I Peed At Pete's Pond-Tales From Mashatu and Beyond
Aug 13th, 2008, 01:19 AM
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I Peed At Pete's Pond-Tales From Mashatu and Beyond
I'm back from an amazing trip to Mashatu, Gomo Gomo, Djuma and Idube. We saw wild dogs at Mashatu! It was unreal! We were able to visit Pete's Pond which was a magical experience for me.
My friend Linda and I really got into photographing all the different animal dung-I almost called my trip report Dung Days and Amarula Nights!
This trip was a 6th safari for my friend Linda and she said it was the best one ever!
I'll post more (and pix of course) soon. There was a lot of chaos at home while I was gone and I have a lot of damage control to attend to, but be patient...I'll get to it eventually.
My friend Linda and I really got into photographing all the different animal dung-I almost called my trip report Dung Days and Amarula Nights!
This trip was a 6th safari for my friend Linda and she said it was the best one ever!
I'll post more (and pix of course) soon. There was a lot of chaos at home while I was gone and I have a lot of damage control to attend to, but be patient...I'll get to it eventually.
Aug 13th, 2008, 09:02 AM
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Hello and welcome back lilli.
I am just back myself and will now have to rethink the Amarula nights title for my report.
Stuff is like crack.
Look forward to hearing about your tales (tails) when your together.
I am just back myself and will now have to rethink the Amarula nights title for my report.
Stuff is like crack.Look forward to hearing about your tales (tails) when your together.
Aug 20th, 2008, 10:08 AM
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Ok....no time for the full report yet, but I have some dribbles for you!
To review - we were at Mashatu 5 nites, Gomo Gomo (in the Timbavati area)3 nites, Djuma 2 nites and Idube 2 nites (both in Sabi Sands)
I could have stayed at Mashatu much longer! The hide there is wonderful. We spent each day there from 11-3. Just thinking about it makes the tension leave my body!
We were lucky enough to visit Pete's Pond without having made prior arrangements. I don't think a 4 yr old at DisneyWorld could have been more excited than I was!
We spent a morning with the elephant researcher at Mashatu. We would have booked a visit with the predator researcher but he was on leave.
We were lucky enough to see the wild dogs while at Mashatu. We got a quick glimpse one night and then a full blown feeding frenzy the next nite. Our only problem occurred when the family we were sharing the vehicle with wanted to leave after about 10 minutes because they were afraid we wouldn't have time to stop for sundowners! No we didn't throw them out of the vehicle, but when we heard that soon after we left there were 11 dogs at the kill I wish we had thrown them out! We would have let them have the cooler with the drinks of course!
Gomo Gomo was a blast. Our guide took some getting used. After the quiet dignity of Mashatu Arend was quite the entertainer. Very talkative, joking around, etc.
Djuma was our first Sabi Sands experience. And everything everyone here has said it true! The place is crawling with leopards! All the animal viewing was outstanding but it was our first non tented camp and we felt like we were sleeping in a cell. No windows to leave open and since the slider to the patio didn't have a screen we couldn't leave it open.
Idube was way fancier than we felt comfortable with. Our room was enormous with a sitting area and lots of fancy artwork. At least we had windows to open. The hide at Idube was nice but not as comfortable as the Mashatu hide. Definitely not meant for long term sitting. Idube shares viewing with other local lodges like Ulusaba, Exeter, etc. It seemed like there were a lot fewer birds and smaller animals here than the other places. Even the night drives seemed devoid of small animals-I think we may have only seen 1-2 spring hare!
I would repeat this itinerary in a heartbeat,but I'd skip Idube and add more time to Mashatu and Djuma.
I'm working on my pix, but don't hold your breath!
To review - we were at Mashatu 5 nites, Gomo Gomo (in the Timbavati area)3 nites, Djuma 2 nites and Idube 2 nites (both in Sabi Sands)
I could have stayed at Mashatu much longer! The hide there is wonderful. We spent each day there from 11-3. Just thinking about it makes the tension leave my body!
We were lucky enough to visit Pete's Pond without having made prior arrangements. I don't think a 4 yr old at DisneyWorld could have been more excited than I was!
We spent a morning with the elephant researcher at Mashatu. We would have booked a visit with the predator researcher but he was on leave.
We were lucky enough to see the wild dogs while at Mashatu. We got a quick glimpse one night and then a full blown feeding frenzy the next nite. Our only problem occurred when the family we were sharing the vehicle with wanted to leave after about 10 minutes because they were afraid we wouldn't have time to stop for sundowners! No we didn't throw them out of the vehicle, but when we heard that soon after we left there were 11 dogs at the kill I wish we had thrown them out! We would have let them have the cooler with the drinks of course!
Gomo Gomo was a blast. Our guide took some getting used. After the quiet dignity of Mashatu Arend was quite the entertainer. Very talkative, joking around, etc.
Djuma was our first Sabi Sands experience. And everything everyone here has said it true! The place is crawling with leopards! All the animal viewing was outstanding but it was our first non tented camp and we felt like we were sleeping in a cell. No windows to leave open and since the slider to the patio didn't have a screen we couldn't leave it open.
Idube was way fancier than we felt comfortable with. Our room was enormous with a sitting area and lots of fancy artwork. At least we had windows to open. The hide at Idube was nice but not as comfortable as the Mashatu hide. Definitely not meant for long term sitting. Idube shares viewing with other local lodges like Ulusaba, Exeter, etc. It seemed like there were a lot fewer birds and smaller animals here than the other places. Even the night drives seemed devoid of small animals-I think we may have only seen 1-2 spring hare!
I would repeat this itinerary in a heartbeat,but I'd skip Idube and add more time to Mashatu and Djuma.
I'm working on my pix, but don't hold your breath!
