Running into the First Week of Spring

September 7, 2014

I took you for my run this morning, along these streets (photo taken after the run, post-shower).

It's the first week of spring in Johannesburg, and the air smells amazing. It's warm and sweet, and no longer has that crisp chill to it (it was 20 degrees this morning, going up to 27 later today). We started the run around the Johannesburg Zoo, where I used to do the Zoo Trots when we first moved here. While I now explore a little further beyond the zoo walls, I still really love the area around the zoo, and it makes frequent appearances in my running routes. From the zoo we headed into an area called Westcliff, where we ran on the road since the streets are closed to outside traffic. The houses in Westcliff are mansions and the streets are lined with gorgeous Jacaranda trees. The Jacarandas will start to bloom in the next couple of months, but for now they are all silvery and twisty, and the sun looked gorgeous shining down through them.

Mid-way through Westcliff we reached an unassuming area where many cars were parked along the street; this is where the Westcliff Steps are. People from the area (and all over, really) come to "do the steps". It reminds me of the Kings Park steps in Perth, Australia. Despite my arguments that the Kings Park steps are far nicer and the view is much better at the top, we went up anyway. The view over the Joburg suburbs is gorgeous from the top (perhaps even worth the awkwardly spaced cobble-stoned stairs that bisect several streets on their way up), and it was nice to see a dozen or so other runners and walkers out enjoying the steps too.

We went back down the steps and continued on our way into the quiet neighbourhood of Parkview, which has a small shopping and restaurant district. We ran past a middle-aged black couple walking along the sidewalk; they were in western clothes, both listening to iPods as they walked, the man carrying a shopping bag in each had and the woman carrying one on her head. This contrast epitomizes South Africa for me for two reasons. One, in traditional African culture the man would not be carrying the shopping together with his wife, and two, the woman was carrying the bag on her head like it was nothing. I love the mix of western and traditional cultures and the blending of the very best of South Africa. 

After we passed the couple we headed down a hill towards Zoo Lake, a beautiful inner city park. We took the lovely little cobblestone path circling the lake, where we passed, a massive traditional Indian ceremony taking place on one of the lawns opposite the lake, many families out for a stroll with the kids, and people feeding the ducks on the lake. We watched the lone worker of the row boat company, row out to untie the other row boats and prepare them for the day.

As we left the lake and headed up the hill to exit the park, we passed a huge colourful playground jungle gym with kids climbing all over it. I'm always sad for the old wooden one that sits a few hundred metres away that no longer is played on. This reminds me of an old Ikea commercial: "Why are you sad for the lamp? The lamp does not have feelings. It's only a lamp.". Yes, it is an inanimate object. This thought helps distract me as I drag myself up the hill as we exit the park. After living here for over a year and a half I still feel the altitude every time I run. I am constantly reminded that we are nearly 6000 feet above sea level...whew!

While Joburg doesn't have the pedestrian-friendly amenities of pathways and smooth sidewalks like Cape Town or Calgary, it does have some gorgeous tree-lined suburbs and parks that make for a lovely jog on a sunny spring day.

Thanks for coming along on my run today!

'Beests and Balloons

August 15, 2014

(Wild)life in the Maasai Mara.

I certainly hope you're not sick of safari pictures yet. Because if you are, you're in trouble.

I had the opportunity to go to Nairobi, Kenya for a week for work in August. I was very keen to experience working in another African country (an incredible experience in its own right), and I was also very keen to take advantage of the fact that it happened to be at the same time as the annual wildebeest migration. Win-win, right?

The annual wildebeest migration in the Maasai Mara is one of the world's greatest natural sights, and for those who find themselves surrounded by tens of thousands of these hideous animals, it's a bucket-list-checking experience.

M met me in Nairobi for the weekend (see, living in Joburg has its perks), and we beelined for the Mara to spend 48 hours soaking up this natural phenomenon. 

