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Publisher's Note: This month's travel article comes from Gloria Giedt, my sister-in-law. A vibrant woman, she was diagnosed as having diabetes when well into her busy adult life. She quickly came to terms with having the disease, and once her blood sugar levels were under control, she was determined to continue her active life which includes a passion for travel and food.
I recently spoke with her just hours away from her leaving for yet another trip, this time to Myanmar (Burma), Cambodia, and Thailand. She shared this wonderfully funny story. When she and her husband, Robert, applied for their visa to visit Cambodia, she mailed their passports to the Cambodian embassy in Washington, D.C. for them to stamp. The embassy phoned her saying, "Mrs. Giedt, your passports don't have an empty page on which we can stamp your approved visa." They mailed the passports back to her and she had to send them to our US State Department and pay $35 each to have additional pages added. At this point at our phone conversation, she laughed her typical "Gloria" infectious laugh, saying "now I have to get busy to figure out how to fill all those empty pages without going back where we've already been."
Travel with diabetes? You bet! We do all the time, and here's another person with diabetes who enjoys exploring foreign shores, meeting people from around the world, and partaking of the pleasures of exotic native foods, while keeping her diabetes in tight control.
A Diabetic Goes To Africa on Safari
by
Gloria Giedt
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Being a romantic woman who was greatly influenced by the songs and movies of the 1940s and 1950s, "Far away places with strange-sounding names are calling, calling me." I am truly blessed that my husband Robert shares my enthusiasm for travel to the mysterious and far away places we have so enjoyed.
Last year, we traveled to Africa where we ventured to four different countries on safari. The planning for the trip began about a year before our departure. We contacted several outfitters and spoke to all of our friends and acquaintances who had gone there. Then I started making lists of the physical wonders that we wanted to see (Mount Kilimanjaro, Ngorongoro Crater, and Victoria Falls were at the top of my list), the animals we wanted to view in their natural habitats, etc. These were matched up to the information the various outfitters supplied until we decided to travel with African Sensations, in association with Sunset Travel. They sent us a detailed itinerary with all sorts of information on flight durations, luggage restrictions, etc. Then the fun began: reading everything we could find on the places and animals we were going to be seeing; shopping for cool, comfortable earth-colored clothing in cotton and cotton blends that would pack well; and checking with our doctors. We belong to an HMO and it provides excellent travel medicine services. About 3 months before the trip, we gave them a copy of our itinerary, which then provided us a list of vaccinations and precautions for the areas we were visiting. Since I have type 2 diabetes, this included information as to how much extra medications and testing supplies I needed to take along in my carry-on bag. NEVER check your medicines through as luggage.
While we were waiting for the trip to begin, I was busy collecting small gifts to take to native people we were briefed we would be encountering while on safari-inexpensive T?shirts in various sizes neatly folded in plastic bags; hair ornaments; inexpensive earrings and strands of beads and bracelets that I thought the women would enjoy; zip-lock bags filled with tiny bars of soap, tiny bottles of lotion and shampoo that I've collected over the years from stays in hotels; and small tubes of toothpaste and toothbrushes purchased at a Dollar store. We also took along small toys and ballpoint pens for the children.
Finally, the day arrived for us to board our plane in Los Angeles, bound for Miami. There we connected with our onward South African Airways flight for Cape Town, South Africa. Long flights can be difficult for anyone with diabetes as you're cooped up in a small space for hours. Every hour or two, you need to get up and walk up and down the aisle-if you're lucky enough to be flying first class in a 747, make several trips up and down the stairs for exercise. You can also do stretches and arm exercises while still in the seat. Keep the circulation going. Airplane trips are very dehydrating so be sure to drink plenty of water during the flight. For my comfort, I always carry a spray mister of Evian to spritz on my face from time to time. You can buy Evian at most department stores in their cosmetics section.
Be sure to order heart-healthy meals a couple of days before each flight on which there is meal service. Not only will you benefit from eating healthier food, your meal will be served first before the rest of the cabin. Be sure to carry some appropriate carb snacks as well, should meal service be delayed due to bad weather.
