Geraint Isitt's Open Salon Blog

South Africa - Drifters Tour Day 6

Sat, 7 Jan 2012 12:01:27 -0500

Day 6 – Drifters South Africa 18-day Tour

Zululand

4 September 2011

After an 8 o’clock breakfast of scrambled eggs and bacon, we climbed into the open-sided jeep and headed off for our walk. False Bay joins the St Lucia Wetlands Park to form the largest estuary in the world. St Lucia is home to some 60,000 hippos and some of the largest crocodiles on the continent but we wouldn’t be seeing any of them on our hike.

False Bay

A simple warning sign

The warthogs don't worry too much about the crocodiles though

We would be walking the Ingwe Trail, an 8 kilometer loop through the forest and along the coast where we would hopefully see some fossilized bones of various animals; including hippos.

The start of the trail...

We did manage to see a couple of red duikers on our hike (a small antelope), although neither of them hung around long enough to pose for a photo, and an impressive set of leopard prints (sadly, a few days old so we couldn’t catch up to him).

A Leopard print

Walk this way

Kirsty showing she's not afraid of spiders

Despite not seeing any animals, the hike was mainly about just enjoying a beautiful part of the world and learning about it. We learned more about the healing properties of trees, which trees are poisonous when burned, and also why we shouldn’t be afraid of spiders in Africa. We did see a couple of bones on the beach, including this one from a hippo, and the crowd of storks standing in the shallows constantly kept us entertained as they tried to move as one single unit.

An old hippo bone - or a bone from an old hippo?

A Thornybush tree

An action shot from Kirsty

We returned to the camp at 12 and had an hour to have lunch and get some warm clothes as we would be leaving for an afternoon game drive at 1. Milton prepared a pasta salad that we all wolfed down and then we hopped in the jeep to head to Hluhluwe-iMflolozi Game Reserve. We assumed it was right around the corner but 45 windswept minutes highway driven minutes later we arrived. We would be in the park for roughly 3 hours – 3 hours that will stand out forever as it turned out.

A local village outside the game park

Nothing could have prepared us for that first hour in the park. We passed zebras and warthogs, and then a big herd of buffalo.

The mighty buffalo

We had barely gone a few minutes further when we caught sight of a male lion ambling towards some deeper bushes to get some shade. I managed to get a photo of what might be his right butt cheek but sadly, it didn’t turn out all that well. Next time I come on safari I will need an extreme telephoto lens. And yes, there will be a next time.

A Black-Collared Barbet

Kirsty got extremely excited when we passed some rhinos close enough to smell them. We ventured down a smaller gravel road and had our path blocked by a very tall and old giraffe. For around 10 minutes we drove 5 feet, waited a minute, then drove 5 more feet. He reluctantly gave us the whole share of the road and we drove off, marveling at the photos of the giraffe’s butt we managed to get with the smaller camera.

"You shall not pass!"

Giving us a salute, giraffe style, as we passed

Up ahead on the left I noticed some elephants coming through the bush. Milton said they looked to be heading for the river so he drove in that direction. We drove down a gravel ramp and parked just as the first elephant came into view. They stood on the bank drinking, and being in the back of the jeep meant Kirsty and I could only see their trunks. Then one waded out. Then another. And another. Soon, every elephant in the herd was across or crossing the 15 meter wide river. There were some very young elephants in the herd, some of them struggling to keep their trunks above the surface. Others were playing – splashing each other, rolling around, dousing themselves by flapping their ears. We sat at the riverside for 20 minutes and we all could have sat there longer. I have never seen anything as extraordinary as that. We really were lucky on this trip and I know I could come back to Africa 100 times and not see half of what we saw on this one trip.

Elephants having fun

We've reached the far side mom!

Still buzzing from the elephant experience of a lifetime, we stopped at a picnic site inside the park for a pee break (although I had practically wet myself over the elephants) and laughed that we still had nearly 2 hours of game viewing left. Milton nearly fell out of the truck as he decided to lie across the front seat while he waited for us and somehow managed to get himself entwined with the stick shift.

A male Nyala

Another high point was seeing a mom and very young rhino; the youngster proving to be quite fond of the cameras that were clicking.

Is this my good side?

