Gwalagwala Tented Camp Hoedspruit

... and Cyprus.

This is our second night at a camp in a private nature reserve just outside of Kruger National Park. We'll go into Kruger for game drives tomorrow, including a night drive. Yesterday was a long day of driving to get here, but we made several stops at lookout points along a gorgeous scenic route across the mountains.

You have no idea how I jumped out of my seat at lunch last Sunday (the 18th) when I heard that Jessica the hippo was living near Hoedspruit! She's famous in the production department and I knew that I had to visit her. This would be a challenge since I don't have a car and we had an activity planned for this Sunday (the 25th). The weather gods were looking out for me though. Our trip to Blyde River Canyon ...

... be into. This is not to say that I don't like the other animals but you get the picture. A position we combine is Raptor/Nocturnal animals/Reptiles. This is usually paired with telemetry. There have been some amazing eagles on our drives and I'm particularly fond of the leopard tortoises. One was trying to take refuge in the shade of our vehicle on a hot afternoon and we felt bad leaving but there was a bush on the other side of the road. We were more concerned about ...

... part of town right now and i stayed in this place that is dubbed as "luxury log cabins". i can't really tell what was supposed to be so luxurious about them but the owner was super nice. she's letting me use her internet right now maybe because she felt badly about all the ants in my room! i washed some clothes yesterday and when i got back from dinner (where they were blasting Bee Gees and super ...

... the game drives was to teach us how to find animals and then be able to interpret their behaviour. By the second week of the course we were taking it in turns to be the driver, the navigator or the tracker. The tracker sits on a seat on the bonnet to spot tracks on the road, animals in the bush and controls the spot light after dark to find nocturnal animals such as bush babies. Unfortunately, on the fourth day of the ...

... handle a Burmese Python, Golden Baboon Spider etc. It was a great afternoon out. Suegnette had a medical appointment last Tuesday and asked Neil & I, Sue & Ray, if we'd like to go to Tsineen with her for a day out. We agreed and drove there passing a goldmine and an emerald mine on the way. Not much traffic on the roads and it turned out to be a very hot day, 38 degrees again!! After visiting a shopping mall in Tsineen ...

... on the back of my neck still prick whenever I think of it. We've had a bit of rain. Can't be sunny all the time. Everything stops when it rains. No riding - no lectures - oh well This Is South Africa. I'm learing so much while I'm here. Its not all play - honest. Lots of lectures on horses and conservation. Got to learn and be able to name all the parts of a horse - and I will be tested . Ive never seen so much horse **** in one pile and we I ...

... back at all. Love, Kisses and Happy thoughts your way, Tiffy x P.S. Dad - 1. Can you check my HSBC account balance online and text me my balance so I know whether final pay cheques and tax went in. 2. Can you pick up 2 bags of 7 films from Boots before you come! I'm getting through so much film! 3. Can you print this off these entries for Grammy so she knows how I'm getting on, and send my love too! Thank you! Love you lots, and ailsa too! Miss you both. xxxxxxxxxxx

... gap year March 11th The Boomslang "Oh **** there is a huge snake here!" yelled Hen as I was relaxing in the pool. This I had to see to I got out and ran over. Hen was stood staring at this very long thin Green Snake that had coiled itself up next to the entrance to reception. Probably about a metre long. The markings on it identified it as a male Boomslang (Africaan's for ...

... we drive through the countryside for a while, stopping at various viewpoints. In the afternoon we come to another waterfall, I'm not sure what we were expecting, maybe something like the first one, but what we found was something incredible. The first thing that catches your eye when you are walking down the path is the sea green embankment dotted with wildflowers, which runs about 50 feet back before crashing into a line of picturesque emerald green trees. As you look over the ...