So another guy I'm interested in is a sommelier at one of the best restaurants in Chicago. It's ranked the #15 restaurant in the world. When he told me where he worked, I was like "Holy Shit."
This guy is gorgeous. He's like a mix between James Dean and Eric Northman from True Blood. He's nice and tall too. 6'3. We had beers and snacks at one of my favorite bars in my hood, Bangers and Lace. He ordered a bottle of my favorite sour beer, Geueze, for us to share. I mean he's pretty and has that hipster vibe going on that I like. But not over the top. He just kind of looks like he could have stepped out of 1955 and into a wine bar. Old school handsome. The thing is he's not a huge talker. I did a lot of the talking, and that's how he likes it apparently. He talked about the places he will take me and the things we will do and some other stuff. Nothing to write home or a blog about. I had a good time though, we were out til 1:45. He drove me home and I gave him a hug before I got out of the car and he kissed me on the cheek. He started texting me about 5 min later, he wanted to see me again.
The next day he was texting me again and Mr. Ravioli was at my house and I was stressed he'd see my phone. In any case, we made a date, which he cancelled the day of. I joked that we have a 1/5 success rate, which is true because out of 5 dates we'd planned, only one had come to fruition. But he continued to communicate with me, he texted me before I left for my Croatia trip (next blog), and once while I was there to say he was thinking about me. But I just went out with him again yesterday and I think it's already over.
He's just...boring. The first time we went out there was a lot to talk about because we didn't know anything about each other, and, like I said, I did most of the talking. But this time it was almost like pulling teeth. Not to mention, I was in a bad mood because my cab never showed up so I walked out to Western Ave to hail one and there weren't any and I was getting harassed by these Puerto Ricans who ended up following me and I couldn't get a cab so I walked the whole way in heels and got blisters and was really late and dressed up and sweaty and pissed off. Longest sentence ever. I was annoyed because he drove and could've just picked me up, which he said himself. Instead he came and met me on foot when I was like 5 min away from the bar.
I don't feel like I was annoying about it, I made a conscious effort to be in good humor about the situation, but maybe I was too complainy? I'm not sure, but we had 3 drinks, and I even bought a round, then I took off my painful shoes on the walk to his car and he drove me home and this time I did not get a follow up text. Which I'm ok with because the whole time I was struggling through conversation with this guy, I was actually thinking about how I was looking forward to my date with Roger later. Yes, I double booked. It was my only day off in Chicago for a long time!
After falling asleep on the couch in one of my new TopShop outfits from London (black silk shorts with white silk see-thru button-up tank, black bra.) Roger showed up at my house at 9. We drove to Lakeview and ended up at DMK which I had heard has the best burgers in Chicago. Ok I'm going to time out here for a sec. Roger drove me to the airport for my Croatia trip and when I arrived in London I had this massive email from him, gushing about how much he loves spending time with me, how much he misses me (I'd just left) etc etc. and I was like 'Whoah.' Slow your roll, son. It weirded me out a little and I didn't reply for 4 days and just sent a bland response. He got the hint because he then waited a couple days and was less "feely". We wrote back and forth a few more times. Anyway I wasn't sure how I felt about seeing him when I got back. But I found myself really looking forward to it and really enjoying myself. It's so comfortable with him.
He stayed over and was a perfect gentleman as always. Early this morning, about an hour ago actually, before he left for work, he was just staring at me and he said "You are so uniquely beautiful. Sometimes when I look at you, I feel like I'm looking at an old photograph."
This is the kind of shit he says! Constantly! How can you not fall for someone who talks to you like that? And yet, I still don't want him to be my boyfriend.
Tuesday, May 28, 2013
Monday, May 27, 2013
Follow up
After my date with Roger last night, I am feeling even more confused. I think I actually like him. This is exactly what I didn't want to happen. I like being neutral because it makes it easier to casually date more than one person without feeling weird or guilty. Casual. That's how I'm trying to keep it, for now.
Although he is thin, his rock hard body looked nice in his outfit last night. He assured me he was going to wear something 'cute' and I think he delivered in some kind of gray v neck t shirt and black sweater with jeans. I liked it. He told me he liked my sweater too, and that it looked like a tablecloth. We drove to this place I've been wanting to try near my apartment called The Beetle, which is basically a dark, cozy bar with good food. And, of course, in that 5 min car ride, something broke! Something with the clutch. Every time people! Anyway we are having drinks and a late dinner by candlelight, and during this 2 + hours I learn so much more about him. And it makes me understand him and the way he is so much more and I'm just touched. I feel like I can't really share here because its so personal, not for me, but for him. He's one of those kids that basically had to raise himself and didn't receive a lot of support in his life, but he came out of it this great person. And we will leave it at that.
