F IS FOR FLIGHTLESS CORMORANT : A-Z Challenge

Welcome to Day 6 of the A-Z Blogging Challenge. My theme is:

'Wildlife Encounters'

The Galapagos Islands of Ecuador are chock-full of wonderful wildlife, much of which is endemic to these beautiful islands. The Flightless Cormorant is one such creature.

It has to be said that these birds are not particularly attractive but the interesting thing about them is that they are the only cormorant in the world to have lost the ability to fly.

With their webbed feet and powerful legs, these cormorants are fantastic at catching prey underwater. It is strange that their feathers haven’t evolved to become waterproof and they are obliged to sit with their stubby little wings outstretched to dry after a hunting session.

These birds are only found on two islands in the Galapagos. Our guide asked us to keep our distance from them, for obvious reasons. 

Sadly my visit to the Galapagos was before I started travel writing and my camera wasn’t up to much. Perhaps that’s a good enough excuse to re-visit one of the most incredible places I have ever visited on this planet.

See you tomorrow - I’m going to head back east. Can you guess where and what the next animal will be?

If you want to blog-hop to the next A-Z Challenge blog, please click HERE

E IS FOR ELEPHANT : A-Z Challenge

Welcome to Day 5 of the A-Z Blogging Challenge. My theme is:

'Wildlife Encounters'

Edited extract from a travel essay:

Namibia is nirvana for a photo junkie like me. Intoxicated by sensational scenery and exotic animal sightings, I was overdosing.

My husband takes underwater photos but refuses to carry a camera on land.

'I don't want to see the world through a viewfinder,' he says.

However, 'Can you get a picture?' is his favourite refrain.

Our first stop was Etosha. Namibia’s flagship game park is structured to allow self-drive game viewing. Exploration of an African game park without a guide is a heady experience.

The Etosha Pan dominates the park. This former inland sea stretches into salt-white infinity. 

Nothing had prepared me for its vastness. 

We were watching an ostrich floating on a mirage out on the crackle-glazed pan when we heard branches breaking nearby.

‘Sounds like an elephant.’

I have a husband who delights in scaring me. His strategy is to plant suggestions in the hope that I will succumb to a moment of blind panic. This he finds very amusing.

I sighed at his unsubtle attempt to tease me.

Nevertheless, we lowered our binoculars and swivelled our heads.

An adult bull elephant was breakfasting on an acacia not twenty metres from us. 

'Can you get his picture?' whispered my husband.

The angle was awkward so my shot wasn’t good, but I quietly took his portrait before we snuck away.

See you tomorrow – I’m heading west. Can you guess where and what the next animal will be?

If you want to blog-hop to the next A-Z Challenge, please click HERE

D IS FOR DOLPHIN : A-Z Challenge

Welcome to Day 4 of the A-Z Blogging Challenge. My theme is:

'Wildlife Encounters'

The dive site in Egypt's Red Sea was called 'Dolphin House'. We listened to the dive briefing with mounting excitement.

“If you see the dolphins, you have to work to attract their attention and curiosity.  If you want them to engage with you, turn somersaults, bounce around, and make a lot of noise. Loud squeaking usually works.”

We slipped into the balmy water and descended into the channel where the dolphins were supposed to visit. Nothing. We hung around for a while before finally giving up and continuing our exploration along the reef.

We were given a second chance to dive the same site. I was resigned to not seeing dolphins this time. I certainly wasn’t going to waste my time hanging around for them. 

In we dropped again and began to explore the reef.

My husband found some gorgeous corals topped by an explosion of colourful anthias dipping and flitting around the corals. 

So there we were, heads down, examining our find when I casually glanced up. 

Dolphins! Right behind us! I grabbed my husband’s arm and pointed. 

I somersaulted. I bounced up and down. I squeaked. I squealed. I screamed. I wiggled my outstretched fingers at them.

The dolphins looked briefly at the noisy, madly gesticulating creature and swam away.

See you tomorrow - I'll be heading south this time. Can you guess where and what the next animal will be?


If you want to blog-hop to the next A-Z Challenge blog, please click HERE

C IS FOR CHIPMUNK : A-Z Challenge

Welcome to Day 3 of the A-Z Blogging Challenge. My theme is:

'Wildlife Encounters'

The following is an edited extract from a travel essay shortlisted in a BBC Wildlife Magazine Travel Writer of the Year competition and subsequently published in Spain.

The best adventures are unplanned and unexpected. A wedding had brought us to Ontario, Canada with no plans beyond toasting the bride and groom.

We were not equipped for a simple ramble, let alone a serious hike to spot wildlife, but – ever optimistic – we decided to visit Algonquin National Park.