And like our game drive the previous day, our last game drive of the tour ended with a treat as 3 grazing rhinos, the female with the longest horn on any of the rhinos we had seen, stared down our jeep so we had to stay put until they backed away from the road and we could safely proceed. One left hand turn later we were at the park gate and embarking on the chilly ride down the highway back to the lodge.

The three amigos!

The female shows us the horn!

Back at camp, Milton was busy braaiing up some beef kebabs and chicken, and served it with peanut butter rice and gem squash stuffed with sweet corn and grated cheese. Apparently he doesn’t even do the cooking at home for his wife and 2 children so we all assumed his wife is a great cook. He says she’s okay.

The master chef at work

Dinner is served

Again, we finished the evening sharing our favorite moments of the day, and we marveled at all the photos and videos that we had managed to capture.

The video below was taken by Kirsty. Unfortunately, it was our turn in the back of the safari vehicle so Kirsty had to hold the camera above everyone's heads to try and capture this without getting the roof of the vehicle in the shot. I think she did fantastic. Another big shout out goes to our great friend Junior Shelver for adding the music and making this look somewhat professional. The man is a legend and insanely talented. You can look for yourself at Juniorshelver.com.

South Africa - Drifters Tour Day 5

Fri, 6 Jan 2012 04:01:24 -0500

Day 5– Drifters South Africa 18-day Tour

Kruger National Park to Zululand

3 September 2011

Breakfast was served by 5:45 and by 6:15 we were ready to leave, the park gates opened at 6 and our lazy path the southernmost exit of the park was the first leg of our journey to Zululand.

We would be driving the only gravel road available to bigger trucks on our way out of the park. Like the previous day, game was scarce. Perhaps they were all huddled up trying to keep warm in the early morning chill. After a brief loop to areas normally ripe for animal sightings (there were none), we circled back to take our path out. Our first surprise of the day came with the news that the gravel road had been blocked off and closed – we would have to follow the main road again.

I sure do miss this place

We quickly reversed ground back on to the main artery and took a long way out of the park. Sticking to the main roads, and accounting for slower speeds, and stopping when we saw animals, we would have around 4 hours before we said goodbye to Kruger National Park.

Watching the sun come up - Africa style

Our camp the night before was in a more open grassland section of the park, perfect for the few cheetahs in the park and the only member of the Big 5 we hadn’t seen – the rhino. But once we turned on to the main road and headed away, it didn’t take long before we could cross rhinos off our list.

There are 2 types of rhinos in Africa, the black and the white. The white is far more common and easily recognizable by his square jaw. Three whites were grazing some 30 yards from the road so the sighting was quite good and the photos excellent.

Our first rhino

He's a grazer.

We saw dozens more elephants, and while none of them were as old and mighty as the first one we saw in the park, each family unit was impressive. And to be honest, the little guys are pretty cute as well; especially this one. Milton reckons he was just over a year old as he just managed to reach his mom’s belly.

Taking all he can from mom

More rhinos

More elephants

More giraffes came and went, as did many more antelopes of various species. We had a pleasant surprise when we passed a herd of blue wildebeest before we stopped at Afsaal Trader's Rest for a toilet break and the chance to buy any last minute Kruger National Park curios. Kirsty bought a necklace with an elephant pendant on it (she likes elephants) and we headed out. The camp is about 5 kilometers from the gate so we weren’t expecting to see much.

Blue Wildebeest

We could see the gate ahead of us, maybe 200 meters or so, when we saw a dozen cars stopped on the side of the road. I remember going to the Rocky Mountains as a kid and knowing what to expect – 3 cars meant deer, 5 or 6 meant a moose, and more than that meant a bear. Milton called back that it would probably be a cat. We edged in as close as we could. Milton was the first to see it and as we crept forward I saw it next through the giant front window of the truck. Within moments we could all see it, and through the open windows cameras started buzzing.

A solitary lioness lay on her side beside some bushes mere paces in from the road. The poor girl’s chest was heaving as her breathing was rapid. I thought she was sick but as we inched forward so as not to startle her we saw the fresh carcass of a buffalo. This girl had just had a successful hunt. Even a lion can’t take down a buffalo by itself and Milton reckons there were other cats nearby sleeping in the shrubs. A minute later we were outside of the park knowing a lion was the last animal we saw there. (Editor’s note: On a closer inspection of several photos we “zoomed” in on, it appears the lion may have been wounded while bringing down the buffalo adding to her exhausted appearance).

