T Shirt for Ms Dig

I saw this really cool T Shirt the other day and had to buy it for Ms Dig!  If you are not an archaeologist or paleoanthropologist it probably won’t mean much to you, but for all those in the above named professions, you will understand it.  I am going to spoil the surprise for Ms Dig and post a photo of it below so you can see what I am talking about:

The T Shirt (ignore my toes in the picture).

A close up of the print.

Kruger Animals Part 2

Well done Wallabies! 

Australians are not the flavour of the month in South Africa at the moment.  I got up early as the match was on at 0600 hr local time and basically spent the day watching the Rugby quarter finals and celebrating.  The last three Rugby World Cups I have been either overseas or in Arnhemland (2007), so each one has been a fairly unique experience for me trying to follow the games.

I am leaving Phalaborwa today after doing the central section of Kruger NP and heading back to Tzaneen for a few days.  I am getting someone to make up a security cage for the back of the bakkie, so I don’t have to worry about my stuff when I am away from the car.  Once I get a cover, it will also double as my bedroom.   Anyway, I will do the northern and southern parts of Kruger NP separately over the next few weeks.  Here are a few more photos from the other day:

A Chacma Baboon, part of a troop which crossed the road in front of me.

A Kudu 'buck'.  For those that have been following my blog for a while you will remember that I have been trying to get a good shot of these flighty animals for a while.  They are fairly large, about cow sized in height.

I was crossing a concrete causeway with a few inches of water on it when I stopped to look at a couple of turtles swimming.  Once I had stopped about 20 of them started making a beeline straight towards me.

A zebra's bum.

One of the ever present Vervet Monkeys.

The 'head' of a herd of about 300 Cape Buffalo heading towards me (it's alright Mu, they stopped when they saw the car).  Purely by chance as I took this photo a beautiful blue bird flew right in front of the camera (look closely just to the right of the tree).

Kruger Animals Part 1

Below is a selection of photos of various animals (and birds) that I have taken over the last few days in Kruger NP with my little instamatic camera.  Basically I have only included one of each type of animal.  The animals are much more placid than I am used to.  I guess it is because of the high visitor numbers they get used to cars.  I will continue to post Kruger animal photos over the next week or so.

A Hornbill.

African Fish Eagle.

A couple of Giraffes (I really need to stop taking photos of Giraffes and Elephants, but they are so cool).

Another two Giraffes.

Hippos.

Impala.

Kruger National Park Day 2

I went back into Kruger NP on Friday and had another good day.  For quite understandable safety reasons you are not allowed to get out of your car, or indeed have any part of your body protruding from the car, except in certain designated safe areas.  So unfortunately you are not allowed to go for a walk like in Australian NPs.  There are a few commercial walking tours available with armed field guides but these are quite expensive and very popular so I didn’t bother going.  Also I have spent quite a reasonable amount of time walking through the African bush with the animals, so it is not such a novelty for me.

The Letaba River again, with some impala and waterbuck grazing on the bank.

Letaba River.

A cool, battered old Boab, which is supposed to have the initials of some early European explorers on it, however as you are not allowed to get out of the car, you cannot investigate.  Interestingly the tree had a lot of fresh elephant damage on it, so unlike the 'carved Boab trees' in our Australian parks, they can't be too worried about preserving it.

The bakkie (complete with brand new tyres) on her first big trip out into Kruger NP (this was one of the designated areas you could get out of your car).

The junction of the Letaba and Oliphants Rivers.

The Oliphants River.

The Letaba River.

Go Wallabies for Sun!

Kruger National Park Day 1

Today was my first visit to Kruger NP and there is nothing else to say but ‘Wow’.  It is absolutely awesome, definitely one of the natural wonders of the world!  I took over 200 photos in one day, a new record for me.  Having worked so closely with animals during my first three months here, I was a bit ambivalent about going to Kruger but it far exceeded my expectations.  While the animals that I saw were generally the same, the numbers of them was outstanding.  I saw more elephants in one day, than I have seen in my whole life, even if I count multiple sightings of the same elephants in the past (Bukisa, Umfumu etc).  I saw one herd of Cape Buffalo which had to be 300 strong at least.  You get the picture!

