A gallery of some of my better pictures of the animals I saw !
Continue Reading<span class="screen-reader-text"> "Animals in the wilderness of Africa"</span>
Continue ReadingThe Amboseli leg of my journey was coming to an end and it was time for us to move towards mount Kenya. In the meanwhile I also took the opportunity to apply for my Zambia visa online. I used a 3G dongle with a local SIM card to get access to internet on the move and while the connection was not exactly stellar – it did get the job done!
I could upload and send mails , everything on the move from the comfort of my van. I am thinking now that I need to go back and tie up with a telecom service provider and get a discounted deal. Telecommunication cost can be a substantial part of ones travelling expenses especially if you also want to blog while at it. Continue Reading<span class="screen-reader-text"> "Onwards to Mount Kenya and ruminations!"</span>
Continue ReadingFor most tourists to Africa the goal of the Safari is to catch the big game – perhaps a glimpse of the Lion King. It is not a tough thing to do if you look in the right places and I spotted the king of the beasts as he lazily slept on the coarse grass of Amboseli Park.
I stopped my mini bus to take pictures of this magnificent beast, and today it did not disappoint – except that it was a lioness! The Queen (can we call it that?) was laying on the grass as it looked at me drawing close in my bus.
It got up and yawned at me and went along for a lazy indolent, stroll. I clicked away with my camera and the distance between me and her mustn’t have been more then 20 meters and I had a good view.
Next was a team of elephants who where busy eating the bush grass and sipping water from the lake with their cubs at their tails.
As we wandered further we came upon another a herd of wild beasts, water buffaloes and zebras.
This time we circled around the lake to catch a glimpse of some amazing bird which included a red billed Pelican and what might have been a Kingfisher.
So much of color on a bird the kingfisher definitely looked majestic and perhaps no wonder it became a mascot for a beer brand!
“ You know Anuj, I used to watch Mahabharata when I was young and I think it was a famous Indian TV serial which was also very famous in Kenya” remarked John my guide once during the safari .
“ I take a lot of Indians to safari , nice people and they eat a lot of chilies with their food !” He added making small talk in the heat and dust of the bush.
I smiled and asked “ who was your favorite hero from Mahabharata then?” John scratched his head for a while and said “ Bhishma, the man who lay on a bed of arrows , man he was so powerful because no one could kill him as he had a divine boon , so all they could do was to put him on a bed of arrows .”
I was frankly amazed he knew all this, about a culture so far away to be impossible. I was also fairly heart warmed thinking the strength of our culture that spreads so far and wide.
John was a fine guide and made sure I had everything I needed on my journey, he took care of my lunch my drinks and my rest and recreation.
Africans are simple people, brave strong and forthright. Sometimes I wonder how they were once colonized by the Continental Powers at one time.
Kenya today is a vibrant economy and has evolved with the spread of technology, internet and mobile telephony. They are one of the more advanced nations in Africa.
Tourism forms a big part of their national revenue and there are people from all over the world here. I saw and met Danes, Russians, Koreans, Japanese all come over to see this wild spectacle of Africa. And what a spectacle it was indeed.
As we headed back from the observation point in the park at about lunch time I realized i had spent almost six hours watching these magnificent animals.
Time just flew and I wouldn’t have noted had it not been as I was hungry. After a bite of spaghetti and meatballs I opened a bottle of lemonade called Krest, a brand owned by Coca Cola and available in Africa.
As I sipped it I could tell the flavor of the drink had not changed and was the same even twenty five years back when I was last in Africa growing up in a land so vast and unique.Now with the afternoon heat getting to me i soon retired for a nap dreaming about my next destination which is Mount Kenya.
Continue ReadingMadagascar was a blast and now I head forward and it was time to bid adieu to Antananarivo and fly in to the Jomo Kenyata Airport (IATA: NBO, ICAO: HKJK) at Nairobi for the next leg of my African adventure. Visa was not an issue though yes Indian passport holders need one with a fee of $50 for a single entry tourist visa. You can apply for an e visa also.
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I was booked into the Radisson Blu hotel and once checked in – spent the next two days resting and getting my bearings around the bustling new city.
I was advised by my bankers at India not to use your credit cards in this part of the world. It is a bit like the credit card fraud capital of the world though no it is not – as per statistics that I can see – that is in fact the US! I was advised and took along an ICICI Multi currency Travel card – a sort of “pre paid” card with a stipulated amount of dollars loaded onto it which can be topped up according to my need. I felt that the card was in fact a god’s gift of sorts considering how secure it made travelling and transacting.
