African Safari

One of the pitfalls of traveling on a RTW (‘round the world) airline ticket is that you must fly on one airline only or one of its alliance partners. Thus, chances are that you may not be able to fly direct to your next stop. Sadly, we were forced to fly from Sao Paolo through Paris, France before connecting to Johannesburg, South Africa. We had a 5-hour layover in Paris and a very long flight back down to the southern hemisphere.

We took a small plane from J-burg to our lodge near Kruger National Park, where we were greeted on the landing strip with fresh juice and ice cold washcloths. Another hour and we were in the middle of The Bush.

We decided to spoil ourselves on safari and stayed at the Singita Private Game Reserve - Lobombo lodge. Words cannot describe the warmth and attentiveness of the staff. On safari, you develop close relationships with your Ranger and Tracker. They are charged with taking you through the park in a open air vehicle, and locating all the animals you wish to see. The Big 5-- safari speak for Lion, Leopard, Rhinoceros, Elephant, Buffalo – was a tall order but our team’s intuition and experience led us to all 5 and more.

On our first morning drive, we discovered the Lion’s Pride- 21 LIONS! This was a jackpot indeed. It was remarkable (albeit scary!) to see them so close to our vehicle. We were surrounded by unbelievable beauty and wildlife. The rangers and trackers have grown up in the Bush and we were fascinated by how they were able to scoop up a handful of dirt, determine the direction of the wind, and lead us straight to the elephants. Shepard (our trusted ranger) and Johnson (senior tracker) were brilliant. Leopards are extremely difficult to spot but after offroading up to the tops of the rocky mountain sides, we found our magnificent leopard. The jungle around him was all but silent, as birds and neighboring prey warned one another of his presence. He was beautiful, graceful, and quite frightening to watch from a near distance.

Every morning, we awoke at 5 a.m. with the sunrise, drove for several hours, and did it all over again at 4 p.m. Everyone in the Bush is just as excited to see wild game as the first-timers. They never tire of the chase or the observance of game life. It was fantastic to talk with Shepard, and learn about his personal history and path. He is someone we will remember and talk about for a long time.

On one of our final days, we stumbled upon three ‘preoccupied’ lions – one male and two females. We were fortunate enough to witness the mating rituals of these lions, as well as a complicated dance of seduction between the younger female and older female lions who were vying for the king’s attention. We got it on video! At first, it felt intrusive but they really didn’t seem me to mind our presence.

After our 4 days, I’m sad to leave the Bush. I never thought of myself as a diehard animal lover, but you just can’t help but get caught up in all the glory and mystique. The animals bear so much resemblance to humans. Besides the aforementioned mating episode, we saw baboons peeling and eating exotic fruits in the same manner as we do. The elephants walk together, protecting the youngest of the group by placing her in the middle – just as we do.

I probably sound like a broken record, but we must return here as well. It was truly one of the greatest experiences of my life and I enjoyed every second of it. The photos fill in the blanks…

Natal (Northern Brazil)

In doing research about Brazil, we decided to see the North part of the country. We heard from Argentines that Natal was a relatively up-and-coming paradise on earth. It has not yet become a large tourist destination and it’s known for its pure sandy beaches and sand dunes. By now, we’ve picked up a few words in Portuguese but find ourselves using Spanish more than anything. Our hotel, Ponto do Madeira, informed us that we are the first North Americans to visit the hotel in 2 years! From the hotel, we climbed down a couple hundred steps to reach the sand – fine, soft, and creamy white. The water was warmer than bathwater!

We spent 4 days bodysurfing, reading, and staring at the beautiful star-filled skies at night. It was the first time I remembered looking up at the sky and really observing the stars. In 5 minutes, we witnessed three shooting stars. I had an epiphany in Natal. There is so much beauty around us (especially Santa Monica) but over the past several years, working and living an impatient life, I cannot recall looking at the stars once! I hope that I recall such glimpses of clarity once we’ve settled back in LA, juggling our busy schedules, and falling back into old habits. For now, I’m more relaxed than I have been in a long time… After a quick layover in Sao Paolo, we are off to SOUTH AFRICA!

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Everywhere we went, people were warning us of the dangers in Rio. We have read about the violence in recent years, but it was unbelievable how many people gave cautionary advice when we told them that we were planning to visit Rio. One guy told us to be wary of taxis that drive through tunnels. He said that gang members close off both ends of the tunnel and rob everyone inside! Thankfully, we faced no problems in Rio and noticed police on virtually every corner.

We were particularly excited about Rio because our friends from home, Mark and Vic, were joining us there. Another great friend, Lisa, was unable to make it to Rio at the last minute and she was greatly missed. Dear Lisa, if it’s any consolation, the weather was hardly beach-friendly and it rained throughout our stay. We only had one full day on the sand.

