Kruger National Park - See you soon!

I could not be more excited about the fact that this fall I will go to Kruger National Park in South Africa for the eighth time; some of those visits were only a day or two but many were for extended periods of time; wonderful time spent in this historic, sometime dangerous and always magical place. 

Historic because Stone Age hunters, a half a million years ago, roamed the very land that is today Kruger National Park.  Around fifty thousand years ago Bushmen or San People came through the area leaving behind cultural artifacts, archaeological sites, rock paintings and engravings that can still be seen today.  In more modern times Paul Kruger, who in 1898 was the President of the Republic, became deeply concerned about the dwindling wildlife in the area due to poaching, increased trade in skins and ivory and

Visitor to Kruger long ago

excessive hunting.  He established the land a game reserve and appointed James Stevenson-Hamilton as South Africa's first game warden.  Stevenson-Hamilton pushed for the status of National Park which was finally declared in 1926.  The Sabie Game Reserve and, further north, the Shingwedzi Game Reserve merged creating what is now Kruger National Park, named in honor of Paul Kruger.  Today this unfenced park joins lands in Zimbabwe and Mozambique to create a large area - the size of Switzerland - where wildlife can roam freely and migrate as they have since the historic times of the Bushmen.

Kruger is potentially dangerous because I drive myself amongst wildlife such as elephant, rhino, lion, leopard and hippo.  I walk in camps potentially sharing close proximity with nine species of deadly venomous snakes.  I grill dinner outside my hut or tent with the false pretense that the camps' fence

Potential danger - Rhino
On a road in Kruger

will keep out the hyena that would love to steal my steak or worse, aware also that an elusive leopard may have snuck past the gate guard to see what is on his dinner menu - me?  Or, leisurely I might walk in camp and find myself in a battle with a monkey who thinks my intentions are other than a mere walk.  Just this week two tourists, while driving, got into a tussle with an elephant.  The details are not clear as to exactly what happened although rumors of the tourists speeding and being stupid in front of the big bull elephant are circling.  Regardless of how it happened, the people ended up in the hospital and the rental car in the junk yard. 

The experience of being in Kruger is magical because I never feel more alive than when I am in Africa and particularly in Kruger National Park where I don't have to rely on a guide or a driver and can be completely on

Bushbuck sleeping outside my tent
Lower Sabie Camp - Kruger

my own time and schedule to sit at a watering hole for hours on end if I so choose.  I can pass much time simply watching to see what of the parks' 147 mammal species, 507 bird species or 114 reptile species might make an appearance before me.  Magical because I fall asleep listening to the true calls of the wild; a lion grunting his territorial sounds followed by hyena whoops calling in more of his clan to a potential kill; a fish eagle announcing the rise of the morning sun.  Magical because of the uncountable number of stars I see in the night sky above Punda Maria camp; seemingly I could reach up and grab a few to put away for future reference.  And magical because I can sit right on the porch of my accommodation on the perimeter of a fenced camp and watch a parade of animals wonder by; perhaps a lion or leopard kill just outside the fence beyond my porch, witnessed without so much as cranking a car or strapping on hiking boots.



I will spend eighteen glorious nights in Kruger this fall.  I will be traveling from south to north and back south again staying at many camps along the way including some of the smaller more secluded bush camps I have read so much about.  My life all year is hectic filled with schedules, demands, budgets, and people pulling in every direction.  But for those eighteen days and nights I will be doing what I choose as I enjoy Africa time.  And as everyone who has gone to Africa knows, the clock runs slower there.  Everything runs slower there in a delightful African way....  Things that seem so important before leaving home fly out of your mind like a feather in the wind once you set foot on her soil.

 

This may be my eighth time entering Kruger National Park but every time is new and I cannot wait to see what she shows me this time whether it be historical, a bit dangerous or more of that Kruger magic!

 

Olifants Camp, Kruger
Chilling

 

To plan your trip to Kruger National Park download a copy of Dana’s book "Traveling Africa, A Woman's Guide" today.  It is available for your Kindle, Kindle Apps, Nook or Nook Apps.  You will find an entire chapter dedicated to Kruger National Park.

Slow down and smell the roses...., or rhino as the case may be!

