Elephant Videos - Part 3

It is evident by the big smiles that Martin loved walking Marula!  He loved her bold personality and the leadership traits she demonstrated.  Marula "adopted" Thandi (who was injured) when she arrived to the facility and never leaves her side; she always stays with her to care for her, and the two are never seen apart.

Snacks such as apples, sweet potatoes, and oranges are fed to the elephants after the walk.

Marula and Thandi take a drink of water before heading out to join the rest of the herd.

Elephant Videos - Part 2

The elephant guides had the elephants demonstrate tricks they can do on command.  I wasn't ready with my video camera and missed capturing Marula kneeling down on one knee.  (I did catch her standing up.)  I was ready for Thandi to blow and the third one to shake her ears (sorry, I cannot remember her name, but she favored children).

Elephant Videos - Part 1

Christine and Thandi, whom she loved.  Thandi is so sweet-natured, gentle, shy, and the "pet" of bold matriarch, Marula.  The guides told us that Marula "adopted" injured Thandi when she arrived, and the two stick together all of the time; they are never seen apart.

Christine gives Thandi snacks after walking her.

Cheetah Videos - Part 4

Near the end of the walk, we switched cheetahs with the Israeli couple that was on the tour and walked Thandi back "home."  She purred almost constantly, which was a treat since Shaka did not.  However, she did not seem to enjoy being touched and was more temperamental than her easy-going brother.

When we finished our walk, Shaka and Thandi set off at a run and leaped over the gate for their treat that awaits them at the end of each walk - raw chicken pieces (with the bones broken).  And what a gentleman Shaka was... he let his sister eat the last of the chicken in his bowl.  Ahh...!

Cheetah Videos - Part 3

Cheetahs are frightened of animals taller than themselves (and everything shorter than themselves is considered prey... even a human kneeling down).  They freaked out when walking by this enclosure that housed llamas and other animals.  Thandi ran in fright, while Shaka talked back by squirting.  Too funny!

Shaka and Thandi drink at the end of their walk.  The guide had to remind Shaka that ladies drink first... and the term "ladies" includes his sister!

Cheetah Videos - Part 2

Martin and Shaka

Shaka loved to stop and smell while on the walk.  He could smell that leopards and other wild animals had been in the area, so he was constantly marking his territory.

Cheetah Videos - Part 1

Getting ready to take the cheetahs on a walk...  Shaka is in red; his sister, Thandi, is in black.

Walking Shaka.  (Sorry for the shakiness!)

Dolphins Video

The dolphins in Plettenberg Bay were incredible, especially since many had their brand-new babies right at their sides. They were teaching them to circle the fish and hunt.  I managed to figure out my phone's video camera on the very last sighting of the dolphins.  I missed the babies, but I captured the dolphins that came closest to our boat.  Here is the video:

Sea Kayaking in Plettenberg Bay

Oh, my!  Christine and I took an early morning sea kayaking tour in Plettenberg Bay.  Cxx and her husband, Hugo, own their own kayak... and now I know why.  It is so much fun!  The key is learning to read the waves and water.  Christine did this so well that we didn't spill... and the guide was impressed.  Go, Christine!  I told Brady that if we lived by the ocean, we would have to take this up as a hobby.  Delightful!

Ready to Continue and Finish the Blog

Whew!  I arrived home on October 11th after a total of 24 hours in the air.  Yowzah!

Security was a hoot in J-Burg!  They hardly looked at me or my stuff going through initial security, but that was not to be the final round.  Right before we boarded the plane, approximately 10 airport staff members appeared to our gate and told us that since we were flying to the US, we needed to go through extra security.  They brought in tables and sorted us into two lines - men and women.  At this point, we were all getting nervous for no one was answering our questions (trust me - I tried asking, but to no avail).  I pointed out to my fellow flyers that this was the security that we did not receive when first entering the airport.  And... since they did not possess the equipment the US does, they were going to do it themselves.  Sure enough... we were each patted down, our shoes were shaken and clapped together, and our carry-on bags gone through.  My, my... that was an experience for all of us!

