Space Goddess

New US Passport Laws go into effect June 1, 2009!

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Earth Day is a few days away and Space Goddess and friends are celebrating by attending the Lifetime Fitness Green Living Weekend tomorrow and Sunday, April 18 and 19. We’ll be at the Lifetime Fitness Club in Overland Park, Kansas. See you there!

I admit it—-this city girl (okay–suburban girl) has morhped into an adventure-travel afficianado! To be honest, I am a lover of “soft” adventure—where I can soak up the beauty of nature, all types of flora and fauna, as well as being able to sleep “off” of the ground, take a hot shower, and eat yummy food!

I’ve traveled through:  Australia, New Zealand and New Caledonia—in the footsteps of Captain Cook; Antarctica; Alaska; Costa Rica; Peru; Ecaudor; the Galapagos; Argentina; Chile; Egypt; China; Indonesia; India; Fiji; the Amazon; Kenya; Tanzania; Botswana; South Africa; Zambia; Zimbabwe (when it was safe); Mauritius; Colorado; Arizona; New Mexico; northern Wisconsin; and southern Missouri (actually slept on the ground on the canoe trip—years ago!). 

I’ve sampled many wonderful adventures and now I want to let you know about one of our exceptional partners, Natural Habitat Adventures. NHA knows adventure—from soft to adrelin-flowing! They follow the same philosophy as Great Getaways, which is “Cookie cutter vacations are great if you are a cookie cutter!” We both specialize in experiential travel and both companies are committed to sustainable travel. NHA guides are experienced, well-trained, knowledgeable and professional.

The trips they offer are unique! Let me give you an example: I’ve been to the Galapagos twice and hope to go back again soon. Both times I was on a wonderful expedition ship with great naturalists and guides. What I’ve discovered is that I like “small” and that is what Natural Habitat provides. The yacht they use for the Galapagos holds a maximum of 20 people and they offer something quite special and unusual—you can elect to spend the night in the highlands of Santa Cruz in a safari tent or “tree house” amid an area known for its giant tortoises! Another special offer from NHA is their new land-based Galapagos expedition, in which you stay on 3 different islands, almost unheard of, don’t you think?

This year they’ve added a few new adventures—including the Wild Colorado, Alaska’s Secluded Southeast Coast, Yosemite and the California Coast, and the remarkable San Juan Islands.

Next month I’ll tell you about an exciting opportunity to win a journey to visit the Polar Bear Capital of the World, Churchill, Manitoba, courtesy of NHA, Great Getaways and Lifetime Fitness!

So, if you are an adventurer of any kind, from soft to rugged, contact me today to experience the amazing journeys we create with Natural Habitat Adventures!

Okay, I have no excuse for not blogging since we returned from our safari! Well, actually, I have several excuses but none are valid (except for the one about waiting for the stars to be aligned with the orbit of Jupiter—that, my friends, is a very valid reason!).

I will try to upload a movie I made of our safari to Botswana and Zambia. It was our 5th safari in 9 years and we loved every minute of it! Thank you, thank you, thank you to our friends at Wilderness Safaris! We had an amazing adventure! To whet your appetite: we saw a buffalo tree a lioness, a hyena stalk one of Legadema’s cubs (Legadema, a leopard,  is the star of a National Geographic film that chronicled her life), and two starry-eyed humans celebrate their 10th anniversary with a private candlelight dinner a deux at Vumbura Plains (that would be yours truly and Michael, of course!)

Next post I’ll update you on White Knight 2, the mother ship for Spaceship 2. She’ll be unveiled in 2 weeks to the press and I’ll see her a month from today. That reminds me, have you reserved a seat on Virgin Galactic, yet? What are you waiting for? Trust me, the stars have definitely aligned with Jupiter!

No matter what day you think it is, while reading this post, pretend today is June 8th! Unlike Toto, we didn’t hate our version of Oz! We loved our safari and the friends we made along the journey. Like Toto, we came back on June 8th to Kansas! I believe a well-balanced life of a traveler consists of planning glorious journeys, taking the journey, happily returning home, and, best of all, savoring the memories!

As soon as we get our photos together, I’ll post a link to the Picasa website to share with you!

Now, it’s Sunday,June 8th, in the late morning and in Mauritius it’s 9 hours ahead. My body is here in KC, but my body clock tells me I’m still many thousand miles East of here. Jet lag and all, it’s great to be home!

NOTE: For those of you who faithfully followed my directions in my original “pre-Safari” post back in May, bravo! I must admit that I am now totally confused because I am writing this and envisioning myself being back from our journey AND I haven’t yet left! Since I didn’t take my laptop with me, I pre-entered my posts as if we were communicating from Africa. Confused yet? I’m dizzy! I think I need a vacation!

