Mouth-to-Mouth Hyena Encounter

Harar, Ethiopia – October 2017

Find out what it's like to have a mouth-to-mouth encounter with a pack of wild hyenas. Matador Network.

NOTE: My article originally appeared on the travel site Matador Network and is republished with permission.

Zimbabwean President Resigns

A week after the military seized power in Zimbabwe the president, Robert Mugabe, has resigned. The 93-year old led the country for 37 years.

Emmerson Mnangagwa will serve out the remainder of Mugabe's term. Elections are scheduled for August 2018.

As I mentioned before, Zimbabwe is not the kind of place that tolerates criticism of the government, which is why I will continue to refrain from making any remarks; however, I would encourage you to go online and check out the archives of The New York Times to get a sense of how all of the events unfolded.

Even after a rather tumultuous week, I continue to feel completely safe, especially as life slowly returns to normal. Still, I appreciate all of your concern and best wishes.

Stay tuned to the latest news in Zimbabwe. It's bound to be a wild ride.

Zimbabwe Under Military Control

If you've been following world news, I'm sure by now you know that the military has temporarily assumed control in Zimbabwe and put President Robert Mugabe under house arrest.

Because of the country's strict laws against criticizing the government, it would be reckless for me to publicly comment on what has been unfolding over the last week.

However, I can assure everyone that I am quite safe and do not feel at all threatened by the proceedings.

If things were to deteriorate considerably, I would not hesitate to leave.

Thanks for all of your concern.

Visit to the Hottest Place on Earth

Locals call it the "Gateway to Hell."

This barren, inhospitable landscape named Dallol is located in the Afar region of northern Ethiopia near the Eritrean border. It's one of the world's most geologically active areas.

Earthquakes, volcanoes, lava lakes, and bubbling sulphur springs are the norm.







It's also the hottest place on Earth. The average annual temperature is almost 95 degrees Fahrenheit (35 degrees Celsius),

and the average daily high temperature soars to 106º F (41º C).






Mother Nature offers little relief. Rainfall is rare, and the "Afar Wind" is characterized as a boiling breeze that leaves one's skin feeling as if it's on fire. Stepping out of an air-conditioned vehicle is truly like stepping into a furnace.

The otherworldly colors are caused by hot, liquid sulphur mixing with iron oxides, copper salts, and other minerals.

The acid lakes are as deadly as they are beautiful.








Dallol is part of the larger 124 by 31-mile Danakil Depression, an area 410 feet below sea level (125 meters). The extreme geological activity is because the depression lies at the junction of three tectonic plates, which are violently tearing apart the land from the rest of Africa. Millions of years from now the Red Sea will once again engulf Danakil and create a new ocean.

After an additional, multi-hour, 4 x 4 journey through

the unforgiving, desert depression,






another natural marvel awaits – the Erta Ale volcano.

The daytime heat is far too intense for the three-plus hours hike to the top of the volcano, meaning visitors depart after dark, arriving at the summit shortly before midnight.

This is what lies inside the continuously active volcano ...

Erta Ale contains just one of five lava lakes on the planet.








In addition to battling the intense heat, visitors must avoid the poisonous sulphuric fumes rising menacingly

from the crater.









Even though there's always the fear the volcano could erupt again at any moment, it's nearly impossible to walk away from the hypnotic spectacle.

After a couple of hours of sleeping on thin mats covering the volcanic rock, it's time to descend before the harsh sun rises again the next day.

It's hard to imagine anyone living in the Danakil Depression, a sight National Geographic once described as the "cruelest place on Earth."

However, the nomadic, Afar people have been crisscrossing this desert for centuries, seeking to eke out a living through the salt trade.

It normally takes the caravans at least a week to arrive

at these salt flats.







Miners first pry the salt free,

then cut it into large slabs,

before shaving it into uniform blocks set for market.

For such backbreaking work, a miner, on a good day, could expect to earn a little over seven dollars, which isn't bad considering some laborers survive on about one dollar a day.




The blocks are then loaded onto the camels for the arduous return trek.

The Danakil Depression would be a highlight for even the most adventurous of travelers, but keep in mind it's a remote, hard-to-reach region; lodging facilities are nonexistent, so sleeping is done under the stars, and toilets entail squatting behind rocks or sand dunes; and there are some dicey security issues.

Courtesy: Ji-Elle – Wikimedia Commons

The border with Eritrea is always politically volatile.















Back in 2012, terrorists kidnapped four tourists and killed five others. Now, solo traveling is outlawed. All groups must be accompanied by armed guards, bearing AK-47s.

