Planet Feldman

Useful Island, or Again with the Penguins

2010-02-08T13:58:00.000-06:00

Sunrise: 0453
Sunset:2153

We went on our last Zodiac ride on “Useful’ Island. The temperature was 40 degrees and the sun was shinning brightly. In the afternoon, we saw 5 killer whales in front of the ship. One of the researchers went out with a team to try to get a DNA sample from one of the whales by shooting a dart into one of the whales. She spent more than hour but was unsuccessful. We are now entering Drake Passage which has high swells (ten to fifteen feet) so the boat is really bouncing about. We have to secure everything so I must put up the laptop.

We will be home Friday – long, long way to get home and even though we will miss this frozen paradise we are ready to be back to civilization.

Communing with Humpbacks: Adelaide Island

2010-02-07T13:51:00.000-06:00

From Antarctica

Sunrise: 0437
Sunset :2244

Today we are crossing the line of latitude which marks the Antarctic Circle. It is this human-created line of latitude which is actually determined by the tilt of the globe where there is twenty four hours of daylight at least at the summer solstice. We had exceptional weather so we were able reach the large island of Adelaide and the mainland called Gullet. During the morning we chose the Zodiac ride first and the hike on the island second. What a fortunate choice for us as another OMG moment happened – a very curious humpback whale was spotted and we were able to be by his side for almost an hour along with about five other Zodiacs.

This big fellow (or gal – no one knows) was most curious indeed about us. He came along side the Zodiacs time and time again. One time he even lifted his head so far out of the water that you could see his eye – again he was looking right at the passengers. One person actually touched him. I thought that might be a bad idea but the guide said that the whale probably did not know the difference. This whale could have swam off at any point but he seemed to enjoy playing hide and seek with us. Humpbacks are not predators in the same sense as sharks or orkas – they don’t eat seals or penguins but rather mostly krill. The males sing – they all sing the same song for about a year and then they make up a new song. How is it that people can kill these beautiful animals? I understand that the Japanese are now lobbying to be able to kill the larger whales – everyone should continue blogging about this so that we can help the youth in Japan realize what their government is requesting.

That afternoon we went on a hike on the island. It was strenuous because we were walking almost entirely on rocks. We saw one small fur seal that was dying on the beach. Someone asked if we could give him the last rites. I made the sign of the cross and said a Hail Mary. We did not know why he was dying – there appeared to be no injuries. Here we saw numerous fur seals and lots of penguins (even a lone Emperor, the only one we saw all trip). Mike got some great pictures.

It was a tiring day and again I had an afternoon nap before the cocktail hour. Every day we have brief lectures on various topics from the naturalists and researchers. I might also mention that there are two underwater divers with us that film what is going on underneath the water during our trip. They show the film in the evening and tell us about the plant and animal life living below the ice!

Port Lockroy, Lemaire Channel & Booth Island

2010-02-06T13:16:00.001-06:00

From Antarctica

Sunrise: 0452
Sunset: 2206

Port Lockroy started as a British base in 1944 and operated for eighteen years. The main building was restored in 1996 and operates as a historic reminder of the early days of Antarctic exploration and an official post office. We sent our granddaughter a post card from there so she will have the Antarctica post mark and a picture of a penguin. Mike visited this site but I stayed behind and worked out in the ship’s gym which is fully equipped. I was feeling sluggish from the large meals we get every day. Mike saw some whale bones and Gentoo penguins on nearby Jougla Point.