One of the first things you realize when you go on safari in Africa is the guide – if you have a good one – will be able to spot an animal on the fly; a talent that may take you a while to acquire mainly, I believe, because we have forgotten our senses.  No, not our senses like we have gone loony, rather ours senses of hearing, seeing and smelling.  These days seemingly everyone is looking down at their IPads and IPhones, checking Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to see what’s going on in what they see as the world.  But they are missing what is really going on around them in the real world and Africa is just the place to remind you of that fact.   

You see, some of the largest and tallest creatures on this earth can be so camouflaged that if you don’t regain use of your senses while on safari you will not see them even if they are right in front of you. 

Over the years various guides have taught me things to look for; a break in the scenery or on the horizon; the twitch of a black tipped tail in the tall amber grass; a sudden musky smell; a branch of a tree that just doesn’t conform….  If you drive through a game park too fast and not fully aware of your senses, you won’t see any wildlife at all unless the animal is either (a) crossing the road in front of you forcing you to slow down or (b) attacking you!

Early in my adventures to Africa while still learning these lessons I was in northern Kruger National Park with a guide who stopped the vehicle and said, “Giraffe”.  Like you looking at this picture I said, “Where”.  Hard to believe an animal sixteen to twenty feet tall can be so hidden from view.  There are seven of them in the photo below staring right at you.  Yes, seven.  Do you see them?

 

I was alone in a car when I spotted these wildebeest.  I stopped to watch them for a while; on full alert, all senses in high gear.  If I would not have been paying attention I would never have seen the leopard that was stalking the wildebeest.  A leopard is not the size of your house cat; he’s about a hundred and forty pounds of spots hiding in front of your very eyes!  Do you see him in the center of this photo to the right of the bush, his back turned to us watching the wildebeest?

 

On a trip to Tanzania I was with a fantastic guide and we were going down a spiraling road towards the floor of the Ngorongoro Crater.  My guides’ accent was very heavy so when he stopped the vehicle and pointed up in the tree to show me something I couldn’t for the life of me understand what he was saying nor could I see what he was pointing at.  Finally, he pulled out his bird book and pointed to the same bird he was trying to show me in the tree, then he pointed back into the tree.  What he was saying was “Bird of Prey”.   Yes, of course you see it easily now because I told you what you were looking for.  If you were driving a windy road would you have seen this owl sitting on that branch?  I think not unless you too were a very experienced guide and had every sense on high alert.  I can only aspire to be as good of a spotter as he.

We all know chameleons are camouflage experts.  But even they can amaze as the one below in Madagascar who appeared to be one with the road.  Anyone not paying attention, driving too fast, not aware of their surroundings would have ended this creature’s life then and there.

 

 

Having to use all of my senses is one of many things I love about Africa.  If you want to see the wonders of nature the continent has to show you, you have to slow way down and really take in what is around you.  In Africa I am reminded not only to slow down but also to listen and to smell.  I am reminded to not just look, but to really see.  If you try you can smell a rhino or elephant before you see them.  You can hear the beautiful ground horn bill before he makes his appearance.  You can only see these amazing things if you take life out of our fast pace frame and slow it way down.  That's true in Africa as it is in daily life.  So get your head out of your new age toys and look around, smell the roses, hear the birds and see what nature has to show you today.

Leeches in Lemur-Land

When heading to a country in Africa I have not traveled to before I always do my homework.  The only thing I knew about Madagascar when I booked that destination was I would find lemurs on the island so I had a lot of research to do to find out what else I might encounter.

No Harmful Snakes in Madagascar

Since mainland Africa is known for several species of "five stepper" snakes - meaning if you get bit you have about five steps to take before you start dying - I first checked to see what venomous snakes were found in Madagascar.  I learned the island only has mildly venomous rear fanged species that pose little threat to humans.  No worries.

The next thing I looked up, especially since I had planned some night hiking to find the adorable mouse lemur, was what predators were native.  The only large or somewhat large predator was a creature called a fossa closely related to the mongoose family.  They are elusive and of no consequence to humans.  Excellent - no worries.