Courtesy: Niels Van Iperen – Wikimedia Commons

Still, it's not often one gets to stare into the mouth of an active volcano or visit the hottest place in the world.

NOTE: My article appeared on the travel site The Matador Network.

Zimbabwe: World's Worst Service

We've all suffered through poor customer service – being put on hold on the telephone for hours, rude clerks seemingly having little to no interest in our business, field technicians who may or may not ever show up at our homes.

However, nothing compares to the ineptitude of customer service in Zimbabwe, where futility is often measured in weeks not hours.

Two days ago, my power went out and is still out.  Electrical outages are certainly nothing new in Zimbabwe, a country characterized by an abysmal infrastructure and an ever-deteriorating economy, but after more than a day in the dark, it seemed like the right time to contact the electric company.

The phone attendant had obviously fielded dozens of complaints by the time I got around to making a call because when I shared my address he immediately said, "Your power is out because someone stole the oil out of the transformer."

What? I must have misunderstood.

"Excuse me," I replied. "What do you mean someone stole the oil out of the transformer?"

He said it again. "Someone took the oil," without offering up any additional explanation, seemingly implying everyone is familiar with transformer-oil thieves.

I couldn't resist.

"When do you think the oil will be put back into the transformer?" I asked, assuming it would be a matter of a few hours. "Give us at least five days," said the clerk.

Had I been back in America, my blood pressure might have already spiked 20 points and the phone been sent sailing through the window, but this is Zimbabwe, where patience is a necessity, not a virtue.

"O.K.," I said dejectedly, as I hung up

Disappearing transformer oil is a new one on me. I had to get an explanation. I went to a trusted source, Shadreck, my gardener who is correct much more often than not when it comes to understanding how the community works.

Shadreck smiled, informing me that transformer-related theft is fairly common. The crooks take everything from copper windings, to oil, to nuts and bolts, hoping to resell the items on the black market in a country always facing a shortage of spare parts. I've since read that some clean transformer oil has even been traced to restaurants where it's used to fry food because of the high-burn point.

When I told Shadreck it might take five days for the transformer to be fixed, he just laughed. "It will probably be two to three weeks," he said.

Our conversation brought back memories of last year when I called Zimbabwe's national airline to confirm an upcoming flight.

"Our computers are down," said the operator. "You'll have to call back later."

I asked her when, expecting to hear later that afternoon. "Try in two weeks," she replied.

You might wonder why I tolerate such appalling service. The answer is simple. Zimbabwe is constantly teetering on the brink of disaster – dealing with 90% unemployment, almost non-existent industry, drought, political persecution, and disease. Why get upset when there's so many other pressing issues no one is willing or able to solve.

That's Zimbabwe, and in many respects, Africa. Yet, somehow, life continues rolling along, despite the daily obstacles.

And so as I approach the third day without electricity I remain optimistic it will eventually come back on, hoping my transformer oil isn't be used right now to cook french fries.

Zimbabwean Foot Safari

Mana Pools - Zimbabwe - June 2017

It's always a thrill going on a safari anywhere in Africa, but once you've experienced a foot safari, you might never go back to viewing animals from the confines

 of a vehicle.

It's hard describing what it's like walking amongst wild animals, leaving the safety of a car behind – exhilarating, nerve-racking, and, at times, even terrifying.

The risk is well worth it getting the opportunity to interact with animals in their environment and being able to creep to within feet of the planet's most exotic and dangerous creatures.

My sister-in-law took this shot after I slide up on my backside 

right next to

a couple of wild dogs. Don't worry, Mom, wild dogs are normally not aggressive toward humans, although they are ferocious hunters.

My family and I decided to explore Mana Pools with one of Africa's top guides, Stretch Ferreira, a legendary tracker who's known for sometimes pushing things to the limit in his quest to lead his guests ever closer to animals.

Once Stretch drives to the vicinity of the wildlife, it's out of the car. His rules are simple – no talking; always follow in a single-file line behind the rifle-carrying guide;

and even if an animal charges, never, under any circumstances, run.

Running triggers an animal's natural instincts to chase after its prey. Chances are slim that any human is ever going to win a footrace with a wild animal.

On two occasions, animals did charge our group. The first was an aggressive, cantankerous elephant named "The Donald," who decided he didn't want us around, so ran to within a few yards to intimidate us. Then, unexpectedly, he resumed his charge, just stopping a couple of strides away from crushing us.

Here is a YouTube video that was posted by one of fellow safari goers, showing the very end of the charge.

"I'm getting too old for this," said Stretch, still shaking from the experience. "Did anyone get a photograph?" I hadn't had time to breathe, let along pull out my camera.

