All GAME's are not created equal...!

  Somewhere in Kruger National Park, South Africa
Tuesday, September 12, 2006

GPS Coordinates:
S 24°55'22.5"
E 031°39'34.7"

Temperature: 31.6°C
Humidity: 20.5 %
Pressure: 98.8 kPa
Altitude: 242 m

"Ninjani"! Tout le monde,

Je suis finalement de retour...

On my return to South Africa (SA) from Madagascar I stayed a few days at a friend's place in Pretoria (Tshwane). I visited a bit and had time to organize myself and recharge my batteries. Thank you very much to the B.... Family for their outstanding hospitality and help.

While in Pretoria, I fell in love with African art at a special market (Cheap$$) and bought maybe a little more than I should... NAHHH! You only live once!

Security in SA is a little surreal with almost every house in the neighborhood surrounded by brick walls, steel gates, barb / razorwire, and even electrical fencing...! It just looks like a prison! I guess it's the price to pay for safety and security. Crime is probably the result of very high unemployment rates and extreme poverty in certain areas.

I learned the "Secret!" African handshake which always happily surprised the black people I used it on. They then treated me as a much nicer tourist. It is a sign of respect and I will share it with you if you promise not to tell...!? OK! Everyone swear on your Momma's grave... I'm waiting... OK! Good. You start by shaking hands normally, then you transfer to an arm wrestling grip, then you revert back to a handshake then to a thumb wrestling grip. While in this position, the opposing thumbs do a snapping finger motion and then you release hands. It basically wishes the parties Health, Happiness, and Prosperity. I learned that this gesture would probably be universally accepted in most of Africa.

It was then time for me to go and continue this crazy adventure. I rented a Nissan X-Trail 4X4 SUV for 2 weeks just to ensure that my viewing area was large, above the grasses, and that I can go easily explore on the dirt roads. Yeah! I know there is a slight gas (aka petrol) consumption issue with this but... (Gas prices are similar in Canada). Learning to drive on the right side for the first time is a little weird since my brain is wired to drive on the left. So, everything is reversed (driving / passing). I had a small headache and swerved like a drunken madmen a few times before I got the hang of it after a few hours driving. Didn't help that the vehicle was slightly misaligned to the left and had no cruise control (Let me tell you we greatly underestimate this gadget when doing long trips!). Roads are in very good shape compared to Canada (no winter...!), directions are well indicated, and they are filled with white-colored vehicles (Mercedes and BMW's are very popular). I also found out that police rarely stops people for speeding because with limits of 120 km/h you can imagine that everyone does it! Some more crazy than others. Drivers are however very courteous, driving on the emergency lane to let you go by if you are faster. In response you have to flash your hazzards a few times and the driver you just passed will flash his lights as an aknowledgement.

One of my first Game animals

  SOO...! I made it in one piece to Pilanesburg National Park where I saw my first real live GAME! (See some of the pics) I stayed in a Real McCoy safari tent just like Livingstone did.

Giraffe basking in morning light

While there I did a morning and evening / night game drives. I saw numerous animals, too many to name all, and many on several occasions, ex: giraffes, zebras, rhinos, colorful birds, etc...).

Impala's Fast Food Joint

There are seemingly thousands of Impala's, they are everywhere! No wonder they are called the "McDonald's" of Africa; for the food they provide to the predators and mainly because of the big black M arch on their behind...! Just like the Golden Arch invitation we see while driving on our highways...! One cool thing is that Impala eyes glow like firefly's at night when exposed to light, so imagine encoutering a herd!



Pilanesburg is an instinct volcano that surrounds Sun City. I then went on to stay in Sun City for a night. It is an expensive resort style (Casino, golf courses, activities, etc...) place marketed as a Las Vegas / Disneyworld equivalent. Well, it is nice but it AIN'T NO LAS VEGAS! Nothing special if you ask me (overpriced!).

Curious Elephant

  I then drove a long way (btw they are 3 radio channels and they suck! Make's for a very long quiet ride!) to spend 4 days in Kruger National Park, re-knowned to be one of the best parks in Africa. Again, I saw a lot of game and many that I hadn't seen in Pilanesburg ex: Elephant, Lion, Hippos, Crocs, etc.... (See pics). By the way, when I say I saw them and took really good pictures, I mean from roughly 20-30 feet, often even closer than that and at the peril of my life!

Frolicking Lions!

Driving around Kruger was amazing and surprising, noting the difference in geography, from the dry desert-like savanah's to the bushy forest and hills, to the burned out landscape with dead leafless trees. You'd be suprised where you'd find animals. Looking around is hard work since after awhile any rock / tree / bush seem to look like an animal. That's a good way to go crazy FAST!



I also saw a shitload of different antelop species. Speaking of shitload, imagine the presence of hundreds of thousand of animals...! then the roads become littered by **IT! Thank God it's biodegradable...

I ended up sleeping in different places along the way but suprisingly (by pure luck!) found myself in an exclusive Safari lodge (Rhino Post Lodge www.rws.co.za) where I was very well received in the middle of the bush for 2 days. Being catered to by executive chefs and being woken by animals in the dry riverbed in front of my fully open and windowed chalet was very COOL! Just imagine taking a bath in one of those big old style tub under the moonlight and observing animals outside... PRICELESS! Game drives were also included being led by our guide named, surprisingly enough, "AFRICA"!

I finally saw the reputed BIG 5 (Lion, Elephant, Rhino, Buffalo, Leopard)... Then, on my way to see numerous other sightings which were as extraordinary as the last / next one. Of mention, one big Ground Hornbill (size of a turkey) advanced to my car as I said HI! and as a gesture of defiance attacked my vehicle and attempted to peck and puncture my tire... it was hilarious!

Sorry for being so long winded... so many experiences that will unfortunately not make it to this travelogue but engraved in my memory forever!

Now I'm off out of Kruger to St-Lucia / Durban on the East coast (Indian Ocean) of South Africa.

Later!

Martin