Trip Report: Sep 2007: Rattrays (Mala Mala), Little Mombo, Kings Pool
Oct 11th, 2007, 02:09 PM
#42
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Joan
Tell them Matt Wood sent you and that he arramged a comp tasting. Simi is right at the dge of town heading north on the main road. The Petite Sirah is awesome. I will be there tomorrow morning, so ask for me between 10 and 12.
Matt
Tell them Matt Wood sent you and that he arramged a comp tasting. Simi is right at the dge of town heading north on the main road. The Petite Sirah is awesome. I will be there tomorrow morning, so ask for me between 10 and 12.
Matt
Oct 13th, 2007, 07:52 AM
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Napamatt-
I just went back on this thread one last time, and saw your drink suggestion. I will most certainly ask for the Rattray Refresher on Tuesday afternoon and say Mr. Wood recommend it. If possible will get a picture of the smile that is sure to be on his face.
The 24 hour countdown has begun, and the animals await. I will let you know if we see the wild dogs, and which lions make their appearance. Also, if the ninth cub surfaced.
Adios,
Shell Cat
I just went back on this thread one last time, and saw your drink suggestion. I will most certainly ask for the Rattray Refresher on Tuesday afternoon and say Mr. Wood recommend it. If possible will get a picture of the smile that is sure to be on his face.
The 24 hour countdown has begun, and the animals await. I will let you know if we see the wild dogs, and which lions make their appearance. Also, if the ninth cub surfaced.
Adios,
Shell Cat
Oct 13th, 2007, 05:47 PM
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Clematis1,
Three or four people criticise MM and say they won't return and there is a massive over-reaction from the those that consider it their favourite place including childish, snide remarks.
Can you prove that any of those are not working for MM or TAs? That doesn't of course apply just to MM but any camp.
I haven't attacked any one else's view of their experiences at MM, only commented on my own. That doesn't sit well with certain members of this board hence the reaction. Why is that?
For example, Kaye criticised Londolozi after a poor experience on a visit there. Did I rubbish that? I have actually stopped in the room she thought was awful and I personally consider it far better than my MM room. But that's just a difference of opinion.
Three or four people criticise MM and say they won't return and there is a massive over-reaction from the those that consider it their favourite place including childish, snide remarks.
Can you prove that any of those are not working for MM or TAs? That doesn't of course apply just to MM but any camp.
I haven't attacked any one else's view of their experiences at MM, only commented on my own. That doesn't sit well with certain members of this board hence the reaction. Why is that?
For example, Kaye criticised Londolozi after a poor experience on a visit there. Did I rubbish that? I have actually stopped in the room she thought was awful and I personally consider it far better than my MM room. But that's just a difference of opinion.
Oct 13th, 2007, 06:34 PM
#46
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Matt, great report, and I sheepishly admit I love your descriptions of human viewing as much as of the game viewing.
Does Jordan (presumably in SA) have any connection with the Jordan winery in Calif.?
Leslie
Does Jordan (presumably in SA) have any connection with the Jordan winery in Calif.?
Leslie
Oct 13th, 2007, 06:43 PM
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Hi Tanky,
As you have brought it up, please let me say this - in Dec 2005, I was at 4 camps, Londo and MM being two of them! My room at Londo for each of us was A$1089 and for MM it was A$644 - quite a substantial difference! The room had no chair in which to sit and the fridge was outside and we were told, not to put anything in it as baboons could open it up! But the room, though not at all big enough for two of us, was not my main issue - it was the ranger and gamedrives.
I paid substantially more for a leopard experience, and on our first outing, the tracker was asked if he wished to come with us, and the answer was negative! It was outrageous! I have never been to a camp where the tracker decided if he came with you or not. But even with that experience, I was prepared to give them another go, as they would have returned my deposit for a future trip. I did not return to Bateleur, but went to Pioneer and Founders for 5 nights each, had one ranger and tracker for the whole trip, and I did have a wonderful experience.
Value for money has a lot to do with my returning to anyplace. That same trip, we went to Singita, where I was paying A$1349 for each of us per night and quite frankly, that was ridiculous and the last time I will go to Singita, especially as I consider gameviewing there to be less than my experience at MM. The room needs to be comfortable and I need a proper reading chair and I like to be able to move around the room without running into whichever niece is in the room with me!
Kind regards
Kaye
As you have brought it up, please let me say this - in Dec 2005, I was at 4 camps, Londo and MM being two of them! My room at Londo for each of us was A$1089 and for MM it was A$644 - quite a substantial difference! The room had no chair in which to sit and the fridge was outside and we were told, not to put anything in it as baboons could open it up! But the room, though not at all big enough for two of us, was not my main issue - it was the ranger and gamedrives.
