Ode-to-Sakkie-se-Potjie

                                     

                                                                      (Google Images)

Gotta love a potjie!! My inner bush girl is tagging at me in "whale language" - yyyooouuuu neeedddd tttoooo ccccoooookk ooonnnnn aaaa ffiiiiirrreeeee.....

I miss it, oh my soul, I miss the bush. There is nothing like the smell of fire. Even food cooked over an open fire just tastes better for some reason.

I know I've done a recipe of a potjie before, but this one is also a complete winner!!

This is a Chicken & Sweet Potato Potjie

- Grab your bottle of wine (and a glass, it won't look professional if you drink out of the bottle infront of your guests, you need them impress them)

Ingredients:

10 chicken pieces - pan fried in a bit of olive oil, salt, pepper the whole rigmarole
10 baby potatoes - halved
3 big sweet potatoes (the red ones) cut in thick slices
lots of garlic chopped
2 onions chopped roughly
dried apricots

- Splash a swig of olive oil and add a knob of butter in the potjie
- Then pack everything in layers and cook for about 30 - 40  mins......
- Watch that it doesn't burn - pour wine in if you are in doubt, can't go wrong

Sauce:

1 cup chutney - MRS. BALLSSSSSSSS
1/2 cup tomatosauce
4 pieces star anise
2 - 3 tsp sugar
1 tbsp turmeric
1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup mustard seeds

- Combine all the ingredients in a jug and pour over your potjie which is simmering on the fire.
- Let this simmer for about 10 - 15 mins - DON'T STIR!

Enjoy your wine (and remember season with salt and pepper) and enjoy this lovely dish!


~desert rose~

Nick Brandt: On This Earth

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So work is picking up and I am so grateful because it’s a much needed distraction.

We are busy brainstorming another African country’s tourism campaign and have to think of new ways to show for example and elephant.

Just google ‘African Elephant’ and you get about 2,900,000 results. Yep the  African elephant has been done over and over a million times and strangely they all look the same…

Doing all this wildlife photography research I remember a day that we walked past A novel Idea at Slipway and saw a book by Nick Brandt in the window. Its called On This Earth: Photographs from East Africa.

Now I am sure everyone has moments like this that stay with you forever. The cover of the book had the most amazing and moody photograph I have ever seen.

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I am not a big coffee table book fan, having spent so many hours at strange peoples house while the parents ‘braai’ paging through another version of ‘THE AFRICAN KINGDOM”. But this one stayed with me. Ofcourse as fate would have it they we sold out when I went back.

According to theage.com.au you shouldn't talk to Nick Brandt about his life with the stars. Making video clips with the likes of Michael Jackson and Moby is all in the past. But he remains grateful for his pop successes because they have financed his current obsession - photographing Africa’s disappearing world of animals.

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Brandt has reinvented himself as a serious photographer - and a very successful one at that. His portraits of animals in repose are haunting. He has an affinity with his subjects. His photographs are a bridge to a lost Eden, a fast disappearing world of amazing creatures.

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Luckily we live in the age of credit cards and online ordering and his book is available on Amazon for a small fee of $26.40. Definitely worth it!

Nature is amazing.

~maisha

scotland here we come

i'm leaving behind my dearest darling little angel and i'm going on tour with my hubby...... to Scotland
goodness, let's see what this next two weeks have got to offer!

~desert rose~

Our little piece of Africa

                                               (Photo: Ryan Wienand)
Long story short.

Yes, I did fall in love with this guy I met in a bar, and yes, I won’t, but others will, vehemently say it because of the ever-present khaki fever..... we won't dwell on the point. And yes, he did end up owning a piece of Africa.

And so we got married, and with that, I also now obviously own a piece of Africa too!

Just came back from our spot in the bush – Lukula. And wow, my soul is restored, by head back in place and my body cleansed of city rat race.

Nothing like spending time out there, looking up to the clear skies at night and seeing the stars pop up in place. Nothing like the smell of a camp fire in the bush, the smoke on your hands, your dusty feet, candle lit dinners on sand banks and the low rumble of a male lions gentle roar when you lie awake listening to the deafening silence of Africa....

Come and visit us….. it’s an experience beyond words.

www.lukulaselous.com

~desert rose~

From the balloons' pocket...

Leonardo da Vinci once said: “ For once you have tasted flight you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skywards, for there you have been and there you will long to return.”

I would not believe this true of sitting in an airplane, but it certainly is of the hot air balloon ride I experienced on my Easter trip with Serengeti Balloon Safaris.

Waking up at 2am under a blanket of stars with the bush babies calling (…alright, I am trying to make this sound lovely, but no one likes waking up this early so fast forward the three hour drive to sunrise over the central balloon launch site…) Huddled tightly in our basket compartments the propane gas spews hot golden flames. The roar is immense. Lazily the gold and green giant fills its belly with warm air and we begin rocking, lazily tipping upright to reveal silhouetted acacias before us.

