No?  Neither had I until I got wind of a new property recently opened in Encinitas (north San Diego area).  In the course of looking for a fun getaway befitting a special anniversary, I explored Alila Marea Beach Resort.  This is a separate brand under the Hyatt umbrella where one might expect premium pricing from Park Hyatt or even Hyatt Regency.  I definitely was not expecting a room cost approaching $1,000 per night (includes breakfast!) on a AAA rate.  I will continue to look.

When considering where else where else to go, I decided to look into an old favorite from early in our marriage — Ventana in Big Sur.  Turns out that property is also now an Alila, and only the third one in the US.  All of the other locations are scattered around Asia and the Middle East.  Ventana was always a splurge, but nothing like it is now.   At least the rate is basically “all inclusive” — per the website:

Each Ventana booking now features the following inclusive offerings: Dining in-room (all meals), poolside on your dedicated chaise lounge (lunch), or at The Sur House (breakfast and dinner). Convenient, healthy, and inspiring snacks to take on the day’s adventures, along with complimentary keepsake reusable water bottles. The Ventana Big Sur picnic program. Access to indoor and outdoor fitness studios. Volvo chauffeur service within a three-mile radius. The Excursion Outpost, featuring complimentary items for your use on picnics, hikes, and more.

The cost for the above (lowest rate and you best sit down) :: $1,650 per night, plus tax of course.  Onward I go.

Then there is Napa, site of the newest Alila.  Scratch that for the desired timeframe (end of August). But we can go earlier in August with rooms starting at just under $1000.  I’m feeling rich.

Thus I look forward to sharing all the stories and photos of the settled itinerary :: Cleveland (the hubby’s hometown) for baseball plus seeing friends and family; Detroit (baseball only) and some glorious days in Chicago for eating, shopping, exploring and celebrating.  Sounds pretty ideal to me.

Here’s a key piece of advice:  Factor in downtime for your travel, especially if your itinerary includes going non-stop in order to “see it all.”

One of the things the hubby and I truly appreciate is having a few days to do nothing.  That means no plans, alarms, or advance decisions on how to spend the day. Not only is that a true luxury but something one really needs.  Plus there’s the added bonus of returning home just slightly less tired.  It can be a time to reflect on the trip highpoints/lowpoints.  Since time is obviously so precious, it makes sense to evaluate what works best for you in order to mitigate mistakes or unforced errors.

Bermuda has always been on the to-do list, but it’s minimum two flights from the west coast.  With our post-Africa route through Heathrow, getting to Bermuda was just one more flight.

There are some 70,000 residents collectively in the 150+ islands, but most principally reside on the five largest.  I was surprised at the number of native Bermudians we met with families that had been there for generations.  Most other people — especially those working in hospitality — were an international mix.  Not surprisingly, tourism is the main source of revenue along with insurance and Bermuda onions (not kidding).

Below — the Rosewood Bermuda.

Bermuda is colonial in feel and sometimes in attire where men don pastel Bermuda shorts with loafers and button-down shirts.  Golf is huge; at least eight courses on the main island.  Many hotel guests send their clubs in advance via Ship Sticks.  I used them to send resort clothes ahead as African flights were limited for luggage, but the recommended timeframe to send the bag seemed ridiculously early (shipped from LA on April 16 for our May 4 arrival).

It wasn’t early at all.  The bag in fact made it to the island around April 26 but only delivered to our room on May 5.  With major custom delays (Covid strikes again), copious emails resulted between the shipper, the resort and me.  In the end, in our room there was a sight for sore eyes and a source of clean clothes.

So we took our own advice and did pretty much nothing.

The one big adventure consisted of a “car” from Rugged Rentals and driving to the other side of the island.  Seen below is a golf cart disguised as a Hummer with no power steering, brakes or shock absorbers.  Factor in driving on the “wrong” side in Bermuda, and my arms got a workout.

