Sixty-eight feet long, and about ten feet wide. That’s about the size of an executive jet aircraft. Can you imagine eighteen people living, working and sleeping in so small a space, especially for prolonged periods of time?

Those are the conditions under which the crews in the Clipper Round the World yacht race live while they’re at sea. All of them have paid, or been sponsored to do all or part of this race, even though a complete circumnavigation would cost four times as much as a round the world trip in a cruise liner.

Nevertheless, the race organisers describe it as a race for ‘people like you’. They like to point out that more people have climbed Mount Everest than have sailed around the world, and most of those who have are professionals.

Not that there’s much difference; as yachtsman Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, the founder of the race, points out, the sea makes no distinction between the amateur and the pro.

Little or no sailing experience is called for at the time of application. However training is given both before and during the race and, even when only one leg of the race is completed, everyone will be a seasoned, experienced sailor, able to turn themselves to the many and varied tasks involved.

The boats were designed by English designer Ed Dupont, and built in Shanghai, China. They are all identical, constructed of a layer of balsa wood sandwiched between two layers of glass fibre. They each carry a wardrobe of eleven sails, the selection and setting of which is left to the preference of individual skippers.

Each of the yachts is sponsored by a city, an area or a country, and is crewed by a professional skipper, and people from all walks of life … ‘people like you’, in fact. We met a 27 year old sales assistant and a 45 year old lawyer. All age ranges are covered, from teenagers to septuagenarians.

This year, the race started from Southampton, and before the race, I was privileged to be invited to the naming ceremony for the two Australian boats, the ‘Gold Coast’ and the ‘Geraldton’.

Before the ceremony, sailed in the boats on Southampton Water, to give us some idea of what it would be like, living in such a confined space. Probably the most important skill to be learned is, if you don’t have anything to do, keeping out of the way of anyone who has!

At the naming ceremony, Sir Robin made a short speech, wishing each boat good fortune then both skippers sprayed the bows of their respective boats with champagne. And, that’s the last alcoholic liquor that will be allowed on board for a while … the Clipper Race is strictly ‘dry’!

When we first came to Chennai, several people told us that a visit to Dakshinachitra would be an apt introduction to the art and life of southern Indian states and would help us ‘north Indians’ feel inducted. Time flew by, months passed and finally one Sunday morning we decided to head to the road to Dakshinachitra.

As a definition, “Dakshinachitra” literally means ‘picture of the south’ and every effort has been put in by the makers of this unique exhibition to make it just that. It is a showcase of the art, craft, lifestyle and homes of traditional south Indians.

The southern states of India, namely Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh are more often than not clustered together as one group of homogenous species. But if you intent to look beyond the coconut, rice, palm trees, curly hair and burly figures, there arises a distinct flavour and soul of each region and each state. It is this essence of the different southern states of India that Dakshinachitra brings forth. Here too the states are clustered together but they assemble keeping their diversities alive.

Entering the Wonderland

The entrance to Dakshinachitra is like entering a typical south Indian home. There are the archetypal chocolate brown pillars, the thatched roof and the door that effectively restricts the view and thus the imagination of what we may find inside. And unquestionably the inside is well worth hiding because just like Alice’s wonderland once you enter through the door, the world you see is totally different from the world you left behind.

It all begins with the craft shop, the library, the exhibition hall and the restaurant. And while these delights are tempting, it is a wise decision to visit them on the way back so as to give more time to other things in the premises spread over 10 acres of land.

Dakshinachitra is divided into different sections according to the different southern states. There is the Tamil Nadu section, the Kerala section, the Karnataka and the Andhra Pradesh section all connected via maze of brick roads lined with palms trees and other green foliage. These provide shade as well as paint the view of a vivid and green Indian countryside.

Houses and Crafts

Each section has houses, not the miniature version or models, but the actual lived-in ones dating back to 18^th and 19^th century India. You can enter them, visit the different rooms, see the utensils that the residents used, the place they said their prayers, their favourite chair and favourite window to the world. These homes are also a glimpse of the social status of the people living in it and their trade. So while the agriculturist and the merchant of Tamil Nadu have sprawling mansions, the potter’s house or the basket weaver’s mud house represent their lowly means of income and spaces they have in their homes to accommodate their trade and their families.

