AFRICA 2014 VIDEO



I choose the overland trip with Intrepid travel tours, driving along dusty roads in the truck, camping, setting up base, me and tent mate Ange got our tent set up and set down to under a mere 10 minutes by the end of it. Getting into the cooking and the cleaning, ‘Flapping’ the art of holding a kitchen utensil after washing and waving them in the air like you just don’t care as a means of drying them in order to be packed away, a great arm workout. The attempted uses of Swahili, stocking up on the local alcohol on offer, tasting every beer along the way and finding a few gems, Amarula, just Amarula guys. Along with 3 great guides, Ben, Ken and Patrick who made the time memorable. 

Some of the other travellers were taking on the gorilla treks in Kenya and Uganda, whilst some had just finished the month prior travelling up from Cape Town to Vic Falls. And here I was thinking 1 month was waaay to long, now I’m itching to go back. I feel like I’ve hardly seen the continent of Africa, there’s just too much to explore. 

Although that one month spent travelling through Africa was a dream come true type experience. 
It was actually exactly like how mainstream media played it out to be, even as I stepped out of the airport I heard the beat of the african drums and the call of wild, like something out of Jumanji or the Wild Thornberry’s. Quite literally actually, it was a band of african drummers welcoming new travellers. 

The safari’s were exquisite! Being able to knock off the Big 5 in one day was such a good tick off the bucket list moment. Accompanied by some of the best drivers and guides, walking with rhinos and the chase to get some great leopard shots because they knew it was totally worth it. Giraffes poking their head around, elephants and hyenas walking through our camp grounds in the Serengetti, sitting around the campfire and the night sky like I’ve never seen before. 

This may be a little late, just over a year now. But better late than never. I know originally everyone wanted this to the classic Karl Wolf’s - Africa, but copyright laws these days on youtube and the tempo didn’t fit as well, hope y'all still enjoy this one. 


Enjoy, Asante!

A pocket of wonder.


Zanzibar, An archipelago off the coast of Tanzania. Although being part of the country of Tanzania, Zanzibar is self automated. The capital is Stone Town, A historic city where the African, Arabic and Indian cultures blend seamlessly and coalesce into a fascinating and enigmatic community.
A rustic place, they call it Stone Town for  reason, the rock, earth and stone rise out of the dust into strong hold buildings. With an architectural mix of stone and wood, ornate doors, panelled shutters and wooden balconies over hanging the white walled stone buildings decorate the city.

Once a slave trading city, 60 000 slaves were said to of been imprisoned and sold through Stone Town's ports. The city now deals in spice, Rich in spice trade and farming, it also has an equal amount of bazaars and bustling markets to sell the colourful produce.
















The modern art of south and central africa like its landscape tends to be rich in colour, full of bold silhouette imagery, featuring its people and animals.
Around the corner from a favourite coffee house (Zanzibar Coffee) was the art shop of this man. 
 With skills learnt from his uncle and developed over the years he fervently continued to slap on colour, move it and shape it into the colourful Masai image you see below. He allowed me to take his photo as he painted, fluidly shaping the layers of paint with what seems like ease and without hesitation as he continued to converse with me at the same time.




Stone Town is a maze of close knit buildings and small stone paved alleyway streets that calls for mostly pedestrian traffic within the centre of the city. The buildings create streets that criss cross, zig zag, some only 2 metres long that can hardly take on two lane traffic. To the untrained visitor it really is a maze , you can't see further than 80 metres at a time, everything tends to look the same and you find yourself walking into a dead-end or right where you started. Nothing is straight forward here, there is no direct route, you will have to take turn after turn, it feels like you're leading yourself back to the mainland and go down unfamiliar streets that you're pretty sure you didn't take before but you'll be where you needed in 10 minutes or less.

One day trying to find ourselves back to our hotel, we kept finding ourselves lost. After three failed attempts to lead our selves out of confusion and 30 minutes of getting further away from where we wanted to asked these two boys for some help. Thank fully they obliged, and on his bike led us back to where we wanted to go.  




And it seems as simple as that we were back. 


Stone Town is also known for its doorways, grand, eclectic and beautifully crafted entry ways, inspired from Indian and Arabic influences they adorn many of the buildings of Stone Town, adding to the beauty and cultural identity of Stone Town.





