ANTARCTICA

Today I have the pleasure of presenting a guest blog post by my old friend Jan Lewis. Jan is a keen birder who now lives in Broome in the Western Kimberley region of Western Australia. She recently undertook an expedition cruise to Antarctica on MS Expedition operated by GAP Adventures. I think you'll find her words and photos inspiring.

For most of us, visiting Antarctica seems an unachievable dream. But because I was turning 60 last year, I decided to see if getting there was at all possible. Following lots of googling, in November last year I had one of the best adventures I’ve ever had, travelling on a 13 day trip to the Antarctic Peninsula from Ushuaia, the charming Argentinean town at the tip of South America.

I decided to go in November, at the beginning of the season, because I wanted to see frozen landscapes and I got my wish ++. In the afternoon of our second day crossing the Drake Passage, the first huge icebergs appeared, and thereafter we saw many. Huge, blue-striped, table-shaped ones that had broken off ice shelves and smaller wonderfully-sculpted ones that fallen from ice cliffs, all subsequently eroded by waves into strange and beautiful shapes.



For the next 7 days we explored numerous channels and bays between the snow-covered South Shetland Islands and the mainland of the Antarctic Peninsula, gazing in wonder at the cascades of ice that poured down into the sea - just like icing on a wedding cake! Pack ice partly blocked most of the bays and some of the channels, so we had wonderful experiences exploring how far we could get through the ice, thankful that our boat, the MS Expedition, was a lot more manoeuvrable than Shackletons. We also visited a couple of bases, including the old British base of Port Lockroy which has been turned into a museum and post office. In reality we saw only a tiny part of Antarctica - the pointed bit of land that juts north towards South America - but it was enough to get an idea of what the continent is like.



Travelling early in the season means that wildlife is only just returning to the frozen land. There were thousands of penguins – mainly gentoos and chinstaps – porpoising along the channels through the ice made by our boat or congregating on the snow- covered slopes, waiting for the snow to melt so they could claim their nesting spot on the rocks. Small patches where rocks jutted out were hotly contested, with lots of squabbling over the small stones that form the nest, and just a few eggs already laid. Every day there were 2 landings, going from ship to shore in inflatable zodiacs, which yielded several close up encounters with fat, lazy Weddell seas resting on the ice between their deep dives to find food. None had pups but the parents are adorable in their own right. These were the only seal species we saw – my ambition to see a leopard seal remains unfulfilled.

To my surprise, the weather was not the challenge that I expected. Some days an icy wind blew, but 4 layers of thermal or fleece clothing under my coat, a balaclava under my hat and occasional forays into the shelter/warmth of the ship’s bridge or down to the lounge for a cup of cocoa, meant that I was never really cold. Apparently the journey over the Drake Passage can sometimes be a nightmare, but we had a gentle swell in both directions and, on one day, enough sunshine to burn my face (to my surprise I learned that there’s still a hole in the ozone layer over Antarctica. Despite international action on Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), the hole is not yet closing – only increasing in size at a slower pace than previously). The flying skills of the birds that followed the boat on that section of the journey, including 4 species of albatross, provided endless fascination – for me at least. I couldn’t believe that some passengers were in the lounge playing Monopoly!



In summary, it was BRILLIANT. Go if you get the chance!

Jan Lewis

For further information on any of the products featured or to make a booking, please call me - Peter Emery on 0449 689 447. Alternatively call Ucango Travel on 1300 822 646 and be sure to ask me me by name, or just drop me an email. peter.emery@ucango.com.au

The Mountains of the Sea

I'm going to begin with Africa today, South Africa - The Rainbow Nation. That title befits Cape Town more than any other city in this spectacular country. There is history, glorious scenery, great beaches, wildlife galore and some of the best food and wine to be found anywhere in the world. There's accommodation to suit any budget from backpackers to the grandest of grand hotels. No one ever forgets their first glimpse of Table Mountain whether on a glorious clear day with blue African skies or with it's "tablecloth" of cloud draped over it's towering grey cliffs. At well over a thousand metres tall, it dominated the city and as you explore the area your eyes are constantly drawn to it.

A gentleman I know by the name of Steve Bolnick operates a tour company with a difference called "Walk In Africa". They take small groups on spectacular walks through some of this planet's most special scenery on this great continent. Their signature walk is one called "The Mountains of the Sea" Click on the link for details, but there are many others of varying grades depending on your level of fitness.
http://walkinafrica.com/walks/   If this type of adventure appeals to you please contact me. My details are at the foot of this blog.

