1001 Places/Experiences to See or Savour #439 - Cape of Good Hope and Cape Point, Capetown

1001 Places/Experiences to See or Savour After Remission #439

- Cape of Good Hope and Cape Point, Capetown

 

(When your geography lessons over 40 years ago becomes reality, they bring back warm memories. Such was the case for us when we arrived at the Cape of Good Hope, the most south-western tip of this huge continent, Africa. Likewise, Cape Point is famous because it is the meeting point of the 2 great oceans of Indian Ocean and the Pacific. Many a ship have been grounded due to the rough seas here. Our day was nicely rounded out by a delicious late lunch recommended by our private-car driver for the day, Chilly. Malay curry in South Africa? Yes indeed - it was different but good - including the uniquely cooked baby calamari dish)

 

 

 

 

1001 Places/Experiences to See or Savour #438 - Boulders Beach Penguin Reserve, Capetown

1001 Places/Experiences to See or Savour After Remission #438

- Boulders Beach Penguin Reserve, Capetown

 

(Freely running and hopping penguins greeted us at this Boulders Beach Penguin reserve, almost from the entrance onwards. These African penguins, formerly known as Jackass penguins because of the sound they make, didn't require a set time for them to show up on the beach while you are sitting in the cold waiting for them. This sanctuary remains the only place in the world to get up close to this penguin variety. Boardwalks make viewing easy and a real pleasure. The timelapse video show them doing what they do best - relaxing on the beach)

 

 

1001 Places/Experiences to See or Savour #437 - Robben Island, South Africa

1001 Places/Experiences to See or Savour After Remission #437

- Long Walk to Freedom, Robben Island, South Africa

 

(A fresh morning ferry ride to Robben Island brought to focus the torturous 18 years that President Nelson Mandela endured during the apartheid days in South Africa. And that was just 18 out of a total of 27 long years that he was imprisoned. His tiny cell No.4 in prison-section B had nothing but a table, a thin blanket and a bucket - it was only later that he was given a bed to sleep on. This tour was well scripted and included a real surviving ex-political prisoner narrating and showing us the way around the prison - the island is now a World Heritage Site, for all to see what true tolerance is from such a great man)

 

 

1001 Places/Experiences to See or Savour #436 - Safari game drive - the Big 5, Chobe National Park, Botswana

1001 Places/Experiences to See or Savour After Remission #436

- Safari game drive - the Big 5, Chobe National Park, Botswana

 

(Every safari game drive starts the objective of seeing all the Big 5. What are they? Elephants, cape buffalos, lions, leopards and the rhinos. We caught 2 of the 5 here in Chobe. The guide says the lions and leopards are out only late evenings and at night. But the handsome giraffes, proud male kudus and the many impalas - Africa's McDonalds, according to the guide, bcoz of the 'M' on their rears - made up for the lost-3 quite nicely. Along this safari trip, we met a lovely young couple from Spore - imagine the probability of that happening - who were on their honeymoon; what a thrill it must have been for them)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1001 Places/Experiences to See or Savour #435 - Safari game drive - African elephants, Chobe National Park, Botswana

1001 Places/Experiences to See or Savour After Remission #435

- Safari game drive - African elephants, Chobe National Park, Botswana

 

(After a hearty lunch at the Lodge, we were whisked to the entrance of this massive Chobe National Park again, this time, it's a safari game drive - in an open jeep, with no windows to protect us! We had to rub our eyes to be certain when a herd of 12-14 African elephants crossed out path, as they performed their purposeful elephant-walk to the edge of the river for their spa. What a sight indeed - wild adult Kalahari elephants, the biggest in size anywhere in the world , with their young, which couldn't be more than a few months old. This park is regarded as the best for viewing wild elephants, which the guide said has a headcount of over 50,000 - yes, from a few thousands since 1990. These videos below are precious - was the croc stalking the baby elephant?)

 

 

 

 

 

 

1001 Places/Experiences to See or Savour #434 - Wildlife cruise, Chobe National Park, Botswana

1001 Places/Experiences to See or Savour After Remission #434

- Wildlife cruise, Chobe National Park, Botswana

 

 

(After a patience-testing 3hr wait to cross both the immigration checkpoints of Zimbabwe and Botswana, we were rewarded with an eye-popping river cruise run by the Chobe Marina Lodge in the huge Chobe National Park, the oldest in Botswana. Just off the world-famous Okavango Delta, this river was teeming with wildlife. Before long, the Nile croc was spotted, followed by a herd of hippos. But the real star was this female African elephant, doing its morning vege-cleaning exercise right beside our boat - it was a treat we didn't expect. See the video on Mrs E doing her thing below - so serenely sweet!)