When we landed in Cape Town, we were met by our tour representative and driven to The Table Bay Hotel, situated on Quay Six in the heart of the expanding docklands development on Cape Town's Victoria and Alfred Waterfront. The hotel had spectacular views, a huge swimming pool, and a health club so we could exercise out the "kinks" brought on by our long flight.
After a good night's sleep, we departed for the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve along one of south Africa's most scenic routes. We drove through Sea Point and Hout Bay, and then took a half-hour boat excursion to view the seals and sea birds at Duiker Island. That afternoon we drove through the historic naval base town of Simon's Tower, continuing through Muizenberg to Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens to view the magnificent collections of silver trees, cycads, and living displays of South African wild flowers. We returned that afternoon to Cape Town for another night's stay at our hotel.
Early the next morning, we went to the cable station to take a cable car up Table Mountain, from where we could experience the sweeping vistas of the city through strategically placed telescopes. Upon our descent, we drove to the Malay Quarter. First brought to the area as slaves, the Malay people today have a strong influence on the culture and cuisine of the city. Back at the docklands, we were free to experience the restaurants, shops, and nightlife of the area.
The next day, it was back to the airport for our flight to Johannesburg where we connected with our ongoing flight to Victoria Falls. There we were met by our tour guide and driven to the Victoria Falls Safari Lodge. Situated on a high plateau which forms a natural boundary to the 80,000-hectacre Zambezi National Park, the lodge has views in every direction and spectacular African sunsets. That evening after a satisfying meal in the lodge's excellent restaurant (there were plenty of healthy choices on the menu), we saw our first tribal dance performance. All the while African drums made out of wood with skins stretched taut across the top beat, colorfully-dressed African women with pots on their heads danced to the exotic rhythm of the drums. The highlight of the evening was when the Makishi dances performed elaborate ceremonial Nyau dances which are traditional performed at weddings or funerals. The excitement of the dancing, the beat of the drums all against the backdrop of brilliant orange-colored fires of huge logs and the constant sounds of the African jungle at night made the evening an unforgettable experience.
The next morning we were driven the 15 K to Victoria Falls, first visiting the Craft Village which depicted traditional African life. Our guide then led us through the rain forest to selected vantage points from which we could see the five main cataracts that comprise the Falls. Later we were taken to the Zambezi River above the Falls for a 'sundowner' cruise. Livingstone first wrote about the "Crimson Heart of Africa bleeding over the Kandahar Rapids," and sunset on the river has enthralled travelers since.
The next day we flew back to Johannesburg where we stayed at the Holiday Inn Crown Plaza - Sandton, a short distance from downtown Johannesburg. The rest of the day was ours to explore the shops and attractions of this bustling African city.
Next morning we were flown to Nairobi, the safari capital of East Africa. As our plane landed, we could see wildlife along the runway as the Nairobi National Park borders the airport. After checking into the historic Norfolk Hotel (the hunting safaris of Winston Churchill and US President "Teddy" Roosevelt were based at this hotel), we had the rest of the day to explore the town and its magnificent gardens filled with interesting birds and plants.
Our Kenyan safari began early the next morning as we traveled to the luxurious Sweetwaters Tented Camp. Here we first saw elephants, buffalo, plains game, and many species of nocturnal animals in their natural living habitats. This was my first glimpse of an elephant outside of zoos and circuses. Up close, they are HUGE. This particular bull elephant sauntered by as I took refuge in the ladies' loo (thank goodness for those cement facilities). I'd been taking photos of the elephant and my husband was behind me taking photos of me taking photos and not taking safe haven until the last minute.
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To say that we slept in a tent that night is actually misleading. These tents came with in suite facilities, bedside lights, a dressing table and windows with mosquito gauze. From our verandah we could watch the floodlit waterhole for night game watching or we could venture further to the swimming pool which was surrounded by brilliant bougainvillea, African violets, and Golden Shower creepers to shade us from the scorching African sun. Meals were served in the Rhino Restaurant which had lots of natural light and a delightful breeze. The restaurant also has a terrific view of the waterhole and Mount Kenya.