Having a fair amount of safari time under our belts (or at least a lot of hours driving around in the bush), we know all too well that nature is nature, and sometimes you will have amazing sightings, and other times you could drive for hours and see very little. While we fully expected to see a large number of wildebeests (and the other hoofed animals that come along for the ride), we did not expect to see so many predators. Really though, it makes total sense (if the Lion King is anything to go by...); the Mara is a world of feast or famine, and when the migration happens, it is one giant feast.

Our Friday evening game drive kicked off with a bang- we witnessed a male and female lion courting. It's quite rare to see a male and female together, as they only "date" for seven days before the female becomes impregnated and they go their separate ways.

On the Saturday we spent seven hours (yes, seven) staking out a giant heard of wildebeests that were on the ridge of the Mara River just itching to cross. Our guide estimated there was at least 5000 of them. They would inch up to the edge and the pack would get really dense, and then all of a sudden they would all back away and the herd would thin out...and then it would happen all over again. While we really wanted them to cross, it was an experience just to watch nature unfold in front of us. It was like watching National Geographic live. Highlights included a pride of lions sitting in the ridge to intimidate the herd, and a random bull elephant wandering in the opposite direction smack in the centre of the herd. While this herd never did cross the river while we were there, we did see a smaller herd cross the Talek River the next morning (nature's consolation prize, I suppose!).

This trip also included another major highlight for me. I have always wanted to go on a hot air balloon ride, and the Mara is renowned for it. I'm pretty sure at this point that M has given up on using the "I'm afraid of heights" card, as we usually end up doing said activity anyway (and for the record, he usually ends up loving it...if his ear-to-ear grins are anything to go by!). But, balloon rides come with a hefty price tag, so we gave some serious consideration as to whether we thought it would be worth it. In the end, these are exactly the experiences that we live in Africa for, so up we went. It was such a different feeling than anything we've ever done. It was so quiet, and we flew low enough that we could actually see quite a lot of animals along the way. It was a really cool view of the Mara, and a really different perspective of the lines and lines of wildebeests heading northwards.

While going to the Mara is definitely something we dreamed of doing, we likely wouldn't have made the trip to east Africa without the added incentive of me being in Nairobi for work. See, sometimes having a day job ain't so bad.

 Our ride to the Mara, with me riding shotgun. Oh wait, they call that something else in airplanes... CO-PILOT!

Cruising towards the Mara. Clockwise from top right: Kibera Township (largest urban slum in Africa); Great Rift Valley ridge system that runs through Kenya from north to south; "Spotted Plains" of the Maasai Mara.

This if Africa. These two were on their "honeymoon"- seven days of non-stop sex (our guide told us if they do it less than 3000 times the male will not in-pregnant the female. I haven't google-checked this as fact, but suffice to say we saw some action). 

Beauties.

See, I told you there was action.

Stormy skies over migrating wildebeests.

Incredible, ugly creatures.

While we didn't get caught in the rain, it definitely was storming on the horizon.

This gorgeous cat was chilling in the middle of the plains in the late afternoon. 

Sleeping lioness with a full belly.

Hyena on the run.

The Mara has some of the most dramatic scenery I've ever seen.

Who knew you get into a hot air balloon sideways?! When it's windy this is apparently the best way to take off...perhaps they just wanted to make us look silly?

This balloon was getting ready to tip upright...

...and this one was ready for lift off!

So cool to see all the balloons floating across the plains.

Zebras, wildebeests and balloons, oh my!

I love how you can see the line of wildebeests heading north with the balloon floating over-head. 

Photo Courtesy of our British balloon pilot, John.

This lady didn't move from her corner perch throughout the entire ride; she seemed mesmerized by the whole thing.

M & I over the Mara. Experience of a lifetime.

The "hot" in the hot air balloon. 

Deflated.

Back on the ground and ready for a champagne breakfast!

Hard to capture the scope of what was likely around 5000 wildebeests toeing the line and then backing off again..and again...for hours on end!

