The Lion King

Getting up at 4:30am is always a struggle but after the excitement of the Lions and Rhino yesterday we all soon perked up and made our way to the safari jeep for our guided expedition. Although it was still completely dark you could already hear the chatter of nearby monkeys and birds waking up to the day ahead. It was also surprisingly cold – I was glad I remembered to bring my big hoody for warmth!

For the first hour or so we saw very little, it was still dark and all we had to scan the areas surrounding the roads were a couple of spotlights. All you could hope for was the reflection of a pair of eyes looking back at you. I was secretly hoping for the Leopard to finally make an appearance but the odds were incredibly low. We did manage to spot a Hyena and another Elephant up early so it wasn’t too bad in the dark.

The savannah really started to come alive as the sun inched its way above the horizon with the bright orange sun bringing a golden glow to everything it touched. As we slowly made our way down another quiet road we spotted a couple more White Rhino off in the distance. The beautiful beast have a strangle hold on our attention and no-one seems to notice what is lying on the road just basking in the early morning sunshine about 100m away. Even our guide is too busy explaining how rare the White Rhino is to realise that we have a Lioness waiting for us up ahead!

We slowly pull up alongside the female and soon realise she is accompanied by another Lioness perfectly camouflaged by the long grass next to the road. Both look amazing in the early morning sun and it is clear that they must have just got up also with the amount of huge yawns each one is taking! I’m glad I wasn’t the only one who suffers getting up early!

We take our time just sitting metres away from both creatures just watching every little movement and flap of their long tails. They stare back at us no doubt wondering what all the excited whispers and camera clicks are for. Before long they grow tired of us staring at them and decide it must be time to go off and grab a few Impala or maybe a Wildebeest for breakfast – there’s certainly no shortage of either in the Kruger!

The highlight of the afternoon was definitely when we sat watching a crocodile stalk a herd of Zebra as they tried to quench their thirst at the waterhole in the 40 degree heat. It felt like a scene out of Animal Planet as we waited holding our breath as the Croc inched closer and closer to the to the Zebra brave enough to take their eyes off the rippling water. I couldn’t decide whether I wanted to see the Crocodile make a kill or whether I wanted the ‘Barcode Horses’ to survive!

In the end the Crocodile gave himself away and frightened away the Zebra before he could get close enough to take a bite – he would have to go hungry for a few more hours at least.

The Kruger Park is a truly magical place; a real life Disneyland. The whole experience, from staying in the mud ‘Rondawel’ (huts) to watching the King of the Jungle munching on his Giraffe ribs, was truly a once in a lifetime experience. I would recommend it to anyone who has the chance to go and if you can spend a night or two in the park camps then that will only add to the experience!

Up tomorrow is the long drive down to Durban where hopefully I should be able to crack out my board shorts and get some surfing lessons in the Indian Ocean and turn my pasty white skin into a healthy bronze glow!

RMC x

The Hunt for the Big Five

Kruger Park, South Africa

The Big Five:

Lion, Rhino, Buffalo, Leopard & Elephant.

Getting to see the Big Five was the main aim when we entered the Kruger Park from the Phubeni Gate at 9am on Wednesday morning. Although, in all honesty I would have settled for any one of them! The temperature was already soaring into the mid-twenties by the time the permits were signed and we had passed through the gate into the biggest game reserve in Southern Africa. To put things into perspective, the Kruger is bigger than Wales. I figured spotting a Lion would be pretty much like trying to find a needle in a haystack!

It didn't take long for us to spot our first wildllife when we entered the park although I bet you couldn't guess what we saw first.....trundling alongside the car as approached the first bridge was a tiny tortoise. Not the most ferocious of animals but it got us excited for the 9hr trek which lay ahead!

It's hard to put into words just how vast the Kruger Park is. You can drive for hours without seeing another car or any animals of note. However, the most common animal that you do come across is the Impala or the Kudu which graze on the savannah or in the shade of the small trees near the roads. We were lucky enough to spot a few males tussling with their long lyre shaped horns to battle for the affection of the nearby females. I'm pretty sure they would have needed a few nurofen afterwards for the battering that they took that's for sure.

The first member of the Big Five that we managed to spot was not far off in the distance as we had originally expected to see them. Driving round a bend slowly I saw a small tree being violently shaken. Thinking that it was monkeys or a large bird we slowed down. Luckily for us it turned out to be a small Bull Elephant having a spot of breakfast! He couldn't have been more than 5 metres from our car and I swear he was even posing for us when we got our cameras out!

