The Africa Journals, Ch. 44, Living in a Tree House

The Africa Journals

Chapter 44

Living in a Tree House

A ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for.” – John A. Shedd - See more at: http://africageographic.com/blog/21-top-travel-quotes/#sthash.g0uBlqC8.dpuf

A ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for.” – John A. Shedd - See more at: http://africageographic.com/blog/21-top-travel-quotes/#sthash.g0uBlqC8.dpuf

A ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for.” – John A. Shedd - See more at: http://africageographic.com/blog/21-top-travel-quotes/#sthash.lBReJ24T.dpuf

A ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for. – John A. Shedd

 

A ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for.” – John A. Shedd - See more at: http://africageographic.com/blog/21-top-travel-quotes/#sthash.lBReJ24T.dpuf

When I was a child living in Anchorage during the early 1950s, the grown ups would tell me if I dug a hole in the ground, and dug it deep enough, I would come out in China.  The grown ups were wrong.   I don’t mean wrong because they failed to consider magnetic deviation, or how my shovel and I would make it through the earth’s molten core, I mean just plain wrong.   Maybe for some kid in Nashville, but not in Alaska.

Any kid in Anchorage with the ambition to dig such a deep hole wouldn’t surface in China at all, but instead they’d pop through the ground pretty close to where I am right now—Kruger National Park in eastern Africa.

More specifically, my location was the Protea Kruger Gate Hotel, just a hop, skip, and a small jump to the gate of the park.

Brian had told me I’d like this resort hotel, and I did.   “Like living in a tree house,” said he.   And it is.

But, before I show you this exquisite place, here are the wash basins in the Mpumalanga airport terminal restroom, where we landed after our flight from Zambezia/Zambia.

 

In a public restroom!

Okay, now back to the Protea Kruger Gate Lodge.

The open air lobby.

The elevated walkway to my room.

My room!

Those things they put on sliding glass doors so you don't walk through them.

On the walk in shower glass wall.

Bushbok right outside my room.   There was a baboon there also.

The bar.

Dining room.

Note the sign

Look at the beautiful colors in the trunk of this palm.

Simple decor, olives in water.

Wall sconce.

Table decor.   I think the cactus is meant to teach you not to reach across the table, but ask for things to be passed.

My room is on ground level, but there is a room beneath it, hence the boardwalks  to everywhere.

Roadside vendors.

Okay, off to sleep.   We have a full day safari in Kruger Park in the morning.   Will we see the elusive leopard and complete our Big Five sightings?   Can anything be better than Mabula and Chobe?

I am at Kruger National Park in eastern South Africa, next to Mozambique.