The Africa Journals, Ch. 48, The Last Safari

 The Africa Journals

Chapter 48

The Last Safari

I’m sitting on one of the raised viewing decks at Protea Kruger Gate Hotel, watching a herd of elephants across the Sabie river.   They apparently have drunk their fill of river water and now are heading into the trees.  

One of several viewing platforms overlooking the river.

 I reach across to scratch a maddening mosquito bite on my left arm and wonder how long these bites will itch.

The river valley.

Then it occurs to me that two days ago I was still in Victoria Falls where I acquired most of the bites on my arms and legs.  The mosquitoes and other biting insects in Zimbabwe really like the complimentary insect repellent provided by the Victoria Falls Hotel, as evidenced by the number of new bites.

One of our group has an anti-itch salve obtained by prescription and she generously shares it with me, otherwise I’d be up in the trees with the baboons, driven bonkers by the itching.  Here at Kruger Park, we are no longer in a malarial zone, but I continue to take my daily anti-malarial pill daily.

Below me on the ground is a bushbuck grazing on the grass.   It finds something interesting in a wet area and rubs its head in it.

This afternoon is our last safari into the park and our last night at Kruger.   Tomorrow, we fly south to Cape Town and the winelands.   I’m really sorry to be leaving the animals, but looking forward to Cape Town and some things we’re scheduled to see and do there.

Now, let’s load up and see what we can see.

A bushbuck and its mom

Here's looking' at ya, kid.

We saw this giraffe ahead of us on the road.   It turned this corner and.....

....apparently turned into a hippo because we never again saw any sign of a giraffe.

The Sabie River.  To the left of the tree is a fish eagle sitting on top of a stump.   Look for its white head.

Crossing the Sabie River, we came across a number of baboons sitting behind this guardrail.

Nit-picking.

 A little farther along we see an elephant with her baby.

See lets us watch for a while, then moves between us and the baby.

Cape buffalo in the river.

White backed vultures.

 

A Tawny eagle.

Hammerkopf

Pied kingfisher.

This statue  at the park's visitor's center is a replica of two male kudus that got their horns locked while fighting, and perished.

Note the bird on the zebra's back.

That's a red oxbill on the back.

Classic baboon profile.

And I don't know what these are.

 At the park gate are several of these tree/bushes.  They aren't part of the cactus family, but I don't know what they are.

 Back at the hotel, we dine tonight in the outdoor Lapa restaurant.

Note the woman carrying a trap full of supplies to the Lapa.

 Everything imaginable was available for dinner.   I chose roast pork, a baked potato, cole slaw, eggplant and creamed spinach.

Photo from the hotel's website of the Lapa outdoor restaurant.

Photo from the hotel's website of the outdoor Lapa restaurant.

Ah, my.   Last night at Kruger.   Tomorrow we drive back to Mpumalanga airport and fly to Cape Town.