And, as with all good things, this trip came to an end … after 24 days, 3 countries, 15 flights, 6 covid tests and endless memories.  What a blessing to be on these adventures together.

 

In just a week’s time, the hubby and I got a true taste of Uganda — from the bustling international Entebbe airport to the Congo border, the vast Queen Elizabeth National Park  and even crossing the Equator.  It is a country with spectacular landscape, welcoming people, adorable children eager to waive hello plus countless species to view.

But, there’s also considerable government control as evidenced by the banning of Facebook.  And, were it not for citizens planting small crops to take to market or consume at home, hunger can be a challenge for much of the population.  With that, we were very happy to do whatever we could to help those dependent upon tourism with their livelihoods.

We had two more animal encounters, both unique in their own way  ~~

MOTORBOAT SAFARI

The 40 km Kazinga Channel in Queen Elizabeth National Park flows between Lake George and Lake Edward through the heart of main game viewing area.  The different perspective of water viewing versus the previous land viewing was enjoyed for a relaxing couple of hours.

Above and below:  Many have asked if I ever felt nervous or scared on safari.  The short answer is no.  But, one must be VERY careful around these massive creatures — especially when there is a calf in tow as pictured here.  One could caption this:  “Proceed at your own peril.”  We backed the hell up.

Below is the ingenious work of the black and white Kingfisher birds who dig holes to protect their eggs from any prey.

Co-existing seen everywhere among the species.

CHIMPANZEE TREK

Unlike the mountain gorilla trek covered in the last post (click HERE), our descent into the Kyambura Gorge was relatively short, significantly less steep, and ultimately very manageable.  While the hubby opted out midway upon arrival at a difficult passage (below), I proceeded with a park ranger and our driver/guide William.   After immediately spotting a group of fast-moving chimps, we went quite a bit further to have an up-close encounter that made the trek and completed our trip sightings.

TRUTH IS STRANGER THAN FICTION MOMENT

I was laser focused on not slipping in the muddy and wet (but flat) terrain.  My glasses fogged up from humidity and my phone (used for photos) was in my pocket but was somehow very dim, so basically I have zero visibility.  And then I hear “Hello?  Hello?? I can’t hear you!”  And I look at my phone and realized I accidentally dialed my sister Margie in Los Angeles, who came through clear as a bell.  In a deep gorge in Western Uganda near the Congo border.  But try making a call from Coldwater Canyon in Los Angeles and there’s no reception.  No, we didn’t actually speak.  In a panic I disconnected from just being baffled at the whole incident.  We’ve of course had many a good laugh since via text.

At this point, our formal itinerary from Africa Travel Resource came to an end at the (literally) picture perfect Ndali Lodge.  I encourage you to click on the link to read the story of this amazing place, which land dates back nearly 100 years.

There’s just one caveat for staying at Ndali :: Must love dogs.  Or at least not mind them.  Personally they were a sight for sore eyes having been away from our three for so long.  Two were mere puppies — not more than 10 weeks at the time.  One of the older ones slept on our porch all night.  How can you not love Basil, the brown guy upper left.

And, finally, two last incredible views.   Next post :: Africa Hits & Misses plus R&R in Bermuda

Wait; what?? There’s gorilla trekking in Uganda?  Now that’s something on the proverbial bucket list.  My thoughts that both the exorbitant cost along with adding Rwanda to our itinerary were deal breakers.  Upon learning the experience is the same in both countries but the cost is significantly lower in Uganda (the respective governments set the fees), the decision to go was fairly easy.   With either destination, there is a lengthy list of warnings and precautions one must consider carefully.

Following an Entebbe overnight after our remarkable experience in Tanzania (see previous), an 80-minute flight to the southwest corner of Uganda in a 12-seat Cessna Caravan took us to our next destination.  Again, we were a party of two plus the co-pilots for a great flight.  Both the smooth ride and the view were spectacular.  At the other end, William — our guide for the six-night, three-location stay — was there to meet us.

