The Czech Republic

Nothing could be more different from Rwanda amd even Johannesburg than the Czech Republic. The journey there takes hours and hours and once you arrive in the country, the ancient buildings, tall spires and cobbled streets immediately give one a fairy tale feel.

Prague is not as beautiful as Paris or Rome with the Place de la Concorde and vast piazzas but it has small alleys, brass spires and of course Charles Bridge which has centuries of history to follow.

The weather was chilly and overcast most of the time, but that did not detract from our enjoyment.
David and I trudged the streets of old Prague: explored the Jewish quarter with its magnificent Spanish synagogue, climbed to the largest castle, visited Wenceslas square (which is really a long boulevard where the horse sales took place) and experienced many other quant and wonderful sights. We did not meet Kafka's ghost but did buy a few books from a book store near where he lived. We heard Mozart's music and went to a concert every evening and sometimes lunch time too.

We also visited the ancient town of Chesky Krumlov about two hours out of Prague near the Austrian border with its intriguing history which includes a shooting of the owner of the castle by a king and the story of a mad prince who chopped up a village maiden.

We however came home unscathed but delighted by the food, the concerts and the beauty of the buildings.

Here are a few of David's images. Do enjoy them.

 Rooftops from a cafe

 Domes

 Reflection which Kafka might have enjoyed

 Doorway

The Castle - Chesky Krumlov

Rwanda and the Gorillas

David and I are always looking for new places to explore and David in particular looks for 'another image to take'. Photographers will understand that concept.

I look forward an adventure to experience in the hope that I will be inspired to find some inspiration for a poem or story.

Gorillas and Rwanda was this year's plan.

Rwanda is a beautiful country. The land of a thousand hills is just that  and we stayed in a lodge surrounded by seven volcanoes which sheltered many animals including the much written about mountain gorillas. As you know Dian Fossey fought for the gorillas, losing her own life in the struggle.

The permits are expensive for South Africans: US$ 750 for one hour spent with the animals. But money is returned to the park for guides, guards and families, so of course it is less worth while to poach the gorillas now. [Thoughts for rhinos perhaps?].

Unless you are young and super fit, the hies up and down the volcanoes searching for the gorillas are strenuous and sometimes difficult. However, once you reach the gorillas and spend time with them, theses hardships dissipate as you watch the families interact with one another.

Would we recommend the tour to the gorillas? Without a doubt.

Here are two of David's images. One of a golden monkey and one of two gorillas of the Hirwa family.

 Goldren monkey

Tender moment

Kenya - 2013

The entry into JKIA was easier than expected and after our arrival and collection of luggage we drove to a small new boutique hotel where we enjoyed a much needed breakfast. Off to Wilson airport and the wait for our Kichwa flight. Thank goodness we flew in a larger plane so the camera equipment was not an issue.

We landed at Kichwa and experienced our usual warm welcome, had our luggage loaded onto a vehicle and went on a quick game drive where we enjoyed the golden savannah and large-sky landscapes of the Mara.

The wildebeest had 'left the grasslands' as it had rained in the Serengeti, but we held out hope that the rains would fall again in the Mara. And fall they did. We did managed to see four crossings much to our relief for the guests who hadn't seen them before or hadn't had a chance to in previous years.

David took some exquisite images. Here are a few to enjoy.

 2013 guests

 In flight

 Morning catch

 The boys

Brothers

 Survey

Time to hunt

We again had a most wonderful wildlife experience.

We will celebrate 10 amazing years in the Masai Mara in 2014. We invite you to join us.

16 to 23 August 2014. Please contact us for details.

We return to the Masai Mara

With the excitement of the fire at JKIA in Nairobi, we've been sitting on the edge of our seats waiting for confirmation that all is well in Kenya. Thank goodness we have been given the 'go ahead' to travel and arrive in Kenya next Saturday morning, have breakfast and then fly into the Mara, Kichwa Tembo and meet our friends.

I love photographers. You never quite know what they view from their cameras, each one seeing something just a little different. So I know that I in turn will experience something new each time we go out.

Every year we visit is as if it is the very first time. Rather like Jung who went on safari in the early 1900's we find a new world.

 Hyena cooling off

 Jackal and pups

And of course, a crossing

From the Mara, we fly into Rwanda to explore the land of a thousand hills and hopefully discover a gorilla family or two. 