Slowly rising above the dewy grass, we stood up excitedly to look over the endless plains from our spectacular vantage point. Shadows danced behind the trees as we rose with the sun. We passed over trees by a few feet, waking a secretary bird on its perch and greeting a vulture that left its nest revealing two eggs. Further on we passed over dozens of hippos waking up in their leafy pools below, whilst a herd of impala dodged two raucous males jousting for supremacy. A little early we laughed. To the left a reedbuck raced as she thought she was being chased by our shadow.

Apart from the occasional burst of flame to lift us a few hundred feet and excited whispers, it was quite surreal.

After an exhilarating landing we were treated to champagne and then ushered to breakfast under an umbrella acacia in the middle of nowhere. The delicious food, more champagne, and chatter around the breakfast table concluded our adventure in the sky before we set of for the days driving…and I will turn my eyes skyward, where I have been, and where long to return…

Frangipani

Lost in a Salvador Dali Painting

The Ngorongoro Crater Lodge

The name alone – Ngorongoro Crater - conjures images of grandeur, a landscape so mighty it takes any breath away. After stepping off the vehicle to absorb our first view of the crater, I could hear us all take in a lung full of air… and as we exhaled the condensed mist moved away from us and over the Crater rim to join the thick white blankets spotted around the edge. I have never known such a natural emerald green – all around us, hills upon hills of rolling velvet. I gave a shudder, slightly overcome by my senses, and headed back to the vehicle for the warmth of my blanket.

It’s an extraordinary thing – a view. It consumes you entirely and embeds itself deep in your memory. An overwhelming sense of inferiority- comparatively, and yet it feels comfortable: as it ought to be. The colour of the crater through an afternoon mist, everything slightly ethereal and intangible. The dark thunderclouds in the distance moving swiftly over the plains on the floor. It inspires a great human emotion – gratitude, appreciation for witnessing such a spectacle.

Meandering down towards the rim’s edge, the Ngorongoro Crater Lodge is hidden inconspicuously behind a small boom. The crowds are noticeable on the roads, but as soon as we enter the Crater Lodge grounds all of that is forgotten. Our fabulous French friends remarked “Il est juste comme Alice au pays des merveilles!” (It’s just like Alice in Wonderland!) There is no white rabbit running around mentioning time – time has no place here. This is another world.

The architecture is inspired by the maasai Manyatta – mud and stick homestead style. That mixed with flamboyant fabrics, rich silks and decadent dining is your world here, and every now and again you are reminded you are in the bush by the nyati (buffalo) grazing on the lodge grounds. At no point is reality allowed in the gate.

The game in the crater was, needless to say, incredible. Overstocked with hyena, lazy lions and big tuskers, heavy with ivory. However for me this was not the highlight. The sheer magnitude of this caldera, and the beauty all around is what won me over, hands down.

&Beyond have done an incredible job here; the management and staff are flawless, attneding to your every need and going as far as to advise your footwear for the day, depending on the weather conditions. If you can find fault here, your expectations of African 5 star are seriously out of kilter.

Mind you, who can fault a Dali?

~ hibiscus

Africa Distilled

I love a road trip! There is nothing like cruising along a seemingly endless road with good mates, specifically 80’s music and a beer or two – if you are not Designated Dirk of course! So when Hibiscus suggested we go on just such a trip to the north of Tanzania I jumped at the opportunity. Scraping together the cash included selling my couches and making more debt than I care to admit, but I have not been sorry for one minute! Our northern adventure was absolutely unforgettable!

The drive from Dar es Salaam to Arusha took us 9 hours on the dot, but all 600km’s of it was beautiful, lush and green. This is also true of the town of Arusha and more so of River Trees Lodge where we stayed for the first two nights of our trip. The lovely oasis next to the Usa River is described in more detail by Hibiscus on her post "The Green Hills of Africa" – check out.

Since I have never been up north, we took a day to potter around Arusha. I am just a LITTLE bit obsessed with Karen Blixen and Out of Africa so seeing a coffee plantation was an absolute must. Unfortunately there aren’t many working plantations close by, so I had to settle for lunch at the Plantation Lodge where a sudden thunderstorm cooled the humid air. Very Ngong farm like and I was in my element!

Bottles of red wine and a lovely dinner later, we where on our way again, this time via the sky. The flight was short and smooth – just the way I like it and suddenly the Endless Plains stretched out beneath me. I wish I could describe the feeling off looking out over the grasslands of the Serengeti but words fail me and I would just bore you with my bumbling. Having sundowners in the middle of the fields, beautiful and green from the summer rains, surrounded by thousands and thousands of grunting and coughing wildebeest and zebra is quite simply one of the most amazing moments of my life. To me this was Africa distilled to perfection.

