Freddy our expert tracker at Sabi Sabi takes a break from our incessant questions.


GUIDED BY OUR SKILLED SABI SABI TRACKER, WE FOLLOW A LEOPARD THROUGH AFRICAN BUSH

Trackers in general have a highly specialized skill.  They can follow the spoor (tracks) of animals as they make their way across game paths, through sand, or even in the bush where vines twist in an impenetrable curtain and the ground is covered in a dense mat of leaves.

The lightest imprint of a tiny hoof, a sapling broken at its base and trampled, a steaming mound of dung, the tracker sees it all.  He reads a story about the bush that we lesser mortals miss entirely.

Freddy's talent was not limited to defining ground spoor.  In poor light, he picked up the movement of a Rainbow Skink, a small lizard with a turquoise blue head,and shoulders tapering to a body of burnt orange and a tail of pale salmon.  As we passed, the tiny creature circled furtively around a branch.

In the darkening bush we saw a civet cat slip ghostlike into the undergrowth and heard the call of a Black-headed Oriele.  Bruce stopped the Land Rover close to three bull buffalo as they grazed, snorted and rubbed huge bony bosses on tree trunks.  A kudu buck and doe, considered by many to be the most beautiful of the African buck, rubbed against each other affectionately.  More than a game viewing this was a complete wilderness experience.

At a Silver Cluster Leaf tree Bruce broke off a small branch spreading the end with his fingernail.  "It makes a very good toothbrush" he said and held it out for me to try.  The leaves from the same tree if crushed and rubbed on exposed skin are an excellent insect repellant.

With the approach of evening a cool whispery breeze preceded a roll of thunder. Then, like an actress taking the stage, a leopard hove into view. She appeared not to see us although I didn't believe that for a minute. Instead she padded purposefully along the dirt track, her marvellous spotted coat rippling and glistening with the flow of her powerful muscles. He long white-tipped tail curled up at the end to protect its snowy extremity swung rhythmically from side to side as she walked.  We followed, the Land Rover's headlights lighting the way.

Leaving the road, the leopard, like a queen leading her courtiers, set off over tangled roots, broken tree stumps and across rockstrewn terrain. At a waterhole she crouched, lapped her fill, rubbed her body against the rough bark of a tree, marked the spot with a well placed squirt of urine, then turned.  One moment she was with us, the next she vanished.
More to follow ...

Images copyright Anne Gordon

Posted by Anne Gordon on Saturday, 20th November, 2010

Lion family enjoying the lazy days of summer

IN SABI SABI, SUNDOWNERS BY MOONLIGHT AND AN ENCOUNTER WITH A LION FAMILY

Night falls swiftly in Africa.  Under a deep indigo sky where the splash of the milky way shimmers in its bed of starlight, more brilliant for the lack of extraneous light, Bruce stopped the Land Rover for sundowners.  He unpacked a picnic hamper stuffed with  beer, wine, Scotch and a delicious drink called 'Amarula' made from Marula berries and cream.  Baboons and elephants are known to become intoxicated when eating these tasty berries when they fall from the tree and start fermenting.  Then a selection of crisps and biltong (dried salted meat much like American jerky) was laid out on the front of the Land Rover.  Sundowners by moonlight with the mysterious sounds of an African night all around us.  It was magical.

The following morning, up bright and early, we came upon two giraffes feeding on an acacia tree at the side of the road.  Wrapping thick grey tongues around branches and twigs they stripped away the foliage and finger length thorns, then  crunched and swallowed the prickly mass.  While their hosts browsed, tiny chocolate coloured oxpeckers tiptoed up and down three foot long necks nibbling and probing for ticks.

"Now for the lions" said Gunther, one of our  companions.  Gunther was quite obsessed with seeing a lion.  And then, as if by magic, Freddy picked up the pugmarks of the giant cats. 

Closeby, in an open space were two beautiful lionesses surrounded by seven cubs of varying age.  The females, with coats the colour of caramel that blended with the sand and dried leaves in their resting place dozed, whilst their cubs tumbled in play around them.  For an hour, like silent watchers at a wake, we sat no more than 15 feet from the group with Freddy keeping guard from his exposed perch.

Just 24 hours later, cocooned in the quiet sterile world of South African Airways Flight 201, I gazed down upon the skyline of New York and my thoughts drifted back to the sound of wind rustling through dried grass and the hiccup of a lion cub as it suckled at its mother's breast.

