Day 8 - Tuesday, 12 October, 2010

On the road again - can you just hear Willie??? Packed all the luggage into the van and the SUV for our next relocation. Anel again went to our next home in the SUV while the Senatoristas Van headed west to the town of Hermanus on Walker Bay for some great Whale watching, shopping and brunch. There was a life-size mockup of a right whale and Doug could not resist a photo - He claimed that at least it makes him look smaller.

Lots of trinket booths for shopping, some local restaurants for lunch and a grand view of the ocean. We stayed in Hermanus until noon, met the town Whale Crier then loaded the van Quickly as the local constable was about to give Hugo a ticket for blocking the parking lot driveway.

We crossed the mountains again at Sir Lowry's pass and had a great view of the countryside.

We stopped off at Hugo's office so he could take care of some business tasks then it was another wild ride over dirt roads to our dinner destination in Paternoster. We had dinner at the Paternoster Hotel where the bar was amass with panties, briefs and bras.

No! we did not leave any of ours there for posterity. Hugo suggested that we try the Fritos (not the corn chips). Some of us took his advice and it was fabulous, Whole, very large, shrimp, Calamari, mussels, onion rings and salad. We did not tarry long as it was quite chilly and we ate in the open so into the van again - destination? our new home at Cape St. Martin on the West coast of South Africa.













Another breathtaking home, right on the ocean, 4 bedrooms, loft, 6 bathrooms, outside deck large kitchen/bar and an enclosed patio style room with a fireplace/grill. We settled in for a few drinks and some music videos until time for bed.

Day 9 - Wednesday, 13 October 2010

We woke to the sound of the ocean and wind, had biscotti and coffee on the enclosed deck watching the enchantment of the sea. Can it get any better?

All aboard for a new day's adventure in St. Helena Bay and a private farm on the hill run by a friend of Hugo's. They raise what we would call exotic animals although they are all common in Africa.  What we see as wild on the Tele become quite domesticated. One very contented Wart Hog lives in a room just off the farmhouse kitchen. I'm not sure how they stand the smell in the house as we all could only stand it to take one photo of Mr. Blubber. I'm not sure that he can even stand.


We retreated to the van and drove around the perimeter of the farm to see all that they have. Our first encounter was with a pair of ferocious tortoise making their way along the road. There was Eland, with their twisted horns that came quite close when offered treats, Kudos with their curly horns were more shy and stayed in the brush. A friendly, probably hungry, Raven perched on Doug's shoulder for a time.

We left the farm and drove along an Ostrich farm - What a bunch of drumsticks for Thanksgiving dinner. We crossed the "Berg" (means mountain) river which is the largest river in South Africa then more rough roads to Lamberts Bay. There is a large island connected by a sea wall that is covered in sea birds, primarily Gannets although there are penguins, seagulls and many other species. Lamberts Bay is a fishing village although this island has been a major source of income for hundreds of years and their product - GUANO. The original settlers devised a platform for the birds where the Guano falls below and is easily scooped up and sold as fertilizer. Seals also make their home along the coast of the island.

Backtracking along the same dirt road we arrived at the Muisbosskern Restaurant. Set in the middle of nowhere and not much more than some ovens and some thatched roofs. Out in the open air, wind and in our case some light rain so we had to dodge leaks in the overhang. We spent the next three hours eating. Course after course was served including appetiser of pickled herring, then a variety of fish, shellfish, lobster and freshly baked bread. We had brought our own wine and did a splendid job of emptying every bottle in the van. Cooking was done over wood fired grills and ovens. When we were simply tired of eating we all waddled to the van and returned to the house at Cape Martin. Some folks took a nap while others hit the rocky beach looking for that very special shell and other treasures.

We settled in for the evening of conversation and a few card games. There was no dinner this night, Whew!!

Day 10 - Thursday, 14 October 2010

We were all up by 5Am so everyone could get ready, pack their bags and load the van for our trip back to Stollenbosch, but first breakfast at Shelly Point.. Breakfast was at Shelly Beach Golf Resort and Spa where the view out over the golf course was spectacular. Somewhat reminiscent of Pebble Beach with the sea at the background. We were all grateful that we had brought our jackets as the restaurant was in the open air and it was still chilly in the morning.  The coffee was great and the breakfast a standard, egg, sausage, bacon, toast but tasty. Doug deviated on our exit to the van to stop at the concierge desk and found some great area maps. Which prompted a quick exodus from the van so everyone could pick up a personal copy.

