The signal is really patchy and weak, but I'll attempt to share this short visit with those of you who are interested!
We love the bush, both from roughing it in Okavango, Botswana and Zimbabwe with a bucket for a shower under the sky, to the relative comfort of our twice a year time share here(a week in Feb and a week in Nov, when all the baby animals are born), to some of the really luxurious tented camps that are so popular dotted all over Africa. My Hubby is a keen photographer, so we have been fortunate to go on photographic tours with some of the best game photographers, Nigel Dennis and Beverly and Peter Pickford in and around Sabi Sabi and Mala Mala.
But the bush is well....it is what it is! I will try to paint you a picture in words.
Nothing smells quite like the bush, it has a raw, rich smell which eminates from the large variety of grasses, bush and trees. The sounds of the bush are unique, during the heat of the day and sometimes at night, the air sings with cicadas and birdsong from hundreds of species of birds.
The night sounds are different too. The owls, from the deep hoot of the Giant Eagle Owl with their pink eyelids, to the brrrrp, brrrrp incessant call of the tiny Scops Owl, no bigger than your hand.
Some of the animals that dominate the sounds of the bush at night are the tiny Bush Babies squealing as they jump from tree to tree looking for food, their too big eyes glowing like lamps when they catch the torch light. Then there?s the mournful howl and crazy laugh of the hyaena. Interspersed is the very loud Umph - Umph of the territorial Hippo, the hands down animal winner of human trophies in Africa. And later, much later, if you are lucky, you hear the roar of the Lion pride.....?Whoooo?s the king of the jungle? Whooo?s the king of the jungle?........I am!... I am! ...I am! I am!? (Seriously, Google Lion sounds, and that?s what they say!)
When we arrived yesterday, we were immediately warned to be on the lookout for snakes and scorpions, which are prolific at this time of year. There were apparently 2 green mambas mating in a tree next to one of the chalets yesterday, having such a jolly good old time that they fell out of the tree onto the patio!
I don?t mind snakes, but I do have the deepest respect for them. We have many both venomous and non-venomous species. Of the venomous snakes, the Mambas and the Mocambican Spitting Cobra get the first 2 places in my book, for dangerous venom. Generally though, like everything in nature, unless bothered, they don?t bother you!
With the exception of the deadly malaria carrying mosquito, of course!
We are on the bank of the riverbed that borders the western side of the Kruger National Park, and about 12km from this camp and the Paul Kruger Gate, is Skukuza, the main camp, admin, research and vetinerary centre in the park. If you enjoy this sort of nature experience, treat yourself to a Google to South Africa National Parks - SANParks - Official Website - Accommodation, Activities, Prices, Reservations. Go to webcams, and they have 3 webcams, one each at Satara and Orpen in Kruger, very near to where we are now, and one at Nossob in Etosha National Park in Namibia. The cameras take a new photo about every 5 minutes, so you can see what game comes to drink at the waterholes. There?s also stacks more of interest on the site, including a free forum such as this one!
Our chalet has two air conditioned wings off the lounge/tv/kitchen area, with double en-suite bedrooms, leading out onto private patios. Stairs from the lounge take you upstairs to the rafters of the thatched roof, to a double loft bedroom with ceiling fan and mozzie nets. The lounge opens onto a circular patio with brick seating around the braai/barbeque , and a six seater outside diningroom table and chairs.
After unpacking and attaching the in?home water purification system we had brought from home for drinking water, (much cheaper and safer than bottled water!), my 4 year old grandaughter and I went swimming in the big blue salt water blue pool...such a relief in that heat!
Then the beautiful red African sunset arrived, heralding the magical darkness, with its fireflies, glow worms and a gazillion diamond stars in the black velvety sky, until the moon rose and the lions and hyaenas started their concert , to the rolling African drums being beaten for the guests attending the boma dinner at the hotel....but more about that later.
P.S. I wrote this last night but there was no signal to send it with...going out into the park today to hopefully take some pics for you...the only kind of hunting allowed in Kruger!
