Through southern Africa

In 1997, we spent a full month (March) touring southern African countries, namely South Africa, Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe with a small group of 8, lead by 2 South African guides. We travelled by truck in between natural parks , and focused on parks where we slept in tents, and bushwalked to watch wild animals under the supervision of our experimented guides.

SOUTH AFRICA

South Africa is the most southern country in Africa. Its capital city is Pretoria. Population is Black at nearly 80 % , White 9 %, Mixed 9 % and Asian 3 %. Main languages are Zoulou, English and Afrikan. Besides Nelson Mandela and the All Black, South Africa is famous for its natural parks.

L’ Afrique du Sud est le pays le plus austral de l’Afrique. Sa capitale est Prétoria. Elle est composée de presque 80 % de Noirs, 9 % de Blancs, 9 % de Métis et 3 % d’Asiatiques. Les langues principales sont le zoulou, l’anglais et l’afrikaans. En plus de Nelson Mandela et les All Black, l’Afrique du Sud est célèbre pour ses parcs naturels.

You may be looking at the pots…
Regardez vous les pots ?

Colospermum_mopane
*Tropical flower trees are outstanding!*
Les arbres à fleurs tropicaux sont extraordinaires !

Good morning from our hotel!
Bonjour depuis notre hôtel !

*Gemsbok nat. park*
On a ride to follow lions
On suit les lions

Why am I so sad?
Pourquoi suis-je si triste ?

Gemsbok nat. park
Springbok at the ready
Antilope hésitant à fuir

Gemsbok nat. park
A lone lioness
Lionne solitaire

Gemsbok nat. park
Oryx by a pool
Oryx près d’une mare

Gemsbok nat. park
Ostrich trying not to see us!
Autruche feignant de ne pas nous voir !

Our South African guides, drivers, body-guards, cooks, friends and sometimes MacGuiver!
Nos guides sud-africains, également chauffeurs, gardes du corps, cuisiniers, amis et parfois Mr Débrouille !

The famous explorers on the lookout!
Les célèbres explorateurs aux aguets !

Mouth watering under a peper tree!
Sous un poivrier, on salive!

Sitting over a dinosaur skeleton…
Assise sur un squelette de dinosaure…

2. NAMIBIA

Namibia is located in southern Africa. It used to be a German colony called south-west Africa, and is independant since 1990. Its capital city is Windhoek. It is famous for the Namib, a sand dune desert, one of the dryest place on earth.

La Namibie est un État situé en Afrique australe, connue autrefois sous le nom de Sud-Ouest africain, colonie allemande devenue indépendante en 1990. Sa capitale est Windhoek. Réputée pour le Namib, un désert de dunes de sable, un des endroits les plus secs de la planète.

*Public transportation has a very small footprint in spite of eight hoofs*!
Les transports publics ont une faible empreinte malgré huit sabots !

They go faster with their shoes off!
Elles marchent plus vites avec les chaussures à la main !

Looking for shade from a Dragon tree
A la recherche d’ombre sous un arbre Aloe_dichotoma

When a Dragon tree hosts a nice dragon!
Quand un arbre dragon héberge un joli dragon !

Along the road to nowhere…
Le long d’une route qui mène nulle part !

Down Fish river canyon, we enjoyed a bath!
Nous nous sommes baignés dans la rivière Fish !

Near Fish river canyon : where’s the shops?
Où sont les boutiques ?

Our guides cooking under Korean supervision!
Nos guides cuisinent sous la surveillance d’une Coréenne !

After a slowly moving dune rolled over a tree, the tree is fossilized!
Après avoir séjourné sous une dune se déplaçant très lentement, les arbres sont fossilisés !

Hi Suk and her guides? body-guards?
Hi Suk et ses guides ? gardes du corps ?

Namibia’s dunes are a universe totally ocher, yellow and grey!
L’univers des dunes namibiennes est jaune, ocre et gris !

Ascending the world highest sand dune, 400 m high!
Escaladant la plus haute dune au monde, haute de 400 m !

Near the top, tiredness takes its toll, though smile keeps on!
Près du sommet, la fatigue se fait sentir, mais le sourire tient bon !

Namib dunes are endless
Les dunes du namib sont sans fin

Watching a seal colony at cape Cross
Observation d’une colonie de phoques au cap Cross

3. BOTSWANA

Botswana is a southern African country, formerly British protectorate called Bechuanaland. Independent since 1966, its capital city is Gaborone.

The Okavango delta is famous as the eponymous river has no outlet to the sea. Instead, it empties into a swamp in the Kalahari desert, but only at the rainy season.

