Catwalk Inventors Restore True Meaning to Catwalk

by N. G. Maroa

Paradise Freebie Part V

When you watch our models catwalk, their aim is to attract the attention of the audience. They do their things in exaggerated swings and turns of hips that sometimes leave you wondering why the display is called catwalk.

The original catwalkers, on the other hand, have a graceful walk. It’s a movement that is designed to evade attention rather than attract it. It’s an art that’s inborn hence no effort required to perfect it.

At eight o’clock in the morning as we drove out of camp, we came across a pride of half a dozen cheetahs that were stalking a group of antelopes not far away. On seeing us, the cats did what they know best, lying low in the tall grass that was a perfect camouflage. It took the keen eye of Morgan to spot them as we drove by.

Like always, when the cats are spotted, everything else comes to a stand still. We interrupted our journey to feast our eyes and take pictures. This shuffling must have disturbed the hunters and in the realization that the mission would not bear fruits, the cheetahs weren’t very amused at our unwelcome intrusion and trudged along grudgingly probably to try their luck elsewhere. It was their movement that caught my attention. Despite the tall grass, it was so stealth and graceful to the point that the target antelopes never noticed anything as their attention was on us rather than the real enemy.

Moving on, our mission was to look for lions that had hitherto eluded us. Samuel, the Maasai guide that we had taken in was in command. We were pleasantly surprised at Samuel’s spotting prowess. While negotiating a blind corner, behold… a pride of 3 young males in the company of a lone female. The minute I spotted the lions, I knew this was not the group you would want to bump into unguarded. One seemingly larger male lion with a slightly darkening mane was separated from other 2 young and was busy courting a lioness. The two other lions seemed to have lost the contest for the single lioness and were circling around the pair with a lot of bitterness. For a full 5 minutes, there was absolute silence as each party looked deep and hard into the eyes of the other. I could feel my thunderous pulse quicken. Our fear was worsened by the fact that we were riding in an open vehicle and the lions would have had no trouble taking us out …. one by one.

Usually, the most dangerous situations to be caught in are between a mating pair or a lioness with her cubs. When faced by a formidable enemy who it cannot translate to food, the African lion will never attack if you have your eyes locked. One cannot be too cautious; “you never know what surprise these humans can spring… a spear, machete or worse even….a bloody gun”.

We finally decided that we needed to give them their space and started to drive off. The dominant king lion must have thanked us for making his competition from the other two go away.

This was an experience that I always relive when I look at the photos taken on that safari. It’s what an African lion safari does to you. You get to be in the presence of his highness the majesty king of the jungle…in his tuff. Nothing beats that glaring look and the thrill that goes with it when your eyes lock into his menacing, unblinking and threatening stare…That’s the African lion stare….humbling it is.

A fully grown male lion has a very dark mane while the youth grow a mane gradually, which then darkens as they age. The males are pushed off their families when they become sexually mature by the dominating male. African Lions usually sleep and rest for more than 14hours a day only getting up to hunt in the early mornings, late evenings and at night. Usually the King-lion of the pride commands between 5-10 lionesses including the cubs. This male will aggressively protect its territory against intruding males who contest for the females.

Coup d'e’tat were probably invented in the lion kingdom. Males constantly get into territorial wars with each other. Once in a while a female becomes disenchanted and leaves the pride to seek out younger and more aggressive males. Once a lion has successfully overthrown a dominant male, they set upon establishing their kingdom immediately by making the females submissive. How they do this is what will surprise you.

One of the most bizarre behaviors of lions is that a conqueror male often kills all young cubs fathered by the defeated former king lion of the pride. The lioness will fight, sometimes to death, when the male lion goes for her cubs. There are two reasons for this behavior, one is to establish a lineage of his own and secondly to as quickly as possible make the females submit to him and ready to mate. It’s always a rush before other male lions come to undermine his authority over the pride.