Much of the city and its activity seems to happen behind its walls and doors, where the real Stone Town seems to be. Either escaping the heat or prying eyes. There is an ominous ever present energy present, adding to the cultural mystique. You are met with any Jambo's, Hello's and welcomes as you walk the city, although the eyes continue to watch you until you have passed well out of sight. Outsiders are not easily accepted into the inner sanctum of life here, adding to what makes the energy here, that lingering sense of the unknown. 

It is a beautiful city of rich architecture and culture, I wish I could have taken more photos, but the people of Stone Town are exceptionally sensitive about their photos taken of them. So always be weary and ask before taking a photo. 





About an hours drive away from Stone Town towards to the north of the island is a more coastal retreat along the beaches. 


Pristine white sands meet azure waters once again, yet its a sight you never really tire of. No matter where or how many times its seen. The days heat up like a desert on fire, I even had heat stroke one day and I'm Aussie - Phew* Hot stuff. Thankfully the bar sheltered from the heat, playing African Reggae beats serves up ice cold juices, smoothies, cocktails and beers. 







Jumping off the roofs of boats into the water below. 




Our daily visitor, always high and always entertaining.



I always enjoy a coastal towns, and here is no exception. Making the most of their circumstances, is a sea-faring community. A selection of wooden vehicles float across the waters, the dugout canoes of fishermen and the sailboats of sailors and merchants. Taking to the waters, one of the most exciting moments is watching the sails raise and the winds fill them, pushing us along the water in the view of the setting sun. 








Zimbabwe




And here are some of those breathtaking landscapes I speak of. 
One of my favourite places is in the Matapos National Park, at World's View. 
Worlds View otherwise known as the summit of Malindidzimu, the 'hill of the spirits'. 
Overlooking the valley below, perched on top are a collection of rock formations the Matapos National Park is known for. 






Large towering boulders, that seem to defy logic. You would assume with any earth shake, gust of wind or storm that passed the area, the boulders would roll like mere marbles down the hill side. And yet there they stand seemingly movable only by the hands of a giant. 









We clamber upon the rocks, its our own adult playground. Watched the sun set over the horizon, listening to the life and times of Mr. Rhodes - Founder of the De Beers diamond company, founder of Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe. 
An incredible story of a man, who established Matapos as Zimbabwe's oldest National Park and his final resting place. Admittedly the story was long and I may have stopped paying attention about five minutes in. 

But only because the surrounds were breath-takingly distracting.








Visiting Matapos was one of the greatest days throughout my visit to Africa. 

Beginning with the man that helped make it so, Ian. 
Tall, at least 3 of me, with a charming South African voice that made his stories so compelling, you felt you could listen to him for days. He is a wealth of knowledge with an incredible knack for story telling. Students would do well if he was a teacher. 






And the greatest lesson from that day. 
The rhinos. As we tracked these impressive animals in the wild Ian told us of their plight. The original unicorn, once lived in large numbers, old family diaries describing them in the thousands roaming the lands, you could not miss them, although now such sightings are a rare instance. Since then the rhino has been hunted down to mere double digits, and not of a high amount. Ian speaks passionately and with zeal about rhino conservation, his life dedicated to their survival. At one point nearly coming to tears as he talks of a rhino he grew up with, Ian spoke of this rhino like a best friend, tragically the story took a turn for the worst as he like most was hunted.

Up to 25 poachers are caught a month, rangers with the duty to kill on sight. As many poachers themselves are armed with weapons, its become a game of warfare. 




The rhino is poached for its horn, like all ivory it is seen as a mantle piece, sought out by collectors that decorate their homes. But an emerging demand from asia has seen an exponential rise in poaching numbers. 
Superstitous myth says the consumption of the rhino horn increases penis size and fertility. 



The black market sells these horns for up to US$75,000. 
While those risking their lives, the poverty stricken African farmer with nothing to loose receives 1% of the retail price. 

Horns literally ripped from innocent rhinos for "traditional medicinal purposes" or stupid superstition. 




Leaving behind the rhino family to their grazing we turned our attention to the people who once inhabited the land. 