His honesty and the way he never hides what he's feeling is so tender to me. I can't explain it, but he's just this very unique individual who marches to the beat of his own drum and at the same time is so caring, romantic, gentlemanly and respectful. And all he wants to do is be with me. And I don't know! On paper, it's not good. But in person, I feel so at ease and can really be myself. He says I'm a huge dork but in the most adorable way possible. I like that. Well I suppose the journey is not over then, right?
I have another date tomorrow with this other guy I've been out with. And tomorrow I will tell you all about him! So keep reading! Please subscribe so you can be alerted when new blogs are up. You can do so anonymously or let me know who you are. Thanks!
Although he is thin, his rock hard body looked nice in his outfit last night. He assured me he was going to wear something 'cute' and I think he delivered in some kind of gray v neck t shirt and black sweater with jeans. I liked it. He told me he liked my sweater too, and that it looked like a tablecloth. We drove to this place I've been wanting to try near my apartment called The Beetle, which is basically a dark, cozy bar with good food. And, of course, in that 5 min car ride, something broke! Something with the clutch. Every time people! Anyway we are having drinks and a late dinner by candlelight, and during this 2 + hours I learn so much more about him. And it makes me understand him and the way he is so much more and I'm just touched. I feel like I can't really share here because its so personal, not for me, but for him. He's one of those kids that basically had to raise himself and didn't receive a lot of support in his life, but he came out of it this great person. And we will leave it at that.
His honesty and the way he never hides what he's feeling is so tender to me. I can't explain it, but he's just this very unique individual who marches to the beat of his own drum and at the same time is so caring, romantic, gentlemanly and respectful. And all he wants to do is be with me. And I don't know! On paper, it's not good. But in person, I feel so at ease and can really be myself. He says I'm a huge dork but in the most adorable way possible. I like that. Well I suppose the journey is not over then, right?
I have another date tomorrow with this other guy I've been out with. And tomorrow I will tell you all about him! So keep reading! Please subscribe so you can be alerted when new blogs are up. You can do so anonymously or let me know who you are. Thanks!
Sunday, May 26, 2013
When it rains it pours...men.
I'm trying to get back into this writing thing. It was a rough year for me, and I just wasn't feeling it. But now I'm back on the wagon! And I'm going to try to keep this up on a fairly regular basis.
So. Here I am, in Chicago. Single. And all of the sudden I'm dating again. Like a lot. I don't know what's going on with me these days but dudes are sweatin me. As far as people I have seen more than once, there are a few players.
One is Roger Ravioli. No that's not his real name, but his real name literally sounds just like that. Like an Italian poem. He is an interesting character. He builds cars from scratch. The car he drives is a BMW he built and everytime I ride in it I swear something goes wrong and I fear the damn things gonna break in two or just fall apart right there, but it never does. He's a also a boxer and a musician. He had opportunities to be successful in both of these ventures but turned them down. After hearing both stories and shaking my head in disbelief, I told him it sounded like he was afraid to succeed. This blew his mind. Apparently he has not stopped thinking about it and is now doing some soul searching. What he decided to do instead of those things he's actually passionate about, is work hard for a living like he watched his father do and just keep his hobbies as hobbies and nothing more. I don't get it, but, hey whatever floats your boat I guess.
So what he decides to do is go back to school to become a high school English teacher and wrestling coach. Huh? You want to go back to school to get a job to support yourself and your future family and you choose something admittedly admirable but that pays like what $30,000 a year? And he is living with his parents while he does this and caddying at a country club. Also he's a little young. So basically, no. Although I'm still seeing him, I know that I don't want anything long term with him. I want someone in their 30s who has their shit together and their own place. Is that too much to ask?
But besides all that, I do have fun with the guy. Our first two dates were a blast. The first, we had empanadas and drinks at an Argentinian restaurant and when I mentioned my fave bar in Chicago was Kingston Mines, a divey blues bar, he said lets go right now! And we did and it was great! We danced and he told me how much he wanted to kiss me and he told me how beautiful I was and he just gushed and gushed and I just blushed.