That’s Mara for you. Elephants continuously browse the plains, cheetahs will stare at you seated majestically under tree trunks and occasionally jump on the hood of your car for that vantage view point for prey, the no nonsense buffalos will gaze at you all at once, lions will sprawl for an hour underneath your van for the shade while wildebeest will gallop past your car in their millions as they head for the breath taking river crossings packed with crocodiles and strong currents.

It’s an experience you’ll never have enough of. Everyday is unique and completely different. No wonder it’s a modern wonder. After the five days adventure, we‘ve rewound enough ready to face the artificial world in the city.

Can’t wait enough for another opportunity to visit again.

By N. G. Maroa

Encounter with Moran, the Rhino

Paradise Freebie PART IV

On day four we started early at 7am after a hearty breakfast. We met Pius Ole Pulum, the warden in charge of Mara West reserve. On this day, we had vowed to view rhinos that had eluded us for the entire visit. It was not easy though considering the small number and the vast grassland. It’s like searching for a needle in a hey-sack.

“We have 28 indigenous black rhinos in the reserve.” He narrated. “The number has been rising steadily due to enhanced patrols and we have managed to keep poachers away. The last time we lost a rhino to poachers was six years ago.”

By the end of the poaching era in the 80s, there were fewer than 10 black rhinos in the Mara. Now thanks to the regular patrols, their numbers have increased. We obtained special permission to accompany the rangers on the afternoon patrol. The Mara plains stretch a lush green into the horizon after the usual rainfall in April.

Herds of buffaloes, Maasai giraffes, gazelles and other plains animals filled the grassland with elephants browsing on the shrubs. Two hours later and no rhino in sight. Daniel Meli, the ranger scanned the visitas with binoculas. It felt like we were the only people on earth. The plains stretched as far as the eye could see but there was no rhino to be seen.

Fatigue set in and I could not resist dozing until my peace was interrupted by Meli’s sudden cry, “there”. It could only mean one thing. A rhino had been spotted.

We raced across the plains. The rhino must have been two or so kilometers away only possible to see with powerful binoculars.

Fifteen minutes later, we came face to face with Moran, the 25-year old male as he stepped out of the thick scrub munching away. The mega herbivore went about his business uninterrupted as our cameras went to work.

We spent time with Moran with a herd of elephants close by. “Moran doesn’t like to be followed for long” cautioned Meli. Sure enough, the huge animal turned around as the cameras rolled. He must have been disturbed by our shuffling and constant camera clicks. With a grunt and a short run, he sent us scampering away.

We had seen it all. The previous day, we were rewarded to feast our eyes on the largest assembly of elephants and other savannah animals that I have ever seen. It was the mighty Mara at its best. We couldn’t get luckier.

But Mara is cat country and one of the wonders of the modern world. On our way to the camp, in a moment of serendipity, in the last glow of the sinking sun, the spotted cat slinked on an anthill. She just gave us a nonchalant stare. She was heavily pregnant.

A dik dik flinted past us and disappeared into the bush. Seemed like she was fleeing from some unseen enemies. A little more than an hour later, we were back at camp. Feeling exhausted and spent, we settled for canned food and after a quick shower, retired to bed early. It had been a long and rewarding day.

Sojourn in the remote parts of The Mara

By N. G. Maroa

PARADISE FREEBIE: PART III

I now agree that blogging is pretty addictive. Probably it should not be encouraged to the underage. Why am I saying this? You realize that I have been out of action for close to two weeks and I have no suitable words to describe the psychological trauma I endured. How do you start a story and promise your readers that it will flow only to leave them in suspense without proper explanation?

It all started when the only laptop battery charger in our possession failed. Remember we were in the middle of the vast Masai Mara Game Reserve and far away from civilization. While I must say that we enjoyed ourselves, I felt disappointed that I could not update my blog visitors as I had promised and for that I apologize unreservedly.