Upon arriving home, I caught a virus... along with the rest of my family... and we spent the next week recovering, healing up, and for me - restoring my body to North American time (it took 9 days for my body to remember what continent it lived on and to sleep through the night).  Sleeping is such a joy!

Last week was spent getting caught up on duties set aside during the trip, but now I am ready to finish the blog.  Thanks for hanging in there and patiently waiting.  Keep checking back until you know you've come to the end of the trip.  Enjoy!

Trip Data

Sitting here at the airport in J-burg waiting for flight.  Will have to finish posting once I am home since my phone battery is low. 

Here is some fun data of my journey for those of you who love that kind of thing (a-hem, Ems.).   :-)

43.5 hours in the air
12.5 hours on the ocean
3,062.5 miles in the car (not including trip from Secunda to J-burg or time to and from Denver)
82.5 hours riding in the car
More animals than I can count or remember.  :)

Ocean Sunset at Plett

Animal Day 3

All of these places were in one day - Teniqua (cats), Birds of Eden, Monkey Land and the Elephant Sanctuary.

The bird who hitched a ride on our shoulders climbed down my arm and chewed on my sports watch.  He sang to us, and we sang back.  When I passes him on to men, he shrieked at one and bit the next.  A ladies bird, I guess...

Animal Day 2

Elephant Sanctuary - walked Marula, the elephant matriarch of the place.  We discovered an elephant's personality comes through their trunk.  She told me how to hold her trunk amd nudged me to speed up and walk boldly.  :)

Animal Day

We walked the cheetahs at an animal rehabilitation facility...people doing great things to help animals in need.  Saw many special cats - leopard, serval, African Wild Cat, caracal...

The bird is the blue crane, South Africa's national bird.

Walk With a Cheetah

We went out with an Israeli couple to walk Shaka and Tandi, his sister.  When we approached their gate, I saw such expectant faces.  I said, "They want to go on a walk!"  As soon as they heard the word "walk" they ran at a dead run towards us.  We did not know how to react with two cheetahs coming so strong!  :)

Walking with Shaka the cheetah was a huge highlight and favorite of this trip.  Here is how it is done: He walks me! 

He wears a harness that the guide uses to control him, if needed. Attached is a double leash so up to two people can "walk" him, but we usually took turns.  I held the end of the leashes draped over my hand, but not held with a closed fist.  When he walks, I walk with him, but behind his head.  When he stops, I stop.  If he runs (and he did!), I allow the leash to leave my hand, and I run after him until he decides to stop (a great work-out!).  :-)  When he is not allowed to follow his nose to nearby monkey land, he flops down to display his disgust.  Eventually he continues on to walk, sniff (which he loved), and run.  Exhilarating!

Shaka loved being stroked.  You do not touch their face or near their mouth (quite sensible), but scratches and rubs on the head and strokes down the back are thoroughly enjoyed by him.  Sandy and Kate, I thought of you with every stroke and soaked up the amazing experience for you as best as I could.  Unfortunately, all of the pics Cxx took of me with him are lost with the phone.  I was busy taking mostly videos.  It seems I cannot post the videos here right now.  Will post the best of what I have.  Enjoy!

By the way, we walked by a blesbuck and some llamas, and boy - they were completely scared of them.  We were shocked!  It is their height that frightens them.  They approached to intimidate the cheetahs, and the cats could hardly get by.  Too funny!

Their treat at the end of the walj is raw chicken with the bones broken.  Both of them leaped the fence to get their reward.  :)

P.S.

Robberg means Seal Mountain in Afrikaans.

Robberg Island

This is just down the beach from Beacon Island Hotel.  Martin, Christine, and I hiked around a portion of this island.  Here is one of the world's living dunes.  Simply beautiful!  From the top we could see dolphins and seals swimming together in the clear water...and heard Mr. Norman (the elephant seal) barking.  :)