacation in itself. We hoped a plane from Maputo to Pemba. What an amazing example of God's variation in his creation just a few hundred miles away. It did feel sort of like a 180 to go from the savanna grasslands of Kruger to this tropical paradise
Flying into Pemba
Larry and I exploring the beach in front of Bekki and Alan's House
And into a third-world country
Bekki and Alan live in a beautiful home right on the ocean. It was so comfortable to stay and we woke up every morning starring at the sunrises. The sun gets up very early in Pemba, which demands that you get up as well and soak up every last bit of potential the day has in it. I loved that about Pemba. Contrary to many "tropical" environments, the Pemba mindset isn't exactly one of leisure. Everyone is busy. As Larry would say, many, especially the locals, are "busy doing nothing," but very busy indeed! There seems to be a gender difference and the degree of work one does in Mozambique. Its hard not to notice. You see women with babies strapped to their backs working in the garden or carrying firewood and water down the long roads. You also see the tiniest of children taking care of infants, or walking down the roads carrying a cup on their heads like their mothers with a 10 gallon urn balanced unwavering.
In a culture where the life expectancy is somewhere in the late 30s and people have been exposed to the atrocities of war for over a century, life must seem even more of a flash than we see it. I don't want to go into the horror stories we heard about how this is evident for the people and animals of Mozambique. Instead I ask you all to pray for these people, that they may know Christ like we do. In attempts to make sense of these things, I know I'm trying to apply my own sensibilities, cultural patterns, and religious beliefs to gain understanding and this cannot be done.
Change of gears here! Back to our wonderful friends~
I think we all thought that Bekki was relaxing at the beach everyday while Alan was working. Sipping cocktails and doing the occasional deworm, vaccination, etc. Well boy were we wrong!!! Bekki and her partner have a very demanding vet practice, without all the luxuries of "modern" medicine. I am so impressed with Bekki and her doctor skills! If you want to be further impressed check out her blog!
I'm so happy that Bekki and Alan have made so many friends there. In fact, there are actually a great deal of ex-pats that are in the region for various regions. One reason that Bekki is so busy, but selfishly the reason that there are SO many AWESOME restaurants. Starfish - South African, the Indian place - absolutely divine, Russell's place - a fav for backpackers and really great pizza and although we didn't make them all it was incredible to get authentic Italian food from Il Pirata. The scenery wasn't too shabby either!
I wish this was my back porch!
I think Larry is getting used to this vacation thing
Ok, maybe we both are =)
The closest Larry and I are ever going to get to a beach vacation
Il Pirata
While in Pemba we celebrated Alan's birthday....again ;-)
We ate well!
We went on a very expensive 8 hour tour of the Indian ocean. We caught 1 wahoo, which the deckhand knocked off the line, but Larry touch the leader so apparently that counts. We saw a sea turtle and enjoyed the beautiful day with friends
As I mentioned earlier Bekki and Alan have GREAT friends there in Pemba. When someone throws a party or event it is a really big deal and EVERYONE comes. We got to experience this first had through the Famous People party. They celebrated everyone who had a birthday in November and had it at Russell's place. There was one special performance by Bekki and her 4 dear friends which I got to help them prepare for nightly leading up to the big party. These gals performed Beyonce's "All the Single Ladies" dance. It was magnificent!
Tina Turner, Marilyn, Mulan, Nelly Furtado
Bekki and I were having so much fun, we sent the boys home to pack for our Luwire trip while we danced the night away. I think I only slept 2 hours that night but it was worth it. What a great night!
To be continued....
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
John 1:1
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