Okay. A change of scenery now. We'll go the Arctic with Abercrombie & Kent. Everyone know that that name is inextricably link to quality. Now you can travel with them to "The Land of the Polar Bear" aboard the luxury ship MV Boreal. Book by 31 March and save 5%. You can find the prices in the (very long) link below.
http://www.abercrombiekent.com/travel/?tid=5536&utm_source=enews%2001%2F20%2F12&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Arctic%20Trip%20Overview&utm_content=Adventure%20Cruising%2DSmall%20Group%20Travel%2DArctic%2DIceland%2DNorway&akcmp=EACLB12E&pc=EACLB12E&ecrmID=2223&gldy=22&did=8410

This will be a very special expedition. Just look at the itinerary. Don't miss out on this opportunity to see the polar bears. Who knows how much longer they'll be around?

Next it's off to Costa Rica with Kumuka Tours. This is a fantastic eco-tourism destination and this tour is suitable for almost any age from 16 to 65. It's a small group tour with a maximum group size of 16. Accommodation is in hotels and costs, departure dates and a detailed itinerary can be found at the following link. This is a growing destination. Go and see why. http://www.kumuka.com/TourPage.aspx?TourId=CA23

For further information on any of the products featured or to make a booking, please call me - Peter Emery on 0449 689 447. Alternatively call Ucango Travel on 1300 822 646 and be sure to ask me me by name, or just drop me an email. peter.emery@ucango.com.au

This weeks wildlife photograph features elephants digging for water in the dry Limpopo River on the border between South Africa and Botswana.

And Now For Something Completely Different

This week in my new Wildlife and Wilderness blog I'd like to inspire you to try different things. For example, cricket fans might like to consider these packages for the upcoming Australian team's tour of the West Indies. Click on the link below for details.
http://www.tifs.com.au/emails/Contours/west_indies_cricket.html

True, it's not really a traditional wildlife and wilderness destination, but they are beautiful islands, particularly St Vincent. While Guyana on the South American mainland has some fascinating attractions.  Click on this link. http://www.travelguyana.org/travel_attractions_in_guyana.php

For those of you who enjoy small ship cruising, it's hard to go past Orion. The following link takes you to their website where you will find some truly spectacular "expedition" type cruises to many wildlife and wilderness destinations including Antarctica, Japan, China, the Russian Far East and our own beautiful Kimberley region. Click on this link for details http://www.orionexpeditions.com/ Orion are a quality cruise company and a great alternative for people who want more from a cruise than deck quoits and dancing girls after dinner.

Finally today, I can't resist returning to my favourite continent for this. Wilderness Dawn do fantastic non-participation camping trips through the wildlife wonderland that is Botswana. Comfortable beds and tents, great food, superb guides and magical game viewing. Click on the link below to see their website with details of their tours and prices. (In US dollars.)
 http://www.wildernessdawning.com/

For further information on any of the products featured or to make a booking, please call me - Peter Emery on 0449 689 447. Alternatively call Ucango Travel on 1300 822 646 and be sure to ask me me by name, or just drop me an email. peter.emery@ucango.com.au

Finally. Today's wildlife photo is a very handsome olive baboon. Samburu National Reserve, Kenya.

Wildlife & Wilderness

Firstly I must apologise for leaving you all blog-less for so long. Initially a few family health issues got in the way, and then more recently I was diagnosed with a DVT (Deep Vein Thrombosis) which necessitated  a week's stay in intensive care. Apparently I could have fallen off the perch at any moment, though I felt quite well the whole time. My only symptoms were a slight shortness of breath and mild chest discomfort. Anyway, as far as I'm concerned it gives me an excuse to fly business class next time. The doctor put my condition down to the dozen or so long haul flights in economy class I'd taken over the last three months. So, let that be a warning to you. On your next long haul flight wear your sexy pressure stockings, drink heaps of water, move around and maybe take an aspirin to thin the blood. Better check with your doctor on that last one though.

So, my "On Safari" business is expanding. I now deal with all wildlife and wilderness destinations, broadening my horizons beyond Africa to India, China, South America, Japan, Borneo, Europe and Antarctica. There are so many mouth watering wild places to discover, each with their own unique flora and fauna, culture and history.

I hope to inspire people to visit these wonderful places, to return with tales of amazing adventures with fabulous wildlife, memories of stunning vistas and with the taste of sensational food and wine on their tongues.