Then we set sail through picturesque Peltier Channel arriving at the northern end of the Lemaire Channel. We finally anchored at Booth Island. This is a historic location of the famous Charcot Expedition and for Mike and I another OMG moment. Two other couples and one gentleman joined us on the Zodiac ride around the Island. Weather was nice and waters calm. First we saw two Minke whales that swam quite close to our boat. About ten minutes later, a Leopard Seal appeared at the back of the Zodiac – he surfaced and stared at us. The guide turned the motor on low and this fellow looked to be about thirty feet long, weighing about six hundred pounds (they can weigh up to 900 pounds) - Mike felt like the leopard seal's head looks like a serpent . This leopard seal seemed to be very curious about us. He swam under us and went from side to side – each time lifting his head out of the water – staring at us. The seal swam with us for about eight to ten minutes. Later, I found out that some of the seals have actually taken a bite out of the side of the rubber Zodiac and they measured the bite to be about eighteen inches (between upper and lower canine teeth). No one has ever been hurt but these animals are predators so I moved away from the side of the Zodiac when he was circling. It was a thrilling experience to be that close to a wild animal however. We lived to tell the tale!!

Kayaking around Cuverville Island & Errera Channel

2010-02-05T12:56:00.000-06:00

From Antarctica

Today was a real adventure for us – ocean kayaking. I was grateful to my daughter Michelle who patiently taught me how to paddle a kayak last summer in the Long Island Sound. Ocean kayaks are supposed to be virtually impossible to tip over as they are a hybrid of regular kayaks and inflatable ones, and have no upper deck. They have a rudder at the back which can be operated by your feet -- one foot forward and one foot back and the paddles have drip guards on them . Naturally I let Mike, the engineer, handle the rudder. You enter the kayak from a platform which is next to the ship. They put a little yellow box around your neck with an emergency button on it that you can push at any time should you need help (our leader stressed that needing hot chocolate was not an emergency!) and would automatically go off if you landed in the water. I was not nervous about this activity because I once kayaked with my brother-in-law off the coast of Maine where the water is also quite frigid. We were given strict instructions about where to go, to what we could get close, and from what to stay away. We could get no closer than one hundred feet to ice cliffs and “growler” icebergs (defined as less than three feet out of the water). We could get much closer to brash ice, which is the small chunks of ice.

So Mike and paddled out in this lovely cover towards Cuverville Island and the Errera Channel. We had only paddled a little way when suddenly a leopard seal jumps up with a penguin in its mouth – thrashing it in one direction and then the other – just like you see on Animal Planet only we were a few feet from it happening live. Of course, then seal ate the penguin. You felt sorry for the little penguin but then these animals have to eat and it is part of the food chain. Amazing. We continued to paddle around the channel for about an hour observing nature in all its glory. It is here that we saw our first Antarctic plants – there are only two that grow here – plankton and diacoms. Mostly – moss! Mike has a great picture of the mountain where these lovely burnt orange and green plants are growing on the side of the rocks.

Just spotted some Minke whales so must go port side. I hope this does not sound silly but to me it is such a privilege to be here in this breathtaking frozen wilderness.

Deception Island

2010-02-04T12:12:00.002-06:00

From Antarctica

As our guides told us we are not on a cruise – the ship is an expedition/passenger vessel! Today we went to an area called Deception Island and Whaler’s Bay in the South Shetlands. It is called that because it initially appears to be just an island with lots of jagged mountains and a shallow coastline. However, if one hikes up a few miles and peers through an opening in the mountain you can see that the island is actually like a doughnut with a lake in the middle. When we arrived in this area we learned that the wind gusts were exceeding fifty miles per hour so we decided to err on the side of caution and stay on the shoreline rather than take a hike. Turned out to be a good decision since most hikers turned back and only a few stalwart souls (the twenty-somethings group) made it to the destination.

Mike and I took a long walk along the shoreline looking at the remnants of an old whaling station. It was operational from about 1902 to 1930. Activities of the whalers nearly made whales extinct in the area and it was actually the depression that reduced the need for whale oil and later fossil fuels replaced it all together. The buildings were damaged by a volcano eruption in 1969 when a huge mud slide went through the middle of the buildings. On board our ship is a British guide who was in the British navy and was part of the rescue of the British researchers staying in the area at the time. He had some film clips he showed us later of the actual rescue.