To give the houses more of a lived in feel and involve the visitors, there are different artisans sitting at strategic points all over the premises. Some can teach you how to make a pot, some show and help you weave a basket out of dried palm leaves, some teach block printing while some others let you buy authentic musical instruments like the Rustic ektara – the Indian crude version of the violin with a single string.

To break the monotonous pattern there are also puppet shows, glass blowing demo, and folk dance classes for the enthusiastic ones. These activities apart from entertaining also are a way to show kids and teach them something of the rich Indian heritage.

Takeaways

As mentioned earlier, Dakshinachitra has a craft shop that is worth a visit because there lies many miracles of Indian handicraft and handloom. From handbags to sarees, upholstery to jewelry, books to book marks, you will find plenty of items stored here that could bring back pleasant memories of the visit. While the trinkets like beautiful carved keyrings, earrings and pens could be grabbed in plenty, there are also some stunning antiques, showpieces and gems that would attract the real collectors of art.

Puppet of Lord Krishna

Apart from this craft shop, there are also the stalls given to different artisans from various parts of the country. These have craftsman from Manipur selling pottery and weavers from Rajasthan selling their colourful garments. There are potters from Bengal displaying the famous terracotta pots and curios and also people of Kashmir showcasing woodwork of the heavenly land of the north in this distant southern land.  

You really do not need a pocket full of money to take some of these artefacts, just ample space in your handbags and suitcases to carry all these delicate artware back home.

Our Experience

What we found in Dakshinachitra is the essence of India that is fast losing itself in the crowd of malls and pizzas. It is a superb weekend gateway when you don’t want to go far and yet leave behind all your everyday troubles. It is an excellent teacher for those of the younger generation who can touch, feel and experience art, craft and architecture that are hundreds of years old and carry forward the beacon a little longer.  It is also a means of livelihood for all the artists who are becoming as endangered as the crafts they make. It is aptly a picture of South India for a tourist who cannot make it to all the southern states but still can feel their individual charm here.

When to go

Dakshinachitra is open all through the year daily from 10.00 am till 6.00 pm except Tuesdays. There are also guest houses within the premises that can be reserved in advance to enhance your experience of a South Indian holiday.

To know more visit Dakshinachitra 

Image Credit sowri, sudhamshu , poobesh via cc/Flickr

Biomes, Eden Project

We’ve been meaning to visit the Eden Project ever since they opened it in 2001. Of course, we knew people who had been there before us, and their descriptions varied from ‘Well, it’s a lot of plants…’ to a lot of high-flown, incomprehensible environmental buzzwords.

But, it’s hard to say what the Project is about in simple English; it’s best to make a visit, and try to work it out for yourself.

The Project started in 1998, as a worked-out, 60-metre-deep china clay pit; probably the most sterile man-made landscape that could be produced. It revolves around three ‘Biomes’. The sides and floor of the former quarry are one of them, the ‘Outdoor Biome’, where plants are grown that can tolerate the Cornish climate.

Inside a biome

The enclosed biomes, within which the climate is controlled, are huge, bubble-shaped structures made of gigantic hexagonal pieces of transparent plastic, in the same way as an insect’s eye, or a honeycomb.

It might be thought that the Eden Project experience could be the same as visiting the tropical house at the zoo, or a hothouse at the Botanical Gardens. It’s true to a certain extent … but the enclosed biomes have been accurately described as the biggest greenhouses in the world!

Although few of the plants shown are really rare, the displays show them off in as nearly a natural surrounding as possible, and explain what they’re used for, and their place in the scheme of things.

All these things come from plants

There are two enclosed biomes, the Humid Tropics biome and the Warm Temperate biome. And, an important building is the Education Centre, for a large part of the Projects work is teaching about the products that come from plants and, even more importantly, how to preserve them as a sustainable resource for future generations.

It's not only about plants!

Since sustainability is one of the Project’s watchwords, they have, naturally, to ‘practice what they preach’, and make as little impact as possible on the local environment. They try to employ people from nearby, and use material from local sources where practicable. And, they try to recycle as much of their rubbish as they can.

High up on the rim stands the reception area where you buy your entrance ticket. Some people think the price is a little excessive, but some of what you pay goes towards the Eden Project’s conservation programmes worldwide.

