Little Ongava
It all begins with an idea.
Waiting for our plane
Greeter Giraffe at landing strip
Our safari party of 4 arrived via plane. There are no “formal” airports in this part of the world, just desert air strips and a gas pump or two. The pilots are amazing and make the flights/landings seem effortless. We are greeted by a giraffe at the fence. Keep in mind we’ve just come from another resort where we spent days (and lost vital organs and maybe some teeth) bouncing around in jeeps on rocky “roads” trying to find a giraffe.
Our butler loads our luggage into our Rover and off we go to the resort.
If ever you get a chance to visit Little Ongava splurge and stay in one of the three mountain-top villas. The villas sit on volcanic rock. This is a “private” reserve as opposed to “public”. So, you have private vehicles taking you out to view the animals. At this point in the trip, we’ve done both. When touring in a public reserve, you are one of maybe 30 rovers parked on the side of the road looking 75 yards off into the bush to see a lion. When in a private reserve, you are the ONLY vehicle out in the bush. The animals are spectacular and the “sundowners” and food amazing! Willie, our butler and guide had been conducting these tours for years and even let us walk with a mother/baby rhino!!!!
Each night a feast with it’s own wine-tasting was laid out. The staff and main dining area was beautiful. The first night there we’d just gotten into our villas when we got a “911” call from Willie telling us to get to the Rover deck immediately. We got in and took off in the pitch black bush. Moments later we were escorted into a “hunting blind” and were able to see a white rhino mother bring her baby down to the watering hole (pic above). It was thrilling to be within 10 feet of these stunning animals. This kind of thing happened again and again! Another huge advantage to a private reserve/resort.
Game drives were twice a day with just the 4 of us and our guide. We were up close and personal with lions, giraffes, elephants and rhinos. We were able to walk with white rhinos ( the much less aggressive cousin of the black rhino ) and one evening were surrounded by a pride of 11 lionesses and cubs as they headed out for their evening hunt.
Again, everything was all inclusive including all meals, fine wines, game drives and sundowners! http://ongava.com/little-ongava-lodge/
xoxo, Rosanna
Tans and jet lag fade, but memories last forever.
It all begins with an idea.
PIC FROM THE PLANE AS WE APPROACH CAIRO, EGYPT
REMEMBER when you packed your suitcases back in the day?
Friends or family stood by and wished you safe travel.
Fast forward … the last thing I heard as we got into the car for our trip to Egypt was “be safe, enjoy and Instagram often!”
Our trip to Egypt was quite a journey. Originally, it was planned 4 years ago. Yep, then there was “unrest” and a serious note from Homeland Security warning US citizens NOT to make Egypt a part of the trip. Then, COVID followed by more political angst.
Finally, the time was perfect. Nervously, we drove to our COVID testing spot everything crossed – we’d had family and friends who’d had the misfortune of a “false” positive test and were unable to travel. Test taken and passed!!! Yippeeeeee
We lucked out and got a direct flight from DIA (Denver, CO) to Frankfort. Just in case you missed my Insta-stories, Frankfort’s first-class lounge has these amazing “cloud” chairs that rock and play soothing music!
We used @emeco https://www.emeco.com (A luxury concierge travel company for Egyptologists, Meet & Assist, etc). TRAVEL TIP: The “meet and Assist” is mandatory when passing through new territory. You have a “local” meet you at the gate and walk you through the often confusing and insanely busy passport area and out to your luggage and car.
Room with a view of the Nile
The St Regis Hotel on the Nile
The St. Regis Cairo draws guests to the heart of Egypt’s timeless metropolis, weaving a powerful new story of luxury in the region with unprecedented local heritage and outstanding views of the Nile and Old Cairo. The hotel stands as a pivotal landmark with its 36 stories, gracefully designed for those who are only inspired by the unexpected by the renowned architect Michael Graves. Paying homage to 362 lavishly appointed rooms, suites and upscale apartments, luxuriant comfort prevails with state-of-the-art facilities, signature rituals and 7 thoughtfully crafted restaurants and bars.Bespoke and personalized service is exemplified by the signature St. Regis Butler service, to anticipate your every need from the moment of unpacking to fulfilling your unique preferences and executing them in perfect detail throughout your stay. Whatever the request, St. Regis Butler Service is available with our compliments any time, day or night.
The Water Lilly Garden – entrance to St Regis
The Piano Bar Lounge
We had THE most fabulous stay here and it’s definitely on the “do repeat” list! THANK YOU ST REGIS CAIRO for an amazing experience.