Images copyright Anne Gordon

Posted by Anne Gordon on Saturday, 20th November, 2010

A rose for a royal romance

ST ANDREWS, SCOTLAND, WHERE WILLIAM MET KATE AND ROMANCE BLOSSOMED


St Andrews in Scotland is already world-famous as the Home of Golf and now, as Prince William and Kate Middleton announce their engagement, it seems the coastal town where the couple met can also claim to be the home of romance.

The small town with a big reputation is already a holiday hit all over the world, attracting more than half a million visitors every year. It is hoped the royal romance will once again put St Andrews in the international spotlight and remind potential visitors just how much Scotland has to offer.

St. Andrews, a great wedding and honeymoon destination for romantics

Fiona Stewart, Senior International PR Manager for VisitScotland, said, “St Andrews is already known throughout the world as a must-visit destination for golfers but could also now be tipped as both a wedding and honeymoon destination.”

“We hope now to see an even greater increase in visitors coming to this magical coastal town for its many other great attributes, from the first class accommodation available to the romantic backdrops of St Andrews castle, cathedral and beautiful beaches.”

“We also hope that William and Kate have a magical and memorable time when the big day arrives, while we can certainly recommend a romantic Scottish getaway to visit some of their old haunts.”

Play golf on hallowed turf in St. Andrews

William and Kate met while studying at St Andrews University, Scotland’s oldest university, which attracts students from all over the globe. Yet St Andrews already boasts a sizeable worldwide reputation, not least due to its enviable title as the Home of Golf.

The St Andrews Royal and Ancient Golf Club first met here in the spiritual home of golf in 1754, though it was first played here as early as the 15th century. The Old Course, most famous of the town's seven courses, is redolent of images of the world's greatest golfers at the British Open Championship down the years, while visitors can even play on the hallowed turf.

St. Andrews University, Prince William and Kate's alma mater

St. Andrews University, founded in 1410, dominates the centre of town. The elegant, ivy-clad buildings and delightful quadrangles and gardens have seen a procession of famous graduates, including, of course, Prince William. The future king may have graduated, but St Andrews is still one of the top universities in Britain, often compared to Oxford and Cambridge for its defining presence and the feel it gives the town.

The medieval centre of St Andrews, with its narrow alleys and cobbled streets, leads to the now ruined cathedral (once the largest in Scotland) and the adjacent church of St Regulus, where climbing the spiral staircase to the top of a 108-foot tower leads to magnificent views of the town and its surroundings.

Blog courtesy VisitScotland

Photo copyright Anne Gordon

Posted by Anne Gordon on Friday, 19th November, 2010

A rose for a royal romance

A ROYAL ROMANCE, PRINCE WILLIAM AND KATE MIDDLETON IN ST. ANDREWS

St Andrews has many great visitor attractions and two fantastic great beaches. While living in St Andrews, Prince William and Kate Middleton were known to have:


Walked along St Andrews stunning West Sands.
The West Sands has gained world fame from the movie "Chariots of Fire". In the opening scene, as the British Olympic team is training, they run along the West Sands. The West Sands beach is one of the top rated beaches in Scotland. At its northern end lies the estuary of the river Eden, which was at one time a shipping port. At the southern end lies the town.

Taken time out from studies to relax in Ma Bell’s Bar
St Andrews Golf Hotel
40 The Scores, St Andrews, Fife, Scotland
Chic and stylish boutique town house hotel, featuring a variety of room types commanding spectacular views over St Andrews bay and links. Featuring award winning 'number forty' restaurant serving the finest local produce, and William’s favourite haunt, the famous Ma Bells Bar.
http://www.standrews-golf.co.uk/

Regularly taken time to view the stunning architecture of the old town at St Andrews Castle and Cathedral
St Andrews Castle
The Scores, St Andrews, Fife
The ruins of the castle of the Archbishops of St Andrews, dating in part from the 13th century. Notable features include the 'bottle-dungeon' and mine and counter-mine tunnelled during the siege in 1546. These siege works are the finest of their kind in Europe. A fascinating exhibition in the visitor centre brings the history of the castle and cathedral to life.
T: +44 (1334) 477196
http://www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/

St Andrews Cathedral
The Pends, St Andrews, Fife
The remains of the largest cathedral in Scotland. The precinct walls are particularly well preserved. The Cathedral Museum houses an outstanding collection of early and later medieval sculpture and other relics found on the site, including the magnificent St Andrews Sarcophagus of Pictish date. St Rule's Tower, in the precinct, is part of the first church of the Augustinian canons at St Andrews built in the early 12th century.
T: +44 (1334) 472563
http://www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/