And, if you’re a UK taxpayer, you can give even more without it costing you anything, because, by some system, our Wicked Tax Baron will refund the taxes they have to pay on your ticket.

You get down to the floor of the pit in one of two ways. You can walk down the zigzag path, through the gardens of the Outdoor Biome. Or, you can ride the Land Train, which will take a dedicated track through the same gardens.

You’ll find representatives of any plants the mild Cornish climate will support. Tea bushes, hemp trees and the ingredients of beer are shown here … and, if you thought that a certain product ‘doesn’t grow on trees’…. you’re probably wrong!

Maybe you’ll have something to eat or drink in the restaurant between the enclosed biomes. If you leave anything, the chances are high that it’ll be recycled. There are no fewer than five bins into which waste can be sorted.

If you visit again, you’ll probably find the Eden Project completely different, especially the outdoor biome, for the displays change with the seasons. If you’re intending a further visit within twelve months, you might consider paying a little extra above your original ticket price for a ‘Passport’, which entitles you to unlimited free entry for a year.

Or, to receive a quarterly magazine, invitations to talks and workshops, and special entry deals at other gardens and museums, you could become a ‘Friend’.

When it’s time to leave, the way out, as at most attractions, leads through the souvenir shop. While many attractive items are on sale, maybe you won’t need a souvenir. You’ll never forget the Eden Project … and you’ll probably want to return at another time of the year.

www.edenproject.com.

Statue in the reception area

An image of India for many, conjures up images of ascetics in bare minimum with locks of hair towering above their head like a coiled serpent and a trident or a metal casket in their hands. Needless to say, such saints are in plenty in this birthplace of Hindu religion and though the India showcased to the world today is vary of this image, it is still an undeniable and ingrained part of this country, just as much as the smart professionals who are revolutionising the IT sector of the world with their proven genius.

While modern India is self confident and optimistic and every inch the replica of any other western country, the mammoth cultural heritage of a thousand years or more, cannot be forgotten either. Look a little beyond the showy malls or past the concrete expressways and you can still witness the India of the nineteenth, eighteenth or seventeenth century co-existing with the modern globe.

Some cities are especially a rewarding experience for those in search of the India of fables and fakirs and one such destination is Haridwar. Known as ‘The Gateway to the Gods’ this city has remained for the past thousands of years the focal point of devout Hindus who want to exit the vicious circle of life and death to attain nirvana. And that all important status has been given to Haridwar by its glorious past and the holy river Ganga.

Courtesy mckaysavage via cc/Flickr

Haridwar is the first city where River Ganga enters the plains. Leaving her carefree playfulness behind, Ganga descends from mountains and through valleys to transform into the feisty incarnation of power and composure. She is the secret gateway to heaven, the holy excelsior on Earth that can erase the sins of a thousand births in one drop and take your soul straight to heaven. For Hindus, there is no greater desire than to be soaked in the mystical power of Ganga and it is for this reason that many spend a lifetime wishing to come once to Haridwar and wash away their sins on the banks of the holy river.

Legend says that Haridwar is one of the 4 places in India where a drop of immortality nectar (amrit) fell from the skies when it was retrieved by the churning of the oceans by Gods and demons. That raised the status of Haridwar to a pious strata from where it has never descended. Rather every 12 years the status is all the more glorified when almost 15 million people participate in the Kumbh Mela drowning their sorrows and sins in the biggest communal bath ever witnessed in the world.

Haridwar is also one of the most ancient cities of the world. Archaeological discoveries have shown rare artefacts between 1200 B.C. and 1700 B.C.buried in the depth of this sacred land. It finds its mention in ancient scriptures as Gangadwar, Kapila, and Mayapuri. Indeed from the time when Lord Budhha traversed these paths to the Britishers who came to colonise India, the city has witnessed the rise and fall of many emporers and empires.

Courtesy gbSk via cc/Flickr

Har-ki-Pauri – The main ghat on the river Ganga where devotees gather to bathe and pray. Evening time is especially a treat with floapting lamps covering the entire area with an ethereal glow.

Maya devi Temple – Temple in honor of the presiding Godess of Haridwar after whom it is also known as Maypuri.

Mansa Devi Temple – Atop a hill that can be reached by a cable car. The view from here is breathtaking.

