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| As you might remember, we lost our camera in a canoeing accident. |
Day 1
- I took Magge to a doctor in Graskop because she had had a nasty cough for weeks and I was worried she might have tuberculosis (a disease far more common in South Africa than back at home). The doctor said he didn't think she had TB, but he wasn't sure what was wrong, so he just threw some foul-tasting cough syrup and antibiotics in a bag and sent us on our way. That was comforting.
- I made the beautiful two hour drive from the canyons and cliffs of the highveld to the lowlands. Magge missed all the scenery due to a probably-not-TB-induced nap.
- Moments after we entered the park through the Orpen Gate, we spotted some impalas and pulled over to get a closer look. The car behind us didn't bother slowing down and sped right past us. "What's his problem?" we wondered.
- On the way to our camp, we spot buffaloes and elephants (two of the famed Big Five, the others being lions, leopards and rhinos), along with plenty of non-Big Five animals.
Day 2
- We staked out a river for ten minutes before realizing that it was full of hippos.
- Oh nice, some more impalas.
- We came across a large troupe of baboons. Despite having already seen many baboons during our time in South Africa, we stopped the car to observe them, hoping to see some interesting behavior. Soon after we turned off the car, the group's alpha male approached a female and proceeded to engage in adult behavior. I swear that in the middle of this activity, the male looked back at Magge and me and smiled.
- Overall, it was a slow day.
Day 3
- Still stuck on two of the Big Five.
- Those freaking impalas need to get out of the road.
Day 4
- We went on our first safari drive with a ranger, a morning ride that required waking up at 4:30am. We saw our first jackals and got up close to some hyenas, but still no lion, leopard or rhino sightings. "You should have come on the sunset drive last night - there were lions everywhere," our ranger taunted. Thanks, we'll keep that in mind.
- Driving on our own, we finally spotted another member of the Big Five, a white rhinoceros. My enthusiasm for animal watching had been fading, but the rhino sighting rejuvenated me. But thirty minutes and six rhinos later, I'm off the rhino kick.
- I yelled at some impalas that were blocking the road. Even the babies aren't cute anymore.
- Our second safari drive of the day took place after sunset. The ranger mailed in the performance, content to drive up and down the same road for three hours. We stopped four times to look at an African Wildcat, which looks much like an American tame cat.
Day 5
- I wanted to go on a morning hike (accompanied by rangers with rifles), but Magge was still sick, so we slept in a bit and then drove around on our own.
- We passed a herd of at least thirty elephants marching over a hill. Seeing this many animals this large together was one of the coolest moments of our time in Kruger.
- Two guys who had gone on the morning hike let us know that they came within 100 feet of a pride of lions. Oh yeah? I almost hit a herd of impalas with my car.
- Our third and final safari drive proved to be the best. Our five days of waiting to see a large cat paid off with a great leopard sighting. We watched it stalk a warthog through the bush and then stand in front of our tuck in plain sight. We were told that it is extremely rare to get that unobstructed of a view of a leopard.
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| On our last safari drive, the ranger let us get out of the truck and walk around while he supervised the lion bait with his loaded rifle. A friendly Cypriot, who felt sorry for our lack of a camera, took this picture. |
- Our drive out of Kruger was our last chance to see a lion. As we got close to the park gate, we saw an oncoming car slow down and then pull over. Hoping that they had spotted something exciting, we slowed down briefly until we realized they were just looking at some impalas. I hit the gas and sped past them as Magge and I said, "idiots."
We tried to keep track of all the animals, although admittedly we started guesstimating the impala numbers ("I don't want to slow down to count them, just put down twenty-five"). Here's our scorecard:
Posts
Ok Lucie, we knew he had posted and we gave you almost 2 hours, you are slipping girl!
ReplyDeleteThat picture is unbelievable. Equally amazing is the fact that the two of you actually kept track of the number of each animal you saw. You are incredible people, no prejudice here! What an amazing 13 months, what an amazing journal, what a joy it has been to share it. Thank you. We love you
Not much to add. Just a wonderful time reading and absorbing everything. Thanks guys for a great journey. What a ride
ReplyDeleteYoupppeeeee! Another post. You can't believe how many times I checked this website in hopes of finding another well-documented journey. Well, my patience paid off!
ReplyDelete(As I am trying to post and hoping to be first Marcia has already written a comment. Not a bit surprised as Marcia has inside information! LOL Arrrgh! Marcia, I was busy with Kiersten's basketball, buying groceries, making dinner, when I finally could read my emails. I hope Lee is busy doing something else while I relish this post. Ah $***, Lee just commented! Well, I am going to get my cup of coffee and take my time.)
Lions, and tigers, and bears oh my! It's too bad you did not get to see any lions perhaps on your next foray into jungle. I would have loved it if you had also included your personalized drawings of the impalas (I am pretty sure you could have drawn it with your eyes closed since you had seen so many),white rhinoceros and hippotamus.
The picture of Magge looking at the pond and beyond is book jacket quality.
How were you accommodations inside the park?
I have to redeem myself. That last sentence is so eloquently constructed. I hope you knew what I was asking.
ReplyDeleteDid you stay put in one place (camp, cabin?)for a period of time and drove around the park each day? Or were you at a new location each day?
Apparently the best time for observing wildlife in the Park is during the winter season. That's probably why you didn't see as much as expected.
Your table of spotted animals is indeed impressive; however, you did not track any exotic birds. Did you see any?
Boohoo, is this the very last post on hostelhoneymoon? Tell me it ain't so!
Accommodations at Kruger, just as they were at Tsitsikamma, were very good. Magge and I were both really impressed with the South African National Parks system. Options range from simple camp sites to large lodges suitable for a family or two. Magge and I got the basic lodge everywhere, except for the last night when we stayed in a "permanent" safari tent by the river where we could hear the hippos growl. We ended up staying in three different sites over the five nights.
ReplyDeleteWinter is supposed to be better for animals because it's dry season, so they crowd around the few water sources. But the landscape is also brown, so there's a tradeoff.
We saw lots of birds but we didn't track them bc we didn't know what any of them were. Neither Magge nor I are really bird people anyway.
This will not be the last post. I'll have some wrap-up posts coming up eventually.
You have made my day: more posts on hostelhoneymoon coming up in the near future. I am going to pull a Magge and bellow a "wooooooooooooooooohooooooooooooooo!"
ReplyDelete...and the excitement continues. Stay tuned everyone! Love ya, xo One more "woooooohoooo!"