As we mosied down the road it passed over what was possibly the longest train in the world. It was a freight train used to transport Iron Ore from the mine to the port in Langesaan. There were four locomotives at the front of the train although due to the extraordinary length we could not see the end of the train to determine if there were any pusher engines. We then stopped at a new development designed in the style of old Grecian villages.

We drove through the town of Langebaan where the ore train is unloaded to waiting freighters for export. There was a beautiful lagoon surrounded by some very upscale homes - business must be good here. The next stop was in the town of Darling and a museum featuring a actor, female impersonator and comedian with the name Evita Peron. He is quite well known in South Africa for his efforts to encourage folks to get to the polls and cast their votes during elections. His message is similar to that of our Tea Parties' as one of his posters' banner is "election or Erection"!

As we meandered down the road again we passed a sign for "Butterfly World" and thought that it would be a fun thing to see. We entered the enclosed area where we walked among  many varieties of butterfly. One of the most unusual was a "leaf Butterfly" which looks to me as a Seahorse named a Leafy Sea Dragon with its wings developed into the shape of the leaves of the tree in which it resides. There was one section of the enclosure containing many chrysalis, hatching even as we watched. In the center of the enclosure was a Koi pond where any butterfly venturing too close to the surface of the water was quickly snapped up for lunch.


There were other offshoot enclosures that housed more surprises. One contained some magnificent Iguanas and colorful Parrots. Another has some large Boa Constrictor snakes, Marmosets and a small deer called a Blue Duiker all free to roam the garden where they want. A new wing to the tropical garden is the Reptile Bay where Madagascan reptiles (chameleons and plated lizards), tortoises, Australian skinks and bearded dragons and a couple of noisy parrots are housed. As some of the group departed the building they were "treated"?? to a couple of turquoise's in a mating frenzy - another once-in-a-lifetime experience.

We arrived back in Stellenbosch and roamed the streets visiting small shops and even a bazaar housing many booths with touristy souvenirs although I did notice that many were made in China. They did a good business with some of the group but I found nothing of particular interest. We stopped at a local Mugg and Bean for coffee and a light snack. We were off for the final adventure of a very full day. JD and Marianna Kershom hosted us to drinks and dinner at their home on the Winery that JD Manages. Marianna works for Hugo in his office. We went through a serious quantity of wine, cheese and biscuits before dinner. I did get my allotment of fish during this trip and we were again served grilled Snook, salad, vegetables and more wonderful homemade bread and jam. Indoor grilling seems very common in South Africa as most of the homes we visited, and there were many, had large steel boxes with grates for grilling over open wood fires.
 
The party continued after dinner and we were entertained by the dancing of all the ladies. The men were busy consuming more wine and had little time to dance, notwithstanding the fact that we have no rhythm. We headed back to our lodging around 10PM to be ready early for our trip to the airport in the morning.

What an honor to be invited into their home and shown such awesome warmth and hospitality.

Day 11 - Friday 15 October 2010

It was a beautiful sunny day as we bid farewell to Capetown and the southern tip of Africa and head north. Our van arrived at 7:30 and we headed to the Capetown airport for our flight to Nelspruit National Park and Wildlife Refuge. We passed through security easily and the guys went for coffee while the ladies went shopping (Duh)!

We arrived to overcast, cold and windy weather on schedule and thankfully, so did our luggage. Luck was with us as the Boon's house keys had fallen out of Larry's bag on the carousel but a good Samaritan found them and called out for the owner. Whew! Hugo had rented a van and a car so we had a similar transportation configuration as in the Cape area. Everyone saddled up and we were off for some critter sightings. On our drive from the airport to our new digs we did not see any new species of critter but vast stretches of agriculture primarily Sugar Cane, Papaya and Bananas with a few baboons thrown in to keep our interest. There was a stop at a grocery store for the weekends provisions then the requisite liquor store for the party supplies. On down the road was a street vendor with an array of fruits and vegetables for our pleasure. Some of the towns we passed were in stark contrast to those in the Capetown area. Older for sure which probably contributed to the seemingly lack of cleanliness seen in the south, although they had a certain quaint charm.