For our second date, I found this free open mic comedy night at a hipster dive bar in Logan Square. I thought it was funny(ish), he did not, but it was still fun. He admitted to me that he was late because he couldn't find anything to wear so he went out and bought a new outfit. Jeans from the Gap and an H&M button down. We stepped outside and heard jazz coming from a red glowing door across the street. There was a sign outside reading "Live jazz. $5 donation. BYOB." Roger listens to Miles Davis "Kind of Blue" every night. The same album. Jazz is his favorite so we walk down to the liquor store on the corner, get a couple of big bottles of craft beer and go in. We walk down a narrow hallway to a room with old wooden floors and carved wood walls painted white. The band is group of men in their 50s wearing old man jeans and black t-shirts and earrings. The drummer has sunglasses on and looks like Jack Nicholson. There are folding chairs set up in a half-moon. We go beyond the band to the kitchen area and pop our beer and pour it into red solo cups and Roger grabs me and kisses me and tells me he hasn't smiled this much all week. A couple dances in off the street. Then everyone starts dancing. We dance too. After the show, Roger talks to the band, we get a tour. I'm thrilled to find out the building is an old funeral parlour. While I'm standing on my own, another guy from the audience says "Hey, he really likes you (gesturing to Roger). It looks like your date is going well." I blush and giggle. I already know that of course.
We leave and go to a late night Mexican joint. Roger tells me how amazing I am, how happy he is when he's around me, how beautiful I am, how much he thinks about me. He laughs like a fog horn on repeat. He runs to the car to get me his jacket because I'm cold. He constantly looks at me with this goofy smile on his face. He's always looking at me. It makes me uncomfortable, but he says he can't help it. I secretly like it, because it makes me feel beautiful.
I don't know how I feel about him. He is in crazy shape. He works out at least 2 hours a day and is totally ripped with like a 12-pack if that's even a thing. But he's skinny ripped and just 5'9. I'm 5'7 and sometimes I feel bigger than him. He has kinky dark hair. It's strange hair, coarse. And he has the most beautiful olive skin. I'm just not sure if I'm attracted to him. And I feel guilty because I know he really likes me and I'm not sure if I'm leading him on or if what I'm doing is ok. Which is being selfish basically. He sends me really corny text messages saying things like "I wish I was slow dancing with you right now." "I wish I was kissing you right now." I usually just don't even respond because I don't know what to say. He literally thinks everything I do is amazing, and I feel like I'm just enjoying the attention and the way he makes me feel. I'm going out with him tonight, maybe I'll figure things out, or maybe I'll just keep doing what I'm doing. Anyway since I spent so much time on RR, I'll save the others for next time :) as always, all thoughts welcome and appreciated! Please comment!
So. Here I am, in Chicago. Single. And all of the sudden I'm dating again. Like a lot. I don't know what's going on with me these days but dudes are sweatin me. As far as people I have seen more than once, there are a few players.
One is Roger Ravioli. No that's not his real name, but his real name literally sounds just like that. Like an Italian poem. He is an interesting character. He builds cars from scratch. The car he drives is a BMW he built and everytime I ride in it I swear something goes wrong and I fear the damn things gonna break in two or just fall apart right there, but it never does. He's a also a boxer and a musician. He had opportunities to be successful in both of these ventures but turned them down. After hearing both stories and shaking my head in disbelief, I told him it sounded like he was afraid to succeed. This blew his mind. Apparently he has not stopped thinking about it and is now doing some soul searching. What he decided to do instead of those things he's actually passionate about, is work hard for a living like he watched his father do and just keep his hobbies as hobbies and nothing more. I don't get it, but, hey whatever floats your boat I guess.
So what he decides to do is go back to school to become a high school English teacher and wrestling coach. Huh? You want to go back to school to get a job to support yourself and your future family and you choose something admittedly admirable but that pays like what $30,000 a year? And he is living with his parents while he does this and caddying at a country club. Also he's a little young. So basically, no. Although I'm still seeing him, I know that I don't want anything long term with him. I want someone in their 30s who has their shit together and their own place. Is that too much to ask?
But besides all that, I do have fun with the guy. Our first two dates were a blast. The first, we had empanadas and drinks at an Argentinian restaurant and when I mentioned my fave bar in Chicago was Kingston Mines, a divey blues bar, he said lets go right now! And we did and it was great! We danced and he told me how much he wanted to kiss me and he told me how beautiful I was and he just gushed and gushed and I just blushed.