Le Botswana est un pays d’ Afrique australe, autrefois protectorat Britannique appelé Bechuanaland . Indépendant depuis 1966, sa capitale est Gaborone.

Le delta de l’Okavango est célèbre car la rivière éponyme n’atteint jamais la mer, mais transforme à la saison des pluies une partie du désert du Kalahari en marécage.

On the track again!
En route à nouveau !

Okavango
The main bus-boat station!
La station de bus-bateau !

Not scared? Not so sure…
Pas effrayée ? Pas sûr…

Okavango
Sailing a man-powered (black energy) hollow trunk boat…
En bateau sur un tronc d’arbre creux propulsé par l’énergie noire…

On top of a huge termite mound, looking for termites
A la recherche de termites sur une termitière géante

Ready to fly over Okavango
Prêts à survoler le delta de l’Okavango

Elephants grazing underneath
Eléphants paissant sous nos yeux

Flying over Okavango delta
En vol au dessus du delta de l’Okavango

Done with a huge TRUMPETING!!!
… et avec un barrissement effrayant !!!

Monkey??? climbing a baobab
Un singe??? escaladant un baobab

Weaverbird at work
Tisserin en plein effort

Vultures at the ready
Vautours aux aguets

*Chobe nat. park*
Discreet Cheetah
Guépard furtif

*Chobe nat. park*
Curious Warthog
Phacochère curieux

*Chobe nat. park*
Quiet Elephants
Eléphants paisibles

Chobe nat. park
Hippopotamus a’plenty
Les hippopotames pullulent

Hi Suk at *Chobe nat. park*
Comfort after exercise
Après l’effort, le récomfort

4. ZIMBABWE

Le Zimbabwe, autrefois nommé Rhodésie du sud est indépendant depuis 1980. Sa capitale est Harare.

Zimbabwe, formerly called Rhodesia, is independant since 1980. Its capital city is Harare.

At Victoria Falls
Au camping des chutes Victoria

Sailing Zambezi in a canoe near Victoria Falls
En pirogue sur le Zambèze près des chutes Victoria

By Victoria Falls, across a rainbow
Aux chutes Victoria, enjambant un arc en ciel

*By Victoria Falls, with a rainbow*
*Aux chutes Victoria, avec un arc en ciel*

Flying over Victoria Falls
En ULM vers les chutes Victoria

Victoria Falls bird view
Les chutes Victoria vues d’avion

Prometheous’ works
Les travaux de Prométhée

Matopos nat. park white rhino
Des rhinos blancs au parc Matopos

Hi Suk and her favorite white rhino
Hi Suk en compagnie de son rhino favori

*Matopos nat. park* zebra
Des zèbres du parc nat. Matopos

*Matopos nat. park* giraffe
Une girafe du parc nat. Matopos

Matopos lizards trainer
Un dresseur de lézards

Victoria to Bulawayo by train on the way back to Jo’burg
En train de Victoria à Bulawayo lors du retour vers Johannesburg

That’s all folks!

C’est la fin !

Protégé : Mon Kébèque blogue, sans blague

Protégé : Au pays du matin calme

Rocking up New York city

September is the perfect time in New York city, hot but not too much, and lots of tourists are already gone. Queues at the main museums are reasonable and you can find a free table at any restaurant in little Italy or anywhere.

New york is plural, its diversity is obvious in its architecture and its population. New york is also excessive, everywhere and anytime. But in one word, that’s its charm!

With our brother and sister from Quebec, we spent a week there. Summary of this week:

01_NY_cabs — No taxi around. How can we go?
Aucun taxi dans le coin. Comment pouvons nous bouger?

15_Union_square — Union square
Street lights attract tourists like butterflies
**Les touristes s’agglutinent près des lampadaires comme des papillons**

09_Madison_square — Madison square
Who said polygamy is no fun?
**Qui a dit que la polygamie n’est pas marrante ?**

2938_madison_square — Madison square
Who said polyandry is no fun?
**Qui a dit que la polyandrie n’est pas marrante ?**

12_shopping — **I’m better than Imelda Marcos!**
**Je suis meilleure que Imelda Marcos !**

2915_rest_chelsea — I told you many times, beer has no secondary effects!
Je te répète que la bière n’a pas d’effet secondaire !