The mile or so walk that Mike and took was amazingly taxing – the wind gusts were not so bad when they were at our back but returning when the wind was in our faces was hard. I could only do about thirty paces at a time and then I would turn my back to the wind and rest. I was grateful that the friends who made this trip last year told me to bring ski goggles because that was very helpful in deflecting the wind and blowing snow. We stopped half-way to see a lone fur seal sitting on a little bit of mud. He angled his head towards us – we were no more than fifteen feet from him and of course we snapped his photo. Later several Adelie penguins were right in front of us as we went back to the Zodiac to return to the ship. Some fools took the “arctic plunge” which is entering the frigid water in a bathing suit. This is unlike last year when the water was actually warm. The temperature was forty degrees or less. Again the young folks did this activity.

We ate our lunch and immediately returned to our cabin completely exhausted. We fell asleep completely clothed – I even had on my jacket. Thought I would just rest a bit but woke up two hours later!

That afternoon the captain took us very close to some very large icebergs that could have come from either the Roth or Larsen ice shelves. I have learned many things about ice such as the salt water is highly corrosive to ice and the icebergs can roll and when they roll they are extremely dangerous. The National Ice Center tracks glaciers, icebergs, ice shelves, etc. Icebergs can travel great distances and one was tracked to New Zealand last year. Some are one hundred fifty by twenty nautical miles long – they can be 300 feet thick.

We loved watching the penguins playing on the icebergs sliding up and down and sometimes suddenly being washed into the sea. Several whales were also spotted during the afternoon. That evening we entered Cuverville Cove – again majestic with lots of activity between fur seals, birds and the ever present penguins. Let me explain that there is no set course for our route as the captain makes decisions based on weather, wind speed, ice flow etc. so it is often a surprise as where we might go next.

Paulet Island or Little Dudes in Tuxes

2010-02-03T23:25:00.001-06:00

From Antarctica

I woke early in the morning and pulled open the shade to our room and gasped at what I saw --- there were icebergs in every direction --- different sizes and shapes, some blue with brown mud stains and others appeared to be pure white. The majestic quality of this great white continent cannot be described in words. It is almost overwhelming to the human eye! Eighty-seven percent of the world's ice is here in Antarctica. This is Alaska's icebergs on steroids. Only in this area are the large Tabular icebergs that have a flat top.

Scientists have been studying this pure landscape for decades. In 1991, they noted an increase in the amount of melting ice which continues today. This is important to all of us because if the rate of melting continues, it could change the sea level. A rising sea level could be a potential threat to all the nations on earth.

Today, Mike and I stepped foot on Paulet Island -- meaning that Mike has now been on all 7 continents! We spent an hour and half walking among the Adelie penguins – thousands of them. They are such funny creatures making a lot of sound as they head to the waters to fish and clean their coats. None seem to enter the water alone – a whole line goes at once. You can tell how uneasy they are as they fear that a sea lion might be under the water to snatch one of them up. I witnessed a mama penguin scolding and pushing her baby penguin (they are covered in soft downy brown fur) because he wanted to go into the water. She was very loudly vocal and pushed him gently back up to the colony. The other funny thing to watch is the nest building with small pebbles carried in their beaks. They steal each other’s pebbles and sometimes a little fight breaks out. None of the penguins seemed to mind our presence although we were very careful not to get too close or touch them or block their passage way going to and from the water.

Just a few minutes ago we entered what is called "Iceberg Alley" -- all I can say is OMG!! These are huge icebergs at least one hundred feet high and as big as three city blocks. One after the other – one more powerful looking than the other. It is a beautiful site and eerie all at the same time.

As Ernest Shackleton said, “We had seen God in His splendors, heard the text that Nature renders. We had reached the naked soul of man.”