Next up, our first day in Cairo. Be sure to follow so you can be a part of the travel excitement!
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I also wanted to mention another great friend of ours, Lance @classictravellance. Lance has rescued us from be stranded in Rio at 2 am to getting just the right hotel for any destination in the World. PLUS, he’s just fun to work with!
Wander until Found,
xoxo, Rosanna
Does this wrap make me look fat?
It all begins with an idea.
Today we are touring The Museum of Egyptian Civilization in Cairo, Egypt. And, my TOTAL focus is on seeing the mummies.
To give a little background on this amazing collection:
Opening in 1902, it was purpose-built to house the antiquities of Ancient Egypt. Inside is the greatest collection of Ancient Egyptian archeological history in the world.
This is the ONLY collection of it’s kind in the Arab world. They are slowly relocating pieces to the new Museum opening later this year.
Apologies for the “less than sharp” photos…..dark rooms – glass enclosures – lots of people…
What I noticed immediately was that all of the mummies we small in stature. I was looking for Charlton Heston in white linen wrap! They were very small and often had red hair!
It was amazing that so many physical aspects were so well preserved in these mummies. Omar, our Egyptologist, shared that many times pieces of bone or small trinkets of value were placed inside of the bodies of royalty during mummification so that they could take them to the afterlife.
These stone enclosures were used to “house” the sarcophagus. Their entire life story was carved onto the sides so the Gods would recognize them in the afterlife. I cannot tell you how impressive the colors and details are….these pieces are thousands of years old!
FALFELA
Founded by A. Zaghloul in 1959, in the heart of the greater Cairo, Felfela has become one of the most iconic restaurants in Egypt. Felfela is the first restaurant to promote the Egyptian and the Mediterranean cuisine inside and outside of Egypt. With its very authentic decoration, Felfela offers a unique experience and not just a place to eat.
Traditional Falafel
Waddling back to the car for the day….hope you love our day as much as we did!
Wandering Until Found,
xoxo, Rosanna
Into the desert…
It all begins with an idea.
The Pyramids at Giza
Remember Lawrence of Arabia?
Riding horses and camels through the desert.
Pyramids against a setting sun.
Well, that’s exactly what we’re chatting about today!
My mother was a bit of a sci-fi fan and one of the movies I remember seeing was The Mummy. In those days he was poorly wrapped and dragged one leg through Egypt terrorizing people. And, of course, he lived in some tomb around this area. Interesting what you remember at times, right?!
I was SO excited. We had a day of camel-riding and Sphinx viewing scheduled…Omar, our Egyptologist, was coming along to help us soak up everything we could about the pyramids and the Pharohs who built them thousands of years ago.
I want to share some of his info with you before I start gushing about how jaw-dropping this part of Egypt really is when you stand in front of them.
We climbed up to the original opening of the Giant Pyramid
The Great Pyramid’s outer layer of limestone has eroded – work is constantly being done to preserve the exterior
“The Great Pyramid of Giza (also known as the Pyramid of Khufu or the Pyramid of Cheops) is the oldest and largest of the pyramids in the Giza pyramid complex bordering present-day Giza in Greater Cairo, Egypt. It is the oldest of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, and the only one to remain largely intact.
Egyptologists conclude that the pyramid was built as a tomb for the Fourth Dynasty Egyptian pharaoh Khufu and estimate that it was built in the 26th century BC during a period of around 27 years.[3]
Initially standing at 146.5 metres (481 feet), the Great Pyramid was the tallest man-made structure in the world for more than 3,800 years. Over time, most of the smooth white limestone casing was removed, which lowered the pyramid’s height to the present 138.5 metres (454.4 ft). What is seen today is the underlying core structure. The base was measured to be about 230.3 metres (755.6 ft) square, giving a volume of roughly 2.6 million cubic metres (92 million cubic feet), which includes an internal hillock.”
A couple of things I noticed as I climbed….the climb is VERY steep…I have NO idea how they got tons of stone stacked like this without falling on the side of the pyramids. Omar shared that the casualties while building were massive.
The second thing I noticed was how narrow everything was…it appears that the Egyptians were a fairly small people. I always think of Charlton Heston or Yul Brenner…..
Omar, our Emeco Egyptologist
These smaller structure were used to house the workers while building
Our camels for the next hour…can you see all three of the pyramids?
We rode around the three pyramids and ended our tour at the Sphinx. Seeing them in person is just magical. I cannot wrap my head around how well-preserved they are and how long ago they were built.
