Africa 2013: Summary

September/October 2013

The glacier at the top of Mt Kilimanjaro

Highlights

• Tanzania in general - people were friendly, food was fantastic and the sights were varied
  
• Seeing the big 5
  
• The Devils Pool
  

Recommendations

• If you only have a few weeks I recommend Northern Tanzania, you can climb Kili and get a number of Parks in, with a variety of wildlife
  
• Be careful about going during peak, we were in off peak and it was still busy in parts. Some parks would be a nighmare in peak
• Its the wild not a zoo, don't embarrass yourself and request an animal, but by all means let your guide/driver know that you'd really like to see a rhino or your interested in birds or big cats - otherwise be like us and go with the flow, you never know what you will see when you least expect it!

Favoutite Photo
I have many but the below two are my absolute favourites.

The cheetah above sat quietly in the grass, she is so old that her spots are fading, she was so rare even the guides talked about her all night

Apparently Hyenas don't wallow in the mud, except for this one. S/he proves that even though people might think they've seen everything they usually haven't.

Favourite meal/dish
Most of our meals were included, but the "stews" in Tanzania were hearty, tasty, especially the fish and eggplant variety.

Lowlights
As usual its a vast continent, we only touched parts of Southern and East Africa, we met a large number of Australians on long service leave who did a lot in 12 weeks, but still only got through a large chunk of Southern and Eastern Africa.

Snapshots from Africa

September/October 2013

Yes, our sixth continent (or part of it) down and dusted, only Antarctica to go!

So here's a snapshot via photos from our trip - full posts to come.

Updated: Places I have been: My years of travel (1995 to 2012)

There's been a few more trips since this post in August 2011:

1995 The UK and Singapore, my first trip to Asia and I love it
1997 USA, multiple locations including Chicago, Washington DC, Niagara Falls, Texas, Rhode Island, Las Vegas and California
1999 Hong Kong
2000 Phuket, Thailand
2001 Vietnam, multiple locations up the coast from HCM City to Hanoi
2001/2002 China - Beijing, Xian and Shanghai
2003 Darwin and Alice Springs
2003 Christchurch, Queenstown and the West Coast NZ
2005 USA West Coast
2006 Christchurch, NZ
2007 Rarotonga Cook Islands, Akaroa NZ and Christchurch NZ
2007 Dubbo
2008 Mudgee
2008 South East Asia, including Singapore, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam
2008 Rarotonga, Cook Islands
2009 Hong Kong and Eastern Europe
2010 Las Vegas NYE
2010 Rarotonga and Aitutaki, Cook Islands
2010 Bay of Islands, NZ
2010 Coromandal Coast, NZ
2010 Auckland, NZ
2010 Rotorua, NZ
2010 Lake Taupo, NZ
2010 LA, Princeton and Las Vegas
2010/2011 Christchurch, Milford Sound, Doubtful Sound, Hanmer Springs and Kaikoura, NZ
2011 Bay of Fires and Launceston, Tasmania
2011 Waiheke Island, NZ
2011 Tauranga,White Island and Mount Manganui NZ
2011 Brisbane for the Bledsiloe Cup
2011 Lord Howe Island
2011 Santiago, La Paz, Peru
2012 Peru, Equador, Galapagos, Iguazu Falls, Rapa Nui/Easter Island, Tahiti
2012 Wilson Island, QLD

South America 2011 and 2012: Summary

Rebecca
Highlights:

• Day 3 of the Inca Trail, it was a moderate walk, through the Clouded Forest

• Swimming with the Penguins in the Galapagos
• Seeing the Macaws at the clay lick in the Amazon

Recommendations:

• Take two swim suits for the Galapagos - this was by far the best advice I got and I'm glad I took it!
• Be prepared to get wet on the Inca Trail - we were rather lucky, but most people we met had horror stories of days of rain
• All we heard about Tahiti was how expensive it was. Reality for us, living in one of the most expensive cities in the world was that it wasn't really. The food/drinks in the supermarket was cheaper than home. Shop there for basics. Local restaurants were moderate cost if not inexpensive, eat where the locals do. Finally if you eat in the Hilton in Sydney you will pay $30+ for a hamburger, it should not shock you then when a hamburger in the Hilton Moorea is $30+.
• It's nature not a zoo

Favourite Photo:

Machu Picchu, Peru - the end of our 4 day hike

The 7 Explorers - Rapa Nui/Easter Island

Favourite Meal/Dish:

• I loved being able to eat raw fish/ika mata/ceviche everywhere!

• Our dinner at Zig Zag in Arequipa was fantastic

• As was dinner at in Rapa Nui

Low lights:

• South America is a huge continent, there was just no way we could see everything

DH
Highlights:

• Seeing Machu Picchu after the 4 day Inca Trail

• The stunning Iguazu Falls - from both sides
• Galapagos Cruise

Recommendations:

• Avoid western chain restaurants - they always disappoint and we should know better by now!
• Pre-plan with medication - you might not need the altitude sickness meds, but if you do you need Diamox it's better to have it then use the local version
• Don't be disappointed if things don't go according to plan - go with the flow, you never know what you might experience

Favourite Photo:
It's hard to pick, but this one of the Devil's Throat is hard to beat

Favourite Meal/Dish:

• Zig Zag, Arequipa

•  The raw fish/ceviche was also good

Low lights:

• TGIF - give western meals a miss, even though everything else was closed we would have been better off eating in the hotel

Places I have been: My years of travel (1995 to 2011)

Ok, so when I started this list I didn't think I would have to go that far back in my memory, I mean I've travelled but have haven't travelled that much...

1995 The UK and Singapore, my first trip to Asia and I love it
1997 USA, multiple locations including Chicago, Washington DC, Niagara Falls, Texas, Rhode Island, Las Vegas and California
1999 Hong Kong
2000 Phuket, Thailand
2001 Vietnam, multiple locations up the coast from HCM City to Hanoi
2001/2002 China - Beijing, Xian and Shanghai
2003 Darwin and Alice Springs
2003 Christchurch, Queenstown and the West Coast NZ
2005 USA West Coast
2006 Christchurch, NZ
2007 Rarotonga Cook Islands, Akaroa NZ and Christchurch NZ
2007 Dubbo
2008 Mudgee
2008 South East Asia, including Singapore, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam
2008 Rarotonga, Cook Islands
2009 Hong Kong and Eastern Europe
2010 Las Vegas NYE
2010 Rarotonga and Aitutaki, Cook Islands
2010 Bay of Islands, NZ
2010 Coromandal Coast, NZ
2010 Auckland, NZ
2010 Rotorua, NZ
2010 Lake Taupo, NZ
2010 LA, Princeton and Las Vegas
2010/2011 Christchurch, Milford Sound, Doubtful Sound,  Hanmer Springs and Kaikoura, NZ
2011 Bay of Fires and Launceston, Tasmania
2011 Waiheke Island, NZ
2011 Tauranga,White Island and Mount Manganui NZ

Don't let the last 2 years deceive you too much, I've been based in Auckland for work and had plenty of weekend opportunities for side trips. And of course, I know I'm missing something....