Antarctica: Elephant Island

2010-02-02T23:05:00.003-06:00

From Antarctica

The weather was better than expected so for the first time this season, the ship was able to go to Elephant Island. When we first arrived there we spotted a killer whale which is apparently not seen very often. This island is famous because this where most of Shackelton’s expedition was stranded for four months. His journey started in December 1914 and their ship, the Endurance, sank due to heavy ice. There is a small statue in honor of Shackelton because he was able to save all of his men by taking a life boat to South Georgia under very hazardous conditions and obtain help. There is a lot more to the story but hey, no one wants a history lesson.

At Elephant Island, Mike and I had our first experience riding on a Zodiac – it is a small rubber boat that carries about ten passengers. They have a number of these on the ship. We learned that no more than one hundred people may visit these islands at a time so we went in shifts.

The zodiac boats are launched from a door just above the waterline of the ship and two men assist you in boarding the boat. We were experiencing some sea swells so this is a little tricky as the zodiac bobs along side of the ship. It was a little scary sitting on the zodiac not but twelve inches from the ice blue water. I hung onto the ropes on the side and thought to myself, "This girl will not go overboard without a fight!" We did not go onto land but rather circled the small island where we saw the tall jagged mountains dotted with chin strap penguins and fur seals. Fur seals are actually sea lions. Stay tuned for more wild tales from this icy wildnerness....

Journey to the South Pole: Santiago, Tierra Del Fuego & Beyond

2010-02-01T23:54:00.001-06:00

From Antarctica

Greetings from Antarctica!

We are now steaming our way towards the Antarctica Peninsula. Here is a brief report of what we did and saw in our first three days of this journey:
Our plane route was a 3.5 hour flight from Houston to Panama City where we changed planes and then had a six hour flight to Santiago. We arrived in Santiago, Chile on Friday morning January 28. It was in the seventies and we enjoyed exploring the area around our hotel and resting from the trip to this city. On Saturday, there was a city tour planned by National Geographic which we did not find very interesting.

That evening there was a welcoming cocktail party and dinner with the group. We have about one hundred forty-four passengers from all over the US, Australia and India. You know it is a small world when you meet someone from Cape Cod and he knows your Houston friend’s parents. There are ten people from Texas including another couple from Houston. People range in age from fourteen (with his parents and two brothers and they are the only kids on the ship) to people in their eighties. There forty-seven single people – mostly females in their fifties and sixties.
We boarded a charter flight to a small city in Argentina called Ushuaia then boarded buses and took a trip into the beautiful Tierra del Feugo park. This town is known as the end of the earth and is inhabited by about 65,000 people.

After driving about twenty minutes, we got out and boarded these very large double-decker catamarans. We cruised the Kami river and had lunch. The landscape surrounding this river was magnificent. We were very lucky because it was fifty degrees and sunny. Our guides told us that it is usually raining and very cold. They also talked to us a lot about conservation efforts in the park. Historically, missionaries brought in foreign animals, including beavers and silver foxes, into the park, devastating local species. The park is 63,000 hectares of the southern tip of the Andes and borders neighboring Chile.

While on the catamaran, we went by a small stretch of land where we saw sea lions and birds that look like penguins, called Imperial Cormorant. Just as a reminder, the primary difference between sea lions and seals is that a sea lion has ear flaps and a seal does not. I really wish Michelle had been with us when we hung over the railing and stared at these wonderful creatures. We had our lunch on the catamaran and then took the bus to the ship where our delightful crew and on-board naturalists were waiting to greet us. I am glad Mike chose the largest room for us where we have plenty of space to move about.

We set sail around six in the evening. We had heard a lot about how rough the Drake passage seas would be but again we lucked out and had calm seas that gently rocked us to sleep after dinner. Food on the ship is good. We eat each meal with different folks - so interesting to get to know new people. Today I worked out at the ship’s rec center which is located toward the bow of the boat. It had glass on the front that enables you to watch the ocean and the birds at the same time as burning a few calories! We also had a safety session with the ship's captain where we learned what to do in case we abandoned ship.