It was Fall. In their gaudy seasonal finery, the sugar maples formed exuberant backdrops against the crisp blue lakes. It felt like we had stumbled into a painting by an impressionist on acid.

The park's information centre supplied us with bundles of field guides and trail booklets. We returned to our lakeside cabin and riffled through our booty. The park was home to many animals including black bears, wolves and moose.

We knew that a couple of tourists sans the requisite hiking gear would be lucky to see a chipmunk. So I studied the literature, picked out some manageable-looking trails, and hoped we might see a moose. Failing that, I'd settle for the chipmunk.

Early the next morning we paused outside, transfixed. In the pre-dawn stillness there was an ethereal quality to the landscape. The moon cast a lambent glow over the lake, like spilled mercury.

In yielding darkness we found our chosen trail - The Whiskey Rapids. We struggled down a steep slope, tripping on tree roots, skidding on autumn leaves. On one particularly close tumble we flushed our chipmunk. He scolded us indignantly before skittering down the trail, tail aloft.

See you tomorrow - I'm heading in an easterly direction. Can you guess where and what the next animal will be?

If you want to blog-hop to the next A-Z Challenge blog, please click HERE

B IS FOR BAT : A-Z Challenge

Welcome to Day 2 of the A-Z Blogging Challenge. My theme is:

'Wildlife Encounters'

When I moved to Fiji there were so many new experiences, every day seemed to herald a new distraction. I never tired of the novelty of sharing my garden with tropical birds, and I definitely never became blasé about the fruit bats – or flying foxes.

Fiji’s only indigenous mammals regularly disturbed our sleep, squabbling and fighting. Their nocturnal screeching sounded like an onslaught of banshees.

One of the windows in front of my writing desk had a papaya (pawpaw) tree directly outside.

I was working at my desk one evening when a bat landed on the tree in a swish of leathery wings, intent on feasting on my ripening papayas. 

I yelled at him to leave my fruit alone; I had been anticipating their imminent harvest.

He simply stared at me as if to say, "You looking at me?" 

Over several days I philosophically watched him demolish most of the ripe fruit on the tree. I was fascinated the first time I saw him awkwardly manoeuvre himself to an upright position in the branches in order to pee and poop.

Fortunately papayas grow like weeds in Fiji and I was able to harvest the fruit crop from other trees in due course.

See you on Monday - I'll be heading north east. Can you guess where and what the next animal will be? 



If you want to blog-hop to the next A-Z Challenge blog, please click HERE

A IS FOR AARDVARK - A-Z Challenge

Welcome to Day 1 of the A-Z Blogging Challenge. My theme is:

'Wildlife Encounters'

‘Welcome!’ Volker smiled, flashing a commotion of teeth. ‘I will bring coffee and chocolate cake. Yes? Then we will go on a game drive.’

In fading light we bounced along in Volker’s elderly four wheel drive, while stomachs replete with homemade chocolate cake were whipped to an uncomfortable frenzy.

Our informative guide chatted about the antelope he raised on this Namibian farm. His enthusiasm for the wildlife that shared his land -  including leopards - shone. He was prepared to lose a percentage of his stock if it meant his farm served as a refuge for the magnificent cats. 

Dusk was upon us as we crossed a dry river bed. Volker exclaimed and braked, pointing excitedly. In the gathering darkness an aardvark was ambling along. Our host leapt from the vehicle, beckoning urgently to us. We followed at a run, half crouched (for some reason) after the aardvark. 

All I could think was: 

I’m following an aardvark on foot at prime leopard-hunting time.

We caught up with the beastie, approaching close enough to observe its long, powerful claws as it rootled in the undergrowth. Utterly delighted, I forgot about prowling leopards.

The nocturnal aardvark is notoriously difficult to see in the wild and this sighting exceeded our expectations. My only regret was my failure to capture a clear photo because I didn’t want to startle it with my flash!

See you tomorrow - can you guess where and what the next animal will be? 

If you want to blog-hop to the next A-Z Challenge blog, please click HERE

ON THE ROAD SURPRISES - Part 5 - The Maldives

I knew that my recent trip to the Maldives would offer a wealth of fabulous diving – and it didn’t disappoint. I haven’t sorted out the underwater photos yet, so here are a few above water surprises.

We were treated to sightings of pods of spinner dolphins on several occasions.

This 'vessel', complete with house plants intrigued me greatly.

Finally, is this the smallest island in the Maldives??

HAPPY EASTER!

P.S. I'm now gearing up to do the April A-Z blogging challenge. My theme is Wild Animals that I have specifically seen in the wild (no zoos or animal parks!!) Can you guess which animal will be my first featured under 'A'?