Gurukul Kangri University – A centre of vedic knowledge where teaching by gurus is in traditional oral style.

Riverside bazaars – Mostly selling items related to their religious significance and thronging with small eateries.

For travellers coming from beyond the shores of India, Haridwar is a place to decipher Hinduism. To watch closely how confessions are made not to a priest, but immersed in the vastness of a sacred river that ironically is becoming blacker by the day carrying the burden of so many sins.

Courtesy NID chick via cc/Flickr

The priests chanting hymns, little urchins pulling your shirt to buy a rupees worth flower basket or the brass pitchers filled with the sacred water, the mystical hermits who can tell all about your past births and present gastrointestinal problems in one breath, the thousand and one burning incense sticks camouflaging the smells of wilting flowers, burning pyres and waste, and the flood of human mass all converging to the ghats to find their passageway to salvation, in all these cacophany of sounds,you might just find the answers.The ravaging waters of the cold, torrential Ganga might just be able to dissolve your idea of what it is to be a human being. The cleansing of the body and the soul among a strange gathering might just help you look at life from an Indian’s point of view.

As described Sri Aurbindo once, “This physical world which for us is so real and absolute and unique, seems to them (Indians) but one way of living among many others, In short, a small, chaotic, agitated and rather painful frontier on the margin of immense continents which lie behind the unexplored. “

The Haridwar experience might just help you understand yourself a little better.

The Dead Sea

When we visited Jordan, we ate lunch in what was then one of the lowest restaurants on earth. But, it wasn’t low in the sense of being cheap, or because not very nice people eat there. Jordan’s Dead Sea Spa hotel is 400 metres below sea level, which is as low as you can get on the surface of the Earth.

However, since our visit, another hotel and restaurant has been built, even closer to the sea shore, which beats the Dead Sea Spa’s record.

The price of the lunch included use of the hotel’s private beach and facilities.

We were driving from Amman, the country’s capital to the ancient rock city of Petra, and had options of taking the main road, or that running along the banks of the Dead Sea. It was an easy choice, really!

The Dead Sea is an inland sea, surrounded by land on all sides. The River Jordan flows into it, as do several others. But, nothing flows out, because water can not flow uphill. It just evaporates away in the sun, leaving the water many times saltier than the oceans are. Most visitors like to bathe in the waters of the Dead Sea, because there is so much salt in it that it’s impossible to sink.

Floating in the Dead Sea

It makes it difficult to swim in, but easy to float. Many people like to be photographed floating in the sea, reading their favourite magazine. There are no fish, and very little can grow on its shores. That is why it is called the Dead Sea. We were warned we must be very careful not to swallow any water because it is poisonous. I got a little splash on my lips, and certainly would not want a mouthful!

It stung a little bit, too, where I nicked myself shaving that morning … but that nick healed in record time.Some doctors recommend bathing in the Dead Sea because the waters are said to be able to cure some skin complaints. We bought a packet of Dead Sea salt to take home and put in the bath

Salt Crystals

A lot of people like to take the ‘mud treatment’, and say that does feel good; whether it actually does you good, I am not qualified to say. Most of the beaches have a ‘mud man’ but he was not around. So, we applied the mud ourselves. You can not mistake it; it is the stuff that feels like wet talcum powder.

If you feel like a hot tub after swimming in the salt or mud, there are naturally heated hot springs and pools, and even a hot waterfall not far away. The showers at the hotel were closer, but not so much fun.

We were told that the lowest point on earth is getting lower. Jordan is a desert country, and needs a lot of water for the farmers’crops. They take the water they need from the rivers that flow into the Dead Sea. When we went on our way again, we saw a new dam being built on the Moujib River, which is one of the best known for its spectacular wadi; the narrow canyon cut through the rocks.

This means that the level of the sea is dropping. Even the Jordan River itself, with water taken from it by the Lebanese and Israelis before it even enters Jordan, is almost stagnant, and contributes little. Scientists say that, if something is not done soon … they suggested building a canal from the Red Sea … the Dead Sea will be completely dried up in about 50 years.

The followers of Sikh religion make a beeline to Amritsar, India all through the year, to a place which is considered the most sacrosanct abode of worship in their community. This place is Harmandir Sahib or the Golden Temple and one of the most ordained temples of the world.

