http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/Alex-Armitage/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Alex Armitage en-us Mon, 28 Dec 2009 13:14:52 +0000 Mon, 28 Dec 2009 13:14:52 +0000 Below the surface of the ocean a diver's senses are more aware. The only sounds you hear are the hissing of your air regulator and the bubbles gurgling out and up eventually to the surface. Occasionaly another diver gently knocks into you and you feel their fins or your own fins graze a piece of rock or coral. Light loses its colors the deeper you descend so it's easy to see that you're diving http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Malawi/Northern/Nkhata-Bay/blog-402248.html 1993 Land Rover Defender 200 Tdi For SaleAsking 6900 US. 249000 k.110 Series ldquobakkierdquo pickup is ldquoSafari Readyrdquo registered in South Africa and is ideal for someone wanting to do a tour back to SA. Available May 15 in Malawi or June 1 in Tanzania . We are flexible about drop off location. Price includes MANY extras spare parts recent mechanical work and camping gear. B http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Mozambique/Southern/Tofo/blog-398920.html March 15 Kasane BotswanaThe African bush was more than 10 feet high on both sides of the Land Rover. It was so thick and so close to the truck we wouldnrsquot have been able to open the doors if wersquod tried. All that was fine considering we were in the middle of the best wildlife viewing of our African adventure. And frankly why would we want to open the doors given that a large male http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Botswana/North-West/Kasane/blog-390564.html March 2 2009Opuwo NamibiaOur guide asked us to wait near the truck while he asked the village elder for permission to enter and visit his tribe.A few minutes later Kambambaki our 20yearold guide who went by the name of John was back having been given the okay by the man in charge of the Ovahakaona tribal village. John told us that he would introduce us to ldquothe father.rdquoSarah and http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/blog-378096.html Feb. 24 2009 Spitzkoppe NamibiaI sliced my knife through the crispy exterior. It cracked and then crackled back at me. I dug my fork in lifted it to my mouth and tasted a small bit. It was the best tasting Eisbein Irsquove ever had. In fact it was the only Eisbein Irsquove ever had. Eisbein as you might imagine by the sound of it is not traditional Nambian food. Itrsquos grilled pork http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Namibia/Spitzkoppe/blog-376709.html Keetmanshoop KarmaKeetmanshoop NamibiaFebruary 13 2009As we drove north a few days after a hasslefree entry across the border into Namibia we decided to take a lunch break in the shade on the side of the road. We pulled over and got some food out of the cooler.ldquoI smell dieselrdquo Sarah said as we unpacked the cooler.With too much confidence considering our past problems with the tru http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Namibia/Luderitz/blog-373301.html The Long and not the Fastest Road to NamibiaRocklands South AfricaFebruary 2 2009After leaving Jeffreyrsquos Bay we headed west with a plan to make our way along South Africarsquos Route 62 an alternative to the welltraveled Garden Route. The road traverses the high plains desert of the Karoo and winds over passes and down into valleys. But to get to Route 62 we chose an even lesstra http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/South-Africa/Northern-Cape/Springbok/blog-373295.html Braai Biltong and Croc CirclesJan. 14 2009Jeffreyrsquos Bay South AfricaAbout a week ago Sarah and I were sitting under a tree taking a break from the sizzling African sun. In a heatinduced daze I glanced down and thought I was hallucinating. On the tops of my feet were a halfdozen dimesized brown circles. I started to smile. Then a giggle. Then a fullblown laugh. I couldnrsquot belie http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/South-Africa/Eastern-Cape/Jeffreys-Bay/blog-363378.html A Lemon in ParadiseDec. 27 2008 Agulhas South AfricaldquoWhere ya headedrdquo asked the girl who was probably eight years old.I rolled my eyes and chuckled.She was cute but after her fiftieth question it was getting to be a bit much. I was busy with some last minute fixes on a Land Rover that my girlfriend Sarah and I just bought. I can only do one thing at a time. Sarah thankfully http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/South-Africa/Western-Cape/Hermanus/blog-357553.html Under African SkiesNov. 11 Richards Bay South Africa Somewhere about 1000 miles southwest of Ile de la Reunion in the southern Indian Ocean I saw the first signs of Africa. It was about 330 a.m. and Yacht Cleone pointing westward cut through the dark black water. The splashing at the bow and the occasional flap of the sail marked the time. The wind was hot and at my back as it had been http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/South-Africa/KwaZulu-Natal/Richards-Bay/blog-348270.html In Search of Pirate Treasure Sorcery and Fresh Volcanic Mountain AirNov. 