Spending Time With Mountain Gorillas

Spending 1 hour with the Mountain Gorillas in Uganda and/or Rwanda ranks as one of my most profound animal encounters.  Maybe it was the great effort and exertion it took to get to where they were located.  It was not like a game drive where you just sat in a vehicle and drove around until you found something.  I earned it by trekking through the rain, and mud, up the hills and into the valleys, through the vines, avoiding the nettles and biting ants. Thanks heavens for my porter who lugged all my water and camera gear and gave me a helping hand too!  

But the reward was so unique.  I found myself a few feet away from the King (and Queens) of the jungle.  In retrospect the best thing that could have happened was when I ran out of space on my camera memory chip and put the machine away and looked at the individual gorillas and their family group as a whole and not through the tiny view on the camera.  That was when I saw the tiny rain droplets on their fur and heard them chomping on their lunch of leaves and watched a young cheeky juvenile push another one of the hikers all while his mother watched in the distance.  WOW!

My Experience in South Africa

We have arrived in Cape Town and it was too windy for Table Mountain visit upon arrival so we rescheduled for later in the week. 

The Twelve Apostles Hotel and Spa is a South Africa favorite of mine. After a long international flight we hiked up the mountain trails and picnic sites which are located in Table Mountain National Park, directly behind the hotel. With views of Camps Bay, Lion Head Peak and Robbin Island in the background, the views can’t be beat. I woudl highly recommend this hike no matter how fit, as you can go as far as you want and still have great panoramic views. Getting outside was refreshing and just want i needed after the 16 hour flight. 

After a hike or a long flight, a trip to the Twelve Apostles spa is in order with a soak in their Salt Water Floatation Pool. Offering a liquid, reduced gravity experience, floating in the salty water eases jetlag and results in maximum relaxation – research has shown that just 20 minutes is equivalent to a full two hours of sleep. A must do activity while at the Twelve Apostles Hotel & Spa is watching the sunset with a scrumptious drink from the Leopard Bar. This un-obstructed view of the sunset over the Atlantic can’t be beat with views of Camps Bay and Lion’s head.

When I heard that we were having dinner at the Azure restaurant, I was ecstatic as I have dinned there before and the meal was exquisite. I love their Seafood Platter. This is the dish that has to be shared, and even with the three of us sharing we couldn’t finish it! This was a perfect finale to my first day in South Africa.  

Whiskey Tasting At Cape Grace 

Not since Whiskey tasting in Ireland have I enjoyed tasting fine whiskey from around the world spreading the gamut from Kentucky Bourbon to Single Malt Scotch whisky.  We learned so much about world class whiskeys and how to pick up the hints of oak, peat or fruit and how to properly taste fine whiskey be it neat or straight up.  There was also great thought and preparation in the food parings that they provided explaining how food will actually change the taste of the whiskey.