Climbing what felt like literally a vertical climb into a cave perfect for time travelling with Ian into a millennia ago. 





The bushmen painted theses images with a paint that ate into the rock face to last hundreds of years later to this day. 
Ian told us stories of their nomadic lives, connected with the land and living as one with nature.
Listening to his stories was like listening to tales around a campfire of fairytales at bedtime. 











Zimbabwe is a beautiful country, One of its unmissable sights is Victoria Falls, The worlds largest waterfall. 

And you can see why, even from kilometres away you can see the mists rising out of the cavernous ravine. Easily mistaken for smoke, in the silence of the night you continue to hear the water rushing over the edge and realise even at night it never stops, it cannot be stopped. Watching the thousands of gallons run over the edge of the cliffs, It is one of the most powerful things to witness in life and one of the most humbling. Never ending water rushing and falling, as you stand in its presence water is falls and rises in clouds of mist to fall again like rain all around you. Even on the driest days it feels like a storm is passing when ever near the falls. 






Victoria falls becomes the Zambezi river, populated by hippos and crocodiles, one of the best places to watch bungee jumpers and swingers leap over river is the bar at the bend. 



Some photos of the people met along the way in Zimbabwe.











Jambo Jambo Mama Africa

Welcome to Mama Africa, the animal playground. Widely known for its vast stretches of land, that some of the worlds most loved collection of animals call home. 

The African is continent shrouded in majestic sights , waterfalls with curtains of water stretching further than the eye can see, mountain tops capped in snow stretching upwards from the sun tanned earth at its base, a people with a connection with the land so deeply rooted with tradition and history, they are said to be a direct link to the cradle of life. Whilst the landscapes prove spectacles in their own right, the people and their lives otherworldly, it is the Safari, otherwise the game drive that beckons travellers from near and far. 

The savannahs and plains of the Ngorongoro crater and Serengetti set the backdrop for one of the worlds most sought for travel experiences. 






Visiting the Ngorongoro Crater and Serengeti reserves late January this year reserves is a 4 day venture. With Intrepid and my new found international family. 

We're in the Safari ready Toyota Landcruisers and like a herd of our own, set ourselves on the wilds of Africa. For the chance to see the big 5 and every other creature we can get our digital lenses on. 









First the Ngorongoro Crater. The worlds most dangerous petting zoo. 
The crater provides a rare micro-chasm ecosystem within its walls, creating a natural reserve where a large cross-section of the South African animal species can be found. That is besides the giraffe who seems to have difficulties climbing in and out of the crater walls due to their body type, and with lack of tall forrest like trees to keep them long term residents. But you can still find them in the outer plains. 








A young wildebeest born just minutes before is already standing. There is no time to wait, as predators take any chance they can get, even on the new borns.


With an unprecedented amount of animals, one species is always within close proximity, for easy viewing pleasure. 


 On the road to the Serengeti - 'Endless Plains'.







Of all the moments, one stands out. As a pride of lionesses and their young walk through the grasses we position ourselves on their path. Its a pride of up to twenty, they approach us head on and within metres. And as they pass us, we are surrounded by them.  









And then the sun begins to set.
Making camp in the Serengeti National Park. 
Tents pitched and the fire lit. Only one other sight took my breathe away more than the herds of animals or the hyena spotted creeping between tents. 

The night sky. It seemed there was more star than actual sky. As if photoshopped before my eyes. The blanket of stars shone so bright, as if like diamonds. 






 

The safari guides are superheroes when it comes to the animals, with superhuman like sight and hearing. As we gathered around the fire one night discussing the days events and those possibly of tomorrow, there was a sudden "Shhhh" shortly followed by a "Shut Up". Even as we literally followed one of the guys blindly into the darkness we heard nothing, but he did. Following the sound 250 metres away from where we were, there it was in the low lying trees, teenage elephants having a midnight snack. Shining some light from our torches, there they stood, less than 8 metres away. No matter how much time passed, standing in the darkness, watching the elephants half submerged in the scrub, we were in awe, and found it hard to convince ourselves it was time to leave.

They continued to visit the next day.


As much as we could of sat and waited for more animals to walk into our campsite, we wanted to get deeper into the park. 