Hmm..I wonder why they won't cross?

This bull elephant found himself in the middle of the herd, heading the opposite direction.

He was causing quite a stir with the wildebeests and the vultures.

Chillin' while watching wildebeests, trying to will them to cross (it didn't work. Not this time anyway).

They're even uglier when they're huddled together.

What happens when you leave your telephoto lens on and there is a hippo in a puddle right beside the truck. Hello there, hippo nostrils. 

Baby giraffe hanging out in the evening. He was curious about us and just stared at us the whole time while we took photos.

Our Maasai guide saw this cow in the middle of the plains, so he went out to check if it was marked and belonged to someone. No idea what the verdict was; he got back in the truck and we drove off. We never saw the cow again.

 Just chilling as the sun goes down.

Nothing compares to getting starred down by a protective male lion. Serious shivers.

 Watching the colour fade from the Mara.

 Good morning, Mara!

Peace. 

 While it wasn't the 5000-strong herd we saw the previous day, we did manage to see wildebeests crossing the famous Talek River working their way north.

In and around Fig Tree Camp. From top: view of the Talek river from our safari tent (where we could hear hippos at night); enjoying a morning coffee in front of our tent after an early morning game drive; transportation at the local airstrip and the welcoming-committee heading over to greet the guests (see the far right of the bottom photo).

There's No Place Like Home

July 19, 2014

Sixteen months ago, to the day, we left behind Canadian winters and Tim Hortons (oh, and the rest of our lives), and boarded a plane for South Africa (well, the plane was bound for Frankfurt, but we were bound for Johannesburg).

Sixteen months later, we landed on Canadian soil for the first time since we left. It probably goes without saying that we were both really excited to see our family, our friends and our furballs. But we were also really excited (and curious!) to see how it felt to be back, and how our impressions might have changed, having lived outside of our home and native land for well over a year.

It was a whirlwind tour: we started in the interior of British Columbia to visit M's family and our cats, moved westward to Alberta to see our friends and pay a visit to my office, and ended with a stop on Canada's eastern edge to see my family in Nova Scotia. We could not have asked for a warmer welcome in every single place we visited. We crammed a lot of activities, plans and visits into our two weeks, but we also made time for just spending time.

As for our impressions, we realized a few things:
1. It's gorgeous. Canada really is very pretty. In the summer, everything is so green and lush and the air is so fresh and clean it almost smells sweet...(strange, yes, but very true!).
2. Canadians are friendly, but... if you ask the cashier at the Tim Hortons in the airport how she is, she will likely respond with and awkward pause, followed by "...what can I get you?". Friendly greetings might occasionally be found in small towns, but overall, Canadians cut to the chase. Not sure if it's impatience or just a more reserved culture of saving friendliness for friends? Either way, it was the first thing I noticed in the Vancouver airport, and was reconfirmed repeatedly as we worked our way across the country and had countless encounters with strangers along the way.
3. Canada is expensive. Yes, I realize it is all relative, but holy moly! The thing you don't realize when you've grown up here- Canada is not a cheap place to visit. Restaurants are extremely pricey, wine costs a fortune, and inter-country flights cost as much as overseas long-hauls.
4. Being Outside. Despite the less than accommodating weather at certain times of year, being outside is an integral part of the culture in Canada. Most cities and towns have pathways and excellent sidewalks busy with people coming and going, kids are often out playing in parks, and on any given day or street you'll see runners and bikers out making their way along.
5. It is a huge country. The distance from coast to coast in Canada is roughly the same as flying from Johannesburg to Egypt...this is mind-boggling to me. The fact that there are six time zones in Canada should have tipped me off...
6. Canadians have an accent. Perhaps I'm stating the obvious, but living in Canada I felt like we were the "neutral" ones, but now I am acutely aware how very wrong I was. I can hear a Canadian a mile away. And now I have "cat that thinks he's a dog" syndrome, in that I don't realize I sound like that.
7. Comfort of familiarity. This isn't necessarily "Canada" specific, but I was continuously surprised by how nice it is to spend time with old friends, to travel a road I've been down a hundred times, to know where to go to find something, etc...don't get me wrong, I love discovering new things and building new friendships, I just forgot a little bit how much I also love the familiar.