On the positive side, I have with me tales and pics to share with you for the next few days. I start with day three of our trip. The long rains always bring with them renewed life. The weather looked promising and we decided to leave camp at eight for the morning game drive. We drove following the course of River Migori hoping to come across early drinkers. Our first glimpse of what’s in store for us was a herd of elephants. Some were busy feeding on tree branches while others were in the river drinking. The huge bull strolled through the plains to the river where other elephants played and drank. He gamboled in it and then chased a young male out of his territory-he was in a no-nonsense mood for competition from younger males.

There were elephants everywhere. We didn’t have to look for them. The river teemed with life. In the course of two hours at this spot, we saw about thirty elephants as they went in to drink. They were unperturbed by a loud roar of a lion that carried through the plains. We all clambered to catch the sound that came from the other side of the river but were unsuccessful.

As the day progressed, more animals joined in the queue. It was a scene to behold as we had the opportunity to see the largest assembly of different animals in one location. It’s simply amazing.

Besides its animals, West Mara has stunning landscapes. Migori River flows in a series of cascades through a chasm of granite rocks curved by the searing hot sun eons ago, which are currently flooded thanks to the rains. Thick chocolate-coloured water flows from Uasin-gishu Plateau all the way to Lake Victoria. The river is part of the numerous rivers that empty to this massive water reservoir that is the source of the Nile. We took a stroll to the water’s edge when suddenly a massive elephant trumpets not far away, walking towards us. It’s time to make a dash to safety. It is estimated that about 6,000 elephants inhabit this part of the Mara.

Much of the park is still inaccessible by road. But for those who get lucky like we did, this is the place where you can see large herds of different species of animals in one location.

Next time you visit the Mara, this is the place. However, do remember to carry spare chargers and batteries. It can be very disappointing when the inevitable happens.

by N. G. Maroa

Paradise Freebie

by: N. G. Maroa

PART II

We finally set up base at Camp Bargoi. It is a land of vast plains covered in lush green as far as the eye can see with acacias of many sorts. The stunning sculpt of the Acacia Tortilis, Acacia Kirkii and the white brush of bush of the Acacia Senegalise dot the landscape. In the midst of the trees, is the rustic Camp Bargoi. The camp is set on raised ground surrounded by thorny hedges to keep the animals at bay.

As we settle down for breakfast in the morning, a herd of resident gnus just outside the fence watch humans feed. Brilliant busts of the towering aloe in orange bloom carpet the knoll outside the camp. The sky is grey and seems like it will rain anytime. Undeterred, we decide to go for a game drive to explore the strange wild kingdom of the Mara. The gnus scamper away as we drive out.

A little more than half an hour, we come across a pride of 5 lions that appear to be stalking a herd of zebras. Had it not been for the keen eyes of Morgan, we wouldn’t have seen them. The tall grass is a perfect camouflage and it takes an effort to see them. As usual, when the cats are spotted, everyone makes a beeline for them. For the first-time visitor into the Mara, it’s the most awesome meeting of the king of the jungle. They lay patiently and waited for an opportunity to strike. But our jostling must have alerted the zebras of imminent danger and they managed to run away to the disappointment of the stalkers. And then the skies burst open. We decide to move on.

About five hundred meters from this scene, we come across a trio of cheetahs that are busy grooming each other by the roadside. In most cases the cats while away their time hunting or sleeping. These ones look like they have just fed hence the grooming. The Mara, an extension of the Serengeti, is the last of the wide-open spaces left to the wild cats like the spotted ones we’re watching. In Kenya we are lucky to have thousands of them still roaming freely in the game parks. But still, it is estimated that only 10% of these cats exist today compared to a century ago. It is the same for most wildlife. India, the country that gave the cheetah its name, has none left in the wild, the last ran into extinction in the 1940s.

A little more than two hours later, we are back at camp. A motley of colourful birds keep us company for lunch. The gnus are no where to be seen but a snake eagle circles the air as we settle down for a deserved meal of fried chicken and ugali washed down with tinned reds. It has been a rewarding trip.

