Travel Blogs from Hoedspruit, South Africa
The Sound of a Dying Waterbuck
Lots of hyaena work this last week and a bit. We've been trying to find the den in Garonga, sady to no avail but we have seen where most of their activity is so we've got a starting point for relocating them at least. The Lufafa Clan is busy as ...
Lions - Big and Small
... around the dam, a brave wildebeest coming in for a drink, a grey heron and a pinkish red sunset in the background - only in Africa!). We've had some really good lion sightings this week that have topped all others. We were up in Pidua looking for rhino ...
Enough Said
So this week is entirely study with an exam to top it off at the end but as F called something and I swore it would come in handy - Wilderness Drama Milkshake has been brewed but enough said on that... (and the previous 2 entries are still in draft ...
ANZAC Day in the Bush
I woke up at the normal time this morning, even though it's a Sunday because today is ANZAC Day. I did ask if anyone else wanted to join me but the only other person up was Al because he had to go and guide some people visiting the property so in effect ...
More Photos - Cheetah Kill Impala
The Collared Cheetah Brothers, Browning and Purdy, catch and kill an impala. We didn't see the catch (well, An did) but we watched them completely devour it from first bite to just skin and bonmes left... and they went from svelt speed machines to ...
Elephant Encounters
Yesterday was the first proper game drive in a while and it was a great one at that. We went up all the way to the north of Makalali into Pidua North to find the elephant herds that hadn't been seen for about 2 weeks. We drove around and around trying to ...
Return to Game Drives. Stop 1 - Lions
The study (well theory anyway) is done. The exam is done. (Party poppers popped, fireworks set) Unfortunately I don't find out the results for another 3 weeks but hopefully FGASA have a sudden burst of enthusiasm and get the results out sooner rather ...
More Photos
The World is Good
Rhino release on Friday (omg amazing watching a female rhino back off a truck into the wilds of Makalali!) Leopard sighting yesterday Awesome time at Mahlahla with E and M (playing games with H, resulting in drawing on each others faces,fixing J's ...
End of One Chapter and Beginning of Another
... just sitting on a shelf, haha) So for the past month (because I now write this in January rather than the date I started this entry on) I've been back in Australia but a new blog will be started for all the new adventures in the wilds of Africa in 2011! ...
The Best Way to Spend a Sunday
The last week has been a good one - not so many amazing animal sightings like the last but a good bunch of 'normal' (for here) none the less. Including one by chance leopard sighting on Al2's last officially scheduled drive where we randomly went looking ...
More Photos
Been a While
... , lol). We had a braai that night (with awesome fire thanks to T) and enjoyed a few drinks while we listened to the sounds of Africa (the bush and Jacaranda RMFM of course.) Dance Vir Mi even came on at one point - the night was top notch. The next day ...
Walking Steenbok
... of the vounteers here at the moment works with horses so it's a good week to go. We used a place right in the middle of Hoedspruit, next to the Pick n Pay centre even! And I never realised that out the back of a supermarket could be a whole wild area. ...
Aardvark, Hyaenas, Lockdown and Goodbyes
This week has been a little hectic, it's only a few staff here so all the volunteers issues are completely up to us. Lots of fun and even making friends with the people at the hire car company is always nice. (I mean, I see some of the guys from Trophy ...
Pimpinyani Week
So we're nearly at the end of what I have dubbed "Baby Week" or in Shangaan - "Pimpinyani Week." The week started off fairly normally Monday Town Trip (although I didn't go personally because there weren't enough seats.) So a few of us stayed behind and ...
More Photos
Rain, Rain, Rain
... once" mentality I did it and it was fun... but I don't need to do it again. We also visited the Giant Baobab Tree in Hoedspruit - you would never belive there was a treee as big as this. It fell over last year apparently so I couldn't even imagine ...
Big 5 Close Up
This week has been hectic! I realised half way through why I've been so tired - I've been so busy that I haven't had time for myu midday siesta (something very much needed when you get up at 0530 and to be no earlier than 2100 which stuff planned most of ...
Buffalo Escape and Re-Capture for My Birthday
... When they were near the fence they were darted and they went down. We approached with caution (the most dangerous and agressive animal in Africa isn't to be taken lightly of course). The vet checked the first was ok, we left 2 people to keep it cool and ...
Once Bitten Twice Shy
There's been dramas in the last few days here at Siyafunda, luckily everyone's safe and well again. We were out doing a walk looking for snares when we hear E calling for people over the radio (he was out with Bush Camp doing bush clearing (ie. getting ...
More Photos
Words Cannot Explain The Last Few Days
The last few days have been intense but amazing. So on the 13th we tried to capture 2 of our male rhinos (Harry and Norman) in a swpa for a female rhino coming from another reserve. This was going to even out the numbers because Makalali at the moment ...
Starting Over and Having a Blast!
... a while so as a short interum here's a rough list of what I've been up to - I transfered to Makalali which is near Hoedspruit. I'm actually staying at Siyafunda which has 2 camps - Twines and Bush Camp (both very nice, not 5 star of course but comfy ...
How to Catch a Hartebeest
... or not catch them it might seem. As has been in the last ittle while, I've mostly been studying but we have had a number of birthdays this week which has been fun. E and M had borthdays on the day after each other so many cakes were baked and fun ...
South African Leaner
Not so much in the way of wildlife this entry but mauch has happened - I'm officially a learner driver in South Africa! On Monday I had a day of booking the exam, something you woud assume might take an hour at most... nope. It was 6.5 hours before I ...
Study, Study, Study
... myself for a good few hours before I went back to just changing the names of what I previously understood to the South Africa terms. (Primary, Sub-Climax and CLimax for those interested...) I have given allowances for 'special occassions' and yesterday ...