Seeing the small villages and towns in the west of Uganda is an eye-opener; sadly not in a good way.  There is tremendous poverty and primitive living along with way too many unpaved roads.

Our stay at Mahogany Springs requires almost no “commute” for the main event — trekking Silverback mountain gorillas in the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.  In fact, sometimes the beasts venture onto the gorgeous premises.  And head chef Abraham did a terrific job with every meal!

Trekking is a stunning and very challenging experience.  The forest is wet, steep, slippery, and full of fallen trees (mostly pieces of the trunk or branches).  Plus there are the tangles of vines which are impossible to avoid.  So a foot could easily get stuck and cause a trip or fall.  Walking sticks from the lodge are an essential component along with gaiters, long socks (for tucking in pants), gloves (for gripping), sturdy walking boots (mine are below — before and after our trek), and a lot of the strongest insect repellent.  Our pre-trip documents had this extensive packing list.

Here’s some million dollar advice:  Hire “sherpas” on the spot — porters who push you and pull you and hold your hand and tell you where best to plant your foot to avoid slipping (or worse) and carry your stuff.  And hire an extra.  They were invaluable, had significant training, and saved us from any accidents which could have easily occurred.

Above with the porters when we were clean and had no idea what lay ahead.  Below, one of many rest stops.  Not even close at this point (at least another hour to go).

Once in the presence of gorillas, trekkers have just 60 minutes to observe and take photos.  If the gorillas move, so does everyone else (a team of armed guards in front and back; ranger; porters and trekkers).    Our successful viewing:  One large Silverback male, four adult females and two babies.  The photos:

Below — the silver “stripe” goes horizontally across the back at the mid-point.

When it was time to leave, we had to call in reinforcements due to utter exhaustion from the trek at that point.  For the most part, the hubby and I are pretty healthy 67-year-old’s.  The time for doing this kind of hard-core physical endeavor has an expiration date in the not-to-distant future.  We are very happy to have it in our rear-view mirrors.  And thank the Ugandan Gods for the exit strategy from deep in the forest:  A “helicopter” evacuation.  I was expecting the real deal, but the photos show the actual ride. Had it not been available, we just might still be there.

About the evacuation experience:  It is a very smart and entrepreneurial solution for repurposing car seats.  Someone came up with the genius idea to mount a seat on two parallel metal poles and add an extra seatbelt.  Then, the team executes some Olympics-worthy choreography for changing positions (to shift the weight burden) while the chair and passenger are in the air.  On incredibly steep terrain.  Without missing a step.  Bravo, just bravo.  We (they came back for me too) probably went one-half mile via this mode to get to flat ground for walking.

What an amazing experience.  One that shall be savored for a long time.  Next post:  The rest of our Uganda stay — boat safari, chimp trekking and some amazing scenery.

 

 

Down on the farm in … Tanzania??  That would specifically be Gibbs Farm, ideally located in the green and fertile hills near the Ngorongoro Crater.  It’s difficult to convey the sheer beauty in that part of the country.  And it was a complete departure from our time spent in the Serengeti (see previous posts).

The concept of “farm to table” food could have originated at Gibbs with it’s 10 acres of vegetable and fruit gardens, picked and consumed twice daily as shown below in the menu and salad.  Then there are 200 chickens providing nearly as many daily eggs, cows, pigs, ducks, goats, a turkey, rabbits and a few domestic cats.

Impressively, nothing goes to waste.  There’s a very sophisticated composting system with 14 staff tending the garden’s needs.  The essential crop rotation is a lot of hard work — most by hand.  Then there’s the need for night security to keep the local elephants and baboons away, who will otherwise eat the crops.

The main crop in the area is coffee and it’s everywhere.  I learned it’s a six-year investment from seed to usable beans.  That is a commitment to say the least, but the end result is a delicious and aromatic product.  Corn and bananas are the other enormous crops; the by-products are staples in the Tanzanian diet.   With an ideal location near the equator (reminiscent of a 2014 visit to Ecuador), this so-called (by the hubby) “gardener girl” was in heaven and more than a bit envious.