Everywhere there are animals and no matter how many times you see a majestic lion or a giraffe with its long lashes or even the nimble gazelle, you cannot drive away untouched by its beauty and perfection. I do not know how you can visit a destination like the Serengeti and listen to a guide explain how a mother wildebeest can find her baby amongst thousand others, how the cheetah interact with her pray, or how the dung beetle find its nest on those endless stretches of land and still wonder – is there a God? The wonder of it all entrances you completely and you cannot see all of this and hear all of this and remain untouched by a sense of something Bigger than us mere mortals.

We where hosted by &Beyond, a company that in my opinion has perfected the art of safari. Look, I am used to camping 4x4 style with a bucket to wash in and a fire to cook over. &Beyond Serengeti Under Canvas blew me away! The luxury tents, the shower under the starts, the attention to detail, the food, the wine…pure bliss! On the &Beyond website they say that “you will be taken care of by extraordinary people whose only desire is to ensure that each moment you spend with us is a perfect moment”. It is not often that you find marketing jargon truthfully replayed in real life, but &Beyond was one such a gem and the staff really treated us like royalty! Special mention has to go to Mohammed our brilliant guide, a wildlife fact file on legs and Joseph, our adorable butler. Joseph attended to our every need with the biggest smile and even offered to do our 5:30 wake up call with G&T’s instead of coffee, just because we like it so much! So it was with a heavy heart that we left the Serengeti and the staff behind on our way to the NgoroNgoro Crater 2 nights later. The slight depression was short lived as Irene and her team at the &Beyond Crater Lodge settled us in before the fireplace with a glass of port and warm welcomes...TBC

Andizi

The Green Hills of Africa

Once a journey is designed, equipped and put in process, a new factor enters and takes over. A trip, a safari, an exploration, is an entity, different from all other journeys. It has personality, temperament, individuality and uniqueness. A journey is a person in itself; no two are alike. And all plans, safeguards, policing and coercion are fruitless. We find after years of struggle that we do not take a trip, a trip takes us.

John Steinbeck, Travels with Charley

Mount Meru, from Rivertrees, Usa River.

On the road, Dar es Salaam to Arusha (Usa River), the most beautiful 9 hour journey made slightly more endurable by the presence of g&t's.

Rivertrees Country Inn, Usa River

To start with: the drive from Dar es Salaam to Arusha has a reputation close to that of Tiger Woods at the moment - happily poo poo'ed by everyone. We were slightly hesitant but determined to drive, and in retrospect I am so glad we did - it's now up there in our 'must dos' for those living in Dar es Salaam.

Roughly 600km, it took exactly 9hrs each way. Sisal bushes changed into coffee plantations, and by mid afternoon we had reached Rivertrees. We were warmly welcomed in true Tanzanian style, by Joel the assistant manager. The setting is quite exquisite, perfectly manicured lawns littered with grand old trees.

After humid and heated Dar, the green oasis was a relief. The rooms are simple but very comforting, and the four poster beds well- pillowed. Delicious meals were served in the dining room, complete with a blazing fire and large glasses of red wine. Msafiri was always happy to supply yet another fresh bread roll - straight from the oven and lathered with butter. I am not sure who could resist?! All in all exactly what we needed, coming from a totally different climate, and most definitely a relaxing start to a surprisingly energetic safari.

Roller Coaster Ride

I am exhausted after a week of the highest highs and two quite severe lows. I want to just pass out on my bed and sleep for days but it is too freakin hot! I wish I was back in the cool plains of the Serengti with Hibiscus, silently sipping on a G&T.

As you can imagine, the above constitutes one of my highs. Actually that was THE high of an amazing, unforgettable road trip with my friend. We were in the middle of “the endless plains”, having sundowners surrounded by tens of thousands of wildebeest. It is quite simply indescribable! The Serengti really took my breath away…

But I will bore you with all the fantastic details of our trip at a later stage, I am just too emotional to do that right now! Also look out for some reviews on the wonderful places we stayed at, made all the more memorable by the fellow guests we met as well as the excellent staff!

Life came CRASHING down, and it was back to reality upon our return to Dar Es Salaam. Obviously the one low has to do with a man! It hurts like hell, but when your friends climb onto your bed to dry your tears accompanied by a bottle of Jack Daniels you know that time heals and you WILL survive this heart break.

Secondly I had to say goodbye to one of those Jack swigging friends last night. Hibiscus is on her way to Cape Town…My friend, I will miss you so very much! I will miss 5 star dinners at your flat, your 80’s music, your laugh, endless conversation of the red soil and the men it enchants, which in turn enchant us! I will miss getting drunk on your couch, your jokes and dancing on chairs/sofas of five star lodges! I will miss you, I will miss you! Mother City, take care of this girl and until we meet again Hibiscus, leave no stone unturned!