I roamed around the city and found my self a tour operator for a 10 day trip around Kenya, covering the Amboseli National Park, The Masai Mara game reserve, Mount Kenya and others. At $250 a day, all inclusive it was a bit steep to me but it was a private tour and the service has been excellent so far.
Soon we blazed around Nairobi headed to sample and see the wilderness of Amboseli wild life at it’s closest.
I have this huge SUV with a open top all to myself with a exclusive guide and driver. We were to get to a camp at the park.
It is about eight hours drive from Nairobi. We stopped en route for food and other rations for the camp. Once at the camp I had a tent to myself and perhaps very aptly named Hippo.
Other tents had names like Baboon or Zebra etc and I was pretty happy with my camp’s appellation. After a lunch of Chicken cooked African style with peas and rice we headed for the park.
I realized and saw the magic of having an open top SUV. It was so convenient for me to take photo’s of the animals and they were so near to us.
First I saw a group of ostriches, then a herd of Zebras, followed by wilder beasts, lions and before long wild donkeys and before long I managed to glimpse a hyena as well.
The view was glorious and camera worked over time. I got some great shot’s of the sunset among the trees and the lake of course.
On the way back I watched as we passed Mount Kenya in all it’s majesty just staring at me from afar.
Truly this was a magnificent land of Disney’s Lion King and it felt like I was right in the middle of all the action. All the animals looked like characters in the film, a mind blowing experience.
On the way back, we stopped at the local Masai Village and I was greeted by Thrombo which means The Chief. He showed me around the village.
I danced with the Masai and saw how they made fire with a stick, a piece of wood some elephant dung and straw.
It is a art in itself and a trick one must learn to survive in the wild. After strolling through the village with their huts made of straw and cow dung, it looked not too different from the villages at India in U.P or Bihar.
Except that the Masai are a polygamous society. They also keep cattle , raise goats and keep donkeys.
They are an ancient nomadic tribe of Africa and have kept their tradition and way of life intact for thousands of years.
I went into one of the huts and saw their kitchen and cooking utensils , the beds are made of cow hides and their markets sell colorful artifacts and jungle jewelry.
The word Amboseli means the Hurricane in Swahili, and this land witnesses many a hurricaneand hence the name. Amboseli is also a wild bat ones that inhabits these land.
That is the legend of the land and it’s wildlife park and for me it was a very satisfying experience.
Continue ReadingMy days at the island nation of Madagascar were getting to be fun. It had been countrywide journeys to cross the length and breadth and to get as good as possible a feel of this place.
The afternoons were getting warmer and I didn’t feel the need to take my jacket out as I venture into the wild.
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As one of the last things to do here before I head further deeper into the African land and we headed off into the thick of the Isalo National park .
The entry fee is 65000 Ariary, about $22 or about 1460 Indian Rupees for a day and you need to pay another 120000 Ariary to get a guide, which is mandatory and who would take you around and inside the park.
Some visitors tour the vast expanse of the park over a week or so. We, my guide and I began our little trek began through thick woods and wild rocks.
we marched on crossing water falls and small streams and before soon I was engrossed in these purple flowers with huge bees buzzing on them.
That was it and I was amazed at the scene and begun taking close up shots of the bees and the flowers with my camera.
A little distance away was a jungle camp with people having lunch with tents put up in tents right in the middle of the jungle park.
I decided to rest for a while but not before I got a glimpse of the Lemurs and I took lot of pictures of all the three distinct types of Lemurs including the one with the long ringed tails.
After a quick meal of Chicken and rice I had what was probably the best dessert I have had in a while pineapple in caramel sauce and boy was it mind blowing or what?!!
After that snack I was up and ready to take on more of the the jungle again. I went down in between the steams to capture the play of nature in my camera.
It is much cooler in the jungle with the thick foliage and cool streams and water ways, one feels so one with nature here and a kind of soothing feeling sets in.
At times like this one just wants to sit back and contemplate life a bit.
After a full tour of the park which took about two hours we headed back home, but not before I spotted a brown and green snake in the bushes on our path.
I got a few close shots but must have scared the snake as he rustled past through the bushes.