For more information on your trip to Scotland visit http://www.cometoscotland.com/

Photo copyright Anne Gordon

Posted by Anne Gordon on Friday, 19th November, 2010

Glamis Castle, Scotland

CHRISTMAS FESTIVITIES AND CELEBRATIONS IN SCOTLAND

Scotland becomes a special place at Christmas as the festive sparkle and decorations light up the winter skies across the country. Events, festivals and celebrations abound throughout Scotland, from Edinburgh, Perth and Dumfries, to Glasgow, St Andrews and Inverness, as the country gets ready for the seasonal festivities.

The Story of Christmas at Stirling Castle

Stirling, 5 and 12 December (12.30 - 15.30) 2010

Enjoy a new version of one of the most original Christmas shows around. In a series of amusing presentations, an ensemble cast will take you from pagan times up to the 1980’s, highlighting how Christmas has been celebrated through the centuries.
http://www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/

Christmas Carols at Edinburgh Castle


Edinburgh, 12 December 2010

Enjoy a selection of Christmas favourites in the magnificent surroundings of Edinburgh Castle’s Great Hall (1pm, 2pm, 3pm). http://www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/

Blog courtesy of Visit Scotland
Photo copyright Glamis Castle, Scotland
Posted by Anne Gordon on Thursday, 18th November, 2010

Zebra killed and feasted on by lions in Hwange National Park

THE DEMISE OF A ZEBRA; THE HARSH REALITY OF WILD AFRICA IN HWANGE NATIONAL PARK, ZIMBABWE

During my youth when I was a game warden in Hwange, Africa's largest game park in Zimbabwe, I came across a vivid illustration of how life is lived and lost among wild animals in Africa.

My companions and I, with four pack donkeys to carry our supplies, were trekking through the  bush looking to apprehend poachers.  Our way was through tall grass, Yellow-wood trees and dense patches of scrubby plant life.

As we pushed our way forward a low threatening growl to our right alerted us to imminent danger.  The aggresors, if you could call them that, were five corpulent lions lazing beneath a lone tree.  They appeared fully sated, stomachs bulging and in a state of inertia

Thankfully, their inactivity save for the growl appeared to be a harsh signal of peace rather than a death threat, so we continued on another 200 yards with rifles on the ready should they decide to press their advantage and attack.

Emerging into an open space, we quickly noticed that a ferocious fracas had taken place shortly before.  The lions had tackled, killed and eaten almost a whole zebra.  Bursting through the bush we startled 20 or so vultures that rose in a flurry of feathers and squawks from a carcass picked clean leaving only the zebra's head intact.  It was obvious that the vultures had beaten the hyeanas to the kill, but the hyeanas, ever ravenous, would pick up the scent soon enough.

Blog courtesy of James Gordon

Posted by Anne Gordon on Thursday, 18th November, 2010

Oxford's Radcliffe Camera on a snowy day

ENJOY A CHRISTMAS EXPERIENCE IN OXFORD, ENGLAND

The University city of Oxford and the County of Oxfordshire are wonderful places to spend Christmas.

Throughout the festive season both visitors and residents can join in the excitement of Oxford, a world-class city, with its theatres, music, and bustling crowds as well as enjoy a warm welcome at events in Oxfordshire's market towns and villages. There's a huge range of places to eat, drink, be merry - and stay the night - all within easy reach. And to walk off any over-indulgence there's the rolling Cotswold and Ironstone hills to explore - plus 11 long-distance footpaths through some of England's most attractive countryside.



Oxford Morris Men ready to dance

Oxford lights up on Friday 26 November when the annual Light Night event hosts two processions, one a spectacular parade of children's willow lanterns, the other a shimmering promenade of bells, chimes and grand chorales. Traditional games for children are on offer at the Museum of Oxford and festive stories at the Oxford Playhouse. Exciting lighting effects transform the University and Pitt Rivers Museums, a magical backcloth for music and dancing, while older children and adults will relish a spooky lamplight tour of creepy Oxford Castle.

Further details on all winter and Christmas festivities can be found at: http://www.visitoxfordandoxfordshire.com/whats-on/Christmas2010.aspx

Blog courtesy of Visit Oxfordshire
Photos copyright Anne Gordon
Posted by Anne Gordon on Thursday, 18th November, 2010