So here's a couple of great deals to whet your appetites. Just click on the links below and give me a call on 1300 822 646 - Ask for Peter. Or call me direct on 0449 689 447.

http://www.africasafarico.com.au/prod61.html

http://www.peregrineadventures.com/south-america-central-america/ecuador/galapagos-explorer-2012

Thank You China

I'd like to express my sincere thanks and gratitude to the People's Republic of China. Why? Because they have constructed a really good road from Nairobi to Samburu National Reserve in central northern Kenya.
It used to be a miserable seven or eight hour trip of dust and potholes which was only made worse while the new road was being built. However, now that it is complete you can scoot from Nairobi to your lodge in Samburu in about five hours if you don't stop too long at the craft shops at Nanyuki. This is great news for me because as I've mentioned previously, Samburu is one of my favourite wildlife reserves. It's classified as a tropical desert and has a wide variety of unusual flora and fauna. There are Doum palms - the only palms with split trunks. Very picturesque when seen against the high orange rocky mountains at sunrise with a couple of reticulated giraffes striding by.

It's a hot and dusty place, but there are many comfortable lodges in which to rest your bones. The Sopa Samburu is a lovely mid range lodge. the staff are fantastic. The head waiter knew my first name before I had introduced myself and Fred - the manager made a point of introducing himself to each guest. Everyone is so friendly and helpful. and don't get me started on the food - delicious doesn't begin to describe it. Try the crepes with maple syrup for breakfast, but all meals have a bewildering variety, and of course one has to try everything. The dining room overlooks a waterhole where animals can been seen day and night. Security staff escort the guests to their rooms after dinner to make sure they arrive safely - uneaten by lions. In short, it is a very well run establishment and I cannot recommend it highly enough.

You won't see the "Big Five" at Samburu. There are no rhinos, but the other four are present - elephants, lions, buffalo, and leopards and on my most recent visit I saw more cheetah's than you could poke a stick at. Hop out of bed at night to trot to the toilet and you're likely to trip over a cheetah. Well, maybe that's a slight exaggeration, but there were a lot of these elegant cats strolling around the reserve. There are no hippos either. This is because there are no permanent waterways. This can be hard to believe at times when the Uaso Nyiro River is flowing. It can be a hundred metres wide at certain points and it's difficult to imagine it ever running dry. There are some very large crocodiles though so I'd advise against swimming and paddling.

As a marvelous bonus on our last morning in Samburu we came across four African wild dogs. I never expected to see them, these wonderful animals are so rare these days. Only about three thousand in the whole of Africa. These four were running up and down the far side of the river, excitedly eyeing a small herd of impala on our side. The impala were snorting their alarm call and stamping their feet. Fortunately for them the river was too wide and fast flowing for the dogs to cross, instead they melted back into the sparse vegetation to look for an easier meal. The impala relaxed and returned to their grazing.

Not everyone visiting Kenya goes to Samburu because it's quite a long way north of Nairobi and most of the popular National Reserves are to the south, but it is well worth the effort and with the new road courtesy of the People's Republic of China it's now a lot less effort than it used to be.

East End Animals

Years ago it was possible to say that one could see more “animals” at a West Ham home game than on a safari in the Masai Mara. That was back in the seventies, eighties and nineties. The rougher element of West Ham United Football Club’s so called supporters had a fearsome reputation as trouble makers and punch-up merchants. These days however, it must be said that a much more pleasant atmosphere prevails at their home ground in London’s East End.

I’ve been a West Ham United fan since 1966 when the club’s three star players Bobby Moore, Martin Peters and Geoff Hurst formed the backbone of England’s one and only triumphant World Cup side. That glory has faded somewhat nowadays and West Ham languish in the second tier Championship, having been relegated from the Premier League last year. Nevertheless, they remain a well supported club and last Saturday my wife and joined almost thirty thousand other fans at the Boleyn Ground in the Cockney heartland suburb of Upton Park. There were many more families, mums, dads and kids and far fewer police around than I’ve ever seen at the ground before. In fact it was only after the game had finished that we saw any coppers at all. There were two watching the good natured crowd leaving stadium and perhaps a dozen monitoring the queues to get into the tube station.

All in all it was a terrific day out with a fantastic atmosphere inside the ground, and I can thoroughly recommend a visit to any England Premier League or Championship football match. West Ham did not play well on the day as it happened, but they still won so I was happy. My wife was happy too thanks to a visit to her favourite markets – Queens Market in Green Street . It’s a big undercover conglomeration of south Asian, West Indian and British stalls where one can buy anything from saris to sugar cane and pork pies to plantains. It’s a great place to kill half an hour or so before a game. Green Street itself in fascinating. Take a stroll west from Upton Park station and you are immediately transported to Karachi or Mumbai. The further west you walk the fewer white faces you see and the shops and restaurants reflect the ethnic majority. However, walk east from the station towards the football stadium and white faces prevail, it becomes more like any other British street. It’s amazing, the transformation is so abrupt that it leaves you slightly disorientated.