2916_rest_chelsea — **I told you many times, beer has no secondary effects!**
**Je te répète que la bière n’a pas d’effet secondaire !**

18_Brooklyn_bridge — Brooklyn bridge
Reconstruction of a crime
**Reconstitution d’une scène de crime**

19_from_Brooklyn_bridge — **Downtown Manhattan in a cage!**
**Le centre ville de Manhattan en cage !**

24_Brooklyn_bridge — **Brooklyn bridge**
**Has anyone noticed my trendy handbag?**
**Avez vous remarqué mon sac à main ?**

28_Brooklyn_bridge — Brooklyn bridge
On Brooklyn bridge, we dance, we dance (nursery rhyme)
**Sur le pont de Brooklyn, on y danse, on y danse… (contine)**

29_Brooklyn_bridge — Brooklyn bridge
Mimicking happiness/anger
**Simulant la joie, la colère**

33_Brooklyn_bridge — Brooklyn bridge
Skyline versus silhouette line
Silhouette de la ville versus silhouette féminine

Souriez…

2972_italian-rest — Italian restaurant
My mouth’s watering!
**J’en ai l’eau à la bouche !**

40_WTO_tower — **Do you know why there’s only one WTC tower? Broke?**
**Savez vous pourquoi il n’y a qu’une tour du WTC ? Fauché ?**

57_Time_Square — **The dream team in Time square**
**L’équipe de rêve à Time square**

**At the Korean BBQ restaurant with our private interpreter!**
**Au restaurant Coréen avec notre interprète personnelle !**

80_the-High_Line_park — High Line park
I found a passageway towards Downtown
**J’ai trouvé un passage vers le centre ville**

2920_the_high_line — High Line Park
Hitchhiking in NYC!
**De L’auto-stop à New York !**

2973_nageuse_endormie — **Shhh, the sleeping ~~beauty~~ swimmer**
**Chut, la nageuse dort**

124_ferry_to_Staten_island — **Sailing towards Miss Lee Bertie**
**En bateau vers Mademoiselle Lee Berthie**

3009_staten_island_ferry — **Do not interrupt my happiness, I’m cruising the Hudson river!**
**N’interrompe pas mon bonheur, je navigue sur la rivière Hudson !**

162_riding_a_NYC_bus — Riding a bus in Harlem is fun!
On s’amuse en bus à Harlem !

Riding a bus in Harlem is fun!

164_riding_a_NYC_bus — **Riding a bus in Harlem is fun!**
***On s’amuse en bus à Harlem !***

200_Gugenheim_museum — At Gugenheim’s museum, it’s non stop climbing
Au musée Gugenheim, ça monte toujours

230_Metropolitan_Museum_of_Art — **Welcome to the Metropolitan Museum of Art**
**Bienvenue au Metropolitan Museum of Art**

324_from_Empire_State_Building — **Empire handgliding over Manhattan!**
**Survolant Manhattan avec le deltaplane Empire**

3012_staten_island_ferry — **Both brothers on a cruise!**
Deux frères en croisière !

282_Manhattan_by_night — **See you again New York, I’m cruising the Titanic…**
**A bientôt New York, je suis sur le Titanic…**

That’s all folks!

Australia

Back in 1987, after spending a year in Singapore, we spent a fortnight in and around Cairns, Queensland, in the ending winter (September). There, we found a fantastic travel agency: every day we were free, they would find on the spot a trip, ranging between one and four days, in the Cairns surroundings. That’s how we walked, drove, rod, sailed, swam, dived or flew in the bush, mountains, sea or islands. Here’s a few details.

*** DRIVING IN THE BUSH ***

A three day trip in the moutains north of Cairns, with Mike, our very friendly German driver. After 15 years in Australia, he was the perfect guide, knowing all plants, animals and tricks to « survive » in the bush. We rode up to Tribulation cape, a wild coast were Captain Cook endured some sailing problems, then up in the Main Coast Range mountains.

With Mike, our German driver and guide, and his land cruiser

We’re like ants on a tropical ficus tree!

Dancing on Tribulation Cape, two centuries after Captain Cook!

Catching a young python…

At night, we would enjoy lunch cooked on a campfire, while drinking the famous Foster’s lager!

I did fetch that wood, but don’t expect me to do the cooking!

We’re starving and it takes ages to get that meal cooked…

Mike, I’m ready. Do you want me to drive?

Swimming in the icy water of Blomfield waterfall is just great!

Blomfield waterfall seems the coolest place ever!

Beware of one legged croc!

Near Mossman, fetching a drink…

Having a drink…

… and being happy!

I think we’re lost. Where’s the sea?

It doesn’t matter, just look at me!

*** RAFTING DOWN THE TULLY RIVER ***

Are you sure we should go?

Just get ready!

The next pictures were taken by the organizing people.