While the focus of this trip was really on catching up and checking in, we did still manage to take a *few* pictures to document our experience...enjoy!

Canada = Maple Leafs + Totem Poles + Tim Hortons (and the honorary Starbucks).

Dinner @ Mr.Mikes with the Quesnel fam.  

Home sweet home for M. 

My fur baby. 

M's lil' girl. 

What's up there?

There is a lot I love about these particular photos, but the sign on the top bridge absolutely takes the cake.

Something we haven't seen since we left Canada...we not only saw this sign, but on the same drive we also saw a moose in the flesh. 

Spending an afternoon reminiscing at Barkerville.

"Naturally Friendly". Yup. 

Hiking the power lines for killer views over Dragon Lake. There's no denying the beauty of this place.

G&Ts on the lawn to round out a lovely summer day...bliss. Thanks for an awesome time in the Q guys! 

Landing in Cowtown- first stop, Cilantro for dinner with M's articling buddies. 

While the whole country is our "home", this is our house. Happy to see it is still standing and very well taken care of!

So many people to catch up with, so little time! This was a typical day: lunch with friends, drinks with friend(s), followed by dinner with friends. LOVED every minute of it!

Crossing the Peace Bridge on an overcast summer day.

A day in the life: Evening BBQ chez Co, looking out over the stunning Calgary skyline. Thank you for the incredible hospitality Co! 

What would a trip to Canada be without a visit to the mountains? So special spending the day with these two wandering around one of our favourite places on earth. 

Race in Progress. M and I were so pumped to be able to cheer Mo and her sister on as they killed it in their first Half Ironman.

Race day shenanigans. Such a fun cheer crew at such an inspiring event!

So happy to get to spend time with this beauty- thanks for fighting jet lag so we could catch up before M and I flew out!

Adorable to the power of ten.

And since we were on an ice-cream theme this trip, what better way to end our time in Calgary than with a visit to the of-the-moment ice cream parlour of The Village? Salted Caramel, Phil & Sebastian Coffee, Village Vanilla Bean...yes, please! 

Leaving the mountains behind, we headed to the far eastern coast of Nova Scotia for fishing boats and fresh seafood. 

Sisters and seagulls. 

The boys golf...

While the girls go to the zoo!

Loved watching these cuties run around and explore. 

We took advantage of having everyone together in one place, and did a mini-photo shoot. Thanks so much P for organizing!

The youngsters.

Family and friend time.

Spending the morning on the mud flats of Blomidon Beach.

It had been far too long since we've done a jumping shot...this took us a thousand takes, and this one is the best we got (with me looking like I'm booting the poor dog in the muzzle)...perhaps there's a reason why our "jumping shots" are few and far between?

Reilly and Mugsy running off steam.

Anniversary dinner with my folks. Thanks for celebrating our 3rd anniversary with us guys!

While South Africa has its share of vineyards, M and I will never pass up a day of wine tasting. The Valley has some incredible wineries, making for a gorgeous day of sipping and sampling.

Sampling the goods.

Lobster traps alongside wine barrels...only in Nova Scotia!

The self-guided wine tour. Thanks Chauffeur Dad!

 Ladies night and lobster poutine. Solid way to spend the last night in N.S.!

Working our way back across the pond, we made use of a layover in London to catch up with S!

M and I with the Tower Bridge.

 Wandering the streets of East London.

 Witnessing ceramic poppies being placed around the Tower of London; one for each soldier that lost their life in World War I. 

Thanks for an incredible home-leave trip, Canada! We truly are grateful and proud to call Canada our home, and while we may choose to explore beyond its shores, we never take for granted all that welcomes us on our return.