Kruger NP is approximately 20 000 square km (5 000 km more than Gregory – Judbarra NP were I worked in the NT).  Over the next few days I will be doing the central section from Phalaborwa and I have decided to come back later and do the southern and northern sections, tied in with visits to other nearby areas that I have planned in outline

I am actually a bit nervous about going back tomorrow, as it will be extremely hard to top today.  However, Kruger NP should definitely be on everyone’s bucket list (no I haven’t been sponsored to say this).  Anyway, here are a few pictures of the park.  Further animal pictures will follow once I have sorted them out.

The sign says it all. 'The Phalaborwa Gate'.

One of the hides overlooking a waterhole.  These hides are dotted throughout the Park.

Inside the hide pictured above.  After I had walked along and read all of the 'hand painted' interpretation signs, I then noticed that they are also fold down beds.  People can book in to stay overnight.

Just part of the landscape in the central western part of the Park.  There are 22 different ecosystems in Kruger, this is just one of them.

More landscape.

Pretty clouds in a blue sky!

The Letaba (meaning sandy bed) River valley.

Some interesting 'koppes' (hills) on the horizon.

A really cool Baobab (Boab in Australian) Tree, almost covered in bird's nests, mainly on the left and right in this photo.

An African Storm

Having lived in the Top End of the NT for so long I have seen a few ripper storms, and even a few cyclones, however yesterday I experienced my first South African wet season storm which definitely outstripped most that I have been in.  Initially there was some thunder and the power went out, so it was just like the wet season back home.  Then the wind came up and a huge dust storm started.  At this stage I opened my door to have a look what was going on, and copped a face full of dust, so I quickly closed the door and watched through the window.  All of sudden it started hailing, in the dust storm, with the strong wind.  To give you an idea of how strong the wind was, I watched it blow over a brick fence at the back of the Lodge.  I can honestly say I have never seen a brick fence blown over by the wind before!  I did wonder why they supplied candles in the room, and now I know why.

Once it stopped raining I checked my car and everything was alright.  It was the first big test for my new plastic storage tubs which contain my clothes and bedding.  Everything stayed bone dry and I think it is unlikely that I will face a worse storm.

I spent today driving around and planning the next few weeks, specifically my visit to Kruger NP, however I made the mistake of not being aware of South African school holidays, which began on Monday.  I spent about an hour ringing most of the campgrounds in Kruger only to be told that they were all fully booked for the holidays.  Therefore plan B is to remain here at the Lantana Lodge in Phalaborwa for the remainder of the week and just do day trips into the park.  This works out OK as I have brought a SANParks Wild Card which gives me unlimited access to SANParks (and affiliated Parks in Botswana, Namibia and Mozambique) for a year.  While the Lantana Lodge is a little bit run down (cracked floors, peeling paint etc), it is very clean, the facilities are grteat and the staff are good.  The lodge hBasically for 45 Australian Dollars a night I am getting a one bedroom flat, complete with full kitchen and a full cooked breakfast in the restaurant, so it is pretty economical.

The Phalaborwa town entrance.

Early in the storm before the wind and rain got to bad.  You can see the back brick fence to the lodge running across the centre of the picture.  Take note of the left side (as you look at it).

Five minutes later the rain is much heavier but you can just make out the fence going over in the centre left of the photo. 

A closer shot of the fence (hole) as the rain started to ease.

The 'fence' now lying on the footpath and adjoining road!

The new 'watertight' tubs in the bakkie (ute).  Also note the 'first' sticker on the back, just to the left of the TOYOTA.  An Aussie Flag!

Part of my $45.00 a night 'room', looking towards the door and kitchen.

On the Road

Well I am finally on the road, but haven’t got very far.  After the clutch was finally fixed on the car, I picked up the remainder of my things from SanWild and headed to Phalaborwa.  The intention was to spend a couple of days here (to watch the Rugby) then head off into Kruger National Park before coming back to ‘civilisation’ for the Rugby quarter finals next weekend.  However, ‘the best laid plans’ often don’t work out!  I brought and cooked up some pork sausages from the supermarket on Sat night, and I must say they were probably the best pork sausages I have ever tasted.  Unfortunately, there seemed to be some sort of South African ‘germ’ in them that I hadn’t encountered before.  So I have booked into a room (part of the Caravan Park complex where I was staying) in Phalaborwa for a few days to get over my South African version of ‘Bali Belly’. Therefore, I don’t have a lot of news, or any photos to post at this stage.  I promise more photos later this week when I get on the road again.