If you choose to ride around the pyramids, be sure you choose someone who has treated their camels well….our camels were pretty mellow and were great to ride!
The Sphinx
My first comment about this amazing structure was that it was much smaller than I had expected. I think we watch movies, documentaries, etc. and have expectations of what these pieces of history are going to look like…
A sphinx is a mythical creature with the head of a human and the body of a lion with the wings of a falcon. In Greek tradition, the sphinx has the head of a woman, the haunches of a lion, and the wings of a bird.
As our tour ends, we decide we’ve worked up quite an appetite – Omar chooses The Bedouin which is a glass-fronted restaurant straight across from the Sphinx. Quite an interesting menu. The Good Doctor was the bravest eater and chose Pigeon. Have you ever eaten it?
Pigeon and steamed veggies
You guessed it….he thought it tasted like chicken.
The STARS of the show
Have you been to Egypt?
Is it on your Bucket List?
xoxo, Rosanna
One hump or two?
It all begins with an idea.
I have always been intrigued by camels.
There, I said it.
I remember seeing them at a circus when I was young – those round, squishy feet…I couldn’t stop looking at them.
And, of course, I HAD to ride one!
Well, here we are….100 years later and still intrigued with camels.
So, the Daraw Camel Market was a MUST while in Egypt.
We drove to the market with our camel-specific (yes, it’s a thing!) guide, Mohammed.
You may notice there are NO women here…tradition prevents them from attending this market. I really stuck out here:). The camel traders were very gracious and happy to share this cultural event with us.
The Daraw Camel Market
As many as 2,000 camels come to Daraw for the camel market, but in the past, this number was even higher. A historian recorded as many as 14,000 camels traveling along the forty-day road at one time, so many camels that the caravans looked like armies winding along the desert. Most of the camels that come to the market nowadays are then sent to market in Birqash where they are sold again. While some camels are exported to Middle Eastern countries, most are sold to farmers or slaughtered to provide meat.
You can see the camels in groups weaving through the streets around the Market.
The camel market of Daraw is there each day, but the main markets are on Tuesday and Thursday. On Tuesday, the market also has cows, goats, and other livestock. The markets are crowded with people and are full of dust and herders with whips moving their camels along. I must say, I didn’t see any “whipping” while we visited. These camels are VERY valuable to the owners and were well treated and organized in various sized groups until sale.
Although the market may be full of camels and buyers and be dusty and loud, it is certainly a once-in-a-lifetime experience to see so many camels in one place and get a look at an old-fashioned camel market.
This event is full of specific “routines”. For example, the deal is negotiated between the seller and buyer. The seller puts his hand out palm up once he has given a price. If the deal is to be finished, the buyer must place his hand on top (palm down) of the seller’s hand. There is a specific word spoken and the sale is made.
Yes, it is a large, dusty space but, the buyers are often in crisp, long white caftans accented by colorful head wraps and scarves.
I expected that huge trucks would transport camels to their new homes. These are what they use! They get 4 – 6 in each truck.
Camels are assessed value by the “bulk” of their humps. The plumper their “humps”, the more they are worth.
We really enjoyed this event and would encourage you to see it if you are in Egypt. There are a few ways to get there – Felucca boat, train (although we were told it would take 3 hours) or, by car (it took about an hour of driving through villages on a two-lane road. The big bonus was it was along the Nile and stunning.
Hope you enjoyed this – Wander Until Found,
xoxo, Rosanna
Living the suite life…
It all begins with an idea.
If you’ve been a friend for a while, it’s NO mystery that we love luxury hotels. Nothing makes me feel better after a long flight than to walk into the serene lobby of a great hotel (or, to see the “Bar Man” approaching with an icy-cold Cosmo). Even in the busiest of times there is a quiet, understated efficiency about it. No long check-in lines with surly front desk attitudes – just welcoming smiles and often direct to your room for a private check-in. Have I already mentioned the icy, cold beverage?!
The Rooftop of the Hong Kong Peninsula Hotel
It got me to thinking about how hotels get these ratings and what exactly what it means both for the property AND for you, the consumer. As you’ve probably guessed, not all ratings are equal or even mean the same thing. Many countries and areas have some type of a rating system. In the US, the AAA has long been the standard – think the AAA Five Diamond award (Hello Broadmoor). In many European countries, the government determines what is needed for a certain number of stars. In Italy, the government rating revolves around the room / bathroom size, front desk hours and how often linens /towels are changed. In France, Five Star hotels must have air conditioning, room service, a Concierge, bilingual front staff and they must offer to escort you to your room at check-in. Top Japanese hotels must have English speaking staff, a number of amenities such as fitness centers, multiple restaurants, currency exchange and en-suite bathrooms. In China, some 5 Star hotels downgraded themselves to 4 Star facilities because the government deemed that Officials could not stay at 5 Star accommodations while traveling on government business!
