Nairobi, Kenya

A week of relaxing at Wildebeest Eco Camp in Nairobi, Kenya.

Kruger National Park, South Africa

Kruger National Park is one of South Africa’s national symbols, and for many visitors, it is the ‘must-see’ wildlife destination in the country. Little wonder: in an area the size of Wales, enough elephants wander around to populate a major city, giraffes nibble on acacia trees, hippos wallow in the rivers, leopards prowl through the night and a multitude of birds sing, fly and roost.

 

Chobe National Park, Botswana

If you are not squeamish about watching wildlife during the day and then sampling it in the evening, then meat lovers can try  some (non-endangered) local produce; such dishes as warthog sausages, buffalo steak and impala stew. Thanks to Johan, our South African tour guide we had DELICIOUS warthog ribs while in the Okavango Delta.  Bunny Chow is a South African favourite, also popular in Swaziland. It's basically curry inside a hollowed-out loaf, messy to eat but quite delicious. African bush tucker varies across the region among South Africa's indigenous groups - for example, the San still eat many desert creatures including caterpillar-like mopane worms, prepared in many different ways, such as deep-fried or just eaten raw. One of our favourites in the truck on long drives was biltong. The Afrikaner history of trekking led to their developing portable food: hence the traditional biltong (dried strips of salted meat); rusks (hard biscuits) for dunking; dried fruit; and boerewors, where meat is preserved with spices and vinegar. Yum!

Ostrich Steak

a dark meat

not like chicken at all!

We enjoy a beautiful river cruise in Chobe National Park, Botswana

Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe

Victoria Falls is the largest, most beautiful and most majestic waterfall on the planet, it is the Seventh Natural Wonder of the World as well as being an Unesco World Heritage Site. But it isn't just the one million litres of water that fall - per second - down a 108m drop along a 1.7km wide strip in the Zambezi Gorge that makes Victoria Falls so awesome; it's the whole natural context in which the falls are located that makes Victoria Falls so special.


Jump into the gorge,  get drenched by the spray of the falls, raftalong the rapids or cruise gently along the great Zambezi River. Whether it’s wildlife that attracts you or the chance to fill your life with wilderness, this place is rare and extraordinary and yet easy and unspoilt. Victoria Fallsis to be seen, heard, tasted and touched; it is a treat that few other places in the world can offer, a Must See Before You Die spot.

Although Zimbabwe and Zambia share it, Victoria Falls is aplace all of its own.

Elephant Sands, Botswana

These are wild elephants coming close to the camping ground to enjoy their daily requirement of 200 litres of water each!

A major issue all over Southern Africa concerns the emotive issue of elephant conservation. In the west people generally hold a preservationist viewpoint,  that elephant herds should be conserved for their own sake or for aesthetic reasons; however, the local sentiment maintains that the elephant must justify its existence on long-term economic grounds for the benefit of the local people, or the country as a whole (a conservationist view). In fact, the same arguements can be applied to most other wildlife.

Okavango Delta, Botswana

The 1,430km Okavango River spreads 18.5 billion cubic metres of water annually like an open palm across the flat landscape, consumed as it spreads by the thirsty air and swallowed by the Kalahari sands. Eventually, the river loses itself in a 16,000-sq-km maze of lagoons, channels and islands. In this desert country, the incongruous waters of the resulting wetland - known as the Okavango Delta - attacts a myriad of birds, elephants, giraffe, hippos, and other wildlife, as well as most of Botswana's tourists.

Most visitors spend at least some time travelling by mokoro, a shallow-draught dugout canoe hewn from ebony or sausage-tree log (or more recently, moulded fibreglass). The mokoro are poled from a standing position and their precarious appearance belies their amazing stability.

And wow! how sexy are those polers!

Sunset bushwalk..

Game drive in Botswana

Taking an evening game drive looking for a Rhino.. the black Rhino is amost extinct, the white is elusive!

In 1970, Botswana ranked as one of the world's poorest countries, with a shocking GDP per capita per annum below US$200. Educational facilities were minimal, with less than 2% of the population having completed primary school and fewer than 100 students enrolled in university. In the entire country there was only one, 12km-long paved road. It's hardly suprising, then that the country played no role in regional or continental politics.

Then in 1967, Botswana effectively won the jackpot with the discovery of diamonds at Orapa. Two other major mines followed, at Letlhakane in 1977, and Jwaneng in 1982, making Botswana the world's leading producer of gem-quality stones.

However, as its life span is estimated at only 35 years, the diamond boon has its dark side as Botswana faces a bleak future if its people can't find alternative revenue steams. Tourism is set to play a major role in the country's future, although the challenge will be to increase revenue without adversely impacting on the enviroment and local communities.

With nearly 30% of the population still living below the poverty line the future of Botswana is less assured now than it has been at any time in the last 40 years.

Sophisticated Johannesburg

I took the train from the Airport precinct to the MMG office in Rosebank, Johannesburg today.

Veerrrrry nice! 

The locals look rather sophisticated, I'm going to have to upgrade my wardrobe if I move over here next year!

The Last Supper

Sitting in a hotel in Johannesburg,
I am enjoying my last supper before I become a backpacker!


Kinsevere Minesite, DRC (Congo)

I spent a week at Kinsevere Mine (newly acquired by MMG) scoping out what needs to be done to migrate the Exploration and Grade Control databases into our system. I made some new friends and impressed them with my cheerfulness in the breakfast mess at 6am! I really enjoyed the company (as always) of Robyn, my boss. And I managed to avoid all the snakes!