Later, we were introduced to the naturalists -- most of whom have Ph.D’s in various areas of study including marine biology, ecology, marine mammals, etc. We also have two young female researchers on board who are studying for their advanced degrees in penguin research. I read a book while flying here on penguins and their current seventeen species. I was stunned to learn that in pre-historic time there was a five foot, seven inch penguin that weighed over 300 pounds – now that would be something to see!

We had a lecture on birds this afternoon. We have seen many even though we are in a vast ocean area. Oceanic birds, as they call them, spend eighty percent of their time out in the ocean. Some species like the Stormy Petras travel 17,000 miles between fall and winter even their wing span is only sixteen inches wide. There are several categories of Albatross birds and Mike has photographed one which we believe to be a Wandering Albatross. These beautiful blue-gray birds can stay out to sea for five to seven years without ever seeing land and fly as fast as fifty-seven miles per hour. Now that’s a job! All of these birds are scavengers for food on the ocean’s surface.

We have the captain’s dinner this evening and then off to bed early as we will reach the Antarctica peninsula and land by zodiacs. I am glad that we had a few days rest before the landing. The ship provides a mud room where we can put all of our big boots and other gear in lockers so we don’t have to take it to our room every day. They made everyone whose boots or back packs had been used before this trip to come to the mud room to be “disinfected” as they want absolutely no organisms or seedlings that might be stuck in the boot treads to be carried into Antarctica. They speak constantly of conservation and how to are to conduct ourselves while visiting this vast arctic wilderness.
Onward Ho, to the Land of Ice and Snow!

Where East Meets West: Russia

2007-06-18T13:11:00.001-05:00

Moscow, St. Petersburg, and the Rivers Between - May 26 - June 6, 2007

From Russia

The Land before Time

2006-07-13T14:21:00.001-05:00

Tanzania, Africa June 1 through June 14, 2006

On May 31, Mike and I left for Africa via Amsterdam. We decided to stay two days in that lovely city to recuperate from our Houston flight and be ready for the long flight to Arusha, Tanzania. The first day we slept and the second day we went to Rembrandt’s house which was featuring a special exhibition of his paintings and drawings. One of the most interesting things we learned is that art experts now believe that one of Rembrandt’s most famous paintings, The Man with the Golden Helmet, was actually painted by one of his students. I also went once again to the Van Gogh museum. I visited it several years ago when we made a trip to the Netherlands. I never tire of looking at this famous artist’s works. We ate Italian food two nights in a row. Great food.

The weather was surprisingly cool in Africa, especially in the mornings and evenings. The landscape and vistas were just breathtaking throughout the two- week trip. We began to learn some of the Swahili words as soon as we arrived at the airport and talked to our guides: Jambo is hello and Asante is thank you.

Our first stop was at Kigongoni Lodge on the outskirts of Arusha. Here we were greeted with hot moist towels and fresh juice a tradition that we experienced at all of the places we stayed. Our spacious room had a mosquito netted bed, a brick fireplace, cement floors, stucco walls and a nice bathroom. As with all the facilities there were always a small army of guys to hoist your bags on their shoulders to carry them to your room. In the case of the lodge, there were steep stairs leading to our freestanding cottage so we were particularly grateful for the help. The net income of this lodge, by the way, went to the support of school that served handicapped children. At this facility and all of the places we stayed except for the Serena Lodge the light was provided by solar power!

We began meeting many of our wonderful companions who would be traveling on this trip with us -- fourteen in all, ranging in age from 19 to early 60’s. They came from all over the United States including Florida, Okalahoma, Connecticut, New Jersey, North Carolina, Georgia and last but not least Hawaii! Dennis was the funniest, Joann the most interesting and Mary the sweetest. One of our first stops after the lodge was the Arusha Cultural Heritage Center. You will see from the pictures the funny figures they had of animals. There were native dances and lots of shopping. We were able to leave our goods with them while we went on safari and retrieve the items when we returned for our flight home. Mike and I purchased a wonderful antique African mask that now hangs in our kitchen. It will be a constant reminder of the trip of a lifetime.