We arrived at the Ngwenya lodge at 4:30 and finally settled into one of our two condos with a bit of confusion as to which would be the main meal and party central.  The upper condo won out and Doug, Larry, Ronnie, Patty, Jeniferand Ben settled into the bottom unit. The lodge was situated just on the border to Krugar Park and right on the river. In fact the Park fence was just below our decks and we could see Hippos, Crocodiles, Water Buck and a flurry or waterfall from the decks, WOW! That evening we started out with drinks on the deck overlooking the river, what a pleasant sight and the binoculars and cameras were out and at the ready.

It was raining when we arrived but it had stopped and the weather was quite pleasant - no wind and a comfortable temperature. After drinks we headed to the lodge dining room where we had a varied menu. some of us chose one of the dishes that you would not see in the US, Lamb Neck and it was very good. Venison pie was another more exotic dish that was offered. Then off to bed as we will again be up early for our venture into the vast plains of Krugar Parks and all the sights that await.

Day 12 - Saturday 16 October 2010

This is our first day in Kruger park and everyone decided that we should be there early when the animals are most active. Therefore, Launch time was 6Am and everyone was in the van on time and chompin" at the bit. This was better than any zoo for we spotted wildlife everywhere. We came to find out that our first spotting of some of the herbivores became so commonplace that we later ignored them altogether. Not to say that we did not have some very exciting encounters further into the park. The entire list of all the species we spotted is listed at the end of the blog but some of the highlights include;

We spotted some wart hogs and Hugo informed us that they became Rhinos when they grew up, Heh, Heh. A beautiful blue bird, the Lilac-Breasted Roller which is also the national bird of Botswana. The photo does not do justice to the actual brilliance of the colors.

We stopped for brunch just after 9AM at a station in the park overlooking the river and home to many Hippo's and Crocodiles. On down the road we encountered a troop of Baboons and many of the Males were quite large and impressive. Their long fangs were even more impressive and we made sure that all our windows were closed.

One very distinct sight was a Striped Skaapsteker snake perched atop a roadside marker in the process of swallowing a Gecko. It finally fell off the sign just as the last of the Gecko slid inside. NO Folks, It was not the Geico Gecko! We were next visited by a couple of Vervet Monkeys which quickly became a decoration on our van. Again, we were careful not to open our windows to the little beggars. One of the most striking features of the males was their Blue Testicles. Su[supposedly the bluer they are the more desirable they become to the females, Hmmmmm!
 

Perhaps the most exciting experience hit us next. A pride of Lions were spotted traveling beside a stream which paralleled the road. We followed them as they progressed along the stream and straight toward a herd of Elephants that we had previously encountered crossing the road - Directly in front of us, I might add. The Lions were downwind so the Elephants had not detected them. As the Lions came around a bend and spotted the herd they immediately dropped to a crouch and remained very still. Periodically one Lion would raise and watch the Elephants than crouch down but the pride was very alert. As a couple of Elephants came closer while grazing the big cats became visibly agitated and some of the pride moved forward in a stalking posture along the edge of the stream. They were possible seeking to bring down one of a herd of Impala that was watering at the stream along with the Elephants.

Some of the closer Elephants finally got wind of the Lions and went into a defensive mode charging the pride but stopping just short of actually engaging them. One of the cats got a bit too close to a baby Elephant and Mama went full bore after the Lion and boy did that cat scat - quite comical. We watched this standoff for about 45 minutes until the Lions disappeared and the Elephants mosied back into the bush.


We had another surprise as we meandered further along the road - A large pond with Hippo heads bobbing up all around as the Crocodiles were sunning themselves on the banks. Dem Crocks were Biguns! We then stopped at a restaurant in the park for lunch and discovered around 50 bats hanging in the top of the cabana. Sort of interesting and cute to me but to others in the group.............

Back on our own Safari we passed many very large termite mounds and many Rhino "toilets". We were told that Rhinos return to the same spot every time they need to relieve themselves. Believe it or not but we did come across many "dump sites" that all looks suspiciously similar. Another surprising animal was a Steenbok - the only deer in Africa that is a meat eater as well as a herbivore. They are not predacious but will scavenge when the opportunity presents itself.

In all we were in the park for eleven hours and almost overwhelmed by the sights and sounds we experienced during this first day.