Shadowing the patterns of the animals we tracked. Taking game drives in the early morning sunrise and the evening light, when the animals are most active away form the midday heat. We may have become a little more akin to our animal kin than we assumed, endlessly napping and searching for the cool. 





















OHM'

 

 I primarily chose Cambodia because I was captivated by the idea of its temples, ancient ruins overrun by the leafy rainforests in its midst, spiritual epicentres that re-connect you with your understanding of the world. I wanted to explore the religious Khmer sites and get my Lara Croft Tomb Raider on. To weave in and out of the temple grounds, to pop my head in and out of window frames and doorways and walk ornately decorated hallways, all to the sound of buddhist prayers being chanted and gongs sounding and resonating like a pulse through the air.

We enter Siem Reap, I like to call it temple town!
A charismatic Cambodian city with an energy reflecting the tourists that visit. 

Everyone who visits Siem Reap finds themselves at the main drag - Pub street. Pub street provides a vibrant nightlife. Lined with restaurant, pub and club, it's lit up with Vegas inspired neon lights. Night markets border either side giving one the chance to practice their haggling skills. Although once you get down to about US$1 for something priced US$20 you begin to think have you become drunk in haggling power, especially from people who probably need the money rather than the corporations back home whose prices we don't even question. Back to Pub Street, it comes to life at night, as travellers return from the their days out venturing. Siem Reap is also the base city for which people can explore the the Angkor city, the once captital of the Khmer civilisation. 



From 9th - 15th centuries the Khmer civilisation built various temples and religious sites in its capital, from which its leaders ruled the empire.
The largest and most revered of these being Angkor Wat. The world's largest religious monument ever to be built, floating in a lake and surrounded by a monolithic moat. Built as shrine to worship the gods, it is also believed to be a palace and the home of King Suryavarman II, as well as his final resting place. Although debate still surrounds Angkor Wat's purpose as the Khmer populous that once inhabited its walls moved from a region, leaving what we know today of Angkor Wat largely interpreted from the many inscribed galleries that decorate the temple walls. 



Angkor Wat is one of the busiest places I have ever visited, I have never seen so many tourists in one place, it rivals the numbers of Times Square in New York or Bondi Beach on a hot summers day. But like these sights crowds relentlessly gather, even at the break of dawn to take in the sight of this majestic complex. Astonishing the world for its sheer size as well as its intricate structural design, the stone structure stands incomparable to any other building of the world, and an architectural marvel. 





The  saddest moment was watching the crowds walk away, leaving behind scraps of rubbish from their takeaway meals and snacks. It's disgusting to think a person could stand in front of a beautiful scene and and consciously taint it with trash. 

Following the big boy Angkor Wat other temple sites dot the surrounding region. Most take short 5 minute tuk tuk rides from temple to temple, but taking the time to walk or cycle around the grounds is quite relaxing. Away from the crowds and noise, the calm of green foliage frame the scenes, cool winds rustling up leaves and the shade of the tree's block out the heat of the sun, coming across smaller abandoned temple buildings. After your breathe has been taken away at the sight of Angkor Wat you are left pondering as you walk the tranquil and silent surrounds of the Angkor city parklands. It's as though the Khmer sought to have their most prized structures hugged by the arms of nature, knowing the importance of natures role in finding the balance in ones spirituality. 



The next set of temples are a lot less inhabited by the tourist crowd, they are also less preserved, but adds to its mystique. Giant trees with their over grown root systems have engulfed parts of the temples, with root systems largely visible and reclaiming their space.
People still gather in the temples to pray and worship. Smoky clouds of haze rising form incense sticks fill the air, bundles of candles glimmer as they light buddha statues. 
Accidentally, but thankfully I stubble across a few of these groups praying, usually as try to find myself, navigating the dark insides of the temple towers through tunnels and hallways. I Take my time to take part in the Cambodian Custom, paying my respects to the culture and to the travel gods for guiding me well thus far, leaving my incense stick in offering to Buddha and receiving a seima string bracelet. 


Throughout Angkor Thom, The Bayon and Bantreay Srei, another level of stone masonry is displayed, with hundreds of giant Buddha faces topping columns and so intricately carved designs that cover entire temples. 