We also met our three fabulous and interesting guides: John, Leonard and Ojukwu. These three men helped make this trip a terrific experience. Each one came from a different tribe. Ojukwu was a Masai and had many stories to tell us about their traditions and customs. John was the senior man, with more than seventeen years experience with Thomson Safaris. Leonard, the soccer star, who had played with Tanzania’s team and was now married to Miss Arusha, a beauty queen. Leonard is also an entrepreneur who is developing a business in Tanzanite stones. Many of us, including Mike and I, purchased Tanzanites (a purplish blue stone) from Leonard at a fraction of the stateside cost.

John went to dinner with us every night and sat at our tables. John was a family man with 6 children. When I asked what his favorite animal was he named the Kirk’s dik-dik (a small, delicate antelope) because it mates for life. I think this tells you all you need to know about John. He always gave us our “marching orders” for the next day’s activities which were sometimes met with groans especially when he announced that we would have to rise at 6:00 am.

Our next stop was the Kikoti Tented Camp nestled at the edge of the Tarangire National Park. The camp was actually not tented but freestanding cabins on high stilts. On the way to the camp we began to have our first taste of the landscape and the wildlife -- elephants and giraffes seemed to appear from nowhere as we stood on our seats of the Land Rover vehicles and looked out the pop-up roofs. The park is vast and very natural looking. We saw many wonderful trees including the Candelabra. Hunting and poaching are illegal in this park, as they were every area we visited. We also saw our first Impala which is an animal that looks like a small deer and runs like a gazelle. We also saw many incredibly tall termite mounds – termites are good because they eat dead trees. This fact and many more that were revealed to us over the course of the next few weeks awakened our minds to the symbiotic relationship between plants, animals, insects and the whole plethora of nature. There is now much effort in Africa to preserve these areas and conserve the wildlife with which this beautiful has been endowed.

Speaking of nature, there was one incredible moment in the park that I will never forget. We came across a large herd of elephants and suddenly someone in our three cars spied the ears of a lion in the distance. We all watched her very closely. She hovered in the grass some distance from the elephants but as fast as elephants can move, they could have been on her quickly. There were several mothers with their babies so you know they would be protective. Everyone in the vehicles was very quiet as we observed the lion trying to make herself invisible in the high grass. She finally worked her way "upwind" from the elephants and then out of sight.

The Kikoti Camp was our first realization that we were in the wild. We were not allowed to walk along the path to go for dinner without a guide. There was also a whistle in our room which we assumed was to alert someone that we had a problem. There was a guard with a rifle and some with bows and arrows. These natives’ trained ears know the sound of animals coming from a long way away. The guides are not allowed to kill the animals but merely to scare them away. At this facility and the tented camps, if we wanted a hot shower we had to tell one of the staff and they brought the hot water in a bucket and hoisted it up to our shower. Not like our showers at home --- one learned to soap up quickly before the water ran out! Food was good as in all of the places except for the instant coffee. Remember folks, no electricity!

While at this camp we met their "pet" ostriches who apparently came onto their property periodically. We also took a long walk after dinner again with guides on a trail. We were advised if an animal appeared not to run, to remain quiet. Glad we never had to experience that -- not sure I could have remained still if a lion had crossed our path! Our guide took little pieces of bushes, trees etc. cut them open and explained how the natives used them for medicinal purposes. In the evening, after dinner, we were treated for the first time to native dancing by members of the Masai tribe -- these fellows can jump at least four feet in the air.

As we left, all of the staff from the camp came out to bid us farewell. Such great smiling faces each one of them had! They were always polite and helpful. On our way to the next place we saw the Great Rift Valley Escarpment Wall that is nestled in the shadow of the Mto Wa Mbu village. We observed village life -- many people carrying things on their heads, wearing colorful clothing. The children will run up to the cars, smile and wave. We were told not to give them anything because they did not want to encourage begging and then children would stay out of school if they felt they could get money or trinkets from tourists.