Wednesday       June 04 2008 

Today you will be met by a Wilderness Safaris representative, who will transfer you to OR Tambo International Airport for your scheduled flight SA190 departing at 9:35am to Mauritius.

7:35am	Suggested check in time for flight SA190
9:35am	Estimated time of departure from OR Tambo International Airport

            

              

  The Oberoi Mauritius

The idyllic island of Mauritius with its unspoilt beaches and azure waters offers a unique experience of European, African and Asian cultures. The Oberoi captures the spirit of the island in a resort that combines its abundant natural beauty with refined luxury. The resort is located in 20 acres of beautiful sub-tropical gardens with a 600 meter oceanfront. Villas with private swimming pools and luxury pavilions offer panoramic views of the ocean. Every room features a romantic four-poster bed. Wooden slatted ceilings and wall-to-wall restful neutral tones contribute to a feeling of relaxed grandeur. Each bathroom has a separate shower stall and a sunken bath in palest marble overlooking an open-air walled garden.

The air-conditioned thatched Luxury Pavilion includes a spacious bedroom and sitting area with a choice of either a king-size bed or twin beds. Each Pavilion has a spacious terrace for private dining and overlooks the gardens and the Indian Ocean.

Tuesday       May 27 2008 

Today you will be assisted to your light aircraft transfer from Mombo Camp to Kings Pool Camp.

       

Accommodation has been reserved for you for 2 nights.  Accommodation Kings Pool Camp Room : 1 x Twin Tent Dates : Check in  :   May 27 2008   Check out:   May 29 2008 Included : All meals, daily activities, laundry and drinks (excluding premium import brands)

Kings Pool Camp is located in a private reserve in the Linyanti / Savuti Channel area in the northern part of Botswana, on the western boundary of Chobe National Park. The source of the Savuti Channel is within this private reserve. The camp overlooks the oxbow-shaped Kings Pool Lagoon and the Linyanti River to the north. The area has a large wildlife resource with a wide variety of species, but it is most noted for its very large Elephant populations, which during our winter months can reach enormous densities.  There are good populations of Impala, Lechwe, Kudu, Zebra, Giraffe, Sable, Waterbuck,

Buffalo and the smaller plains antelope. The major predators such as Lion, Leopard, Cheetah, Wild Dog and Hyena are regularly sighted.   The reed and papyrus swamps are ideal for numerous and diverse species of birds and are a magnet for wildlife in the dry winter months. Accommodation is in nine luxurious twin bedded tented rooms under cool thatch overlooking the Hippo filled lagoon in front of the camp. Each of the bedrooms has its own large bedroom area, lounge, private plunge pool and sala. Each en-suite bathroom has a double shower, double hand basin vanity area and a separate flush toilet. There is also an outdoor shower for those who prefer to be closer to

Africa. The main lounge, pub, curio shop and dining area are under thatch and there is a swimming pool built into the deck. The main area is linked to the bedrooms by a raised walkway. Activities include game drives in open 4×4 Land Rovers, night drives and guided walks.  Website: www.wilderness-safaris.com 

Sunday       May 25 2008 

Today you will be assisted to your light aircraft transfer from Vumbura Plains to Mombo Camp.

Mombo Camp

Mombo Camp is situated on Mombo Island, adjoining the northern tip of Chief’s Island, and is within the Moremi Game Reserve in northern Botswana. The camp offers abundant wonderful wildlife viewing, arguably, year round the best wildlife viewing in

Botswana. The highlight here is the concentrations of plains animals and all the predators – including the big cats! Lion sightings are particularly good. Mombo is built under the shade of some large shady trees and overlooks a wonderful floodplain that teems with wildlife. The camp has 9 comfortably furnished, luxurious tents, raised off the ground. The guest’s rooms and the walkways that connect the rooms to the living area are up to 2m off the ground, allowing animals to wander freely through and under the camp – but at the same time allowing for guest safety. The canvas rooms are spacious and well appointed and have en-suite facilities under canvas and an additional outdoor shower for those who enjoy a shower under the stars. The dining room, pub and living area overlook the open plain in front of the camp and there is a plunge pool. Activities at Mombo include morning and afternoon game drives in open 4×4 vehicles. The wildlife viewing in the area is excellent and guests can see lion, leopard, large herds of buffalo, cheetah, wild dog, elephant, rhino, hyaena, giraffe, wildebeest and zebra. Access into this area is only by aircraft. Website: www.mombo.co.za