The Golden Temple. Courtesy travelmeasia via Flickr

History of the golden temple

It is said that the fourth guru or spiritual guide of Sikhism, Guru Ram Das excavated a tank in 1577 which was called as Amritsar (Pool of nectar of immortality). Eventually people inhabited the surrounding area and a town started taking shape.

The fifth guru, Guru Arjan Dev planned to build a temple in the area as he felt a need for a central place of worship for the followers of Sikh religion. It is then that the foundation of the temple was laid by the Sufi Saint Mia Mir in December 1588 and by 1604 Harmandir Sahib was built in the middle of the lake.

At a time in India when Hinduism and Islam were the major religions followed by most people, the building of this temple played a significant role in strengthening the roots of Sikh religion and unifying the community.

It was Guru Arjan Dev’s plan to keep the temple doors open for all sections of the society devoid of any religious differences. That is why he ordered the temple to have four entry points instead of one. Also unlike a Hindu temple where the lord is placed in the highest pedestal, here the temple was built in a lower level and inside was kept Sri Guru Granth Sahib, the holiest literature of the community and considered the 11^th and eternal guru of the Sikhs.

Later on, the temple suffered attacks by men of Ahmed Shah Abdali and was substantially rebuilt in 1760s. But it was the great donations of wealth and material made by the revered king of Punjab Maharaja Ranjit Singh that gave the Golden temple its rich architecture and opulence. The golden plates which cover the exterior of the temple’s upper floor and domes, as well as its exquisite marblework was done under his patronage.

Architecture

Courtesy txd via Flickr

The golden temple is an exquisite example of synergistic blending of the Hindu and Muslim architectural style. It is built on a square platform in the centre of the pool, with heavily ordained doors each in the East, West, South and North directions. There is a causeway from the main entrance that leads to the temple. The other end of this bridge is connected to the pradakshina path or the circumambulatory path that allows devotees to move all around the temple.

The main structure is a three storied building on top of which is a low fluted dome having lotus petal motif at the base.

What to see

For a first time visitor, the Golden temple can easily become a quick lesson in the history of Sikh religion along with the spiritual experience. The premises has many shrines in memory of past Sikh gurus, heroes and martyrs and also a museum teaching the values of the religion and giving a glimpse of its past.

Walls in the premises are adorned with memorial plaques that commemorate past Sikh historical events, saints, martyrs and include commemorative inscriptions of all the Sikh soldiers who died fighting in the two World Wars.

There is no discrimination aganst any caste in these sacred grounds but it is ensured that a visitor does not drink alcohol, eat meat or smoke cigarettes or use other non prescription drugs while in the shrine.

Community Service. Courtesy travelmeasia via Flickr

What is a practice in any gurudwara or temple of the Sikhs in the world and quite a sight in the Golden Temple is the langar or the community meal that is organized everyday here. It is one of the most organized community services that even a first time visitor can be a part of. The meal is prepared by the devotees as well as served by them. And any person can come and have this meal in the divine grounds.

Best time to visit

Amritsar is in the state of Punjab, known for its lush green fields and jubilant people. Winter months are best to visit from October to March, although any time of the year, Golden Temple has its door open for all.

The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in Austin always gets great reviews as a fun and educational place to spend an afternoon enjoying nature. With free admission for the month of January, it seemed like it’d be a good way to spend my day off, so I drove down to La Crosse Avenue to check it out. I was looking forward to seeing some pretty flowers, snapping some photos, and maybe even composing a few lines of poetry, à la Montrealer Angela Leuck’s A Poet in the Garden (Leuck posts poetry that she writes in the Montreal Botanical Garden throughout the warm months of the year, often bringing special “guest poets” along for the ride).

Unfortunately, I must say that my trip to the Wildflower Center was a disappointment, as there didn’t seem to be much of anything blooming. There were a few tiny flowers hidden here and there amongst the tall grasses that threatened to swallow the place whole, and the hardy yucca and cacti were doing their thing, but for the most part it was obviously winter at the garden.

I was bummed, as I was looking forward to some pleasant scenery and peaceful contemplation, but instead all I saw were hibernating trees and overheard the unmusical sounds of children screaming. (There was, however, a very nice windchime, which offset some of the screaming with its Zen musicality. That was the best part of the experience.)