Below:  Masses of italian parsley, broccoli (top); artichoke field, kohlrabi which made for a delicious soup, pineapple and a pumpkin field

Below: the duck pond in foreground.  The goats climb up the ramp around the tower and enter the top to escape hot weather.

We made the drive to Ngorongoro Crater where one must first ascend to the rim before descending to the floor of the immense area created many millenia ago by volcanic eruption.  Unlike the Serengeti where zebras or gazalles would scatter if the vehicle got too close, in the crater they are near enough to touch (but not allowed nor advised).  Additionally, the different animals seemed to congregate more freely.  And the landscape is just breathtaking.

NOTE:  The following photo was just awarded PHOTO OF THE WEEK by the esteemed travel site Peter Greenburg Trusted.Travel.News.  I am honored!

After our stay, we made the four-hour drive to Kilimanjaro International Airport for the hour flight to Entebbe.  We should have had our results from covid testing (administered more than 48 hours prior) at the Serengeti departure.  A negative result is necessary both to leave the country and enter Uganda, our next destination.

If you’ve seen the fabulous movie Argo, with the nail biting ending, that is a good metaphor for our experience.  Not exactly life or death but still there is never a desire for an “oopsie” to occur and go to a Plan B.  Fortunately, with the assistance of our ATR agent in London and the local Asilia team on the ground, the results magically appeared minutes before the gate closed.  I even offered a bribe of the airport personnel with our plentiful boxed lunches from Gibbs, but to no avail.  I was happy to give the food away regardless.  Everyone was very kind and simply abiding by the rules.

Next post:  Gorilla trekking in Bwindi Forest

 

 

Many recent travel articles report that animal sightings are greater since the pandemic kept many tourists from African travel.  We’re here to confirm that is true in a significant way at our first stop after the overnight in Arusha (see previous post).

Whether it’s lack of human presence or the area in general or the season, the hubby and I were the grateful beneficiaries of remarkable and immediate sightings after arriving at Seronera airstrip.  Penuel met us and was our guide/driver from start to finish.  We went for some six hours in the open-air vehicle before even setting eyes on Namiri Plains, one of the Asilia brand’s amazing camps.  Not even a “loo with a view” (potty) break during that time.  What an extraordinary way to begin our stay.

He was very careful not to promise anything in general. The best philosophy is “under promise and over deliver.” We generally do not have trip expectations which mitigates any disappointment. But seasoned and experienced guides know their audiences.  We just said we’re happy with whatever you think is the best experience.  He proved a remarkably talented and knowledgeable leader.

Above, as we leave for our morning drive at 6:30 which early departure is crucial for the best viewing.  Coffee and wake-up “call” come at 5:45.  That “tent” behind us conceals a permanent structure housing a wonderful bed and bath with indoor shower and outdoor soaking tub.  The back is completely enclosed in glass for viewing.   Breakfast (below) is enjoyed a couple of hours into the drive.

The traditional “Big 5” (lion, leopard, rhinos, elephant and Cape buffalo) are what most visitors understandably want to see.  While we did not see any rhinos, we got extremely lucky with the others.  Sightings included cheetahs plus giraffes, zebras migrating with wildebeest, gazelles, hyenas, crocodile, tortoise, ostrich, baboons, hippos, silver-back jackal, serval cat, eagles and likely some I’m forgetting.

A big benefit of this particular time is the lack of other safari vehicles jockeying into position to view the animals. The most we saw at any point was four others and one was from the Cheetah Conservation program.  The proliferation of animals coupled with sparse guests made for a most remarkable time. But, without the expert operations at Namiri Plains — and the initial guidance of Africa Travel Resource — one could arguably visit and come away with a lesser experience. Ours exceeded any ideas we might have had.

I’ll let the photos tell you the best stories.  Next post:  All the “Cool Cats” in the Serengeti.