After spotting Nellie we managed to get ona bit of a hot-streal for spotting the mammals in the park. Now I would like to take some credit for this and say that it was down to our expertise and judgement but I am reliably infomed that it is pretty much all down to luck and good timing. I always have been lucky!!

Giraffe

Crocodiles

Zebra

Baboons

Warthogs (Aka Pumba)

Water Buffalo

Hippos

& Even More Elephants...

So by this point the day was starting to close in; we had spotted 2 of the Big Five and figured we had done pretty well on our first viit to te park. However, as we were starting to make our way to the Satara Basecamp for the night we came across thre cars parked up on the side of the road with camera lenses all pointed towards a tree teeming with vulures. This could mean only one thing....a Kill!

The first animal we saw was a beautiful lioness slowly making her way towards the car before she decided to curl up in the long grass for a quick nap. A few metres away we finally noticed the two large males feasting on the ribs od what looked like a small giraffe.

We sat watching the two males for at least an hour. I couldn't peel my eyes away from them whilst they we licking the meat off the bones using their big pink tongues or crushing the bones completely with their huge jaws. The surprising part was how completely at ease they were with their audience as they finished their dinner (or tea depending on where you're from!) just metres from my position in the front seat of the car.

As soon as we mentioned the word hyena in the car we suddenly noticed a single small hyena emerge from the undergrowth. Not one to miss out on a free meal he circled round the cars to try and spot an opening. Unfortunately with 3 Lions in the way the poor guy didn't stand a chance!

With the night closing in further still and our memory cards almost full we decided to make a late dash for the camp. Our spotting list had already been shortened, with only two more suspects on the list. The rare white Rhino and the shy and evasive Leopard. Surely tomorrow would not be as lucky as today?!

It turned out that there was still another shock in store for us before we got back to the camp. Just a couple of kilometres from the camp entrance my brother pointed to what looked like a large grey boulder in the distance. I would point out that over the previous 9hrs we had developed a skill which consisted of our eyes convincing our brains that everything rock we saw was an elephant or every log a lion. However, as we got closer I began to share my brother's excitement. Stood just 30 metres or so away was the rare white Rhino standing proudly on its own whilst muching on a late evening snack! We couldn't believe our luc*......skill!

So with 4/5 spotted after just one day surely the early morning safari tomorrow can't bring any more surprises? A 4:45am start won't be the most fun but I'll let you know if it was worth it tomorrow....

RMC x

Returning Home & A Bit of Monkey Business

I'm not sure I knew what to expect after nearly 25 years away. South Africa has gone through so many changes I'm pretty sure my parents weren't sure what to expect either! It all seems to have a sense of familiarity to them but is probably more like trying to remember a dream the morning after rather than returning home. A quarter of a century is a long time after all!

After a monster of a 'red-eye' flight to Johannesburg (via Doha!) we spent the day looking at all the places my brother and I could have called home as toddlers. A trip to the family home was a real eye-opener. The picture I had built up in my mind's eye from photographs and hazy memories bore little resemblance to this quiet street in front of me. The house now had 6ft brick walls and electric gates surrounding it - far from the open garden new-build my parents bought as their first house.

Unfortunately we only spend 24hrs in Jo'burg but this was for a reason. As we head out of the city towards what was previously known as Eastern Transvaal it soon became clear. Africa is famous for the dominating scenery and wildlife. Even service stations have small viewing ports looking over watering holes filled with White Rhino and Buffalo - it sure beats Newport Pagnell on the M1 that's for sure!!

After a picturesque 3hr drive we arrive at our base for the next two nights. The Chestnut Country Lodge is based just outside of Hazyview on the outskirts of the Kruger Park in the Lowfelds. The lodge is separated into holiday bungalows with some of the most spectacular views I've ever seen. Things get even better when it turns out that I have no need for an alarm on the first morning. Instead we are woken by a troop of monkeys which live in the nearby hills when they wander into the lodge grounds before being chased off by the owners dogs! Tomorrow I'm definitely going to get up a bit earlier to get a few photos of them before we head off for the day.

If the first 48hrs are anything to go by my camera is going to be busy over the next 3 weeks!!

RMC x

Back to the beginning....

So I thought I would take a look back to where it all began and post a few of my blogs from my original trips, starting with the blog that won me the job in the first place!

“You don’t have to come from Harlem to be a Globetrotter.”

Judgement Day 21-07-2009

I’ve never jumped out of a plane but I’m pretty sure the range of emotions you would experience is very similar to the surreal day I’ve had.  The moment you leave the plane your life changes forever; I’m stood at the open door waiting for my opportunity to jump. My heart is pounding, my hands are clammy and my stomach is tied up in a knot that I never learnt in Cub scouts!

