Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Hmmmmmm.....
It's 9:30am and I have an hour in Amsterdam airport before my flight home. Do I drink cold Heineken or extra cold Heineken?
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
Hidden Paradise
During my Tanzania trip I spent an incredible three nights at a place called Lupita Island. This private island in Lake Tanganyika covers 130 acres and only has 13 chalets, the smallest of which is 1200 sq feet (the largest is 2500). Lake Tanganyika is the longest lake in the world and the second deepest - it has more water than all five Great Lakes combined! The water temp is between 70-80 degrees all year and as clear as the Caribbean. This place was literally paradise.
I kayaked, snorkeled, swam, drank and the food was phenomenal (this is also where I did the village visit, previous post).
Besides what I've just said above there is really no way to explain this place so I will just let a few pictures attempt to describe the sickness that is Lupita Island...
I kayaked, snorkeled, swam, drank and the food was phenomenal (this is also where I did the village visit, previous post).
Besides what I've just said above there is really no way to explain this place so I will just let a few pictures attempt to describe the sickness that is Lupita Island...
My New Haircut, Part 2
I LOVE getting haircuts in random countries/cities. I've previously posted about my best haircut - in Johannesburg (the crew that went with me in October all experienced that), but today I got the best value haircut ever.
I had a free day in Arusha, Tanzania before heading to the airport to start the long trek home. After two weeks on safari my hair and beard were at an irritating length so I asked my driver/guide John to take me to a local barber shop. $3 & a half hour later (yes, THREE DOLLARS) I had a freshly shaved head, trimmed beard, my hair had been washed and conditioned (which is comical because I just had the little hair I have left completely taken off), and I got a head and face massage from the cute female assistant. That's the type of value even a Jew can enjoy!
I had a free day in Arusha, Tanzania before heading to the airport to start the long trek home. After two weeks on safari my hair and beard were at an irritating length so I asked my driver/guide John to take me to a local barber shop. $3 & a half hour later (yes, THREE DOLLARS) I had a freshly shaved head, trimmed beard, my hair had been washed and conditioned (which is comical because I just had the little hair I have left completely taken off), and I got a head and face massage from the cute female assistant. That's the type of value even a Jew can enjoy!
Friday, February 22, 2013
Manda Ulwile
I spent this morning (20FEB) at a small remote African village in Tanzania called Manda Ulwile. This village is on a large island in Lake Tanganyika. The only contact these people have with the outside world is when they get visits from people like me (which is not very frequently).
It was incredible to wander around and interact with the curious villagers, especially the kids. The population is approximately 200 (140 of which are children). There's not even a school on the island so everyone pretty much chills and just plays all day everyday...
I taught the kids the English words for some of the animals that they have on the island (dog, pig, goat, etc) and we made the animal noises. Then I found some small fruits and juggled for the kids. Our guide told me that they had never seen anyone juggle before - based on their faces I believe him. I showed some of the older boys the basics of how to juggle and a couple were actually decent. Then we played catch and I got a big stick of sugar cane and we played a ghetto version of baseball. Finally I taught them the only Swahili song that I know. The kids (about 30) were singing, dancing and laughing.
Then it was time to head back to my resort on the private island next door. This was one of the most incredible and authentic experiences I've ever had!
It was incredible to wander around and interact with the curious villagers, especially the kids. The population is approximately 200 (140 of which are children). There's not even a school on the island so everyone pretty much chills and just plays all day everyday...
I taught the kids the English words for some of the animals that they have on the island (dog, pig, goat, etc) and we made the animal noises. Then I found some small fruits and juggled for the kids. Our guide told me that they had never seen anyone juggle before - based on their faces I believe him. I showed some of the older boys the basics of how to juggle and a couple were actually decent. Then we played catch and I got a big stick of sugar cane and we played a ghetto version of baseball. Finally I taught them the only Swahili song that I know. The kids (about 30) were singing, dancing and laughing.
Then it was time to head back to my resort on the private island next door. This was one of the most incredible and authentic experiences I've ever had!
The Great Migration!
Having traveled to Africa over 30 times I thought I had seen just about everything. And I have..... almost.
I spent two nights at an awesome tented camp in the Serengeti (Tanzania) and saw the great migration for the first time in my life. The migration is an estimated 1.6 million wildebeests & 800,000 zebras moving across the Serengeti and into Kenya, heading to areas that have ample grazing areas for more than 2 million animals.
One day we spent over six hours driving through the plains and I saw more than a half million animals! Words cannot describe how amazing that is.
With these animals also come the predators; following the massive herds for easy food. We had 4 separate lion sightings, 10 lions in all. We also saw 2 cheetahs that had killed one of he wildebeest - we missed them eating by minutes. But when we arrived the vultures had already come to finish off the meat left by the cheetahs - I will upload some video as soon as I'm back in NY.
We also saw wildebeests giving birth which was pretty cool. The babies spend the first five minutes of their life trying to get to their feet, the next five are spent mastering balance and walking, and by the ten minute mark these newborns are running alongside their mothers! This is a necessity because these babies are easy targets for the lions and other predators, including hyena, leopard and cheetah.
This was definitely a day that I will never forget.