For our second date, I found this free open mic comedy night at a hipster dive bar in Logan Square. I thought it was funny(ish), he did not, but it was still fun. He admitted to me that he was late because he couldn't find anything to wear so he went out and bought a new outfit. Jeans from the Gap and an H&M button down. We stepped outside and heard jazz coming from a red glowing door across the street. There was a sign outside reading "Live jazz. $5 donation. BYOB." Roger listens to Miles Davis "Kind of Blue" every night. The same album. Jazz is his favorite so we walk down to the liquor store on the corner, get a couple of big bottles of craft beer and go in. We walk down a narrow hallway to a room with old wooden floors and carved wood walls painted white. The band is group of men in their 50s wearing old man jeans and black t-shirts and earrings. The drummer has sunglasses on and looks like Jack Nicholson. There are folding chairs set up in a half-moon. We go beyond the band to the kitchen area and pop our beer and pour it into red solo cups and Roger grabs me and kisses me and tells me he hasn't smiled this much all week. A couple dances in off the street. Then everyone starts dancing. We dance too. After the show, Roger talks to the band, we get a tour. I'm thrilled to find out the building is an old funeral parlour. While I'm standing on my own, another guy from the audience says "Hey, he really likes you (gesturing to Roger). It looks like your date is going well." I blush and giggle. I already know that of course.
We leave and go to a late night Mexican joint. Roger tells me how amazing I am, how happy he is when he's around me, how beautiful I am, how much he thinks about me. He laughs like a fog horn on repeat. He runs to the car to get me his jacket because I'm cold. He constantly looks at me with this goofy smile on his face. He's always looking at me. It makes me uncomfortable, but he says he can't help it. I secretly like it, because it makes me feel beautiful.
I don't know how I feel about him. He is in crazy shape. He works out at least 2 hours a day and is totally ripped with like a 12-pack if that's even a thing. But he's skinny ripped and just 5'9. I'm 5'7 and sometimes I feel bigger than him. He has kinky dark hair. It's strange hair, coarse. And he has the most beautiful olive skin. I'm just not sure if I'm attracted to him. And I feel guilty because I know he really likes me and I'm not sure if I'm leading him on or if what I'm doing is ok. Which is being selfish basically. He sends me really corny text messages saying things like "I wish I was slow dancing with you right now." "I wish I was kissing you right now." I usually just don't even respond because I don't know what to say. He literally thinks everything I do is amazing, and I feel like I'm just enjoying the attention and the way he makes me feel. I'm going out with him tonight, maybe I'll figure things out, or maybe I'll just keep doing what I'm doing. Anyway since I spent so much time on RR, I'll save the others for next time :) as always, all thoughts welcome and appreciated! Please comment!
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
Africa 2
Day 4: I woke up and screamed upon running right into a praying mantis outside of my mosquito net. And again when one was perched on the floor right in the center of the doorway to the bathroom. I was so paralyzed with fear that I had to call Emmanuel up to remove the insects from my room so I could enter the bathroom and shower. Afterwards, I noticed a frog on my door handle and another mantis by my clothes. They formed a barrier between me and escape and me and clothes. Again Emmanuel had to come up and rescue me from my prissy hissy. After breakfast we went on a walking safari with Obi. We saw a giraffe, a family of zebras, a family of giraffes, impalas, a crocodile, and hippos. Obi told us lots of interesting facts like most birds nests are on the west side of the trees and termite mounds also lean to the west. We also learned a lot about dung of all kinds. It was nice to get some exercise and actually be out and about on foot amongst the animals. We went back to the house for lunch and a swim and there were elephants everywhere! One came up in our yard and was tearing apart a bush about 6 feet away from where I was lounging on the patio. It was hilarious when he tore a big branch off and put it on his head like a hat!
We went on an afternoon drive and the highlights for me were seeing a warthog up close who did not run away at first sight of us. Instead, he stopped and stared head on and we actually got a sense of how horrifically ugly this creature really is. The face of a warthog is the absolute ugliest thing I have ever seen. He wins the award of most hideous animal in Africa so far and he's on the list of my top 5 favorite animals. And the other highlight was watching the gorgeous sunset from way up high. We also got a flat tire, although I can't say that was a highlight.
Day 5: So sad to leave the Langkawi River House! I honestly miss our guys from there. Mainly Emmanuel and Edward and especially my favorite, Obi. I can't explain it but I feel a kindred spirit in Obi. I'm obsessing over this man. He was just the sweetest, most even keeled, wonderful guy and a brilliant guide. If I could read auras, I'd say he has the best one out there. I just have a big non-sexual crush on this guy.
Anyway, Obi drove us to our new people who took us up the river to our new place. We are in an outdoor camp in tents with no electricity, sand toilets and a bucket shower. We have a hot new director, George. He's married, but adorbs. And a new very sweet guide, Kanga. He took me, my dad and bro on a walking safari today. We learned some interesting things about nature like how the Spider Wasp captures spiders, injects them with a paralyzing poison then lays its eggs inside the spider and the spider dies when the eggs hatch and the baby wasps eat their way out of it. In the words of my brother, What the fuck, nature? Why can't she just kill it and eat it like most bugs? Oh and we had a hippo run into our boat. That's the second hippo we've run over! Also saw a baby hippo and 2 crocodiles.