While my trip was a disappointment, I wouldn’t entirely write this place off, as reports are that wildflower season in the spring (April-May) is simply spectacular at the Lady Bird Center. I checked for photos online when I returned home, and here’s just a handful of the examples that I came up with:

Awesome, right? And that doesn’t even include the vast tracts of land which are currently barren, but which are supposedly filled with flowers as far as the eye can see in the spring and summer months!

So, it looks like I picked the wrong time to hit up Lady Bird, but I’m planning to return in the spring to see the Texas high country in full bloom as promised. For now, I’ll leave you with this lovely photo as an image of what you and I can (and will!) eventually be able to do to the LBJ flowers once they finally bloom in the spring, and a promise of more (and better) plant-related updates to come.

The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center is open Tuesday through Saturday, from 9 AM to 5:30 PM, and noon to 5:30 PM on Sundays. They are closed Mondays. Admission is free throughout the month of January, and is otherwise $7 for adults, $6 for seniors 60+ and students 13+, and $3 for children ages 5-12.

The name Goa in India instantly conjures images of sun kissed beaches and an eternal land of good times. But what this Old Portuguese settlement also offers is some historic structures that give the state its true Goan character.

One of these structures is the most ornate church of Old Goa, also a World Heritage Site called the Basilica de Bon Jesu (Infant Jesus) which houses the sacred relics of Saint Francis Xavier.

Basilica de Bon Jesu. Courtesy Arijit Gupta

The Story of the Saint

It is said that the catholic saint popularly known as Sam Francesco or Goencho Sahib visited Goa on his way to Malacca in the 16th century. Serving at the Holy Spirit Hospital in Goa for six months, he would go through the streets ringing a little bell and inviting the children to hear the word of God. When he had gathered a considerable number, he would take them to a church to explain Catechism to them.

From here he traveled to China, but died in the desert island of Sancian on December 1552. His body was daubed in quicklime and buried in the sea. When it was exhumed after three months, people were stunned to find no signs of decomposition. The body was then taken to Malacca and reburied. Here again when his body was exhumed after five months, it was found to be in perfect condition.

The casket of St. Francis Xavier. Courtesy Arijit Gupta

Interpreting it as a divine signal, the saint was brought to Goa almost 150 years after his death as a gift from Medici, Cosimo III, the Grand Duke of Tuscany. It now lies in an airtight glass coffin, placed inside a silver casket fashioned by a 17th century Florentine jeweler.

Over the years, the body has been shriveling bit by bit and if you see it today, it might be difficult to recognize it as a human figure. But the miraculous relic, does add to the attraction of the beautiful Catholic Church.

Relics of the Saint. Courtesy Arijit Gupta

The Basilica

This is India’s first minor basilica that is known for its beautifully gilded alters and frescos. It is one of the richest churches in Goa and the finest example of baroque architecture in India.

A World Heritage Site. Courtesy Arijit Gupta

With marble flooring, inlaid precious stones and paintings depicting the life of St. Francis Xavier covering the walls of the church, it is as much an attraction for non-Christians as it is for Christians in India.

Inside the Basilica. Courtesy Arijit Gupta

The Festival

The Feast of St. Francis Xavier is held on the 3rd of December at Velha in Old Goa, which witnesses thousands of pilgrims and a special mass held here. The embalmed body of the saint is also exposed to public every 10 years when pilgrims come all over the world pay their tributes to the departed saint.

Best time to visit

Christmas break is definitely a good time to visit Goa especially if you are visiting to see the churches. Some people believe, Goa looks heavenly even when it is flooded with non stop rains from end of May to July and indeed, you do not need to check the time of the year to visit this spectacular destination.

Be sure to read more on the fun and frolics of Goa in my future posts.

A 'close encounter' at the Samburu Game Park

From Kenya’s capital, Nairobi, to the Samburu Game Lodge is about 150 miles as the crow flies. But, if you leave Nairobi in the middle of winter, you’ll arrive at Samburu in midsummer. However, that’s not because the roads are so bad, or the little Nissan safari buses which most tour operators use being anything other than quick and efficient.