Tired lioness

The kill

After a brief stop on Crocodile Bridge where we counted no less than 4 of the reptiles lounging in the sun, we headed towards Swaziland where we would be having lunch.

Waterbucks enjoying the sun despite...

... This guy being around the corner

We cleared customs without a hitch and headed deep into one of only 3 constitutional monarchies in Africa. We passed farmland and sugar cane fields and pulled over to the side of the road for some tuna sandwiches for lunch.

Kirsty loves her holiday this much

Me doing what I do best

We made good time through Swaziland and before we knew it we were clearing customs to get back into South Africa. We did stop once in Swaziland for a restroom break and I wanted to buy something cheap so I could get some Swazi currency but the place we stopped must have been awaiting stock as there was nothing around the range I wanted to spend. I didn’t want to break any big bills as Swazi currency is worthless in South Africa and most banks there will give you only a fraction of what it is worth if you exchange tiny amounts.

We would be staying at the Drifters Zululand Lodge near the Hluhluwe National Park. Hluhluwe was the first National Park in South Africa and is renowned for its rhino conservation efforts. The town that practically borders the park was typical Africa – bustling and friendly.

It had started to rain as we re-entered South Africa, our first rain of the trip, but when Milton stopped the truck to open the gate to the private property and we all stared down the roller coaster red gravel road that would take us to our basic, cute, and oddly comfortable (except for the hard and noisy mattresses) accommodation, the rain had eased again.

The deck looking back towards the dining area

The tents

The next day we would have a morning walk on the False Bay Nature Reserve and an afternoon game drive in Hluhluwe. Milton prepared spaghetti bolognaise for dinner and fruit salad for dessert. We sat at the table on the huge dining patio, finished our drinks and shared stories, and at roughly 10 o’clock we headed for bed wondering what tomorrow would bring our way.

Drifters South Africa Tour - Day 4

Sat, 10 Dec 2011 13:12:19 -0500

Day 4– Drifters South Africa 18-day Tour

Kruger National Park

2 September 2011

After a light breakfast of toast, cereal, and little heart-shaped waffles, we left Caroline and the Drifters Lodge and headed for the Phabeni Gate into Kruger National Park. The gate is only 30 kilometers from Hazyview so we arrived there before 9 o’clock.

Sadly, our truck was confined to the paved roads as Kruger officials and tour operators haggle over use of the smaller gravel roads. The maximum speed in the park is 50 kilometers an hour, but cars are typically traveling only half that speed as passengers and drivers alike are busy trying to spot game.

Kruger is home to the Big 5 – lion, leopard, elephant, rhino, and buffalo – so named because these are the animals most hunters would want to bag and paid a lot of money to try and do so. The farther we got from the gate without seeing anything brought out my inner pessimist. We had only been in the park 15 or 20 minutes and already the thought that we’d drive around for hours and see little or no game came creeping into my head.

The real Africa sprawled out around me, barren and leafy trees dotting the landscape, the thick brown grass standing nearly 2 foot tall. Coming at the tail end of winter as we did offers much better game viewing opportunities. In the summer, every tree is ripe and green, the grass and bushes thicker and taller, and the rains mean there is an abundance of water throughout the park.

Africa - including elephants

The most prevalent animal in Kruger is the impala, and we saw the first of many sightings just after I was starting to lose hope. By the end of our stay in the park we would see family units, breeding herds, and the ever-testosterone fueled bachelor herds.

The ever inquisitive baby impala!

Milton drove into a cul-de-sac to view a large watering hole where a pod of hippos had claimed a section of water. Perched high above them, an African fish eagle stood watch over the herd of impala on the far side of the water. The bird was a long way off, even with my telephoto lens, but I did snap off a picture that vaguely resembles a bird.

The African Fish Eagle - as good as I could get

Barb had come to Africa hoping to see zebras and soon after she wasn’t disappointed. Half a dozen mingled with an impala herd, close enough to pose for a few pictures. A group of zebras, by the way, is known as a dazzle. Just in case this pops up on any quizzes you may be attending in the near future.

Not a dazzle - just dazzling

Even though we had an amazing experience with elephants only 2 days previous, the first elephant encounter in Kruger was every bit as special. The patriarch of this pachyderm family unit was nothing short of stunning. His tusks were twice as long as the other elephants, and in this case, size does matter. Milton estimated the elephant to be around 40 years old – and experts say elephants live around 45 years in the wild.