The day after the game we flew to Prague. We’d both wanted to see this reputedly beautiful city for years, so we pounced on a three day window of opportunity when it appeared. We were not disappointed in the least. Our hotel was the Hotel Clement in a quiet street only a few minutes walk from the heart of the Old City. And what an Old City it is. Some of the architecture is stunning and there are numerous atmospheric squares in which to wander or to sit quietly with a cold beer and simply partake in a little people watching. There are churches and spires everywhere you look. There’s a magnificent fourteenth century bridge upon which to stroll across the Vitava River and a stunning castle and palace to explore on a hill on the other side. The food is tasty and the helpings large, though not particularly cheap. The beer is good and so is the wine.

I think it as at night that Prague really comes into its own. Many of the old buildings are spectaculary lit, especially the Church of Our Lady before Tyn which towers above the huge Staromestska Square and lends the entire medieval scene a definite fairy tale air. Please, do yourself a huge favour and visit Prague at the first opportunity. It really has to be on of Europe’s most beautiful and friendly cities.

Dubai Stopover

Dubai is a very popular stopover on the way to East Africa and many other places for that matter, so for those of you who haven't sampled the delights of this Emirate yet I will give you the benefit of my recent experience there; but remember, this is a personal impression. Try it for yourself one day and see if you agree.

I'd booked my accommodation through Emirates - the airline. Their land operator is Arabian Adventures and I found them to be super efficient. Passengers are met in the arrivals hall - before passing through immigration. Those passengers who require a visa (Aussies don't.) are assisted through the procedure. We were directed to the Arabian Adventures desk where we were handed our itinerary and an information pack and then given directions on how to find our transfer vehicle. It was all very impressive. What a shame the immigration department is not equally efficient. It seems to be the way of things these days. Australia's isn't much better and New Zealand's is worse still. No matter how many passengers are lined up waiting to be processed they only ever seem to have four immigration officials rostered on to deal with them. These officials are dressed in dazzling white robes that appear to have been bleached to within an inch of their lives. Each of their movements (and they are few and far between) are slow and deliberate. It seems to take an age for them to lift their rubber stamp and bring it down on your passport. It all happens in super slo-mo.

Never mind. Once we were through immigration the efficiency returned. On the other side of the customs hall we made our way to the Arabian Adventures office and from there we were led out to a brand new Audi for the transfer to our hotel. Within half an hour we were in a room twenty three stories above Dubai at the Pullman Hotel Mall of the Emirates with fine views over the dusty streets towards the spectacular Burj al Arab Hotel from who's helicopter landing pad on the roof Tiger Woods once whacked a ball into the Arabian Gulf. That was before his marriage fell apart along with his game. These days he'd probably miss.

We had a city tour the morning after we arrived. Once again the super efficient Arabian Adventures picked us up bang on time. The first half of the tour was mildly interesting. We were driven along the road that runs close the the beach, though we could rarely see it. There were many large houses and mansions and lots of smart cars. Dubai is a new city, so don't expect to see many old buildings. Before the 1960's it was a tiny fishing village. Then they discovered oil and ker-pow! The place exploded. One of the few old building is the fort which is now a very interesting museum. You'll enjoy that. It's very well done. We were ferried across Dubai Creek to the Gold and Spice souks. Don't expect anything like Fez or Marrakech. Both souks are relatively small and relatively uninteresting. The gold on sale there was the really bright yellow stuff and the jewellery that it had been made into was gaudy and tasteless. The kind of thing you might expect to find draped over the mistress of a Russian mafia boss.

The following afternoon a went on the Sundowner Dune Dinner Safari. This was fun. It's operated by Arabian Adventures. We were driven out to what they call the "Empty Quarter". except once we arrive it certainly wasn't empty. There were about thirty 4WD vehicles all containing up to six passengers. The expert drivers zoom up and down the desert dunes in what is quite a thrilling ride, but perhaps not one for anyone suffering from motion sickness. Finally the passengers are disgourged into a permanent camp amid some tall and very beautiful dunes. Here we were treated to a camel ride, a very good dinner and a particularly energetic belly dance show before being ferried back to our hotels. It was definitely worth doing.

One of the most interesting sights we encountered in Dubai was in the Mall of the Emirates. There amongst the designer goods shops was a four hundred metre ski slope with real snow. Yes, that's right. It was 42 degrees centigrade outside and -2 degrees on the slopes where women in black padded ski burqas were swishing down the slope at a rate of knots and Japanese tourists kitted out in indentical, specially hired snow gear were taking photos of everything and anything. Off the ski slope was a Swiss resturant called Cafe St Moritz. It served halal fondue and had an artificial log fire blazing away in the hearth. I couldn't help thinking that it summed Dubai up nicely. Artificial.