We returned to the lodge to refresh ourselves and get ready for the Birthday party. Today is Jenifer's Birthday while mine is tomorrow and Jumpers is on November 1st. I had purchased a couple of bottles of Champagne and we all enjoyed a glass or two and some toasts to great times and good friends. Hugo grilled Pork and Lamb chops as well as skewered chicken. This was combined with salad, Papaya and a kind of vegetable sandwich resembling a grilled cheese.

After dinner Jennifer and myself were presented with a birthday cake, birthday cards and a gift book on Kruger Park. We ended the party around 10:30 as we will be ready for a 6AM departure on Sunday.

Day 13 - Sunday 17 October 2010 - Dougs 70th Birthday

Our morning departure for second day in Kruger began with a "Happy Birthday" to Doug from his traveling companions as this was his ACTUAL Birthday.

We passed through the entrance gate quite quickly as there were fewer cars in the queue this day. Our first greeters were, of course, a herd of Impala but they are now old news and getting somewhat boring (although always cute Lil Fellas). Some Wildebeest, Giraffe and Zebra and then something new - a Brown Snake Eagle very close to the road. We then encountered a large herd of Elephants with a Matriarch as large as any bull we had seen. One of the group had a malformed tusk that jutted to the side but a good photo was difficult as the rest of the herd stood too close - uncooperative as they were. There were also a few that were missing a tusk or had one very short tusk. One Mama had three generations of young'uns with one very small calf. We thoroughly enjoyed watching them cavorting with each other. We sat there in the van for close to an hour with some coming so close that we could hear them chewing. They finally moved off enough so we could slowly drive away.

We passed through a changing landscape on this particular road. The scrub brush gave way to multi-trunked trees that were about 15 feet tall and the only critters were the occasional Impala. We stopped for brunch at 9:25 with instructions to be back in the van and ready to go at 10:30AM. Hugo was such a slave driver!  To his credit he did know that we had lots to see and had to be out the gate by 6PM. On leaving the restaurant there was a small (about 2 feet long) Monitor Lizard by the pathway which caused a few of us to be late to the van - taking pictures, of course.

On our way back into the bush we spotted 4 large, actually very large Bull Elephants grazing along the road. Sure would not like to piss them off! THEN! Hugo's eagle eyes spotted our first (and only) Leopard. Finally the BIG 5 spotting is complete. I am nit sure just how Hugo spotted the cat as it was laying out on a tree limb quite far from the road. Camera telephoto abilities were not sufficient to draw in anything resembling a good photograph but Anel has a much better camera and got a great shot. Just after this exciting observation we had our first and again, only spotting of Wild Dogs although they were also too far off to get a clear photo. While watching the Wild Dogs a beautiful bird flew to a tree very near us - it had a white head, lavender chest, white belly and a blue/green on the top of it's wings. Possibly a European Bee-eater


We again had lunch with our Bat friends but this time sat away from the gazebo where they roosted. After lunch we were treated to the sight of a Marabou Stork, Sharpe's Grysbok (small Deer) and a pair of large Southern Ground Hornbill's then - our first Black Rhino. The black Rhino is a bit shy and not as easily spotted as the White Rhino.



The highlight of this day was a pride of Lions expertly spotted by Larry in the brush just off the roadway. We stopped and backed up to get a better look just as the entire pride strode out of the brush totally unconcerned with the van and sauntered along the side of the van. This happened as Hugo was backing up and Ben still had his window down and his arm resting on the sill. He was very quick to close the window when he noticed the head of the Lion just inches from his elbow. The pride then walked one by one, and just "Flopped" down across the roadway forming a barrier to any car that would wish to pass. The entire pride was nonchalant and totally unconcerned with the vehicles that were congregating from both directions and cameras that were clicking. They stayed there totally relaxed for quite some time until one very stupid person got out of his car to take photos. How quickly the pride went on the alert and how lucky Mr Idiot was as a few of the Lions moved back into the brush. An even greater idiot gunned his motor and caused the rest of the pride to retreat into the brush. The last Lion, a male, remained for a few minutes seemingly perturbed that his nap had been so rudely disturbed and he finally followed the pride and they disappeared from our view.

This was a very exciting sight but unfortunately ate up a lot of our remaining time so it was a race against time to get back to the gate before the park closed. Our expert drivers Hugo and Naude both made it with time to spare. Back to the lodge for a few drinks, dinner of leftovers from the previous night, reviewing everyone's photos from the day then off to bed. It had been a long but very special day.