The big guy. Sadly, the tiny photo doesn't do him justice

A short drive down the road brought us upon some warthogs close enough to get a good photo. Some people think they are ugly but they’re actually kind of funny. When they run around their tails stick straight in the air like some kind of aerial, and when they’re digging in the ground like a primitive but effective bulldozer they are a joy to watch.

We were running parallel with the Sabie River, although we were only offered brief glimpses most of the journey. We crossed a small bridge, the iron culvert sticking out from the right side of the bridge, the left side a sand bar with a rather impressive monitor lizard catching some rays.

Monitor Lizard

Next on the list was a herd of kudu, all females and youngsters. We had seen kudus before, so I didn’t need to check them off my list; but it was still a special sight. I had been to Africa before, and had seen many of these animals before, but I’ll never tire of it. And Kirsty had never been and it was just as much fun watching her reactions to all the new experiences as it was experiencing them myself. I am an animal nut. You can drop me off at a zoo and I’ll be happy. Stick me in an African game park and I’m ecstatic.

A female Kudu

The road ran alongside the river again and Milton stopped to point out some comorants and storks, and then mentioned the crocodile basking in the sun at the end of the sand bar. Before we left, a car that came to stop by the river mentioned something to Milton. I tried to listen in and I thought he said “lions” but that was probably just what I wanted to hear.

Saddle-Billed Stork

A couple of turtles lounging in the sun

A submerged Hippo

The Cape Buffalo

Another elephant

Milton drove off down the road in the direction of the loop the driver had told him. We passed some giraffes and more impalas, before reaching the short drive in to the loop. One of the cars coming out stopped to tell Milton, “lions sleeping down by the river.” Most of us heard and to say we weren’t excited would be a stone cold lie. Milton edged the truck forward and managed to squeeze in providing us the best possible view he could. Our seats in the truck were 6 foot off the ground so we could easily see over all the cars. We scanned the immediate area and Kirsty spotted them before I did – two female lions lying in the reeds trying to stay out of the sun. The constant whirring of digital cameras took over the truck and after snapping off around 20 of our own, Milton pulled away to let other people have a glimpse. At 11:15 am, I actually saw my first lion in the wild. Not that I’ll remember it or anything like that.

Meow pretty kitty

They didn't care about us - but we sure were excited about them

We stopped at Skukuza Camp, the largest in the park before going for lunch at one of the picnic spots where we were inundated by my new favorite bird – the Cape glossy starling.

The Cape Glossy Starling

Even Kirsty thought this guy was cute

While the afternoon was not nearly as legendary as the morning (having seen more animals than I can count), it did bring us some more surprises, including a brief but confirmed sighting of the back of a leopard’s head. I saw the cat first when we pulled over by all the other cars and I grabbed my camera from Kirsty. The rest of the crew raced to the back window where I was for the best view but Kirsty, unfortunately, didn’t get to see it before he went into hiding again.

The back of a Leopard's head

This guy was also watching the Leopard

Giant Kingfisher - a beautiful bird

Playing peek-a-boo with a Giraffe is a tall order. GROAN!!

The rest of the afternoon brought us baboons, a stunning male kudu, and three small antelopes in the bushbuck, steenbok, and klipspringer.

A baby elephant

A Sharpe's Grysbok

The Klipspringer

Moments before we got to Pretoriuskop Camp our path was blocked by a couple of young bull elephants, obviously full of piss and vinegar. Once the coast was clear, we got to camp, cute little rondavels, and feasted on some great beef stroganoff and reminisced about the great day of game viewing that we were fortunate enough to share with each other.

Our cabin

The Helmeted Guinea Fowl

Another African sunset

Drifters South Africa Tour - Day 3

Fri, 9 Dec 2011 12:12:14 -0500

Day 3 – Drifters South Africa 18-day Tour

Andy’s Camp to Hazyview

1 September 2011

We packed up our bags and said farewell to Matisse and our tent. Our two nights at the game lodge were over and we would be heading south to Hazyview for a night at the Drifters lodge there.