We returned from our walk during sunset where a campfire and cocktails were waiting for us. After a cool bucket shower by lantern light, I watched hippos come up out of the river to graze right near our camp. George asked us not to tell Jennifer (she was in the shower) about this as she's been freaking out about getting killed by hippos all day. I still haven't told her :)
Curry by lamplight for dinner, and now in bed in my tent ready for tomorrow!
Day 6: new camp, new people, new guide, Mongolian BBQ around campfire, gorgeous sunset. New people include Polly, a Brit who runs the place; Nicholas a white kid from Zimbabwe doing his gap year; his hippy yogi father; our guide Sebastian (another sweet sweet soul) and Jonah another guide. I've found a book about the pioneer safari people in our area (South Luangwa) and find myself constantly grilling Polly about them and trying to get the inside scoop of their stories as she knows them all. Sounds like there was a lot of partying and bed hopping out in the African bush land! And many people who came over to work at a camp for a summer and ended up staying indefinitely. I can see why. It's amazing here.
Day 7: Driving safari with Jonah. Saw crazy red ant trail. Saw baby hippo on beach with mom. Heard wild story about how a guide and some guests were on a river safari and a hippo capsized their canoe and the guests managed to swim to shore, but the guide did not. The guests were lost and couldn't find their way back to camp, but eventually wandered into a village which took them to their camp. They then started a search for the guide. They found him washed up on a beach covered in red ants. He had been attacked by a crocodile, but a hippo came and chased the croc away and then pushed him all the way to shore! The hippo saved his life along with the ants who covered his wound, their bites causing his blood to clot. Incredible story!
He told us another story how he and a group of guests were having tea overlooking the river when they saw 2 young elephants crossing the river who were being surrounded by crocs. Well a group of hippos came and chased the crocs away, allowing the little elephants to cross the river safely. He says there are lots of instances of hippos helping impalas and all kinds of other prey get away from crocodiles.
Well now it's been almost a month since our trip and I still can't stop thinking about it. Africa really stays with you. It's magical and an experience beyond words although I hope I've done it some justice :)
We went on an afternoon drive and the highlights for me were seeing a warthog up close who did not run away at first sight of us. Instead, he stopped and stared head on and we actually got a sense of how horrifically ugly this creature really is. The face of a warthog is the absolute ugliest thing I have ever seen. He wins the award of most hideous animal in Africa so far and he's on the list of my top 5 favorite animals. And the other highlight was watching the gorgeous sunset from way up high. We also got a flat tire, although I can't say that was a highlight.
Day 5: So sad to leave the Langkawi River House! I honestly miss our guys from there. Mainly Emmanuel and Edward and especially my favorite, Obi. I can't explain it but I feel a kindred spirit in Obi. I'm obsessing over this man. He was just the sweetest, most even keeled, wonderful guy and a brilliant guide. If I could read auras, I'd say he has the best one out there. I just have a big non-sexual crush on this guy.
Anyway, Obi drove us to our new people who took us up the river to our new place. We are in an outdoor camp in tents with no electricity, sand toilets and a bucket shower. We have a hot new director, George. He's married, but adorbs. And a new very sweet guide, Kanga. He took me, my dad and bro on a walking safari today. We learned some interesting things about nature like how the Spider Wasp captures spiders, injects them with a paralyzing poison then lays its eggs inside the spider and the spider dies when the eggs hatch and the baby wasps eat their way out of it. In the words of my brother, What the fuck, nature? Why can't she just kill it and eat it like most bugs? Oh and we had a hippo run into our boat. That's the second hippo we've run over! Also saw a baby hippo and 2 crocodiles.
We returned from our walk during sunset where a campfire and cocktails were waiting for us. After a cool bucket shower by lantern light, I watched hippos come up out of the river to graze right near our camp. George asked us not to tell Jennifer (she was in the shower) about this as she's been freaking out about getting killed by hippos all day. I still haven't told her :)
Curry by lamplight for dinner, and now in bed in my tent ready for tomorrow!
Day 6: new camp, new people, new guide, Mongolian BBQ around campfire, gorgeous sunset. New people include Polly, a Brit who runs the place; Nicholas a white kid from Zimbabwe doing his gap year; his hippy yogi father; our guide Sebastian (another sweet sweet soul) and Jonah another guide. I've found a book about the pioneer safari people in our area (South Luangwa) and find myself constantly grilling Polly about them and trying to get the inside scoop of their stories as she knows them all. Sounds like there was a lot of partying and bed hopping out in the African bush land! And many people who came over to work at a camp for a summer and ended up staying indefinitely. I can see why. It's amazing here.