Aug 21st, 2008, 03:01 AM
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I thoght of a couple more quick things.
At GomoGomo and Djuma the drivers did not wear headsets. It wasn't too distracting at Gomo Gomo for some reason, but it was very distracting at Djuma-it may just have been that he always had the volume turned way up. At one sighting we saw two courting leopards. They were making all kinds of cool purring growling sounds but the only thing I can hear on my video tape is the darn radio!
Idube did not have hot water bottles in the vehicles in the morning. And there was no hot chocolate! Linda and I became addicted to the hot chocolate at all the other camps and Idube didn't have any. I finally looked at the ingredients on one of the packets-it's made from powdered cream! The stuff we have at home is made from low fat or non fat powdered milk-no wonder it tasted so good!
At GomoGomo and Djuma the drivers did not wear headsets. It wasn't too distracting at Gomo Gomo for some reason, but it was very distracting at Djuma-it may just have been that he always had the volume turned way up. At one sighting we saw two courting leopards. They were making all kinds of cool purring growling sounds but the only thing I can hear on my video tape is the darn radio!
Idube did not have hot water bottles in the vehicles in the morning. And there was no hot chocolate! Linda and I became addicted to the hot chocolate at all the other camps and Idube didn't have any. I finally looked at the ingredients on one of the packets-it's made from powdered cream! The stuff we have at home is made from low fat or non fat powdered milk-no wonder it tasted so good!
Aug 21st, 2008, 05:38 AM
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I would rather share a vehicle with someone who is afraid of lions, as Cybor just recounted, than someone who is afraid of missing sundowners. Leaving wild dogs for a nip and a goodie is baffling to me.
Mashatu was certainly a winner for you! Thanks for the other dribbles.
Mashatu was certainly a winner for you! Thanks for the other dribbles.
Aug 21st, 2008, 08:36 PM
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Guide headsets. Lillipets - I'm assuming the guides did wear headset at Mashatu? One (of many) things I like about MalaMala is the use of headsets. Wonder why not used more at other camps? At a camp (not MM) I asked the guide to turn off or turn down radio for some video. He said he wasn't allowed to do that. So for the entire sighting of wild dogs we had constant radio chatter between guides about who was controlling the site, where it was, who was in line to view, who would be next, etc etc.
Like I say, MM does it and they don't seem to be handicapped by using headsets.
regards - tom
ps - apologize for my digression but the use of headsets does not come up often and I just had to spout off my 2 cents
Like I say, MM does it and they don't seem to be handicapped by using headsets.
regards - tom
ps - apologize for my digression but the use of headsets does not come up often and I just had to spout off my 2 cents
Aug 21st, 2008, 08:59 PM
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Lillipets,
You should have suggested they have the sundowner drink whilst at the sighting inside the car...... while you do the photography and not have to leave the sighting. It's ridiculous to expect you to leave the sighting all together.
You should have suggested they have the sundowner drink whilst at the sighting inside the car...... while you do the photography and not have to leave the sighting. It's ridiculous to expect you to leave the sighting all together.
Aug 22nd, 2008, 07:57 AM
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I really think the family thought the dogs were a waste of their time. When we got a quick glimpse of them the night before they later mentioned that they thought they were "ugly"!
They may have found the feeding frenzy a bit much to watch while trying to enjoy drinks.
At any rate they had no appreciation for what they were seeing. While watching a leopard in a tree the daughter asked if it was a cheetah. And later she asked if a leopard or lion could run faster than a cheetah.
Linda and I were so thankful to see the dogs at all...we tried not to be too greedy! And our poor guide was trying to keep everyone happy.
They may have found the feeding frenzy a bit much to watch while trying to enjoy drinks.
At any rate they had no appreciation for what they were seeing. While watching a leopard in a tree the daughter asked if it was a cheetah. And later she asked if a leopard or lion could run faster than a cheetah.
Linda and I were so thankful to see the dogs at all...we tried not to be too greedy! And our poor guide was trying to keep everyone happy.
Aug 22nd, 2008, 11:57 AM
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I've only experienced headsets once at MM. Personally my guide seemed to spend more time listening to it than he did talking to his guests. A big turn-off for me. Any guide worth his salt knows when the radio should be on-off or loud-quiet.
As for the guests who want to leave early...I'd love to be able to tell them to walk back. As always with these sorts of people the loudest always wins through...a bit of persuasion usually wins them over.
As for the guests who want to leave early...I'd love to be able to tell them to walk back. As always with these sorts of people the loudest always wins through...a bit of persuasion usually wins them over.
Aug 25th, 2008, 03:37 PM
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Aug 26th, 2008, 03:52 PM
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That waterhole was tremendously productive. Everybody came to drink during your stay. That was a freshy killed impala the leopard was on. You had lion cubs playing and eles playing (plus nursing) in perfect light.
The first approx. 50 slides all were photos of the sign "temporariliy down due to photo work" or something like that. Were there really supposed to be 50 of those? Does that have something to do with peeing at the pond?
The rest of the photos were fantastic.
The first approx. 50 slides all were photos of the sign "temporariliy down due to photo work" or something like that. Were there really supposed to be 50 of those? Does that have something to do with peeing at the pond?
The rest of the photos were fantastic.
Aug 26th, 2008, 05:37 PM
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I have no idea what the "photo maintenance" message is about on my photos! Maybe someone at Kodak thinks my photos need more work?
I'll check tomorrow and if necessary I'll put them in again.
Yes, we were lucky in that we didn't want to see an actual kill, but we managed to come upon everything just freshly demised!
I'll check tomorrow and if necessary I'll put them in again.
Yes, we were lucky in that we didn't want to see an actual kill, but we managed to come upon everything just freshly demised!