N. G. Maroa

Paradise Freebie

By N. G. Maroa

PART I

Today we started our hiking trip to Masai Mara. We plan to spend a whole week in the bush surrounded by lions, elephants, giraffes and other savannah inhabitants. The wildebeests are yet to arrive from their annual southern adventure. The long rain has just started and with it comes all sorts of herbivores to feast on the lush greenery that spreads as far as the eye can see. It’s celebration time in the animal kingdom. The herbivores have plenty of greenery to feed on while the carnivores will have plenty of fattened prey.

We decided to take a different route to the Mara to explore different grounds. The western side approachable from Kehancha is unspoilt as there are fewer tourists who venture this far. It’s not the easiest of roads to drive on in our four wheel truck full of camping gear. But the scenery is breathtaking. The Mara is an expanse of vast grassland teaming with all sorts of animals. The skies are laden with rain clouds and we’re caught in a downpour.

A couple of kilometers later, we are forced to stop to allow a herd of elephants the right of way. They cross but wait by the side of the road obviously for others to follow. As the world’s largest land animals, they can be so silent that it never fails to amaze me how close they can get up to you unnoticed.

Welcome to Masai Mara. It’s already show time yet we are just entering the park.
This park is renowned the world over for its exceptional game population, but mostly because of the immense annual migration of the wildebeest every September and October. Situated in south west Kenya it is a continuation of the Serengeti national park in Tanzania. The whole park is within the Great Rift valley, and most of the wildlife is to be found in the swampy western border of the Masai Mara, and because this area is the furthest away from Nairobi, it is the least visited compared to the open grasslands of the east that sees the greatest concentration of tourists. The park is well known for lions, but all the other members of the 'big five' are to be found here. The dominant inhabitant however is the wildebeest, and in July they migrate north to the Masai Mara from Serengeti, and then go back south again in October.

Our mission is to explore deep into the western parts of the park, especially this part that is less visited. But first we shall have to identify the best location where to set camp that will act as our base. The challenge is to identify a safe place because most of the animals here are not used to seeing humans and can be aggressive.

Although we have been driving on rough road the enchanting atmosphere and the exciting encounter with elephants a while ago has sparked our traveling spirits. Morgan, our driver is no longer complaining. With the renewed energy, we have all agreed that lunch will be eaten at the camp site that is barely twenty kilometers away.

N. G. Maroa

Namibia - A Bountiful Harvest Awaits the Adventure Traveler

by: Andrew Muigai

PART II

Today we publish the final part of Andrew Muigai's post on Namibia's vacation sites.

Windhoek, the capital of 165,000 people is the only true city in the country. For those traveling to more remote regions, this is where you settle practical matters. The positive aspects of the German period can be seen in the charming style of older buildings in the city. Places of interest in the city include the State Museum, State Archives, and the Namibia Crafts Centre. The Dan Viljoen Game Park lies 24 Km west of Windhoek on the gentle hills of Khoma Hochland. In this resort you find ostriches, baboons, zebras and over 200 species of birds. The Waterburg Plateau Park, located 230 km from Windhoek is popular with weekenders. This extensive mountain wilderness is home to cheetah, leopard, kudu, giraffe, and white rhino.

Etosha National Park is what brings wildlife lovers to Namibia. The park is comparable in size and diversity of species with the best in Africa. The unusual terrain of Etosha holds savanna grassland, dense brush and woodland. But it is the Etosha Pan, a depression that sometimes holds water and covers 5,000 sq km, that is the heart of park. The perennial springs around the pan, attract many birds and land animals in the dry winter months. The effect of this background is magical and some of the best wildlife photographs have been taken here.

There are 144 mammal species in the park and elephants are particularly abundant. Some other interesting wildlife here includes giraffe, leopard, cheetah, jackal, blue wildebeest, gemsbok and black rhino. The birding is great at Etosha and over 300 bird species have been recorded. You will get best value by spending at least three days here. There are excellent accommodation facilities at the three rest camps of Namutoni, Halali and Okaukuejo. The best time to see animals is between May and September, when water draws them in huge numbers to the edge of the pan. Etosha is 400 km to the north of Windhoek by road.

