26 February 2015 ~ Packing

Listening to: Grateful Dead ~ Bertha (1972-07-22)

I'm packing up my Aussie apartment and heading back to California. Yeah! Two months has seemed like a much longer time than usual.

Here are a few parting memory photos.

The Beach at Lady Musgrave Island.

Visiting the Bundaberg Rum Distillery.

Moon rising.

Me and the cutest (and only) python I've ever met.

21 February 2015 ~ Zebras

Listening to:  Lee Ranaldo and the Dust ~ Hammer Blows


Zebras are beautiful animals to me.

A group of zebras is known as a dazzle. Each zebra has its own unique pattern of distinctive stripes, just as humans have their own unique pattern of fingerprints.

They don't run very fast, only about 30mph. But they run in a zig-zag motion to make it harder for predators to catch them.

20 February 2015 ~ Cyclones

Listening to: Jesse McReynolds ~ Franklin's Tower (Rex Benefit, Fillmore, SF, 12/7/2010)


Perhaps some of you have seen on the news that Australia is being hit by two cyclones. Two severe storms at once is a "first" for Australia.

I just want to assure everyone I'm not anywhere in the vicinity. Australia is a continent about as large as the USA. Marcia is probably a 1 1/2 hour flight away, so Lam is even further.

It is forecast to rain here this weekend, my final one in Sydney. I was hoping to go to the beach, but we'll see.

Here's a map.

 

I just realized it's a "first" for me as well. I've never posted 2 blogs on the same day. 

20 February 2015 ~ Mary the Monkey

Listening to: No Doubt ~ Just A Girl


We had a nice view of the river from our cabin. To think the elephants had just been walking there!

It was too cold to go in the dip pool, but nice nonetheless.

 Even the monkeys enjoyed the view.

But they are too friendly! I went inside for a minute to grab my book, and Kathy had to rescue my Bloody Mary from this one. So from there on out we named the monkeys that got too close "Mary".

These are some art crafts displayed at the lodge.

16 February 2015 ~ Giraffes

Listening to: Pink Floyd ~ The Endless River

We've reached a milestone today. This post is number 500. Thanks for checking it everyone over the years!

We had an early start on the safaris, with a wake up call at 5:00am, tea and biscuits, before heading out.

Day 2 started out with giraffes.

Including a youngster.

How cute when they are together.

 Some fun facts:

At an average height of around 16-18 ft., the giraffe is the tallest land animal in the world.

Both sexes have skin-covered knobs, called ossicones, on the top of their heads. These knobs are used to protect the head when males fight, which involves swinging their necks at each other in a show of strength called “necking.”

They can reach 35 mph at full speed but only in brief spurts. Giraffes sleep less than two hours a day.  What a contrast to the koala bear which is only awake for 2 hours a day!

This video was taken in Zambia, and the baby had lost track of the rest of the group, also known as a "tower".

http://youtu.be/gWSnyWklK8c

14 Feb 2015 ~ An End to Day 1 at Sabi Sands

Listening to: David Bromberg ~ I Will Not Be Your Fool (Student Union Ballroom, Nassau Community College Folk Fest, 3/24/1988, Garden City, NY)


We saw other animals on our first drive.

The greater kudu is a woodland antelope found throughout eastern and southern Africa. They possess between 4–12 vertical white stripes along their torso. The head tends to be darker in color than the rest of the body, and exhibits a small white chevron which runs between the eyes.

The males also have large manes running along their throats, and large horns with two and a half twists, which, were they to be straightened, would reach an average length of 47 inches. The horns do not begin to grow until the male is between the age of 6–12 months, twisting once at around 2 years of age, and not reaching the full two and a half twists until they are 6 years old. Males weigh 420-600 lb, and stand up to 63 inches tall at the shoulder.
 

Females weigh 260–460 lb and stand as little as 39 in tall at the shoulder; they are hornless, without a beard or nose markings.

The ears of the greater kudu are large and round.

 A vulture in the tree.

 

Baboons can be spotted in the trees.

 

Just hanging around and letting it all hang out.

Before dusk, our driver and scout prepared happy hour and snacks.

After dinner outside, we were treated to drums and dancing by the staff, and we all eventually joined in around the fire.

http://youtu.be/7CF06E2MHuY

10 February 2015 ~ Leopard on the Prowl

Listening to:  Steve Kimmock & Friends ~ To Love Somebody (Great American Music Hall. 3/28/13, SF)


The adventure continues. We crossed the river to see what was on the other side.

http://youtu.be/-byH17NSAqE

Our scout was on the trail of a leopard, which we soon found in the bushes.

It was fantastic see up close. A baby leopard has their unique spots all together which fan out as they grow.