As if on cue my guide picked up a stick and tried to pull the snake closer so that I could get a better shot of him. The snake fought back and jumped to the other side before slipping away from us.
Now we were dangerously close to the snake he could have attacked us , but i managed to get a couple of shots of the slippery bugger.
I am getting a hang of taking close up and portrait shots now and getting to grips with my larger lens on the camera.
I knew I wanted more and there was more to be had, deeper Africa to be probed and wilder sights to be seen. I knew I was heading forward onward to Kenya now, the wild life explorer in me having woken up !!
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The last time from Mauritius and deep sea diving – I went back home to Ne Delhi – to de compress perhaps from the sights and sounds of a new adventure and another milestone on my journeys.
This time though taking in Madagascar – I knew I just had to push further and see more of this continent. It was as if Africa was welcoming me with its open arms.
Perhaps it was the home coming of its prodigal son. I had spent over 15 years in the bosom of Africa when my father had worked in Nigeria . I had gone to school at Lagos and had holidayed in my childhood at Kenya and Ethiopia. Africa was in my blood and I’s learned to swim here at the tender age of 6 whilst catching the waves of the Pacific Ocean.
This rich land of culture and natural resources and yet so impoverished.
This dichotomy is what I wanted to explore further and see why a land so ancient and so deep in it’s ethnic and cultural diversity has not yet taken wings and and most of it’s people live victim to poverty, hunger and disease.
A land so fertile in minerals, soil, rivers and waterfalls. A land of wild animals and beasts so beautiful, a land of such natural beauty but hampered as it remains weak and impoverished.
But as for now other thoughts were swarming my mind and I planned to move ahead like an explorer in the 21st century and I decided to cover five more countries with Kenya, Mozambique , Tanzania , Zambia and Zimbabwe also while at it!
I took Londry with me and started my my bookings done in a contiguous journey on Kenya Airways and all for US$ 3000. I was pleasantly amazed how soon I had all my tickets and all I needed were the e visa for Zimbabwe and Zambia which I initiated on my computer.
In an hour we were driving out of Antananarivo toward Antsirabe where we planned to see the volcanic lakes. The ride was breezy and I kept stopping the car to take pictures of the most beautiful country side of this nation.
Mountains , hillocks , farms , canals , rivers, ponds and the people. At sunset the sun as if burst into flames of orange, yellow, pink and purple.
I took some amazing shots of this and was very excited by my journey ahead. There was a sense of positivity and un befuddled euphoria within me.
Once into the exotic town of Antsirabe I meandered, travelling aimlessly inclined to discover through the city of Antsirabe.
I saw it’s age old railway station and off course the town post office which I found interesting in its shape and wall colours used.
We drove down duty lanes through a farm land to finally arrive at the Tritriva Lake.
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A group of street kids selling various artefacts befriended me and took my down the narrow mountain goat path and right down to this exotic volcanic lake. We walked down singing and dancing and I tried to learn Malagasy from the kids and they in turn trying to learn English from me!
Finally I saw it the green lake and I plunged into it and it was icy cold but I swam and swam till the other end of the rock feeling like some kind of a Neptune!
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Londry my latest African aide de camp took pictures , on our way back we saw some brave souls trying to do a zip tie like over the lake. Knowing fairly well where I fell on the wight category I knew I should not try this! Up hill was even more exhausting as the climb was steep . At the end i thanked the kid’;s a gulped a bottle of mineral water. We then drove to Andraikiba lake to watch another spectacle – a cock fight my guy informed me!
It was crazy near the banks of the river as we walked into a ring of cock fighters and yes fighting with cocks is a regular sport here and people gamble on their favourite cocks.
The ring is made in the middle and the cock that pushes the other one out of the ring wins not very much like an avian Sumo wrestling match mind you! These are mean cocks, tall, fat and fully fathered with huge beaks and necks.
There were two rings and a maddening crowd of hundreds of fans cheering and praying for their cock to win. It was interesting to watch and my first experience of a live organised cock fight. The cocks meanwhile did not have it good as any pugilist does not. Beautiful creatures these but to man’s sad wanton ness for violence lost and often bleeding at times and were often drenched in water like two wild boxers. It was an experience. Not all good – but a wonderment how we aim for the lowest !!