Day 7: Driving safari with Jonah. Saw crazy red ant trail. Saw baby hippo on beach with mom. Heard wild story about how a guide and some guests were on a river safari and a hippo capsized their canoe and the guests managed to swim to shore, but the guide did not. The guests were lost and couldn't find their way back to camp, but eventually wandered into a village which took them to their camp. They then started a search for the guide. They found him washed up on a beach covered in red ants. He had been attacked by a crocodile, but a hippo came and chased the croc away and then pushed him all the way to shore! The hippo saved his life along with the ants who covered his wound, their bites causing his blood to clot. Incredible story!
He told us another story how he and a group of guests were having tea overlooking the river when they saw 2 young elephants crossing the river who were being surrounded by crocs. Well a group of hippos came and chased the crocs away, allowing the little elephants to cross the river safely. He says there are lots of instances of hippos helping impalas and all kinds of other prey get away from crocodiles.
Well now it's been almost a month since our trip and I still can't stop thinking about it. Africa really stays with you. It's magical and an experience beyond words although I hope I've done it some justice :)
Africa
I'm currently sharing my room with approximately 4 geckos, a handful of wasps, a pair of skinks, and the occasional bird and bat who like to do fly bys.
We are outside of Mfuwe, Zambia. Near the South Luangwa game park, where we do daily game drives in search of wild animals. And we have seen many of those!
Day 1: We arrived in our puddle jumper at the Mfuwe airport around 9am. Drove 45 min down dirt roads to the Robin Pope Safari accommodation which I thought was going to be a tent. Instead we pull up to this enormous 4 bedroom treehouse. The front door is a giant, mahogany thing that pivots in the center. Imagine a one paneled revolving door that resembles a ribeye with a skewer through the middle running top to bottom. Through that is a grand living room/dining area completely open on the backside which faces a deck, infinity pool and field filled with wild animals. We see elephants, giraffes, baboons and impalas in our backyard everyday. And they are not kept there, it is their natural stomping ground. We have a dock that stretches out into this land and we have lunch at the end of it every day at 11:30.
After a swim and a yummy lunch of vegetable quiche, salad, and pumpkin couscous we headed out for a game drive in the reserve. Right off the bat we saw a leopard eating the remains of an impala up in a tree. We saw hippos, zebras, and giraffes. We had cocktails at sunset overlooking a small river. We went back to the leopard tree and saw a hyena waiting at the bottom for scraps. It was all so very incredible.
We returned around 8pm for a 3 course dinner of pumpkin soup, baked chicken with vegetables and sticky toffee pudding. YUM.
Every room in the house is open to the outdoors. It's basically like sleeping outside. I am on the second floor in 'the metal room' called thus because of the large metal headboard behind my twin beds. I have a mosquito net, a deck with two chairs and screens and curtains that are pulled down around all the open spaces at night. I barely slept a wink the first night after waking up at midnight in the pitch black (the power had gone off) The fans were off. I was hot, sweaty and blind, and could hear every animal noise from outside plus the bat swarming around my room. I was terrified. I didn't know there were screens beyond the curtains and I pictured a baboon climbing up the tree outside my window and jumping in and ripping my face off. Now I'm used to all the animals, insects and reptiles and sleep like a baby, but that first night was very restless.
Day 2: Woke up at 5:30am by a knock on my door from one of the incredible staff here. We have Fred, Peter, Emanuel, Edward, and our guide, Obi. Obi and Emanuel are my favorites. Sweet, gentle souls. Breakfast is served at 5:45 and consists of porridge, toast (which I slather with Marmite mmmmm...) and fruit. After that and a black coffee, we are meant to be out the door at 6. We have been unable to to meet that goal thus far. I'm not naming any names, ahem. It's been more like 6:15.
So we pile into an open topped ute, drive to the river, get in a boat, go down and across the river to the park where we get in to another open topped vehicle and start our adventure.
First, we go back to check on the leopard tree. There's not a lot left of the impala kill and the son of the leopard we saw the night before was now there feeding on it. And more hyenas waiting for handouts. The leopard jumped down out of the tree right next to the hyena and hissed at it. We also see water buffalo. Highlight of the day was seeing an aggressive male elephant charge a male giraffe, butt him with his tusks and then chase him into the trees. All of this happened right in front of our truck.