Back in reality I’m still suffering from the heart palpitations and sweaty palms but rather than a plane doorway, I found myself in the reception of the Head Office for lastminute.com. Sitting alongside me are the other shortlisted participants; the nervous smiles and cautious introductions all hide the fact that sitting upstairs is a group of people who can effectively change our lives.

Waiting upstairs for us was the film crew and what can only be described as the ‘Dragons Den’. The ‘Shocking Pink’ branding surrounded us as we each took it in turns to answer the interview questions to the camera. Now, it might be just me - but when you’re told not to look at the camera during an interview - what do you do find yourself doing every few seconds? You look at the camera! Stupid brain!

Struggling through each question becomes a blur, all I want is to be the one in a million that gets the job. Refreshments are brought out to us and I gulped down the water. No one touches the food; I can barely speak let alone eat!

For what feels like a lifetime, we loiter around waiting for our 10 minutes in front of the panel.  Tom, our host for the day, is busy rushing around and lets me know that I’m up second. Inside, my mind is racing. What sort of person are they looking for? What if my mind goes blank when I’m asked a question?

Finally my time comes, I follow Tom through the LastMinute offices with what feels like hundreds of eyes following my every move. Entering the panel room is an experience in itself; I half expect to see Sir Alan or Peter Jones waiting for me. What followed can only be described as a Spanish Inquisition of epic proportions. I had never really thought about what my favourite ‘road trip’ movie was or whom I would most want as a celebrity friend.  I just hope President Obama doesn’t reject my friend request on Facebook!

And then suddenly as if I blinked too fast the interview was over. Leaving the room to smiles helps to raise the weight of expectation I had placed on my own shoulders. I wandered back through to the waiting room and realize; I’m back in that plane doorway again. Now the wait begins. Suddenly, the knot is back in my stomach and my heart rate is rising.

 

Will I get the chance to jump?

 

After I won the job I had to go for a photoshoot in a mansion in Cobham, Surrey (where all the Chelsea players live). It was a weird experience being treated as 'the talent' and I also managed to ruin a £300 suit in the swimming pool but it did produce some cool pics for the newspapers!

 

 

 

Return of the Globetrotter...

With a 3 week trip to South Africa coming up I thought I might give this blogging malarky another go. I don't profess to know exactly what I'm talking about but I'm stupid enough to give pretty much anything a go so it should prove to be a pretty entertaining few weeks!

For those that don't know, my first foray into the world of blogging was quite succesful. Somehow, I managed to convince the beautiful people at www.lastminute.com to let me represent them as a travel writer and travel round the world for them (Check out this article in the Daily Mail).

Although that feels like a lifetime ago, I still undoubtedly have the travel bug. My most recent trip was a long weekend across to the channel to Paris, France. Although most would spend their time visiting the Eiffel Tower or famous museums like the Louvre, my time was spent quite differently!

This year was the 10th birthday of the most unique festival I have ever had the pleasure of attending. Rock En Seine 2012 was my third visit to the festival and was by far my favourite of the bunch. Each year I seem to convince more and more friends how good it is and the travelling group is growing each time. This year we were entertained by musical heavyweights GreenDay, Ed Sheeran, and the omnipotent Noel Gallagher. Rock En Seine may not have the packed line up that some of the British festivals can offer but it does come with other benefits. Firstly, its cheap. A 3 day pass costs around £100 and you can get there from as little as £69 return. Secondly, its bang in the centre of Paris. Not a field on the outskirts of Warrington, Reading or Leeds. This is Paris! There is something about being overlooked by the Eiffel Tower that adds a bit more culture to a hedonistic weekend!

My favourite part of the festival is that its set in the grounds of the Parc De Saint Cloud. There is none of this knee deep mud and human waste to worry about - the biggest concern is simply how to spend your morning whilst the day-trip crowds begin to pour in. In our case, it was normally a trip to one of the local supermarkets to stock up on alcohol and food for the day followed by lazing around in the sunshine listening to the smaller warm up acts with a big smile on our faces.

 

 Don't let the sunshine and relaxed surroundings fool you. Once the sun goes down the party really kicks in! It doesn't stop until the early hours (I think I had approx 3/4hrs sleep each night!) with a separate DJ tent for those camping on the grounds and plenty of private raves going on people's tents when they manage to make the walk back through the grounds! The only downside for me was the lack of Jagermeister behind the bar - i trust that will be rectified for my visit in 2013!

Either way, all thats left to say is how much I recommend your next trip to Paris coincides with this yearly event. Don't make it too well known though - we wouldn't want it to be ruined by too many Brits bringing the dodgy weather with them!

 

Rock En Seine 2012

RMC x