Continue ReadingSettling in as I was I am beginning to get a feel of Antananarivo, Madagascar – an island nation with a lot going for it. The streets are dusty the taxis are a mix of American Chevrolet, Korean Hyundai and a lot more. Street hawkers dot the footpaths with nick knacks to sell.
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The roads are up and down and hilly and the town’s at an elevation and the there is a lake in the town centre and so much more. It is a real feel of a proud and colourful Africa, not the wealthiest but proud.
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In the night everybody is watching the Euro Cup football and their is a loud cheering and roaring sound that erupt’s outside my room whenever someone scores a goal.
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Coupled with that last night a jazz band was performing in the Casino above my hotel and I enjoyed the performance sitting in my room.
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This mornings are cold with a chill in the air and I wake up to the sound of the Cathedral bell ringing Dong Dong Dong. It comes from the laval Baptist Church in the main town square.
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Their are as always the street children pestering tourist for money and beggars and pan handlers are quite commonplace and I get stormed by street kids every time I venture out of my hotel.
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Around time I thought I need to head out to try some local malagasy cuisine and Londry took me just to the right place. It was a small and tasteful restaurant called Kaly Gasy Mon Gouter.
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We got ourselves a table and got ready to order. Pork chops with rice, salad , beef steak with chips and THB Beer. The most famous beer here is the Three Horse Beer, a Dutch Pilsener by the sounds of it with heads of three horses as it’s logo.
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The meat was well done and the pork was fried from inside and the juices where left to simmer , with beer it was a delight all this for 26,000 Ariary, about $8 or Rs. 542. I had arrived in winter from summer and had not packed right and I started feeling the nip and decided to buy myself a jacket from the near by Jumbo store.
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Now I felt better with my ZARA brown winter jacket on and I felt like a real tourist. In the evening we drove to the local Lemurs Wildlife Park to see the famous Maki, the ring tailed lemur and the animal this country is known for and to tell you the truth I was not disappointed.
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I was taken through the park for a walk by a guide and I saw them the little Lemurs hopping from bamboo branch to another with their tail up and black and white fur – the ring tail.
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Two just whizzed passed my face and hopped above me to the next tree. We were so close and that was the best part of the experience.
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Their on the other side was the hopping Lemurs and then the Bamboo Lemurs who prefer to live on Bamboo trunks only.
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These animals climb on top of the trees to get some sun tan now and again and then return to the ground for their food.
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I saw all the various varieties of Lemurs that exist here , not to mention the giant tortoise that live for 150 years. This is when I also realised that I like my new jacket it keeps me warm and is tasteful bought in Africa!
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I think it will keep me company for travels to come. On the way back late evening I offered Londry a drink at my room and paid him for the day and have “booked” him for my stay in this country. You do need at least one insider in a new and exotic place like this!
Continue ReadingWrapping up my (re) entry into Africa from the island nation – I was looking ahead and getting deeper. Madagascar – another island nation, the fourth largest I read, was next up. I was certain that if the Mauritius trip was fantabulous I think Madagascar is going to top it. I am yearning to explore it’s exotic wild life and very unique flora and fauna. Of course they have the Lions and just like in the animated Dreamworks film Madagascar and it’s sequels!
Lions roam wild here and I bet they’d be a treat to watch especially in their natural habitat. I want to capture this regal beast through my lens and see how that shapes up given that I am still an amateur when it comes t o photography and definitely not a wildlife one at that! Of course then their are the people and the gold for which this isolated island nation is famous and I look forward to the food there.
I will be landing Antananarivo and am booked at the Hotel de ‘l Avenue for the first week till I get a feel of the city and the country and the plan is to roam free for over 2 weeks across the country – a good 18 days as per my plan. I’d initially thought that I’d go up from Mauritius but then there were a few personal and business tuff that I needed to attend to back in the old country and I take a flight from Delhi to Mumbai and then Mumbai to Mahe Island and then onto Antananarivo on the 6th of July. The round trip air tickets cost me Rs 60 ,000 $890 on Air Seychelles, code shared with Jet Airways. The six nights at the hotel would set me back MGA 673,200, $206 or Indian Rupees 13,933 – the local currency is the Malagasy Ariary and the climate is heavenly at this time of the year and winter in the Southern Hemisphere. 
Madagascar has a visa on arrival for Indian Tourists and I am carrying enough American dollars to make my way through the country. So folks hold on to your seat and get ready for a continuation of my African Adventure!
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