As you can see, ratings vary greatly depending upon where you travel. None of the requirements include a professional, courteous staff that knows you by name and looks after your every need (however, most of the top-tier hotels spend lots of money on specialized training for their staff. Think Ritz Carlton service level). So, how do you know that you will be getting a 5 Star experience? First and foremost, if you’ve not been to a certain country, research their particular “star” system. What passes for a 5 star here, may indeed be a 2 star there…..these are NOT the type of surprises we want when in a foreign country!
Follow these tips for your next trip:
1 – Choose your hotel from known luxury brands – Four Seasons, Ritz Carlton, Mandarin Oriental, Shangri-La, Aman, Soneva, etc.
2 – Use a luxury agency such as Classic Travel or AmEx Fine Hotels and Resorts www.classictravel.com/rosanna
3 – Look at hotel reviews on sites such as Trip Adviser, FlyerTalk and the Luxury Travel Expert.
The takeaway here is ALWAYS do your own research prior to making international reservations. Better yet, call someone whose been and get their feedback!
Hoping International Travel comes back soon!
Wander Until Found,
xoxo, Rosanna
Not all that are over 60 and wander are lost!
It all begins with an idea.
TRAVEL ADDICTION
Our good friend, Helene Eckstein of Spectrum Travel, is truly, like us, addicted to Travel – all kinds, all places! We are members of “World’s Most Traveled People” www.mosttraveledpeople.com and have had a contest for the past few years to see who could top the other. Helene has found a few signs that portray travel addiction – see if any of these apply to you:
You know you are addicted to travel when:
You have memorized your passport number and all of your frequent flier numbers
You are planning another trip before finishing your current one – ALWAYS HERE:)
You give tourists directions in foreign cities
Your friends and strangers seek you out for travel advice
You suffer from depression if you do not have another trip booked
Flight attendants know your name AND, they know you bring chocolate on every trip!
You have more frequent flier miles than on all of your vehicles combined
You spend at least 1 hour each day browsing travel blogs and FlyerTalk
You experience withdrawal if you wait too long between trips
97% of your bucket list is travel related
You know the 3 letter airport codes of just about every city
If this comes close to describing you then you owe it to yourself (and partner) to start planning your bucket list trips!! Do not wait until the kids are out of school or the grandchildren get married – live for you! Give us a call if you would like some help in planning your next trip.
xoxo, Rosanna
Private Island of Azura / Mozambique
It all begins with an idea.
The Island of Azura
After several weeks on safari, our friends returned to the States and we thought a little “down” time would be fun. The Good Doctor, found this island and thought it would be the perfect fit for a couple of “dusty” travelers.
The Island is off of the coast of Mozambique and is approximately 2 hours from Pemba Airport (and I use “airport” lightly….)
You can get to the island via boat or helicopter……we went with the latter…our pilot was amazing. We swooped down to see dolphins AND sea turtles! The water is crystal clear and aqua blue.
Boat ride with Dolphins
There are 6 Villas on the island. Each one has a private lagoon and butler. I love that their brochure said “English is NOT our first language….we will do everything we can to get your requests right. Please forgive…” Their staff was so helpful and fun…..we had zero problems with service or activities. (See Spa Trauma below…..)
In keeping with the “Sundowners”….Azura was on the same program. Some wonderful fresh concoction appeared on our deck each evening around 5:30 pm.
Sundowner of the day
Of course…I have an amusing story about the Spa…
The view from the Massage Table
Because we’ve been traveling and flying and walking……I select the “Traveler Detox” treatment. I walk under the Spa sign and am looking for the Spa building……I end up at a cave with a massage table. It IS stunning and you can hear the water coming up through the rock. Pearl informs me I AM in the Spa and I need to remove my clothing and lie on the table. Here’s the thing…..I can see people on the beach below….see where I’m going with this??? Sooooo, I disrobe (using a shell to hang my clothing…..) and lie down. I am coated with a thick, slimy potion that will, hopefully, not attract any wild animals and will remove any toxins from airplane air….travel, etc. Pearl brings out the “saran wrap”….ever watch Ray Donovan???? I begin to sweat….not in a “spa” way! I am double wrapped and left to sweat it out. Pearl returns and tells me it’s time to shower…..I see only one room and am still concerned about the people on the beach……she grabs me by the arm and guides me to the “showing area”.
