kruger

Internet time has been at a premium. I am back from Kruger. We left early Friday morning. The trip was spectacular – everything I imagined the African country side might look like. I am living in a very flat area but the trip to Kruger (4 hrs) went through some beautiful mountains (Drakenberg). We did a short hike up to a waterfall. It was not running strongly but it gave me a chance to climb up it. On the hike itself we were watched by a pack of baboons. We never saw them but heard them. Apparently they can be kinda vicious. Eventually we saw plenty of them. As well as monkeys all over. One morning I went for a walk alone in the mountains. It could have been any mountain, PA until a band of about 100 monkeys started running along the path and through the trees. Pretty cool. Kruger = awesome. I saw lions. 5 all together. A pack of 4 had taken down a giraffe the night before and were hanging out protecting their food. There were vultures on the carcass while the lions waited to eat again. Also saw plenty of the stuff I mentioned before and Cape buffalo, and a solitary secretary bird. Those things are freaky looking.

On the way to the park we stopped at a BEAUTIFUL area where women were selling handmade carvings. The mtns as well as an amazing waterfall were the back drop for the craft area. I was stopped in my tracks it was so nice. The first night we stayed at a camp for kids…like a boy scout camp, but there were monkeys, leopard, crocodiles. Oh yea, we saw plenty of crocodiles in the wild. I slept outside under the stars that night and all the others.

On the way back we did a number of excursions, waterfalls, mtn hikes, and cute little villages. Oh, we acqired 2 pupiies on the way back too. We sold one at a village craft stand and the other is still here with us.

I know I am forgetting a lot of things but once I pull up all the pics I will have a ton of stories (lucky people you are J ).

We are in the down swing now. Tomorrow is the last official working day for the full group. And no, we did not get the road through fully unfortunately. It looks like there may need to be some blasting done. We did accomplish a lot though. We pulled down some fencing and prepared another area to be fenced – this will open up another large area for the animals on the preserve.

Some people are headed home; some to Cape Town. I took the plunge and am booking a trip to Zimbabwe (Victoria Falls). My plan is to leave Monday morning ad to return Thursday morning. I will be staying within walking distance of the falls. I am also booking an evening cruise on the Zambezi River as well as white water rafting on the Zambezi and a helicopter ride over the falls. I am pretty excited about it. When I return on Thursday most of the folks for next month will be here and I will be working with them until I leave. (oh, btw, there is a marketing position open here for the reserve – don’t get nervous – I PROBABLY won’t apply.) Anyway, a couple of the folks will be back from Cape Town about a week later.

I am forgetting a lot… but it is a great time. Oh, today we visited a Buddhist Temple that is in the middle of nowhere…but is the biggest in the southern Hemisphere. Really strange to have Africa all around me then a Buddhist temple.

Ok, am outa here for now.

Cheers!