Before the departure, everyone is confident…

The first rapids are hilarious!

Its getting tough!

Now, it’s really exhilarating!

The big dive!

Eventually, we survived…

*** BUSHWALKING NEAR PORT DOUGLAS ***

This is not bushwalking, but rather bare-foot walking in a soft sandy path…

What will I do now?

Fetching a coconut, the local way!

I did it!

*** OVER THE CORAL REEF ***

On Helen’s yacht!

Don’t worry, I can drink and drive… Specially when Helen is at the wheel!

With Helen, it’s total friendship.

Snorkeling over the coral reef is stunning!

*** RIDING A VINTAGE TRAIN ***

Kuranda station displays luxuriant plants!

Boarding the Cairns to Kuranda train

In the train, some people keeps their eyes wide open…

while others don’t!

The Barsan waterfalls, near Kuranda…

… seen from the train.

*** RIDING A HORSE IN THE BUSH ***

First encounter of the horse type…

Getting ready!

Off we go!

BBQ time is welcome!

After lunch, I’m in a much better mood!

Experienced riders…

*** FLYING IN A HELICOPTER TO THE WHITSUNDAY ISLANDS ***

Waiting for the pilot…

Who’s the pilot?

Arriving at the Whitsunday_islands

At South Molle, playing with a wallaby…

… can turn out dangerous!

Unless you can tame the wallaby!

Definitively much easier with the parrots!

Touring the island seemed an easy job… until we faced the mangrove!

Would be much faster if I could move as Tarzan…

Eventually, we did it!

*** A DAY IN TOWNSVILLE ***

Back to civilization!

Fuerteventura

Fuerteventura, a spanish island, is one of the Canary Islands, in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Africa.

Lire la suite →

The USA west coast

On april 2008, we toured four US western states: California, Nevada, Utah and Arizona. While we spent only one day in Los Angeles, San Francisco or Las Vegas, we focused mostly on some very famous Parks: Valley of fire, Zion, Bryce canyon, Lake Powell, Sequoia, Grand canyon and Monument valley to name a few.

When you realize that California alone is about the size of Sweden, it becomes obvious that crisscrossing four states within a couple of weeks implies a lot of time on the road! Nevertheless, we manage to get enough time to enjoy the fabulous parks.

L.A. Venice beach in early morning

Stars at Hollywood…

A limo, not ours…

Excessive Las Vegas

Las Vegas by night!

Hello Valley of Fire!

Valley of Fire: a sarcophagus?

Hiding in the Valley of Fire

The pink Zion…

The ocher Zion…

The fabulous Bryce canyon!

It’s just unbelievable!

Down there, you’re like an ant!

Erosion built this huge organ!

The Colorado river at Powell dam

Flying over lake Powell

At Monument Valley, the seven sisters… and us!

Monument Valley tree-dwelling fauna!

Tree-dwelling fauna! (continued)

Monument Valley: feeding a tortoise!

Monument Valley: three sisters? or four?

Monument Valley the great!

Monument Valley: look at that!

By the grand canyon of Colorado

2 km deep, 8 km wide… You hear me?

Over the grand canyon: we dit it!

This canyon turns me thoughtful!

Route 66: wanna give a call?

Route 66: need gas?

Route 66: Bagdad cafe

At Sequoia Nat Park: we’re ants!

A lying sequoia is still impressive!

San Francisco: a tramway named desire!

San Francisco cheerful colored victorian houses

San Francisco: at Fisherman’s wharf, seals are obviously enjoying the city as much as me!

Islas_Baleares

Les îles Baléares forment un groupe d’îles de la Méditerranée à l’est des côtes espagnoles, à la hauteur de Valence, à 88 km du point de plus proche de la péninsule Ibérique. La seule île de Majorque couvre presque 75 % de l’étendue de l’archipel, suivie de Minorque , Ibiza, et Formentera. Les autres îles, de superficie moins importante, sont Dragonera, Conejera et Espalmador.

Les îles Baléares sont une communauté autonome de l’Espagne. Le catalan est la langue co-officielle avec le castillan, la variante locale du catalan étant le baléare.

La population totale de l’archipel est de plus d’un million d’habitants (2008). La capitale, Palma de Majorque, est située sur la plus grande des îles : Majorque. Au plan géo-linguistique, les îles Baléares se situent dans l’aire catalane, ensemble avec les régions de Valence (Pays valencien) et Barcelone (Catalogne).

L’archipel des Baléares accueille chaque année environ dix millions de touristes, dont 20 % d’Allemands.

… plus nous deux !