One of the most extraordinary characteristics of Rio is the dramatic juxtaposition of giant rock formations outlining the beautiful beaches and city streets. Rio was lively and throbbing with energy. We heard native drumming morning and night (there were raves at the beach after sunset) and despite the rain, we managed to see many of the sites – Ipanema Beach (you’ve all heard the song, ‘Girl from Ipanema’), Copacabana (no relation to Barry Manilow’s song that I still can’t get out of my head), and Corcovado (overlooking all of Rio). Mark and Vic’s friendly faces were the first familiar ones we had seen on our journey around the world. We had a blast spending time with them, purchasing local art, and exploring the town together. Additionally, we reconnected with the couple we met in Bariloche, Argentina. They invited us to dinner with their family and welcomed us into their home. We hope to return the favor when their adorable daughter makes her way to California.

Buzios, Brazil

Brazil was our the last stop on the South American continent. The moment you enter Brazil, you see bright colors everywhere – homes, streets, fashion, and the natural topography.

We decided to start in Buzios, a quaint fisherman’s village that Bridgett Bardot popularized in the ‘60s (they pay homage to her everywhere). The water was spectacularly blue, the surrounding trees popped in dynamic shades of green, and the rocks were deep reddish brown. Buzios’ center was set in cobblestone and there were dozens and dozens of restaurants and bikini shops to visit as you made your way through the downtown area. Our hotel, Casas Barancas, was perched directly over the water and the view was stunning, particularly during sunset. We met a couple from South Africa (currently residing in Australia) and rented a buggie to two of the 23 beaches in Buzios. Our new friends, Tracy and David, were traveling to similar cities in South America and so we swapped stories and will see them in Sydney later in March. It’s funny- there are so few English speakers traveling through Brazil that I think finding people who understand your language is recipe for instant friendship. We found we have a tremendous amount in common with them and look forward to keeping in touch.

Farewell Argentina

While planning this 8-month journey around the globe, we wanted to really immerse ourselves in a different (preferably Spanish-speaking) culture. Argentina seemed our best choice (can’t beat the exchange rate!) and our intuition proved accurate. Though we struggled with the language at first, I recall words of a former colleague in times of mental difficulty (i.e. inadequate revenue growth). “Push yourself. Make yourself uncomfortable.” With that same spirit, we survived. We ordered off Spanish menus, we learned the ‘vos’ tense spoken in Argentina alone, and we phoned for taxis regularly– always with a silent prayer that they would actually show up! Incidentally, don’t even think about driving a car in B.A. Not even your best NYC cabbie could keep up with the Argentinean taxi drivers. There are no rules. Pedestrians have no rights. The lines on the roads mean nothing.

It goes without saying the steak will be missed. I know I speak for myself when I say that I am strongly considering conversion to Vegetarianism upon our departure. I can’t fathom going back to the tough stuff. The culinary experience overall was a lovely surprise. I could go on and on about the steak, but I think you get the point. In all seriousness, while the steak is phenomenal, Argentina is much more than good cows-- wonderful people, great architecture, fantastic nightlife, very good museums, and great wine.

Final Thoughts

Leaving your safety zone is not easy, and there are certainly moments of longing for peanut butter and good quality sushi, but being away from the comforts of home has also been surprisingly liberating. I have already disposed of some of the clothes and toiletries I originally packed for the trip, and slowly, I find myself becoming more and more of a minimalist. By the time we reach India, I may be down to a duffle bag.

As we sit on the plane to Brazil, we vow to return to Argentina again, perhaps with our children (if for no other reason than its fine qualiy beef).

Hasta Luego Argentina!

Iguazu Falls

Our final excursion within Argentina was to Iguazu Falls. Often compared to Niagara Falls in Canada, Iguazu borders Argentina and Brazil and is said to be far more magnificent. We spent only 2 nights in Iguazu (which is plenty since it’s a small town centered on the park) and our hotel (Sheraton Iguazu) was actually located within the park itself.

After a short hike, we took a quick boat ride (more like a raft, really) around the Falls where our captain steered us directly underneath the waterfall several times to be assured that his passengers would not walk away with dry clothing. We were pleasantly (it was hot that day) drenched. We then took a small train to ‘La Garganta del Diablo’ – aka. The devil’s throat. The sheer beauty and absolute power of the Falls were overwhelming. Looking at the magnificent sheets of rushing water, I half expected the heavens to part and swallow us whole. It was a truly spiritual experience and moments after arriving at the ‘throat’ (a circular formation of the waterfalls), it began to rain.

Thus, Nature provided an appropriate close to our time in Argentina. As we walked across a bridge to catch the train back to our hotel, we encountered our very first celebrity on the voyage. Passing us on the bridge with his entourage (his wife) we found John Lithgow (from ‘Third Rock from the Sun’) braving the rain toward the devil’s throat. Oddly enough, other tourists (Argentinean and Brazilian alike) had spotted him as well. I guess celebrity really is cross cultural for some. By the way, he lives in LA.

And with that, we returned to B.A. for our final two nights. Can you believe it? Our 6 weeks in the country of mouth-watering steak have come to an end. Sensing an uncomfortable goodbye to the superior beef, we made dinner reservations from our hotel in Iguazu at our favorite Parilla (grill) for the best steak in Buenos Aires. Cabana Las Lilas will provide us with our last Argentinean meal. It is all too much to bear for Lee.