The Fish River Canyon is unrivalled in Africa and only the Grand Canyon in the U.S is larger. The Canyon runs for 160 km and reaches a width of 27 km and depth of 550 m. But size alone does not explain the appeal of the canyon. You experience incredible views at various points along the rim. Adventure lovers do not merely come for the views. Hiking through the canyon is the ultimate endurance adventure for hikers. There is an established 90 km hiking trail that will take you 4-5 days to cover.

The trail ends at Ai-Ais hot spring resort where you can unwind. You are allowed to hike between early May and end of September. The hike is quite strenuous and needless to say, you must be physically fit. The authorities disbelieve the capacity of most people to undertake the hike and will actually insist on seeing a medical certificate of fitness before allowing you to start off. Fish River Canyon is 580 km to the south of Windhoek.

The Skeleton Coast has been the graveyard of seafarers and whales and deserves that morbid name. The problem is the dense fogs. And woe to the ship wreck survivor who expects respite onshore! Ahead is the Namib Desert, one of the driest and most unwelcoming places. Adventure travelers love trekking along the coastline as they enjoy the stark beauty of the area. To the south at Cape Cross, you find a seal colony carrying tens of thousands of seals. The Skeleton Coast Park covers 16,400 sq km and begins at 355 km northwest of Windhoek.

The Portuguese explorer Diego Cao reached this part of the world in the year 1486. He is probably one of the people whose experiences discouraged Europeans from venturing ashore until the arrival of the Germans 400 years later. Further south is the Namib-Naukluft National Park, a vast wilderness covering 50,000 sq km. The landscape is very diverse and covers mountain outcrops, majestic sand dunes, and deep cut gorges. For really spectacular dunes, the Sossusvlei area is unsurpassed. Here you have dunes rising to 300 m! The orange tint giants extend as far as the horizon and the area has an unreal, unforgettable atmosphere.

To the northeast of the country, the well-watered Kavango and Caprivi Strip region offers an unspoilt wilderness suitable for rugged game viewing and camping. The area also promises a feast for bird lovers. Game reserves in the area include: Kaudom, Caprivi, Mahango, Mudumu and Mamili. Poachers did great damage to wildlife during the years of the civil war in neighbouring Angola. Animal numbers are however building up rapidly. Some of the wildlife in the region includes leopard, elephant, buffalo, cheetah, lion and various antelope species. The Caprivi Reserve falls in an area of swamps and flood plains. Here you have an opportunity to partake fishing, hiking, game viewing safaris and river trips in traditional mokoro boats.

In Namibia you can enjoy up to 300 days of sunshine. The coast is temperate and thermometers run between 5C-25C. Inland, daytime temperatures range from 20C-34C, but can rise to 40C in the north and south of the country. Winter nights can be quite cold and frost occurs over large parts of the country. The rains inland fall in summer (November-April) and are heaviest in the Caprivi region. Rains do not much affect travel, but beware of flash floods in the vicinity of riverbeds. The best time to travel is over the dry months of March to October, when it is easier to see animals at waterholes. It is best to avoid the Namib Desert and Etosha between December and March when it can get unbearably hot. Before you travel to this country, make sure you review our Namibia safari and tour offers.

You can get by wearing light cottons and linens in summer. Over winter nights and mornings, you need heavier cottons, warmer wraps and sweaters. Comfortable walking shoes are essential, as the ground gets very hot. Some useful stuff to pack includes: camera, binoculars, sunglasses, sun hats, sunscreen and mosquito repellant. Be ready for dusty conditions and carry your clothing, equipment and supplies in dust proof bags. Do not be tempted to buy items made of ivory. You may not be allowed to carry them through customs at home. And it is also good that you do not encourage the trade in ivory products that keeps poachers busy.

About The Author

Andrew Muigai is editor of AfricaPoint Insider online newsletter. It is part of Africapoint.com - the Africa travel website that has helped thousands of travelers discover Africa. You can view more info on Namibia Safaris at the website. http://www.africapoint.com/tours1/namibia.htm.