Indri Lemur

In my reading I came across other valuable information; one bit was what to do if a leech were to get on you which are indeed found in Madagascar and unlike most places, the leeches there live in the leaf litter of the ground.  The thought of a leech on me made me shiver with disgust but I was a big girl; I had already taken many trips to Africa alone and had been attacked by a monkey, had hippo come after my canoe and bush walked up on a pride of lion so leeches seemed doable.  I just needed to know what I should do if I find one on me, right? 

My research said you probably wouldn't realize one was on you until you saw the leech since they first inject you with an anesthetic before sucking your blood, (how thoughtful).  I read they aren't harmful to you, nor do they carry any strange African diseases and in fact are used regularly for medicinal purposes.  It is noted that leech bites do bleed profusely, especially if removed improperly.  To properly remove a leech, according to my studies, you identify the sucker, put your finger on your skin next to his mouth then gently but firmly slide your finger toward the wound where the leech is feeding and push the sucker sideways away from your skin.  Once the mouth is detached you quickly detach the read sucker then flick the leech away. Okay.  No worries.  I was armed with information and ready. 



The "before" picture as I prepare for the hike

The day I was to trek for lemurs I had on boots and hiking socks; regrettably I made the decision to wear short pants due to the extreme heat.  For four hours my guide and I trekked a forest so thick I became claustrophobic and occasionally sought a patch of clear forest to see the sky and catch my breath.  Then, almost as if I were in the ocean preparing to going back under water, I would take a deep breath and duck back into the dense forest to continue our hike. 

When the hike was over my guide and I crawled out of the forest and onto a road; me disheveled, my hair - once neat in a ponytail - sweaty and frayed in every direction, my clothing a mess.  As we stood road-side my guide took off his backpack to get out some fruit for us to enjoy on the walk back to camp.  As he did that I started to pull myself back together.  I went to pull up my socks and saw I had not one but four leeches on my lower right leg.  I screamed like a leopard had just jumped on me from the tree branch above about to rip me apart.  Instead of following the instructions I had taken time to read I pulled those leeches off in a panic then slung them seemingly miles back into the forest.  Realizing I "broke" one I began hopping around the road brushing at my leg like it was on fire.  And of course, since I didn’t follow directions, each bite site was bleeding profusely.


My guide rushed to my side not knowing what the hell was wrong with his client.  When he found out it was only leeches and he was not about to have to deal with the death of a customer, as he must have thought due to my behavior, he began to laugh uncontrollably, having to sit on the road after his knees gave way from hysterics.

I too had to good laugh..., but only after I knew for sure there were no more leeches on me.  I am grateful no one filmed this horrific event.  I can just see the headline of the viral video, "Frequent traveler to Africa survives vicious attack..., by leeches!"

…So much for preparing and studying.

Need an Injection of Chill?

Airports, hotels, rental car facilities, hustle and bustle; it’s what one experiences when traveling in the States on a regular basis as I do; sometime week after week.  The frustrations come frequently and the true comforts are rare.  Some weeks it seems everything is a hassle. 

Nelspruit, South Africa Airport

Recently, while rushing around in my rental car in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida I had a memory that made me smile.  It was four years ago.  I had flown from Atlanta, Georgia to Johannesburg, South Africa where I got a well needed night’s sleep at a lovely bed and breakfast.  The next day - relaxed and feeling the laid back African way slowly injecting itself into my veins - I arrived back at the Johannesburg airport where I boarded a flight to Nelspruit, South Africa.  From there I was to rent a car and drive into the Kruger National Park.  After landing among the lush hills of Nelspruit, I walked from the plane to the quaint airport smelling the recent rains and smiling knowing I was another step closer to Kruger. 

Once inside the airport I gathering my backpack from the carousel then walked past security to the open area of the Nelspruit airport which reminded me of a train station; a wide and long passageway with tall rounded ceilings housing a couple of shops, restaurants and the rental car windows.  I walked up to my rental car counter and formally greeted the gentleman behind the counter.  (In Africa it is proper to acknowledge and appropriately greet people before proceeding with business.)  I then handed the man my voucher which my South African booking agent had sent me via email showing I had prepaid for each activity, accommodation and transportation.   The guy at the rental car counter proceeded to punch some information into his computer then made mention that he didn’t show this reservation prepaid.  My shoulders slumped as my high from being in Nelspruit, so close to Kruger, receded thinking I was about to face a “situation”.   After commenting on that he took my driver’s license and punched a few more things into his computer then walked away from the counter.  He came back to the counter with keys which he handed me and said, “Your car is in slot C7.  I hope you will enjoy your stay in South Africa.”  I was kind of stunned.  I said, “What about the fact you don’t show my reservation prepaid?”  The man replied, “Miss Atkinson.  You have given me your voucher.  That concludes your responsibility.   I shall take that matter up with your booking agent.  Your only responsibility now is to relax and enjoy your holiday.”  And with that I was dismissed. 