Once our bags were loaded we had tea and coffee and a light breakfast. A couple of giraffes could be seen beyond the waterhole. I was really going to miss this camp, and when a warthog came trotting along I almost changed my mind and stayed behind. I was going to miss Joostie as well. He was always happy – how could he not be with his gorgeous backyard – and his sense of humor was only rivaled by his knowledge of the bush.

The view from Joostie's patio

We left the camp at 8 and needed to be in Hazyview for 11 so we could see the reptile presentation. We drove past Hoedspruit, where we were supposed to do a shop, and spent the next 130 kilometers inching our way through various construction zones. Ramshackle huts dotted the landscape, but many came with new model BMWs so it was hard to tell the exact quality of living.

We pulled in to the parking lot of Perry’s Bridge Reptile Park with 15 minutes to spare. The snake demonstration, where 3 of Africa’s deadliest snakes were presented to us, would begin at 11.

The entrance to the Reptile Park

The snake handler, a male in his late 20s, walks out carrying 3 buckets and climbs into a short-walled enclosure where they normally keep turtles. He shows us a puff adder first and shows us, using the handling stick, just how difficult it is to be bitten by one. It appears it is extremely difficult. And most bites happen on the hands and arms so it is usually drunken idiots trying to catch them that get bitten. The next snake on display was the snouted cobra. The Mozambique spitting cobra is the deadlier snake, but for obvious reasons it remained in its glass enclosure. We were all watching the snake when Kirsty and a couple other women shrieked, temporarily shocking us all. A pot bellied pig forced his way through the crowd bumping into legs and stepping on toes as he went. When you are focused on snakes, a giant pig trying to knock you over can be quite alarming.

The third and final snake was a small rock python. We could all touch the snake and for a small fee (less than $5 US) hold it and have our pictures taken. Both Kirsty and I did, as well as Melanie and Ricky, who was originally frightened but summoned up the courage to smile. The snake’s body felt weird as it moved – you could feel the muscles contracting as it coiled and bent.

Kirsty and the snake

A snake posing with an idiot!

After a quick shop for junk food, biltong, and beer (for the next night in Kruger Park), we headed for the Hazyview Drifters Lodge on the banks of the Sabie River. Set on its own private expanse of land, the property had its own herd of nyala, a larger breed of antelope. The lodge was immense, a stunning array of woodwork and tall thatched roofs. A large deck encircled the back of the property overlooking the dense vegetation offering glimpses of the river beyond. There was a swimming pool and braai pit down the stairs from the deck.

The large wooden deck

The pool we didn't use

We met Caroline, the lady in charge for the last 7 years, were shown our rooms, and were told to lock the gates when we left or entered the lodge to keep Napoleon, the 210 kilogram wild pig from damaging the property.

A quick lunch of hotdogs and chakalaka (a South African chutney) was served before we went on a guided walk by the river. The river is home to hippos and crocodiles, and the leopard is predominant in the region, but we saw nary a sound of any of them. Well, there was one instance when we heard something rustling through the bushes but it moving away from us.

The Sabie River at the start of our walk

The group minus me on the bridge

Into the wild they continue...

We sat on a giant rocky outcrop by the banks of the river listening to the sounds and listening to Milton describing the trees, the shrubs, and the flowers, each word dripping with love for his surroundings. We followed the same path back, each step as wonderful as it was on the way to our resting spot.

Enjoying the view from the rock

Waiting for the crocodiles that didn't show up

The African Sacred Ibis x3

We had some time to kill before dinner so the 7 of us took to the walking trails on the property. We had barely left the vicinity of the lodge when Napoleon decided to make an appearance. He came tottering towards us, this massive piece of bacon not intent on sharing the road. We all snapped off a couple of photos before giving him the space he required.

The BIG PIG

The walk took us around a couple of small ponds and along tree-lined paths, and brought us closer to warthogs and the nyala, including the big buck, than we thought possible. The big buck was proving to be a challenging photo so we set off on a tracking mission, finally culminating in me catching his attention for long enough so Ricky could get her perfect photo.

The big buck trying to stare me down

Some of the beautiful flowers on display

Kirsty's first African sunset photo!

Milton had prepared roast beef, gravy, and potato wedges roasted with rosemary and a fine amount of cheddar cheese. Again, the meal was fantastic. The milk pudding and custard for dessert just topped it off. Dinner was washed away with a beer by the fireplace before we called it a night. Tomorrow we would enter Kruger National Park!