And here I take my next stab at the rude and uncultured tourist type. 
For the Khmer and Buddhists alike, these temples are religious sites of profound importance, attributing great meaning to these sites with their religions. In the buddist way it is customary and expected of those entering to be covered until the knee and past the shoulder. Even in the heat of Midday. And yet still spotted wandering the grounds are inconsiderate and unmindful tourists, not respecting the cultural environment in which they visit. Along with this are those tourists not taking reverence to the historical importance of sites. A few of the temple areas were made famous from the Tomb Raider movie. Today those areas are fenced off, the immense foot traffic beginning to burden the site. Yet those pesky lewd tourists are at it again, climbing over obvious sign laden fences to get an ill taken photo of themselves in a doorway which I assume will not garner many Facebook likes. Kinal who had been showing me her Cambodia was disappointed and hurt by the blatant lack of respect.





But you can understand why. The complex's are an ancient city of the Cambodians Khmer ancestors, what remains today  is of high spiritual importance.
Devatas (Female demigod figures) dance along the walls and with carvings telling the history of the Khmer embellish the columns. Beautifully built by devoted patrons, standing the test of time. The temples are national icons anchoring themselves into the fabric of the Khmer civilisation that reminds them of their history and culture. It is the simplest task of the traveller or any international visitor to respect a culture and its people, in order to help conserve these pieces of history. 

The temples of the Angkor city are a sight you can truly get lost in. 

Kingdom of Cambodia


I spent 9 days in Cambodia, like the rest of South East asia, tropical rainforests and dusty orange earth laden the land, bustling markets filled with elephant printed genie - Harem pants (which you end up buying 10 pairs of), uncontrolled traffic and a lack of road rules as tuk tuks/tricycles, mopeds, motorcycles and push bikes are widely popular choices of vehicle, wooden stilt houses, with thatch and tin metal roofs are all ever present. But like a New York Borough each country has its own individual identity and energy which animates it.  

Still re-building from a war that tore its social fabric to threads, it's people stay resilient and remain some of the friendliest in the world. 
The people of Cambodia sought to learn from its past, not to turn it's back on each other or the world but come back stronger and wiser. 



The sleeping tuk tuk driver


The Battambong Bananna Train.
Is more motorized cart than actual train.



Bridge impass along the train route where we stopped to watch the sunset. 


The markets of spider town, where fried spider is a booming in this niche market of insect eating patrons.
They're not to bad actually, as you can presume with a lack of meat and don't taste much like anything. Crispy and light, the main thing to get your head around is the hairy fur that tickle those taste buds whilst you chew. 


Tarantulas replace toy dolls and act as the pets of these young girls, giving visitors the chance to handle the live version before they attempt to swallow freshly fried afternoon snack.






Buddhist monks are a daily sight. I'm inspired to become one, find a monastery to accept me find enlightenment.
And I think orange is my colour, 








Breakfast of this champion, spring rolls and pineapple. I don't want continental, I want oriental.


The Tonle Sap lake, where waterside villages are built not alongside the river but rather in it. Their homes built on high stilt bases, a fishing village whose populous has adapted their lifestyles to the tides and water levels.


Autumn Leaves

There is a town in Sydney's Blue Mountain's built in the image of a classic English village.
Where large farm and garden estates call home, containing historic houses with brick bordered gates at the fore, old towering tree's line the streets and apple picking is always in season.

Mt. Wilson, lies somewhere on the scale between the 1920's and traditional country England.
North of the Blue Mountains pass, the last petrol station is about 15KM's back towards Sydney and the next real food source isn't for another 10KM further along towards Lithgow. There is no phone signal here, permanent commercial buildings or public water access and it feels as though you really have stepped back into a pre-21st century era.

The town becomes a picturesque visual delight as red's, yellow's and orange's, covering the surrounds with the turning of the leaves. It is so charming Baz Luhrman used one of the garden's as the setting for his film The Great Gatsby. The one in question is Breenhold Gardens.











.

In traditional fashion, entry fee is payable on a honesty system.
Whilst Breenhold and other gardens do charge admission fee's, many others are free, while freely walking through the township is a delight in itself. Many mountain trails also lead from the town to various mountain lookouts, the surrounds also include a campsite to set up tent.