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The next morning we returned to Nairobi for lunch at the Carnivore Restaurant. Then we flew to the fabulous Masai Mara, Kenya's premier game reserve. We had afternoon tea at the camp, then left for a game viewing drive.
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This is where we saw huge herds of plains game, lions, leopards, cheetahs, elephants, and a huge variety of birds. Near the river, there were areas dense with hippos and crocodiles. When we returned to camp for dinner, we realized that the camp was positioned on an oxbow of the Mara River so that all tents had a view of the hippo-filled river. Again, the tents were luxuriously appointed, this time with a mosquito-netted four-poster bed and in suite facilities. The entire next day was devoted to undisturbed game viewing and watching the hippos playing in the river.
The next morning we had a final game run before returning by air to Nairobi. A shuttle then transported us to the renowned Mt. Kenya Safari Club, an opulent club that was once an exclusive retreat for William Holden and other famous adventurers. Situated on the lower slopes of Mt. Kenya, it is placed exactly on the equator with majestic views. The ambiance here was very British with afternoon tea and turndown service that included the lighting of a log fire in the in suite fireplace while we were at dinner.
Returning by shuttle the next morning to Nairobi, we then boarded our flight to Mount Kilimanjaro, which at 19,344 feet is the highest mountain on the African continent. We didn't attempt the climb as we'd already learned in Tibet that I am subject to altitude sickness. The bottom of the snow-capped wonder is covered with coffee plantations. Our journey continued to Ngorongoro Crater where we spent the next two nights at the Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge on the crater rim. From there we had unrivaled views down onto the floor or the largest unbroken volcanic crater on earth. Two thousand feet down, the crater's center encompasses 100 square miles of plains, lake, thornebush, and acacias country with montane forests on the slopes.
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The next morning we ventured down for a full day of exploring. It is home to one of the densest concentrations of game found in Africa and acclaimed as one of the wonders of the natural world. Elephants ramble on well-worn tracks, rhinos feed near the lake, and gazelles gaze, surrounded by zebras and other wild beasts. The bird population here is one of the best in all of Africa.
The following day we drove to Olduvai Gorge, site of the Leakey's archeological excavations, on to the Serengeti plains to enjoy a preview of the spectacular wildlife viewing that we'd be having in the days ahead. Here more than two million beasts, including half a million Thompson's gazelles and a quarter million zebras gather for annual migrations, attracting their predators: lions, leopards, cheetahs, and hyenas. Now you can understand why I came back with 40 rolls of used 36-exposure film-and that didn't include the rolls that Robert shot. Here we stayed at the Serengeti Sopa Lodge located in the Nyarboro Hills in Northern Tanzania. The Hills were previously a protected area and have only just recently been opened up to tourism.
We departed early the next morning to view the splendor of an African sunrise prior to our first game drive of the day. Here we saw lions relaxing after their hunt for food, zebras running through tall grass, and elephants protecting their young as they traversed the bush. We returned just before sunset to find the lodge was surrounded with grazing game.
The next morning our safari continued to Lake Manyara National Park where we saw huge flocks of flamingos that formed a shimmering line of pink around the river edge. An afternoon drive showed us tree-climbing lions, large herds of elephants, and a lavish number of large colorful birds. Once again, our accommodations at the lodge were luxurious with spacious public areas that offered spectacular views and areas for further bird watching.
All too soon, our safari was ending, as the next morning we traveled to Arusha, and afterwards continued overland to Nairobi to connect with our South African Airways flights to Johannesburg, then to New York, and then onto Los Angeles. Was it possible that we'd left our home in Rancho Palos Verdes eighteen days ago? Was it really that long ago that I was crossing items off the "before you go check list" and the suggested "safari packing list" provided by our outfitter, African Sensations? Indeed it was, and now all we had were our pictures and our memories--and what wonderful memories they are! Besides, it was really time to go home-the suitcase of gifts for the amazing people of Africa was empty.
GRG
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