Our next stop was Gibbs Farm which sat on top of the sprawling countryside and a coffee farm. The farm owners had sold the coffee crop but maintain a large working farm. Each one of us had a small cottage with a very nice bathroom. Lighting was minimal. The dining room was terrific however and so was the patio that overlooked the huge expanse of the countryside. I took a little tour with a guide of the fresh fruit and vegetable garden which was enormous. Our guide was very knowledgeable about all of the different types of lettuce and vegetables. One interesting fact that he shared with us is that two men sit in the little hut near the garden at night and beat on pans if they hear elephants nearby so they don’t trod through the garden!! This was another reminder that we were constantly in the company of wild animals.

The next day, we took a long hike up the side of the mountain with our entire group. We were all provided with walking sticks which came in handy. A scout went ahead of us to look for animals that might be on the path. There were signs that elephants and water buffaloes had been in the area. When we reached the top we came across an "elephant cave." The red soil had been carved out. The elephants apparently come here to scrape out nutrients from the soil. Mike and a few other brave souls climbed to the top of this and waved to us "chickens" below. We then traversed to another area where we stopped. We were at the edge of a very high cliff and below was this magnificent valley…made me dizzy to look over the edge.

On day six and seven, we were privileged to visit the Ngorongoro Crater and Conservation area. This crater is ten miles wide and its floor is 2,000 feet below. It is home to more than 30,000 animals: elephants; zebras; wildebeests; hyena; gazelle; flamingos; hippos; lions; leopards; cheetahs; and lots of birds. Our first look at it made us all gasp as we stared at it from up high. It was simply breathtaking. We stayed for two days at the beautiful Serena Lodge which was a real treat. Our rooms were equipped with modern conveniences like hair dryers and email. Each room had a balcony overlooking the magnificent crater. The large dining room provided an enormous amount of food served buffet style. The second night we were there was the birthday a young man who accompanied his mother on the trip. Mike whispered to the waiter that it was the man's birthday. Low and behold, all the waiters, cooks, chefs, etc came to our table -- about thirty people in all -- and sang this beautiful song, Jambo, Jambo. It brought tears to our eyes. They presented the young man with a cake. (We have since ordered a CD with the music on it)

Going into the crater was quite the experience. The roads, like most of those in these kinds of areas, are terrible -- dirt roads with big ruts but our drivers were very skillful in navigating them. The great herds of animals were quite a sight, especially the zebras who we all called zebbies. It was on this day that we saw our first two animals mating -- two hyenas. Frankly, hyenas are ugly, scrappy little animals that make weird noises. We also saw hippos in the water and lions that looked like they could use a meal. We had to race out of the crater because they close at six p.m. promptly. We barely made it and Raymond our guide had to do some fast-talking to the guards at the gate. It was a full day!!

The next day I chose not to go on safari because I was exhausted and in visual overload. One of the women who came by herself, Joann, also chose not to go that day. I had a wonderful time sitting out on the balcony talking to the young women who worked at the lodge -- learning about their struggles to get a higher education, about their hopes and dreams. I also had a long lunch with Joann, who as a volunteer takes care of wounded and sick “raptors” (birds of prey) in Monkey Island, Oklahoma. It was very interesting to learn about how delicate and complicated these birds' care is. I admired her compassion and devotion to these birds. Sadly I missed a big event -- those out on safari saw a black rhino, which is very big deal as black rhinos are endangered!

On days eight through eleven, we were in tented camps in the Serengeti National Park. On the way there we stopped at a Masai village where we saw how villagers lived, and what they did for food. We also visited their small schoolroom. The mud huts were interesting but I don’t think many of us could stand living with no electricity or running water. Tribe members and especially the children seem very happy, however. They danced and sang for us while wearing their brightly colored fabrics. The women made a loud high-pitched sound while the large beaded collars around their necks bounced as they sang. The men make a low-pitch sound while they dance and jump in the air sometimes as high as four feet.