1 2008Ile de La Reunion Southern Indian OceanEvery morning the thick cottony clouds begin to build up outside the three bowlshaped volcanic cirques in the center of Ile de La Reunion in the southwestern Indian Ocean. Villages in the valleys and perched high up on the hillsides within the cirques are protected by the 8 http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Reunion/Reunion/blog-344420.html I'm too lazy to upload all of my photos to the various Web sites I belong to ie Flickr Facebook Snapfish Travelblog MySpace etc.So here they are in all their glory and in one place. I've just uploaded shots from Darwin to Bali and then from Bali to Mauritius.httpflickr.comphotosalexarmitagesets http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Mauritius/Port-Louis/blog-337390.html Arrival in MauritiusOct. 14 2008 Port Luis MauritiusNorfy woke me at 12 a.m. Well almost 12. a.m..Alex. You're up. 10 minutes to 12. Tea will be ready in a few minutes Norfy said.I was awake but barely. We were 8 miles east of Mauritius. Skipper James had asked that I wake him with 5 miles to go to our last waypoint which was effectively the final approach to Mauritius. Norfy was off to be http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Mauritius/Port-Louis/blog-334647.html The RipSept. 28 2008 Direction Island Cocos Keeling AustraliaI sat on the dulled and polished coral that had been washed ashore on the southernmost tip of Cocos Keelingrsquos Direction Island. I looked out to sea to get a glimpse of what I was getting into. A procession of wellarmed waves crashed on the break. The waves rolled over the coral and sand and picked up steam as they funneled in http://www.travelblog.org/Oceans-and-Seas/Indian/British-Indian-Ocean-Territories/blog-334630.html This Hand Wants Another Beer And Other PersonificationsOct. 5 2008 Indian Ocean about 1000 miles east of Mauritius and 1000 miles west of Cocos KeelingPart 1ldquoThe cabbage prefers to be peeled first then cut. Rather than cut firstrdquo Norfy yelled to James who was preparing dinner down in the saloon.rdquoGotchardquo James replied. On Yacht Cleone we are always trying to extend http://www.travelblog.org/Oceans-and-Seas/Indian/British-Indian-Ocean-Territories/blog-334632.html Sept. 25 2008 50 meters west of Direction Island Cocos Keeling AustraliaAs we approached Cocos Keeling I couldnrsquot believe what I was seeing. About four or five miles away on the horizon a long strip of palm trees seemed to grow out of the ocean. As we moved closer a white strip of sand separated the trees from the sea. The water grew bluer and bluer as we got closer and the spectrum of http://www.travelblog.org/Oceans-and-Seas/Indian/blog-334165.html Just north of Bali's Tanah Lot seaside temple watching from hundreds of feet above is a dragon.The monster has a red and white tail that wraps and curls and strains in the wind each section of its tail has a mind of its own. The head is goldencrusted and flowing behind the head are strands of horsehair. It powers higher with each gust of wind and dives with every lull. The tail follows with e http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Indonesia/Bali/Seminyak/blog-323789.html Yacht Cleone Bali Indonesia Sept. 11 2008For the past eight days my world has essentially been split in two. Therersquos the top half a bright blue dome hanging over me for most of the day. The equatorial sun so bright you canrsquot look anywhere near it. An occasional cloud. When the sun sets the sky is the color of black ink dotted with bright stars. Therersquos the Southern Cross ti http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Indonesia/Bali/Seminyak/blog-322964.html Darwin Australia Sept. 2Before I could even get two feet on the yacht skipper James was handing me a beer.Great. Glad you found us come on board. Here's a beer.And I'd delayed my arrival by a few minutes to shave. I'd even considered getting my haircut so as to not insult the guy who's offered to let me sail with him from Australia to South Africa.What was I thinking James and his other c http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Northern-Territory/Darwin/blog-318956.html Singapore Aug. 31I couldn't make this entry up if i tried.....As I stood in line at the airport in Singapore for my next flight the guy in front of me asked me a questionWhere ya goin' after Darwin mateHow'd you know I wasn't staying in Darwin I asked. Or even moving there.Come on mate people go to Darwin to leave Darwin. Darwin is a jumping off point he said. Nobody stays for mor http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Singapore/blog-318952.html