This is how Jung experienced the Masai Mara: “Grazing, heads nodding, the herds moved forward like slow rivers. This was the stillness of the eternal beginning, the world as it had always been, in the state of non-being; for until then no one had been present to know that it was this world… here I was now, the first human being to recognize that this was the world.

Breaking News: Creative Escapes in Zambia 2014

You may know that David and I visited Zambia and the Luangwa Valley this year. We enjoyed the exploration so much we have organized a Creative Escapes excursion for June 2014.

We will be staying at Thornicroft Lodge which is situated five minutes out of the Luangwa Park and nestles between beautiful trees, a small village with the Luangwa River which flows past languidly. Sightings of elephant, vervet monkeys and even leopard are not unusual.

Luangwa River

The accommodation is rustic but comfortable with an ensuite bathroom, netted windows and mosquito netting to add romance to the hot African nights. Three meals a day are served on the veranda or under the trees. The food is simple and tasty and certainly satisfies hungry guests after a long game drive.

The ranger-drivers are enthusiastic and  informative of the area giving excellent information and now have an understanding of photographers’ needs. The drives are four hours long and begin early morning and return for a brunch and long afternoon relax beside the river. The afternoon game drive extends into a night rive and starts after tea. Guests are taken into the beautiful treed park to ‘hunt’ leopard, lion and other elusive creatures. We will also have the opportunity to view the Thornicroft giraffe, puku and many other antelope. We enjoy sundowners in the park and return home for a quick refresh before drinks and the evening meal.

Luangwa Leopard

David Kelly [the manager] is a wildlife artist and enthusiastic photographer with a deep love of the African bush. He is a gracious host and ensures that all guests are comfortable and well looked after.

After Thornicroft we flew to Livingstone and stayed at the Zambezi Sun where we had unlimited access to the Victoria Falls. This comfortable four star hotel is closest to the falls and is a quick walk to the Zambezi River and Falls where the numerous viewing points give photographers a great advantage for the best photographic opportunities to capture Mosi-o-Tunya, The Smoke that Thunders. The stay in Livingstone also allows plenty of time to relax and explore the river and surrounding area. 

Mosi-o-Tunya

The Creative Escapes tour includes five nights at Thornicroft Lodge and two nights at the Zambezi Sun including international and internal flights. [Johannesburg to Lusaka to Mfuwe to Livingstone and back to Johannesburg]. All accommodation and all meals at Thornicroft. Breakfast at the Zambezi Sun which adds flexibility to the time in Livingstone. 

Cost per person sharing: US$3800.00. A maximum of 10 guests will be accommodated.

We are open for bookings so please contact us should you be interested in joining us for another exceptional wildlife experience in June 2014.

David and Anne-Marie

Creative Escapes - 2013 - the year so far

To realise that it is mid-year already is not just a shock to the system, but an acknowledgement that time is something man-made and cannot be contained. It needs to be accepted as a linear measurement of one's life. Even our young granddaughters in their busy little lives notice the speed of time as they swirl and twirl through school days and weekends in busy social and family-filled weekends.

Both in Creative Escapes where we have a wonderful time traveling during our sabbatical break and in Penfriends Calligraphy Studio, where my students and I prepare for an exhibition to celebrate my thirty years of teaching, I find time simply ceases to be meaningful in the busy-ness of the days.

With travel being so quick, which is of course is relative to the waits at airports or the time it takes us to drive from Johannesburg to whichever destination we have chosen, arrival at a new game park or even country is relatively simple - which makes me think that at last I can understand the mystery of relativity and quantum physics. However, travellers such as we are, still have to negotiate the perils of border posts and officials, avoiding confrontation at all costs.

We have discovered over the years that we are often followed by armed men who throw murky looks at  David's huge 800ml lens which is viewed with great suspicion and is a source of anxiety by these ever vigilant people. Is it a bazooka, a mortar or some other mysterious form of deadly weapon? The only times I can imagine the lens can harm is if it falls on someones foot,  a celebrity hiding away or Joan Rivers wrinkles as she tears the rich and famous apart.

I have learned to ease away at a steady pace, armed with my back pack and David's camera bag and leave the photographer to his own inimitable resources. We also pay the Overweight Levy without argument, for what is a photographer in any wildlife situation without his huge lens. But recently more interesting than anything else, we have discovered that our 'age' works in our favor, for, after all, what damage would two 'old dears' really be able to do? Mmmmm, they haven't seen me weald my backpack yet, have they?