I paid substantially more for a leopard experience, and on our first outing, the tracker was asked if he wished to come with us, and the answer was negative! It was outrageous! I have never been to a camp where the tracker decided if he came with you or not. But even with that experience, I was prepared to give them another go, as they would have returned my deposit for a future trip. I did not return to Bateleur, but went to Pioneer and Founders for 5 nights each, had one ranger and tracker for the whole trip, and I did have a wonderful experience.
Value for money has a lot to do with my returning to anyplace. That same trip, we went to Singita, where I was paying A$1349 for each of us per night and quite frankly, that was ridiculous and the last time I will go to Singita, especially as I consider gameviewing there to be less than my experience at MM. The room needs to be comfortable and I need a proper reading chair and I like to be able to move around the room without running into whichever niece is in the room with me!
Kind regards
Kaye
Oct 14th, 2007, 07:54 PM
#48
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Matt have you ever gone to Asia to spot birds? I went to the Hong Kong Bird Market and couldn't believe the beautiful birds they had there...even more so than African birds. Amazing variety and figured they must come from VietNam or Laos...noone spoke English so I couldn't get the answer.
Oct 15th, 2007, 03:14 AM
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I am not a frequent contributer to this forum but read the comments made on a daily basis and have come to the conclusion in my own mind that I agree with Tanky who has very good reason to think that some of the contributers to this forum could have alterior motives. The way they come to the immediate defence of a certain product is very suspicious. My two bits worth!
Oct 15th, 2007, 04:30 AM
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Leslie, Jordan Wines in S.A. is named for the South African family of that name. See www.jordanwines.com/about/ for more info.
Oct 15th, 2007, 06:56 AM
#52
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No relationship between the US and SA Jordan.
Dennis - I have not been to Asia, but there are some amazing bird locations there - someday!
Zenz - if you read my entire history on Fodors (and even this post you would understand why I write what I do).
Disclaimer - The views expressed on this forum are my own, and no compensation is received from any business I mention.
Dennis - I have not been to Asia, but there are some amazing bird locations there - someday!
Zenz - if you read my entire history on Fodors (and even this post you would understand why I write what I do).
Disclaimer - The views expressed on this forum are my own, and no compensation is received from any business I mention.
Oct 15th, 2007, 07:30 AM
#53
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Matt, I eagerly read your report, as I returned last night from a trip to SA/Zam/Bots that included two nights at King's Pool (which we loved, but where we also had a contingent of disagreeable guests!). I will write a report as soon as my head clears, but since we are already thinking of a second trip, I wonder if you could elaborate on the comments about the rodent presence at Duma Tau.. ???
Oct 15th, 2007, 08:18 AM
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Crunchy
That was last year, we were there in June and because of the wet summer, there had been an explosion of grass seeds, and to complement that bounty was increduble numbers of Quelea - an amazing sight to see, and lots of rodents at Duma Tau. Pretty much as soon as you turned the light off, you would hear some scurrying around, and they chewed anything plastic. We lost a space bag, a tube of Abreva, and a small plastic bottle of baby oil - though the vanity was improved by the oil.
I would say it's not an issue most of the time, and if you get unlucky, just be sure to really secure anything they may be interested in - and no food in the rooms.
That was last year, we were there in June and because of the wet summer, there had been an explosion of grass seeds, and to complement that bounty was increduble numbers of Quelea - an amazing sight to see, and lots of rodents at Duma Tau. Pretty much as soon as you turned the light off, you would hear some scurrying around, and they chewed anything plastic. We lost a space bag, a tube of Abreva, and a small plastic bottle of baby oil - though the vanity was improved by the oil.
I would say it's not an issue most of the time, and if you get unlucky, just be sure to really secure anything they may be interested in - and no food in the rooms.
Oct 15th, 2007, 08:58 AM
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Matt/Dennis, speaking of birds and birding records, I just picked up "Birding on Borrowed Time" (from the library; its out of print and expensive on Amazon), by Phoebe Snetsinger, who saw over 8,000 birds, many after she had been diagnosed with cancer and given a year to live -- she lived many years beyond that terminal period. I have only read about 100 pages, but its a very enjoyable read. I have a flight tonight and tomorrow, so will finish it soon.
Michael
Michael
Oct 15th, 2007, 10:59 AM
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Matt, interesting observations regarding Mombo. We were just in Botswana and had incredible predator sightings except for lions...I remember Mombo from the past as having great leopard, cheetah and lion sightings and wonder if the tide is changing.
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