Morning
Port Lockroy is smaller than I thought it would be…a tiny hut sitting on a tiny island. There are Gentoo penguins everywhere you look, many sitting on eggs. White looking vultures are here too. Scrawny skin surrounding their eyes with white feathers covering the rest of their bodies like a winter coat, those strange looking birds just stand near the entrance to the gift shop. It makes me wonder if someone has fed them. After buying a few small items and mailing off post cards (that will take a month to arrive), I wandered through the place. What would it be like to live in such a minuscule place with only a few others for months on end? In the 1960's, workers were stationed here for up to 2 ½ years at a time! People still live here, but only during the summer months...both managing the gift shop as well as running a research project on the penguins that make their homes here.
Afternoon
Big round eyes, the little seal just stared at us as we floated by. He was resting on an ice berg, “sunbathing” at the beach...well maybe. As I looked closer, I saw a red mark on his chest. Blood? He must have been in a fight! Poor little guy, but he didn't look too harmed. Looking ahead, there was another gray lump on a distant piece of ice. As we approached, the mystery of the red mark was solved. A Leopard seal mother with her baby pup! A “smile” on her face, the whole boat was silenced in awe and fear. Watching the baby eat, no one wanted to provoke the mother. Leopard seals are quite ferocious at times. There were other things to see as well…like the rusted whaling ship, half sunken into the harbor. It made me a bit nervous to look at it and I had to remind myself it has been there for years...on the eastern side of Enterprise Island.
Evening
I wish that you could come and sit here beside me...in this chair and look out on the unimaginable beauty that surrounds me. It's 7pm and the sun is just dipping into an afternoon position casting an outstanding light onto everything it touches. The wind has carved the aged snow resting on the hills, and the icebergs still hold their blue blaze. The water...it's golden...sparkling gold with an endless vivid blue. I didn't know water so deep could shine blue...not black or a dark foggy blue...but a clear clean blue. I tried taking a photo, but then threw the camera down in disappointment. Nature cannot be captured by a man made device. We might try to create, but it doesn't compare. The 360 degree 4D imagine in front of me is not reproducible. It's a blessing to be here…a gift to see this…an opportunity that I am seizing and holding onto with gratitude. Snow. Ice. Water. Sun. Clouds. Wind. Stone. All arranged in a way that I can't quite grasp...can't describe...can barely absorb just sitting here. What more can be said? This keyboard must stop for this moment and this laptop must close. I need to just look and breathe in my surroundings.
The response from Adventure Life to my first inquiry was prompt and promising. I worked with Jamie Broeckel, Trip Planner, via text, email, and phone calls- always extremely responsive and thorough with information and explaining the process to arrange a private tour for me to Malaysia Borneo. Within about week, the booking was complete and I made decisions because of Jamie's great customer service , friendly manner, and overall competence on behalf of the company's travel expertise. Now I have an itinerary, additional Trip Planner Assistants, several links for vital information for traveling to Maylasia, etc. Still many details for Sept. trip, but now the heavy lifting is done and I can enjoy the rest of the anticipation and research!! Thanks Jamie- you are amazing!!!!
Susan Campo
2 days ago
The trip was not only memorable for the amount of animals we saw but also for the people and accommodations at the two camps where we stayed. Our first guide, BK, was a wealth of information about the animals, landscape and down to the plants and what they were used for. Everyday out was a learning experience with him. All the people at the camps were gracious and the food was excellent.
Our second camp in the Okavanga was just as good as the first as far as the staff, accommodations, food and animals. After our experience at the first camp we amazed that the high quality remained the same. Our guide, G, made sure we were able to enjoy every experience including a rush through the bush to witness a cheetah and an ensuing hunt that he heard over his radio.
In both camps there were enough guides out that if they saw something the other guides were informed which helped in seeing as much as possible. It was also nice that the concessions were large enough that we did not have vehicles following each other throughout the day.
Normally there is always something in a trip of this length that we think could be improved upon but this is the rare case where we cannot think of anything. From the time we left the States to when we returned it was one of the most hassle free vacations we took.
Perhaps emphasizing the use of the laundry facilities at the camps would be useful because of the luggage restrictions would be the only thing I can think of as an improvement to future clients.
Kenneth Dropek
3 days ago
Mary was so pleasant and professional. She made sure all of our questions were answered.