 Catching the scent.

Or taking a break.

And on the move. 

Here are several short video clips.

http://youtu.be/T-zTIJ7o8tw

http://youtu.be/Xo-Euwpa3Z0

http://youtu.be/mpHYLu8rpR0

9 February 2015 ~ Buffalo and Rhino

Listening to: Van Morrison ~ Talk is Cheap (7/15/2003, Arena Santa Giuliana - Perugia, Italy)

Our first safari drive. We didn't know what to expect, but had high hopes.

The Cape Buffalo is the only species of wild cattle that can be found in Africa. It is a large animal that can reach 6.8 to 11 feet in length, 3.2 to 5.6 feet in height and weight between 660 and 1900 pounds. Males have longer and thicker horns. They have poor eyesight and sense of hearing, but their sense of smell is excellent. Males that are not part of the herd can form bachelor herds, or live a solitary life. We primarily came across bachelor herds.

A common mistake is to call the Cape Buffalo a Water Buffalo, but they are completely different species. The horns are completely different and the Cape buffalo has a very aggressive nature and for this reason has never been domesticated. It is the exact opposite for the water buffalo, they have been domesticated and bred for their milk and meat for thousands of years.

Note the Oxpeckers  in the video. They will sit on certain mammals and target the ticks and other small parasites found on the skin and in the coats of these animals. Oxpeckers' bills are especially adapted to their lifestyle. The bills are pointed as well as laterally compressed which helps the birds work their way through the coats of the mammals in a comb-like fashion and to pry out well embedded parasites. 

At one stage it became extinct in South Africa, but in recent times it has naturally re-established itself from the north into the Kruger National Park and its environs. Oxpeckers are monogamous unless a mate dies, at which time the bird will take another mate.

 http://youtu.be/oavifuix1PU


Continuing on our drive we found White Rhinos. The only predator is humans, so these animals are precious and highly protected. The white rhino's name derives from the Dutch "weit," meaning wide, a reference to its wide, square muzzle adapted for grazing. The white rhino, which is actually gray, has a pronounced hump on the neck and a long face.

http://youtu.be/8RyEvc86O3Y


Well, we weren't disappointed as you can tell by those behind me in the jeep.

What tidbits can I share on these human species? I can vouch that these particular humans are prone to gin drinking and are a LOT of fun to hang around.

8 February 2015 ~ An Elephant Welcome

Listening to: Lou Reed ~ Take A Walk On The Wild Side, Orpheum Theatre, NY


Arriving at Exeter Lodge in Sabi Sands, we were shown to our lodges to freshen up and relax a bit before our first safari drive. We were all to meet back at the main hall for tea time and to meet our driver before heading out.

As we were gathering I looked up and out along the river, and lo and behold, I spotted an elephant! I was so excited! And not only one, but a herd came to welcome us to the lodge.

They do not chew cud, ruminate or belch as ruminant animals (e.g. cattle, bison, goats, deer) do. Instead they produce methane gas. Properly equipped, a car could travel 20 miles on the amount of methane produced by one elephant in a single day.

Elephants can be described as either eating machines or manure manufacturers, depending on their activity at the time. Elephants may feed for up to 16 hours a day. In the wild one animal can consume as much as 600 pounds of food in a single day, although 250 – 300 pounds is a more typical amount.

The massive amount eaten coupled with an inefficient digestive system means lots of manure. An elephant defecates from 12 to 15 times a day, a daily quantity of 220 – 250 pounds.

http://youtu.be/N6poE1JlHQA

This will give an idea of how far away they were. There are no borders to keep the animals in or out, and we had to remember we were guests in their home. We'll end up much closer to the animals, but great for our first sighting on the reserve.

Ready to play.

The little elephant was quite entertaining and in the playtime establishing some boundaries and learning new skills.
http://youtu.be/B3G32GkToT8

http://youtu.be/1yUZcfNRtCY

The matriarch led the family off in a new direction after the river swim and shenanigans.

3 February 2015 ~ Introductory Dive

Listening to: John Prine ~ That's The Way That The World Goes Round (7/17/1978, Roslyn, NY)



I did it! I did my first introductory dive at the southern end of the Great Barrier Reef. What a great experience to be under water.

Getting ready to take the plunge.

Once I didn't have to concentrate so hard on my breathing technique, I was able to take a few photos and videos. The fish were everywhere!

The coral here was not as colorful at this southern tip of the Great Barrier Reef as I've experienced in Belize or St. Thomas/St. John, but beautiful and interesting none the less.

http://youtu.be/2eSiMvPbP_E

http://youtu.be/2eSiMvPbP_E