Here is the “shower” portion of the Spa.
There is NO enclosure and Pearl begins to shout at the Fishermen standing on the hill above……she’s got me by the arm (Pearl is a “healthy” size……comprende?) so I’m shivering and worrying about the viewers…… I begin to calculate the amount of Therapy I am going to need to recover from this “restful” Spa adventure…….. I am focusing on the fact that The Good Doctor and I have a dinner planned afterward…….
After a bottle of great wine I found I was able to “recover”. What a romantic spot Azura is……they now have a second island that was just developed.
Happy Traveling!
xoxo, Rosanna
Private Game Preserve in Namibia
It all begins with an idea.
You’ve seen The Manor which was a Public Game Preserve. This time we chose The Little Ongava in Namibia. The difference is HUGE insofar as seeing the animals and really getting an idea of where the animals live. We used a small private plane to move from Tanzania to Namibia.
Designed for privacy, luxury and an intimacy with the land, Little Ongava is arguably Namibia’s most luxurious accommodation with pristine views across the Ongava plains.
Little Ongava is perched on the crest of a hill commanding magnificent vistas of the plains stretching for miles to the horizon, offering an extraordinary experience as the focal point of an Etosha journey.
This intimate camp has only three spacious suites each with its own plunge pool, en-suite bathroom, “sala”, and outdoor shower. The lounge and dining areas have amazing views of well-visited waterhole below the camp, the open deck allowing for relaxed, stylish dining under the African sky. Guests at Little Ongava enjoy a dedicated guide and vehicle, ensuring the best possible nature experience at one of Africa’s great wildlife destinations. Day and night wildlife-viewing drives, visiting hides overlooking waterholes, walks and rhino tracking with experienced guides can all be enjoyed exclusively on this reserve. Our guide was Willy. HUGE personality and always ready to have fun…..he made this incredible trip even better!
Champagne on the outdoor “Sala”
It goes without saying that this is NOT camping……not even “glamping”!! Pretty spoil-y….is that a word? Anyway, we got even luckier….the four of us were the only guests up here…..so, we had their wine pairing dinners on the viewing deck EVERY. DARN. NIGHT.
We had just arrived for our first “sundowner” (a charming African tradition of signature concoctions made fresh EVERY. SINGLE. EVENING……why don’t we implement this here??!!!) cocktail of the evening when our host Michael (combo Sommelier / Grantor of anything your heart desires) herded us to the Land Cruisers…….so exciting! We were taken down to a “viewing blind” …….
A Mother with her newborn arriving at the watering hole…..we were about 10′ away!!!!!!!
These two stayed for a bit before the elephants decided to show up…..
We were SO close to these animals. They are magnificent to watch. This would NEVER happen in a Public Preserve!
There is a little humor to share here…..so, on day two or three driving around the compound….I ask Willy if he ever gets a flat tire. There are no roads in the wild and it is sturdy brush and rocky sand. The question had no more come out of my mouth when one of the Land Cruiser tires blew out! By this time, it’s roughly 4:30pm…..the lions are roaring and cubs are wanting to be fed. Willy informs us that in order to change the tire we must get out of the vehicle. We are not more than 2 feet away from two lionesses and their group of cubs……..the thought was that we each only had to out run one person! Kind of a rough crowd to hang with when the going gets tough!
Small concern….the vehicles are brand new and ours did not have the correct “jack” in it…..we have to wait outside the car until the other vehicle can get to us……major increase in heart rate!!!
The other bit of humor involves the outdoor shower. I noticed that upon getting into the shower I had company…..about 100 of these little cuties sat on lava rock and watched…..kind of a “reverse” zoo thing, right?! Now I know how they must feel:)
This brought our heart rate down….
Hence the name “sundowner”…cocktails served every day out on the savannah
We had so many great things happen here it’s tough to narrow it down to less than 5 hours BUT, prior to flying into Namibia we had literally driven on THE roughest land trying to find animals…..I really felt as though I’d lost some internal organs or cracked a few teeth during the journey. We land at Little Ongave (no official strip or airport…..lizards, dirt and rocks and GREAT pilots)…..and look who is here to greet us.
Willy really was the BEST guide…we even walked with the Rhinos while he stood guard on the top of an African Ant Hill…..