South African Tour - Day 2 Afternoon

Sun, 13 Nov 2011 13:11:01 -0500

Day 2 – Afternoon - Drifters South Africa 18-day Tour

Andy’s Camp

31 August 2011

We met for snacks at 2:30 before settling into our open air 4x4 safari vehicle. Joostie took the roll of spotter, sitting on a chair at the front of the hood. Once he was belted in, Milton fired up the engine and we peeled away. Our lodge was on a ridge overlooking a valley where the waterhole was and one quick turn later and we were heading to a lower elevation.

Joostie in his seat

Thirty minutes into the ride the lodge was nowhere to be seen. Even though we were coming out of South Africa’s winter months and the grasslands and leaves are sparse; you get swallowed up by the enormity of it all. We stopped and left the vehicle so Joostie could show us a burial plot dating back between 250 and 500 years. Tribesmen would bury their dead under termite mounds. The dead would be placed sitting up, with their most prized possessions and wrapped in an animal pelt. They were buried sitting up because death is seen as a journey, and you cannot go on any journey if you are lying down. A clay pot containing food and one containing water were left at the foot of the termite mound to help the dead on their journey.

The termite burial mound

Despite not seeing anything other than numerous birds and a few herds of impalas, the trek out into the bushes at that point was still amazing. The sounds kept you mesmerized and every rustle of leaves drew every eye in the jeep hoping to spot something different.

Two Spotted Eagle Owls

Cape Turtle Dove

Milton was constantly on the CB talking with other guides in the region learning of sightings and movement patterns. We tried to follow some lion tracks by cutting back across roads but they soon disappeared. Milton then got a call and he headed straight there. We had no idea what it was. At that point, it could have been a herd of zebra for all we knew. But as we neared, it became awfully apparent. We had just found elephants!

We parked about 30 feet away and were reminded not to stand up in the truck and not use flash photography. A rowdy teenage boy was the first to test our nerves by bellowing and flapping his ears around. We sat and watched them for 10 minutes, cameras snapping, excited murmurs being exchanged. And then the elephants moved.

The herd of around a dozen stomped through trees and bushes and came straight towards us. The younger ones walked by us without a care, coming within 10 feet of the vehicle. The ornery teenage boy had other ideas and gesticulated as he neared us, his trunk being tossed around like a rag doll, his ears flapping, the held straight out from his head as a sign of dominance. By the time he veered away from us he was only 5 feet away, the enormity of this animal too much to comprehend.

The teen giving us some attitude

This guy got really close

When the coast was clear we began to move but paused again when a mum and two calves appeared. Mom didn’t seem to like us hanging around and trumpeted at us, constantly snapping limbs from trees and stomping her feet. When she eased and corralled in her young, we finally let them be, the buzz in the jeep electrifying.

Mom and young

We had brought a cooler of drinks with us so the plan was to stop in the bush to have a sundowner: a drink while watching the sunset. On our way to our spot, we stopped to watch a playful herd of impala when I spotted an animal that turned out to be a waterbuck, one of the largest of the antelopes.

The Waterbuck. You can just make out the ring around his tail end.

We stopped at a large watering hole where only one lonely steenbok was drinking. We parked and leapt out of the jeep, grabbed a beer and watched the sun sink under the cover of Acacia trees. I marked my territory so a part of me will live on in Africa … at least until the next rains come.

A solitary Steenbok

A Black-Backed Jackal

The group about to enjoy a beverage in the bush

Watching the sun sink in the bush.

Under spotlight we made our way home. Joostie was a madman in the hot seat, the spotlight probing high, low, and everywhere in between for that one sparkle from an animal’s eyes. Exactly how they knew the way home was beyond me but eventually we got there, seeing some impala, zebras, and a couple of civets, a nocturnal cat-like animal with a dog-like face. On return to camp, Milton served up a chicken potjie (poy-key) with rice. The potjie, a rich stew cooked in a potjie pot, hence the name, had been slow cooking all day. And it was fantastic. He really outdid himself.

We all shared a drink around the campfire after being introduced to Joostie’s two flat mates, big pig and little pig, two frogs that lived in the main lodge. We shared stories and jokes until we all headed off to bed thinking it would be hard to top the day we just had.

Big Pig

Little Pig