The reason for the seasonal shift is that on this journey crosses the Equator, at a place called Nanyuki, where the buses always stop. Ostensibly, it’s just to let passengers stretch their legs and attend to essential comforts, but, as often happens where tourists frequent, there’s quite a bazaar atmosphere, where ‘quality African craftwork’ (it says here) can be bought.

Lorraine at the Equator

Usually, too there’s someone there with a container of water, a funnel and a few match-sticks. For a fee, he will demonstrate the phenomenon where, if you pour water into a funnel, or let it out of the bath, or something, it swirls out clockwise to the south of the Equator, and anti-clockwise to the north. Although my ‘day job’ at the time was in aviation, nobody loves a smart-ass, so I resisted the temptation to lecture about Buys Ballot’s Law and the Coriolis Effect!

Having had our pit-stop and coffee, we left Nanyuki behind, and headed down into the Great Rift Valley and Samburu.

The Samburu Reserve takes its name from the Samburu people who live in the area. The Samburu are often to be seen in their traditional garb of wrap-around blankets and metal and bead bracelets and necklaces; sometimes the men wear red clay on their faces and in their hair. Most tours to the area include a visit to a Samburu manyatta (a fenced compound which acts as a sort of outdoor village hall/meeting place/club-house) to see a display of Samburu dance.

Grevy's Zebra

Samburu tribesmen dancing for us

The reserve consists of several adjoining game parks on either side of the Ewaso Nyiro River. One of these is the Buffalo Springs Nature Reserve. There are springs, to be sure, but Jacob, our guide/driver said that buffalo never frequented them. But, what were those bovine-looking animals drinking from the springs?

We had discovered Jacob’s system. ‘Elephants?’ he would say ‘There are no elephants around here.’ This usually made sure that we would see elephants … and soon! ‘We will see no lions today!’ usually meant more lions than you could shake a stick at … not that anyone shook any sticks at them; we stayed safely in the bus, which has a raised roof, to act as sun-shade and observation platform.

The guides aren’t allowed to use radios to talk to each other, and animals are not tagged in any way. But, if one guide sees something interesting, the others will arrive very shortly! One day, Jacob spotted a leopard in a tree, with the body of a recently-killed gazelle. Within 15 minutes, nineteen safari-buses had arrived on the scene!

Elephants at Samburu

We saw elephants, zebras, giraffes, ostriches, lions, cheetahs and many kinds of antelope and gazelle … including the tiny ‘dik-dik’ and the amusing gerenuk or ‘giraffe-gazelle’. And, of course, there were many buffalo! And, as a bonus, we had a rare glimpse of the usually haze-shielded and cloud covered Mount Kenya in the distance.

Seeing animals at their best usually calls for a pre-dawn start, with another drive around sunset. At these times, the animals are at their most active. So, when breakfast beckons, we returned to the Samburu Lodge. The cabins at the lodge are thatched, round huts of a design based on the African hut called a rondavel. Like all good game lodges, there are two watering holes … one within the compound, that is, the swimming pool, and one outside. A bank about three feet high surrounds the compound, this, we were assured, ensures that visitors don’t have too close an encounter with the game … especially the crocodile, which is usually seen basking by the water-hole.

One thing the bank won’t keep out is the baboons. The barman said that it has been known for them to snatch food from the plates of diners in the restaurant. Then, we were summoned to dinner … not by a gong, but a relentless thunder of African drums.

‘Oh, yes! Very Hollywood!

’ I said. But, the barman explained that the drums served an extra purpose. They scared the baboons away, and they wouldn’t be back for several hours!

Samburu Lodge

The Zambezi river, Africa’s fourth longest and parent to Victoria Falls, stretches 2′200 miles.  Starting at the Central African Plateau, the Zambezi passes through or serves as a border for six countries: Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Mozambique, Namibia and Angola.  Finally, it drains into the Indian Ocean after landing in the Mozambique Channel.  It hosts two major hydroelectric power stations, the Kariba Dam providing power to Zimbabwe and Zambia and the Cahora Bassa Dam serving Mozambique and South Africa.  This river is impressive, rough and rapid in some places and calmly flowing in others.  It supports an abundance of wildlife and feeds endless plants as it ’s’ shapes it’s way from the Congo through to Mozambique.  Many an adventurous and sporty tourist have flocked to the Zambezi for whitewater rafting or Kayaking.  There are three navigable sections to the Zambezi river, the upper, middle and lower sections.