Accidents can happen.

A guide told me a few years ago a similar charge occurred in Hwange National Park, also in Zimbabwe. One of the frightened guests at the rear of the line decided to run, resulting in the elephant plowing through to get at the fleeing tourist. Two people died.

During our trip, we also had a frightening experience with a lioness, furious that we got too close to her cubs. It wasn't intentional. We walked through some thick brush, unaware that the cubs were present.

Trust me. You never want to hear the roar of an angry, mother lion, especially as it's dashing towards you. Fortunately, we were able to back away in time.

Despite the potential dangers, Stretch has been tracking animals for decades, and – as crazy as it might sound –  we all trusted him with our lives, even while paddling through crocodile and hippo-infested waters.

Stretch is the owner of Goliath Safaris. I can't say enough about his guiding abilities, his camp, and Mana Pools, in general.

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I would highly recommend a visit. If not Goliath, at least once in your life, seek out a foot safari. There's no better way to interact with animals on their terms.

Tracking Apes in Uganda

You're looking at humanity's closest relative – the chimpanzee, which shares about 99% of our DNA.

While studying their human-like

features and mannerisms,











it's easy to understand why we have so much in common

with the animals.

These chimps live in Kibale Forest National Park in the mountains of southern Uganda.

This isn't a fenced-in zoo. The chimps roam freely across the 296-square mile park.

It's possible to follow the animals for two or three hours or through an all-day habituation experience. I had the thrill of tracking the primates for 11 hours. 

The park contains about 1,500 chimpanzees, the largest population of the primates in Uganda.

Humanity's second-closest relative is the gorilla, which shares about 98% of our DNA. The endangered mountain gorilla is found in just two spots in Africa. About half of the world's remaining 800 mountain gorillas live in Uganda's Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. The rest are spread out over the Virunga mountains bordering the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, and Rwanda.

I decided to visit Bwindi. The permits aren't cheap. It costs $600 in Uganda, while the Democratic Republic of Congo charges $450, and Rwanda just raised its fees to $1,500.

But I took comfort in knowing that the fees go toward conservation, and if it weren't for tourism, the gorillas would have been wiped out years ago.

The hike isn't easy. It can take a few minutes or even hours to locate the animals. It took us almost two hours; however, it was worth the effort to witness the magnificent primates firsthand.

Because humans can pass diseases to gorillas, visitors are only able to spend one hour with the apes. Also, guests are not allowed to get any closer than seven meters (22 feet) from the animals; however, sometimes, the gorillas take matters into their own hands.

While I was standing on a trail in thick foliage, a young male decided he wanted to walk down the same path I was occupying.

A nearby tracker calmly told me, "Don't move, and whatever you do, don't run." The gorilla slowly crawled up to me and just worked his way around, leaving me untouched.

If you're interested in seeing the gorillas, it's best to book well in advance because daily permits are limited. 

Both Uganda and Rwanda suffered through long years of political and economic strife; however, now  the countries have turned things around for the better, offering wildlife encounters unavailable anywhere else on Earth. 

Overlanding in Namibia

Sunset at Fish River Canyon - Namibia 2017

Namibia is as barren as it is beautiful.


You'll find the world's second largest canyon here,

as well as some of the Earth's

highest sand dunes.









But you won't find

many people










because the country is covered mostly by unforgiving desert, making Namibia one of the least populated countries.

Still, the intense conditions can't slow down tourists, anxious to experience the natural wonders.

The star attraction is Dune 45 in Sossusvlei. Rising almost 600 feet, it's the most photographed dune on the planet.

The best way to experience the dune is to climb to the top

to witness the sunrise.

Nearby, there's another natural wonder waiting – Deadvlei.

Once, a river sustained these trees, until the climate changed. Eventually, sand dunes built up and blocked the river, leaving the trees cut off from their life source.

The trees died, but the wood can't decompose because of the dry climate.

It's believed that these wooden skeletons have stood here for 600-700 years.







The harsh conditions and vast distances between sights make getting around Namibia a challenge. It's no coincidence that rental cars are equipped with two spare times, rather than one. Breakdowns can become fatal.

That's why I decided to take one of Africa's overland tours. Guests travel in a specially-modified truck, stopping to camp along the way.

It's a great way to meet people from around the world.

And when the inevitable occurs ...

experts are on hand to deal








with the fallout.

I would highly recommend Nomad Africa Adventure Tours, the continent's largest agency. The fees are quite affordable and the guides excellent.

Namibia isn't the most popular country

to visit in Africa.







But it's easy to see why

Namibia 

should be on everyone's African travel list.