Our first foray of the photographic year began gently with friends Hannetjie and Herman in Dullstroom where we spent a few peaceful days at Walkersons, meandering through the mist and waterways. Long walks and fireplaces could not have been a nicer begin the year.

Misty 

Of course Rose Cottage in the eastern Free State is our constant resource for floral, autumn and landscape photography and we continue to spend as much time there as possible with family and friends. We are continually delighted by the changing scenery and clear light. Lesotho, a mere eight kilometers away always provides an added scene or two. 

Summer Sunflower fields - Eastern Free State

We spent a remarkable few days in the Kalagadi in March where it was so hot the air couldn't move under the fans and the fridges gave up any semblance of cooling. At times we took to our bungalows and lay in wet heaps wondering how the animals kept their cool. At one stage we seriously thought we were melting and temperatures of 45 degrees it seemed possible. The game viewing was disappointing but the wilderness camps were exactly as we expected them to be - remote and wild. 

Kalagadi Blue Sky

Our trip to Zambia, the south Luangwa valley and Livingstone with the falls viewed from the Zambian side has been a highlight. Zambia is a wonderful country with friendly people who seem to care about visitors. It is a beautiful country filled with contrasts, big skies and the awe-inspiring Zambezi River. The Luangwa valley is extremely beautiful with large trees that hold the sky up and rivers that flow wide and slow and animals that range from puku, hyena, elephant, lion and leopard. Wonderful photographic opportunities abounded. 

We stayed at Thornicroft Lodge situated just outside Mfuwe and the park. We were treated to home-cooked meals and great service. David the manager is also an artist and he shared some beautiful art work with us and the other guests. Rodgers our driver guide showed is some special sightings of leopard, my all time favorite cat. A special thank you for not informing me of the spitting cobra outside our bungalow on our last night there.

Little bee eater

We flew from Mfuwe to Livingstone where we viewed and explored the falls from the Zambian side of the Zambezi. The falls are extraordinary. The river was full and it was easy to imagine my great, great grandfather Henry Hartley and his friend Thomas Baines being poled down river those many decades ago, long before Livingstone himself 'made the claim' for queen and country. In both locations David (Moore) captured some special images which may well have made Baines a little envious of our modern technology.

At the Falls

We now gear up for our annual migration to Kenya. We will once again spend a week in the Masai Mara absorbing the atmosphere and excitement of the greatest wildlife show on earth. Our dear friend and client Yvonne will be returning for her fourth tour of the Mara. She is bringing her husband and friends from Australia and England. It will be a happy reunion. Our friends Hannetjie and Sue join us from South Africa, so once again we are fortunate to have a full compliment of guests. 

David and I, together with Sue will fly to Rwanda and then to the volcano parks to trek into the forests to find the golden monkeys and spectacular gorillas. We can't wait for this special adventure. 

In a Masaai Manyatta

As you can see our sabbatical has been far from quiet. Yet even in the apparent swirl of our travels we find time to be silent in our enjoyment and pay tribute to the beauty that surrounds us. 

Most of the images are from my camera taken by me or guides. I will update you when I have some of David's images added so you can enjoy them. 

Exciting News

However much we enjoy travel, sometimes a change is really is as good as a holiday. Elizabeth has re-vamped our website and we think it show-cases David's images well, and shows a new professional look with space for YOUR comments. We also have a facility in place should you wish to purchase any of David's images.

Made holiday plans 2013? We have managed to secure another two tents in the Masai Mara as our initial quota was taken by a group from Australia and England immediately we opened bookings. If you are keen to join us from 17 - 24 August in the Masai Mara Kenya please contact me immediately.

David and I had a wonderful time in Dullstroom and after extremely warm weather David had the mist we hoped for. We managed to fit in some good long walks, wonderful drives and illusive mist.

We next travel down to the north coast of Kwa-Zulu Natal which will be a welcome change and have spontaneously booked a trip the the Kalagadi at the end of February which will be another 'remember-when' trip. We often traveled there with parents and children and look forward to seeing the beautiful dunes, animals and new facilities.

The photographer in his element [taken with my iPhone]

In March we visit the Free State for a weekend of cosmos and landscapes and April of course shows the Eastern Free State dressed in Autumn. 

Another reminder that the Mara bookings close soon. For enquiries and bookings please contact me. Please make comments on the website if you think the change is great.