Victoria Falls

As spectacular as this mighty river is, we are only going to be looking closely at it’s largest water fall, Victoria Falls, in this blog.  So named by David Livingstone (the Scottish explorer) in honour of Queen Elizabeth of England.  The indigenous name for the falls is Mosi-oa-Tunya (The Smoke That Thunders) and this is the official name used to refer to it in Zambia.  Zimbabweans just calls it ‘Victoria Falls.’  Victoria Falls marks the end of the upper Zambezi and the start of the middle Zambezi.  It also forms part of the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Devil's Cataract

You will not be dissappointed by the wonder of such a powerful and magnificent show of natural beauty and strength.  It was no wonder that David Livingstone, upon seeing these falls, remarked that “angels in their flight” must have “gazed” upon this awesome site.  David Livingstone is credited as being the first European to view Victoria Falls and as previously mentioned, he named them so.  Between 1852 and 1856, David Livingstone navigated the whole of the Zambezi river from it’s source right through to it’s mouth in the Indian Ocean.  I’ve always wondered what inspires such men to know all there is to know about whatever takes their fancy.  I imagine that it was no small task to say the least. 

Victoria Falls Bridge

The falls were not of much interest to Europeans until after 1905 when a railway crossing was built to facilitate Cecil Rhodes’ mining efforts and desire to conquer Africa in as many commercial ways as possible.  Cecil Rhodes’ drive to create a railroad running from Cairo to the Cape, brought about the plans for the first crossing of Victoria falls.  He made sure that the bridge was positioned so that trains would be sprayed by the falls as they passed.

Since the building of the bridge, tourism has steadily increased over the years until, by the turn of the millennium, more than quarter of a million people visited the falls annually.  Now, due to the affordable and easy access by road, there are more Zambian and Zimbabwean tourists than international ones.  This is unlike the game parks.

Things to See and Do

I'm sorry - I would pass out!

The falls themselves are enormous with lots of varying views of different aspects.  You can take micro-light or fixed winged flights over the falls if you’re not scared of heights.  I’m sorry, but I am a chicken, I couldn’t do it.  If I get to close to any deep drop I have to fight with the sheer fear of wanting to jump or fall coupled with a chilling shiver through my spine.  I’m not suicidal, it’s just a fear that many people have including me.  Okay, just me. 

On the opposite side to the falls you can walk through the rain forest and at times you’ll be able to see clearly enough to catch a glimpse of the falls.  You’ll soon reach Knife Edge Bridge where, during the dry season, you’ll be able to savour a stunning view of the falls.  In the rainy season the spray makes it more difficult to see but you’ll love the cooling mist all the same.

During the dry season, if the water is low enough, you can actually walk along the river to Livingstone Island, the place where David Livingstone first viewed the falls from.  Remember, you are walking across the upper Zambezi, by the crest, not along the gorge where the water crashes.  That would be suicide.

'Devil's Pool' - Natural 'SAFE' swimming.

Devil’s Pool is allegedly safe to swim in when the water level is low enough.  Sorry, I just watched I’m afraid.  This natural pool sits right on the crest of the falls and swimmers are apparently prevented from being hurled over the edge, by a natural rock formation providing an ample lip to the pool.  It just scared the living daylights out of me.  I really wish I was a Steve Irwin type or Bruce Willis, but I’m just a big scared cat when it comes to  things that look dangerous, but supposedly are not.  However, I wish that I had the guts because the thrill must be intense.

There are quite a few wildlife parks in the Victoria Falls area, where you can see most of the spectrum of African animals both large and small.  Safaris are popular and a must see if you make it to Victoria Falls.  For more information regarding short and long tours to Victoria Falls visit:

Victoria Falls Short Tour

Victoria Falls Long Tour

Hotels in the area are usually extremely well appointed.  One that comes to mind is the Zambezi Sun Hotel.  The fine African designs inside and out, rivalled only by the excellence of service, make this hotel a very popular choice.

Zambezi Sun Reception

For five star accommodation then the first choice would have to be the Royal Livingstone Hotel.  I’ll let you all have a look around the pictures and reviews of this one in your own time, but if you can afford it, you’ll never forget the experience.

Have Fun.

Jay