I spent two nights at an awesome tented camp in the Serengeti (Tanzania) and saw the great migration for the first time in my life. The migration is an estimated 1.6 million wildebeests & 800,000 zebras moving across the Serengeti and into Kenya, heading to areas that have ample grazing areas for more than 2 million animals.
One day we spent over six hours driving through the plains and I saw more than a half million animals! Words cannot describe how amazing that is.
With these animals also come the predators; following the massive herds for easy food. We had 4 separate lion sightings, 10 lions in all. We also saw 2 cheetahs that had killed one of he wildebeest - we missed them eating by minutes. But when we arrived the vultures had already come to finish off the meat left by the cheetahs - I will upload some video as soon as I'm back in NY.
We also saw wildebeests giving birth which was pretty cool. The babies spend the first five minutes of their life trying to get to their feet, the next five are spent mastering balance and walking, and by the ten minute mark these newborns are running alongside their mothers! This is a necessity because these babies are easy targets for the lions and other predators, including hyena, leopard and cheetah.
This was definitely a day that I will never forget.
Thursday, February 14, 2013
Back to Africa!
I've just boarded my flight at JFK - sitting in my business class seat already armed with a glass of champagne (following 3 Jack & cokes in the lounge).
This is my second trip to the Motherland in the first 6 weeks of 2013. This time it's Tanzania, a place I've only visited once before, so I'm really excited!
I do not anticipate having much Internet on this trip but I will post when I can...
This is my second trip to the Motherland in the first 6 weeks of 2013. This time it's Tanzania, a place I've only visited once before, so I'm really excited!
I do not anticipate having much Internet on this trip but I will post when I can...
Morning Commute
Here are some incredible pictures that were sent to me by a client in Nairobi, Kenya. There is a small National Park for safaris just 4 miles from the city center of Nairobi, the capital and largest city in Kenya. It seems that a couple of male lions decided to go for a stroll and caused quite a traffic jam during the morning commute. Amazing stuff!
Monday, February 11, 2013
Getting My Jambo On!
Pretty much anyone that knows me knows that Jambo is by far my favorite word (it means Hello in swahili). Kenya is an amazing destination and part of the reason I love it so much is because I get to scream JAMBO at/to anyone and everyone I see.
My first adventure for 2013 took me to Kenya for a whirlwind tour around the country visiting over 20 hotels/resorts/safari lodges in 10 days, and then attending a 3 day conference in Nairobi.
This is the welcome we got at pretty much every camp/lodge we visited:
These are members of the Masai tribe - the most well-known tribe in Kenya. Mother Fuckers can jump!!!!
Despite my hectic schedule the trip was tons of fun and I had some really cool experiences. None of which was cooler than that last day of my journey. I had the opportunity to visit an anti-poaching camp in Tsavo National Park (SE Kenya) and do a 'patrol' with one of the KWS (Kenya Wildlife Services) Rangers. This specific camp only opened about 11 months ago and they've already found and removed over 600 snares from the African bush!!!
Following Kenya I was spoiled with about 2 weeks at home. Now I'm off to another swahili speaking country later this week - Tanzania. I'm incredibly excited to visit Tanzania, as I've only been there once before.
My first adventure for 2013 took me to Kenya for a whirlwind tour around the country visiting over 20 hotels/resorts/safari lodges in 10 days, and then attending a 3 day conference in Nairobi.
This is the welcome we got at pretty much every camp/lodge we visited:
Despite my hectic schedule the trip was tons of fun and I had some really cool experiences. None of which was cooler than that last day of my journey. I had the opportunity to visit an anti-poaching camp in Tsavo National Park (SE Kenya) and do a 'patrol' with one of the KWS (Kenya Wildlife Services) Rangers. This specific camp only opened about 11 months ago and they've already found and removed over 600 snares from the African bush!!!
Following Kenya I was spoiled with about 2 weeks at home. Now I'm off to another swahili speaking country later this week - Tanzania. I'm incredibly excited to visit Tanzania, as I've only been there once before.
Friday, February 8, 2013
Back by Popular Demand
It's been just over a year since my last post and after numerous requests I figured now's as good a time as any to resurrect Donde Esta DK. Since my last post I've been to:
So on my first post in the 'new' era of DEDK I will leave you with just one image from my 2012 journeys; and one of the many reasons I'm going to hell - getting inappropriate at Angkor Wat (one of the oldest and most sacred Buddhist temples in the world) in Siem Reap, Cambodia:
- N'Arlins
- Toronto
- Boston
- Orlando
- Tampa Bay
- Miami
- Fort Lauderdale
- Dubai
- Kochin, India
- Khajaraho
- Delhi
- Dallas
- Houston
- Zambia
- Durban
- Cape Town
- Johannesburg
- Las Vegas
- Phoenix
- San Diego
- Detroit
- Tokyo
- Kyoto
- Ho Chi Minh City
- Hanoi
- Da Nang
- Phnom Penh
- Siem Reap
- San Francisco
- Los Angeles
- Baltimore
- Washington D.C.
- Honolulu
- Kona
So on my first post in the 'new' era of DEDK I will leave you with just one image from my 2012 journeys; and one of the many reasons I'm going to hell - getting inappropriate at Angkor Wat (one of the oldest and most sacred Buddhist temples in the world) in Siem Reap, Cambodia:
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