The Serengeti National Park is the size of Connecticut. In other words…HUGE! The wildlife is plentiful but the grasses are not as high as in the other park. It was here that we saw the migration of the wildebeests, in which Mike was really interested. While migrating, wildebeests run very fast in one direction, usually single file but then sometimes seem to turnaround for no reason and run in the other direction. The male "beesties," as we called them, spent a lot to time herding females -- usually at least thirty at a time -- and fending off other males. We learned from our guide that when the babies are born they could start running with the herd in one day…amazing! We also learned that if the mother of the newborn dies the other mothers will not care for the baby, resulting in the baby's death.

Zebras are much smarter than the wildebeests but both species tend to herd together. The wildebeest eats the first layer of grass exposing it for the Zebra -- then the Zebra comes along and munches down on the grass exposing the next layer for the gazelles and impalas. Zebra families know each other's call and can distinguish family members by the sounds that they make.

We were at two tented camps which were the same but just in different areas. The individual permanent tents were large enough for a king-sized bed with two nightstands. The bathroom, located the back of the tent, was split into three small areas: sinks with mirrors (no running water, just glass pitchers with water and lovely glass bowls), a shower and a composting toilet. As in the other camps, hot water could be had simply by alerting an attendant. There was a porch area in front of the tent with two chairs and a table. We ate in the main tent, next to which was a wonderful outdoor fire with chairs that encircled it. By this fire, we were served our wine or other beverage before dinner. After dinner we could go back to the fire and have another drink, chat and then say good-night. The sunsets were magnificent as was the full moon. Once inside the tent though we were not allowed to go out at night. Some nights I awoke to the sounds of animals, particularly hyenas. There were two native men patrolling the camp sight. They were there to protect us and scare away animals if necessary. We felt perfectly safe.

Here are some highlights of our visit to the Serengeti. We saw what so many people see if they watch films made by National Geographic -- a pride of lions, mostly female and one young male, eating a zebra. Nature may be brutal but even the most gory scenes have a sort of primal beauty. It was amazing that we could get so close in our vehicle to this scene and the lions seemed totally undistracted as they pulled the hide and underlying contents from the zebra. The saddest thing to me was to observe a whole row of zebras standing across the street staring at the lions as they ate one of their own. Dennis said it was a zebra memorial service.

One of the other astonishing experiences was visiting the huge lake with more 300 hippos with their heads bobbing up and down. The male hippos make the loudest most outrageous sounds and they have the largest heads, far larger than what you see in the zoo. We learned that the hippos excrete this red liquid that keeps them from sun burning which is also why they stay in the water all day. They come out of the water at night to feed on the grasses. They are very protective as mothers to their offspring. They also kill more humans in Africa than any other animal … mostly people in canoes or small boats who are toppled into the water by a hippo.

I hope I have not bored anyone with all of these details. I would recommend to anyone who is thinking about going to Africa that you take a Thomson Safari. Their home office is in Watertown, Mass.

Marcia Forni Feldman

Where the Wild Things Are

2006-06-18T16:35:00.000-05:00

We just returned from safari in Tanzania and have a tome of pictures to share, but for now, here's a taste of our experience in the African veldt...

(click on the picture to view larger version)

Jungle River: Up the Amazon

2005-03-21T18:11:00.002-06:00

See our pictures from the Amazon:

From The Amazon

This is Planet Feldman

2005-03-04T18:12:00.001-06:00

Hi. I created this blog for my parents, who fancy themselves world travelers extraordinaire, and need a space to publicly present their vacation shenanigans in such places as Alaska, the Amazon, and Corpus Christi (oh wait, scratch that last one, that was just a crappy business trip). When they get back from Peru, maybe they'll post their ideas about the world's dying tropical rainforests and what it was like when that giant anaconda ate them. Or maybe they won't. But they probably will. Post something. Something cool. So check back soon...