We love the bush, both from roughing it in Okavango, Botswana and Zimbabwe with a bucket for a shower under the sky, to the relative comfort of our twice a year time share here(a week in Feb and a week in Nov, when all the baby animals are born), to some of the really luxurious tented camps that are so popular dotted all over Africa. My Hubby is a keen photographer, so we have been fortunate to go on photographic tours with some of the best game photographers, Nigel Dennis and Beverly and Peter Pickford in and around Sabi Sabi and Mala Mala.
But the bush is well....it is what it is! I will try to paint you a picture in words.
Nothing smells quite like the bush, it has a raw, rich smell which eminates from the large variety of grasses, bush and trees. The sounds of the bush are unique, during the heat of the day and sometimes at night, the air sings with cicadas and birdsong from hundreds of species of birds.
The night sounds are different too. The owls, from the deep hoot of the Giant Eagle Owl with their pink eyelids, to the brrrrp, brrrrp incessant call of the tiny Scops Owl, no bigger than your hand.
Some of the animals that dominate the sounds of the bush at night are the tiny Bush Babies squealing as they jump from tree to tree looking for food, their too big eyes glowing like lamps when they catch the torch light. Then there?s the mournful howl and crazy laugh of the hyaena. Interspersed is the very loud Umph - Umph of the territorial Hippo, the hands down animal winner of human trophies in Africa. And later, much later, if you are lucky, you hear the roar of the Lion pride.....?Whoooo?s the king of the jungle? Whooo?s the king of the jungle?........I am!... I am! ...I am! I am!? (Seriously, Google Lion sounds, and that?s what they say!)
When we arrived yesterday, we were immediately warned to be on the lookout for snakes and scorpions, which are prolific at this time of year. There were apparently 2 green mambas mating in a tree next to one of the chalets yesterday, having such a jolly good old time that they fell out of the tree onto the patio!
I don?t mind snakes, but I do have the deepest respect for them. We have many both venomous and non-venomous species. Of the venomous snakes, the Mambas and the Mocambican Spitting Cobra get the first 2 places in my book, for dangerous venom. Generally though, like everything in nature, unless bothered, they don?t bother you!
With the exception of the deadly malaria carrying mosquito, of course!
We are on the bank of the riverbed that borders the western side of the Kruger National Park, and about 12km from this camp and the Paul Kruger Gate, is Skukuza, the main camp, admin, research and vetinerary centre in the park. If you enjoy this sort of nature experience, treat yourself to a Google to South Africa National Parks - SANParks - Official Website - Accommodation, Activities, Prices, Reservations. Go to webcams, and they have 3 webcams, one each at Satara and Orpen in Kruger, very near to where we are now, and one at Nossob in Etosha National Park in Namibia. The cameras take a new photo about every 5 minutes, so you can see what game comes to drink at the waterholes. There?s also stacks more of interest on the site, including a free forum such as this one!
Our chalet has two air conditioned wings off the lounge/tv/kitchen area, with double en-suite bedrooms, leading out onto private patios. Stairs from the lounge take you upstairs to the rafters of the thatched roof, to a double loft bedroom with ceiling fan and mozzie nets. The lounge opens onto a circular patio with brick seating around the braai/barbeque , and a six seater outside diningroom table and chairs.
After unpacking and attaching the in?home water purification system we had brought from home for drinking water, (much cheaper and safer than bottled water!), my 4 year old grandaughter and I went swimming in the big blue salt water blue pool...such a relief in that heat!
Then the beautiful red African sunset arrived, heralding the magical darkness, with its fireflies, glow worms and a gazillion diamond stars in the black velvety sky, until the moon rose and the lions and hyaenas started their concert , to the rolling African drums being beaten for the guests attending the boma dinner at the hotel....but more about that later.
P.S. I wrote this last night but there was no signal to send it with...going out into the park today to hopefully take some pics for you...the only kind of hunting allowed in Kruger!
awprint: RUBY Imagine yourself doing What you love and loving What you do, Being happy From the inside Out, experiencing your Dreams wide awake, 
Greenie...you should come over and join us...you would love it here!
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