Does this seem familiar?
Just imagine the scene with a towering mansion behind that wall, a road winding to the right of those trees and one Leonardo Di Caprio lingering at that gateway. 


Although all movie sets were taken down after the filming of the movie. Including the cottage house of Nick Carroway. Admittedly Hollywood has a way of using manipulating scenes to create the desired visual affect, many locations are un-recognisable without imagination or comparison. But the sets are primarily taken down as the gardens are part of the private estate of its owners, opening its gates seasonally to the public during the autumn and spring months.







Panorama -RAMA!

There's something about the effect panoramas have in photography.
Capturing grand scale, the bigger picture, taking on a wide scale view of a place, of a moment.
Panorama's take on a vantage point with a unique perspective.

 Santa Monica 

 Zanzibar

 Victoria Falls

 Guatemala

 Worlds View


 Caye Caulker

 Magic Kingdom - Disneyworld

 

 Royal National Park - Sydney

 Empire State Building 

 Hwange National Park

 Venice Beach

 Santa Monica

 Station 2 - Borocay

 Lanikai Beach

 NYC Subway

 Norongoro Crater

 Wattamolla Beach


 Grand Canyon

 Kailua 

 Pillboxes Hike
















Sorry To Be Anti-climactic

Every journey around the world should include a stop in Sydney, what world trip incomplete without one, and it just so happens so does mine. I've had to make a pitstop on my world tour, and come back to Sydney for a few days. Thank fully this just so happens to be over New Years, so there's a silver lining to returning.

It doesn't feel like being home, mainly because I know I'm not having to settle back into home life and start setting up again. Instead I'm able to just enjoy all my favourite things about home and still be in holiday mode, knowing that the journey continues soon enough.

It's funny to actually hear my phone ring, I can access the internet without needing to source free wifi and actually receive a phone call. Although I seem to have forgotten how to take one, because I kept talking over Jody when we we're having a conversation. 
Thing is you don't realise how accustomed you get to travel life, I mean, don't all countries take US dollars, why is a beer not $1.50 here, my toiletries and clothes living outside of bags for longer than a day, there's no need for electrical adapters, I don't need to slow down my English to be understood or brush my teeth without being cautious of tap water.

It's time to kick back, enjoying the company of family and friends in the comforting recesses of home. I've been able to do my washing, re-pack, prove to my mother I am alive and well, update my playlist, watch the second instalment of the hobbit and be reunited with my bed.  

This little stint in Sydney has become part of the trip, it's been a whirlwind visit back, a non stop party really. Starting with Sydney New Years, one of the greatest parties around, where anything goes and the celebrating mood stretches on for days afterwards.







Some friends gathered and we watched the fireworks from Balmain, with a view so picturesque I felt like a tourist in my own city. Then started Chillfest 2014, with beach runs from Bondi throughout the South coast. With that Aussie heat glistening, it feels good on my skin. humid is different in every country and here my hair doesn't go Afro in this humidity. which is always a plus.

With catch ups over drinks, several drinks, I'm sure residual alcohol is still in my body.
This time back has given me the chance to reunite with friends and family, and ring in 2014 with a passion to focus energies on the people worth investing in and aspirations that give something back to me in my personal growth. I have a habit of getting distracted from the big picture, easily moved by emotion and whim, very much still young at heart without concern. The new year has given rise to realising the importance of prioritising and moving myself forward towards bigger things.













The one driving force behind all this, since being back people have inundated me with such a growing support towards this blog. The positive reception towards The Focal Point that I've received has surpassed my expectations. I never thought that anyone would remember, let alone visit, let alone enjoy and be 'proud' of me, it's so moving it pretty much brings me to tears. And we all know how sentimental and emotional I get over that stuff. 

So guys, depending on internet connection it'll feel like you're right here with me taking on the world. Although warning, never read this blog with Germaine, I know it's the primary school teacher in you but *Disclaimer I will always have grammatical errors in this blog. I'm joking, comment away, make me a better writer. 

The week has also been a week of goodbyes, I'm not getting any better with them, I still get that pit in my stomach. I hate leaving home, but part of travelling is learning to make new ones wherever you go. 

Nothing will ever be Sydney, although Sydney's never meant so much to me since seeing the rest of world through everyone else's lives.