From your friend Karen aka Andizi ;-)

Reasons to ♥ Tanzania....

[www.maweni.com]

The Usambara Mountains

Roadtrippin’ with friends up to the beautiful Amani Game Reserve in the East Usambara Mountains. The undulating, lush mountain range is home to unspoiled tropical rainforests that are rare in eastern Africa. We took a forest walk (well…more of a hike) up to a view point looking out over the Western range towards Lushoto, and accompanied by a park guide we were educated about the medicinal properties and local usage of the forest flora. We drove through rolling  tea estates and spent a lazy afternoon exploring a waterfall, the water misting us as it splashed over the sheer rock face. It is a beautiful part of the country, and the perfect place when you need a break from damp and dusty Dar.

Frangipani

REASONS TO ♥ TANZANIA

(Image from The Selous Safari Company)

Unspoilt wilderness in the south. Ruaha National Park, Tanzania's largest National Park. A massive 22,000 square kilometres and its position far from any major cities, this park is a must to visit for any safari enthusiast.

Seize the day...and all that jazz!

(Image: go2safari.com)

I have no job, I have no money but I am going to the SERENGETI BABY!!! I am still not quite believing it, but it is happening and the fact that I had to close my empty investment account should be confirmation enough!

I don’t think my friends and family understand the significance of this trip for me. They recon I live in the same country as this natural phenomenon and why would I not happily meander up to the north to check out the migration. People, it’s called capitalism! The Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Crater are two of the most desirable places in Africa to visit – supply and demand. High demand + low supply (there is after all only one Ngorongoro crater and one Serengeti Park) = ridiculously expensive safaris! That is why you would often find locals (and here I group Tanzanians and ex-pats together) who has never been and will probably never go. And arguable, the south of Tanzania is also amazing! Mikumi, the infamous Selous and Ruaha game park are all teeming with wildlife and much less so with tourists. But there is just something about going to see two of the 7 natural wonders of the world that has literally got me squealing with excitement every time I think of it!

So how has a church mouse like me managed to make this possible you might rightly ask? It’s not WHAT you know, but WHO you know I say! And I happen to know a very connected individual within the safari industry and she happens to be my friend! Yeah for crazy, connected Hibiscus!

Sadly my lovely friend is leaving us to conquer the culinary world in Cape Town, but she decided to do one last curtain call in the North. She has managed to put together an amazing trip at a fraction of the normal price and carefully approached me. You see, not only is she very well connected, but sly and crafty too – a deadly combination. She knows that I have no money, no income and no inheritance waiting to be spent! But she also knew very well that I would not be able to let this opportunity pass me by! It really is one of those “once in a lifetime” scenarios!

So I have emptied out my last meager savings, I have begged and borrowed from my wonderful parents and I sold my beautiful, comfy couches back in South Africa. I really did love them, but what use is a couch when you are sitting on top of a Cruiser, sipping on a Kili, surrounded by silence and sunburned savannah?!

PS. Mom and Dad, I love you SO much and your continued support for my crazy adventures mean the world to me!

Andizi

The Great Safari

(image from Edward Monkton)

So. The time has come, a lot quicker than I thought it would be, but here it is!

I leave Dar es Salaam in a few weeks, and am having somewhat an interesting time with it all.

• Nokia Bereft

So – one great thing about Tanzania is the lack of crime (when compared relatively to other African countries – not somewhere like New Zealand, apparently the safest place to live on this planet. Must be exciting!!)

But, they love nicking phones. 3 down, 0 to go.

• Quotes from Movers

Extraordinary. I mean really bloody surprising!

Shipping: (3-4mths, mission basically) = $2000 minimum

Air freight (on the same bloody day of travel) = $400

Go figure?

• Planning the last safari

Being in the safari industry, I thought this would be the easiest thing I have done, not so…. One forgets the vast distances in Tanzania, and the fact there is pretty much bugger all in between. One of the reasons we love it I guess?

• Resigning – double your popularity in 1 day!!

Do it, seriously, give it a try – never (and I mean never) have colleagues been so charming. I even got an email from God thanking me for sending him some info I passed on – I did literally fall off my work chair, but because I am so popular now no one laughed - they all rushed to help. I love this.

• The feelin’ of leavin’

It’s been nothing but rose tinted glasses and champagne, but every now and again, you do get a little pang…. Leaving people will not be easy, and that’s another thing we love about this place – the people.

Where to now? Heading up north for a short safari, gathering some momentum up Kili and then rolling south… back to my tribe.

Honestly, though, I can’t see myself away for too long. She says with a knowing grin.

~hibiscus