We go home in time for lunch and go back out in the truck at 3:30 for our afternoon/evening drive where we find a lions pride consisting of 1 head male, 3 females and a young male. They are just sleeping in the grass. Eventually they wake up, use the facilities and move on. Obi predicts they will hunt this night, as their bellies looked empty.
Return for 8pm dinner of salad, beef with green beans and mushroom gravy, and ---. And lots of wine.
We turned up the music and had a dance party, kicked off by my brother and I doing a stellar performance to "Thrift Shop."
Slept like a baby and up at 5:30 again. On this mornings game drive we found the lions pride with a kill of a young zebra. Actually we found one lone female and, thanks to my alert hearing, tracked down the rest. The male was chowing down on the kill, the females and youngun lying in wait for their turn at the meal. As soon as the male stood up, announcing the end of his meal, there was a mass growling and all the rest of the pride pounced on the prey and made off with a leg or other chunk of zebra and went to it.
As we pulled away from the scene, Cathy noticed a leopard in the tree overlooking this whole thing! The same young male leopard we'd been watching the last couple days! He was perched up in the branches, staring at the lions. In the end, the lions went for water and he snuck down, waited til the coast was clear then went over to look for scraps. It was awesome too see this, and all the other inter-species interactions we've seen. Learned that impala sometimes hang with Puku because they need to be part of a group and get lonely. And now, during mating season, there are a lot of young males cast out from their herd on their own. This came up because we saw an impala male hanging with 2 Puku females and a baby one. I guess even the male Puku are ok with this because they won't mate outside their species so they are not a threat. So these impala males are basically like a gay best friend.
Came back for amazing lunch of chicken and veggie salad, broccoli, tomato tart and artichoke and mushroom pasta salad.
Watched a large family of elephant traipsing through our yard. They have a small baby who is still nursing and is adorable. There were 10 giraffes out and about. 2 were doing something very strange. They were just standing out in the sun, slamming each other with their long necks and little horns, and then they'd take a few steps and do it again. Need to ask Obi about that. Then saw hundreds of baboons come through our yard and leap frog over the creek like a hilarious high jump parody. Pretty soon the left side of the field was covered in monkeys!
We then went to a market and to the main drag of town which consisted of strips of run down, concrete shops selling their wares and services to the locals of the community.
Nap time. Awoken by something wet splashing onto my chest. Scream thinking its the frog I saw on my headboard the night before. As I come to my senses, I see a puddle of water next to me on the bed, then look down behind the headboard and see two legs connected to two feet. "Wait! Who is that??" I yell. Of course it was my brother who had come up and dumped water on me in my sleep. Hilarious. At least he thought he was.
Dinner of baked Aubergine, tomato and mozzarella stack. Divine. Followed by pork medallions wrapped in bacon with a mashed potato tower and shaved carrot. Lemon mousse for desert. I have to say, the meat here has been out if this world. It tastes so much better than the mass produced, hormone induced stuff we eat back home. You can just tell how fresh and natural it is. It tastes totally different. Tomorrow we start our day with a walking safari. Looking forward to getting some exercise. Goodnight!
We are outside of Mfuwe, Zambia. Near the South Luangwa game park, where we do daily game drives in search of wild animals. And we have seen many of those!
Day 1: We arrived in our puddle jumper at the Mfuwe airport around 9am. Drove 45 min down dirt roads to the Robin Pope Safari accommodation which I thought was going to be a tent. Instead we pull up to this enormous 4 bedroom treehouse. The front door is a giant, mahogany thing that pivots in the center. Imagine a one paneled revolving door that resembles a ribeye with a skewer through the middle running top to bottom. Through that is a grand living room/dining area completely open on the backside which faces a deck, infinity pool and field filled with wild animals. We see elephants, giraffes, baboons and impalas in our backyard everyday. And they are not kept there, it is their natural stomping ground. We have a dock that stretches out into this land and we have lunch at the end of it every day at 11:30.
After a swim and a yummy lunch of vegetable quiche, salad, and pumpkin couscous we headed out for a game drive in the reserve. Right off the bat we saw a leopard eating the remains of an impala up in a tree. We saw hippos, zebras, and giraffes. We had cocktails at sunset overlooking a small river. We went back to the leopard tree and saw a hyena waiting at the bottom for scraps. It was all so very incredible.
We returned around 8pm for a 3 course dinner of pumpkin soup, baked chicken with vegetables and sticky toffee pudding. YUM.