Kruger National Park Entrance @ Malelane Gate

I stood there for several minutes in complete astonishment; almost let down as I had prepared for a battle that didn’t take place.  I had trained for the marathon I didn’t run.  I had… oh you get the point.  In the States that would have been a “situation” for sure.  In South Africa, it was dealt with in South African fashion.  It’s part of my great love for Africa.  Things are just handled; sorted, as they say.  Mountains aren’t made of mole hills.  In Africa I am reminded to chill and leave all of my high strung ways of travel far behind and simply take on my only responsibility of enjoying the day; enjoying my holiday. 

It’s been a long busy year.  Normally I spend Thanksgiving in Africa which didn’t happen this year.   I am in desperate need of my annual injection of African chill.  I am ready to be reminded of how to relax and enjoy my holiday! 

I think a spring trip is in my future….

Mad Air

Standing at baggage claim recently at the hectic Atlanta airport I was reminded of a day when I landed in Fort Dauphin, Madagascar on a flight that originated in the capital city of Antananarivo.  I had been in country for a week already up in the northern sections of the country tracking various species of lemurs and was then headed down to the southern part of the country to Berenty; one of the few places one can find ring-tailed lemurs living wild.

 

I boarded a Madagascar Air - formally known as Madair - regional airplane filled to max capacity of about fifty people.  We flew over the mountains and coast of this island nation before descending to our destination.  As we got closer to the runway I saw a small building I assumed was the airport.  From my window seat I saw people running towards the airport from all points of the compass.  The airport seemed to only consist of a lone runway and a single building.

 

After the plane came to a stop, a staircase was wheeled to the plane.  Once down the stairs and across the hot tarmac the passengers were directed to an open room inside the beige cinder block structure to await our luggage.  There was a raggedly dressed man doing construction work on the inside of that dirt floored room.  He stopped what he was working on when we entered the room and walked to our plane.  There was a second man in the room who was sound asleep lying on scaffolding on the far side of the room.  The other man returned from the plane with one piece of luggage.  He dragged it lazily into the room we were all standing in and call out the tag number.  Once that piece of luggage was claimed he went back out to the plane to get another.  The process of shuffling back out to the plane to get one piece of luggage at a time, bring it into that room and call out the tag number was repeated numerous times almost in slow motion.  All the while his co-worker slept on the scaffolding occasionally snoring causing the room full of amazed tourist to break out in laughter as we awaited our luggage. 

 

Finally, I claimed my backpack and proceeded on my journey.  Ten days later I was once again transported to this airport; a term I use for this place only because airplanes do take off and land there.  I was a bit early for my flight back to Antananarivo and literally it was me and two other people - also tourist – there; no one else, not a worker in site; no ticket agent, no gate agent, no air traffic controller, not even the man napping on the scaffolding was to be found.  After about thirty minutes of conversing with the other tourists, a loud whistle sounded.  At first the other tourists and I weren't sure what the sound was for; incoming scud missile perhaps – ducking was considered, even running for cover.  But within minutes of the whistle sounding people ran to the building from various places surrounding us, and then low and behold we saw a plane come into view and land.  The local people had come from the surrounding village to work the flight, so to speak, and were advised of the plane’s pending arrival via the whistle.  After the people on that flight were off loaded, their luggage gathered one at a time and handed over to the next batch of tourist, we were checked in and loaded then off to our next destination.  The villagers then returned to their daily life until the next alarm sounded advising of the arrival of the next plane filled with passengers. 

 

The experience makes even Hartsfield Jackson International Airport – the world’s busiest – seem docile and orderly.