African Adventure

After a long flight across the Indian Ocean we land in Johannesburg en route for Kruger National Park where Hugh has a workshop on Antarctica believe it or not! We hire a car in Nelspruit and bravely drive ourselves to Kruger. We learn later that the organizers of the conference were worried about our safety as security on these roads is not good. I must say we kept the doors locked and were rather relieved to enter Kruger. We had lunch at one of the oldest rest camps at Pretiorskop and Hugh was happy as we saw lots of birds including a pretty pearl-spotted owl blinking at us in a tree surrounded by colourful sunbirds. The landscape was quite thick with thorn-trees so I saw my first elephant by the side of the road without realizing it was there for a few seconds. It is hard to believe that you could miss an elephant!

For the first three days we were staying at Skukuza, the largest rest camp which is located along the river. We stayed in one of the iconic round huts with thatched roofs which are very cute and include little kitchens in the verandah. There are many of these rest camps in Kruger which are quite affordable and very comfortable. I saw my first hippo in the river and fell instantly for these large peaceful creatures. Although they are responsible for many deaths in Africa it is not that they are aggressive but that people get in their way. Much misunderstood I think.

It is lovely winter weather, quite warm during the day but coldish at night. We are still able to sit on the deck for sundowners and to meet the other invitees. We have our first taste of Amarula, the drink made from the fruit that elephants are rather partial to. It is a little like Baileys. Quite nice. There are a number of other consorts at the meeting and we have been allocated a guide of our own called Charlene who takes us out on our first safari the next day. I have bought a nice little tick-list of animals and birds of the park which interestingly includes trees and on our first drive, a number of trees we pass obligingly have names on them which helps me to recognize them and tick them off my list which I find very satisfying!