Every room in the house is open to the outdoors. It's basically like sleeping outside. I am on the second floor in 'the metal room' called thus because of the large metal headboard behind my twin beds. I have a mosquito net, a deck with two chairs and screens and curtains that are pulled down around all the open spaces at night. I barely slept a wink the first night after waking up at midnight in the pitch black (the power had gone off) The fans were off. I was hot, sweaty and blind, and could hear every animal noise from outside plus the bat swarming around my room. I was terrified. I didn't know there were screens beyond the curtains and I pictured a baboon climbing up the tree outside my window and jumping in and ripping my face off. Now I'm used to all the animals, insects and reptiles and sleep like a baby, but that first night was very restless.
Day 2: Woke up at 5:30am by a knock on my door from one of the incredible staff here. We have Fred, Peter, Emanuel, Edward, and our guide, Obi. Obi and Emanuel are my favorites. Sweet, gentle souls. Breakfast is served at 5:45 and consists of porridge, toast (which I slather with Marmite mmmmm...) and fruit. After that and a black coffee, we are meant to be out the door at 6. We have been unable to to meet that goal thus far. I'm not naming any names, ahem. It's been more like 6:15.
So we pile into an open topped ute, drive to the river, get in a boat, go down and across the river to the park where we get in to another open topped vehicle and start our adventure.
First, we go back to check on the leopard tree. There's not a lot left of the impala kill and the son of the leopard we saw the night before was now there feeding on it. And more hyenas waiting for handouts. The leopard jumped down out of the tree right next to the hyena and hissed at it. We also see water buffalo. Highlight of the day was seeing an aggressive male elephant charge a male giraffe, butt him with his tusks and then chase him into the trees. All of this happened right in front of our truck.
We go home in time for lunch and go back out in the truck at 3:30 for our afternoon/evening drive where we find a lions pride consisting of 1 head male, 3 females and a young male. They are just sleeping in the grass. Eventually they wake up, use the facilities and move on. Obi predicts they will hunt this night, as their bellies looked empty.
Return for 8pm dinner of salad, beef with green beans and mushroom gravy, and ---. And lots of wine.
We turned up the music and had a dance party, kicked off by my brother and I doing a stellar performance to "Thrift Shop."
Slept like a baby and up at 5:30 again. On this mornings game drive we found the lions pride with a kill of a young zebra. Actually we found one lone female and, thanks to my alert hearing, tracked down the rest. The male was chowing down on the kill, the females and youngun lying in wait for their turn at the meal. As soon as the male stood up, announcing the end of his meal, there was a mass growling and all the rest of the pride pounced on the prey and made off with a leg or other chunk of zebra and went to it.
As we pulled away from the scene, Cathy noticed a leopard in the tree overlooking this whole thing! The same young male leopard we'd been watching the last couple days! He was perched up in the branches, staring at the lions. In the end, the lions went for water and he snuck down, waited til the coast was clear then went over to look for scraps. It was awesome too see this, and all the other inter-species interactions we've seen. Learned that impala sometimes hang with Puku because they need to be part of a group and get lonely. And now, during mating season, there are a lot of young males cast out from their herd on their own. This came up because we saw an impala male hanging with 2 Puku females and a baby one. I guess even the male Puku are ok with this because they won't mate outside their species so they are not a threat. So these impala males are basically like a gay best friend.
Came back for amazing lunch of chicken and veggie salad, broccoli, tomato tart and artichoke and mushroom pasta salad.
Watched a large family of elephant traipsing through our yard. They have a small baby who is still nursing and is adorable. There were 10 giraffes out and about. 2 were doing something very strange. They were just standing out in the sun, slamming each other with their long necks and little horns, and then they'd take a few steps and do it again. Need to ask Obi about that. Then saw hundreds of baboons come through our yard and leap frog over the creek like a hilarious high jump parody. Pretty soon the left side of the field was covered in monkeys!
We then went to a market and to the main drag of town which consisted of strips of run down, concrete shops selling their wares and services to the locals of the community.
Nap time. Awoken by something wet splashing onto my chest. Scream thinking its the frog I saw on my headboard the night before. As I come to my senses, I see a puddle of water next to me on the bed, then look down behind the headboard and see two legs connected to two feet. "Wait! Who is that??" I yell. Of course it was my brother who had come up and dumped water on me in my sleep. Hilarious. At least he thought he was.
Dinner of baked Aubergine, tomato and mozzarella stack. Divine. Followed by pork medallions wrapped in bacon with a mashed potato tower and shaved carrot. Lemon mousse for desert. I have to say, the meat here has been out if this world. It tastes so much better than the mass produced, hormone induced stuff we eat back home. You can just tell how fresh and natural it is. It tastes totally different. Tomorrow we start our day with a walking safari. Looking forward to getting some exercise. Goodnight!
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