A Face Only a Mother Could Love

Skukuza Camp, Kruger Park, South Africa

We were on the road this morning by 6:30. I think we were all still excited about the lion and leopard sighting yesterday.  Every time we stopped by the dry river bed, we were convinced we were going to spot something.  Actually, we did see a couple lions way off in the distance, but that was it for cats today.

Despite the lack of predator sightings, we still saw plenty. Even though the baboons can be a nuisance when around people too much. It was cool to see them interacting with the baby baboons.

Just for fun, we drove out to Lower Sabie Camp.  In addition to the "normal" stuff, we saw lots of birds, hippos and  alligators by the river and also had our best meal in ages at the lodge restaurant overlooking the river.  Pretty cool.

Kory Bustard - strutting its stuff

Egyptian Goose 

When we finally got back to the Skukuza camp, we decided to take a break from the car for a while. We let Dex and Kylie play, Meg went to wash clothes and later we all went swimming. We just got there when a man and woman showed up announcing sixty teenage kids would soon be joining us. It was a bit of a mad house, though we didn't mind the splashing, jumping and general commotion.

I chatted with the woman, Claudine, before I left and learned this was a group of 7th year students from the town of Barberton, just finishing up their term before a week off in October.  I commented on the group of six or seven boys (all black) who interestingly decided not to swim and were instead just standing or “posing” nearby watching everyone else.  Apparently, the students normally wear school uniforms, but for this trip they could wear street clothes. This group of boys had chosen to flaunt their expensive threads and conspicuous labels. One wore dress shorts, fancy white shoes, a Puma shirt and a hat. Another sported plaid golf pants, a Ferrari branded jacket and a glove on one hand!  Claudine explained that rival gangs sometimes get together and burn their clothing; the gang burning the higher dollar amount, wins. Well, at least that's a lot more civilized than shooting each other.

Although Meg and I had talked about visiting Swaziland, after reading a bit about it, we weren’t that excited.  Poverty, high Aids affliction rate, an absolute Monarch with 70 wives and a habit of spending lavishly. He apparently chooses a new virgin each year.... It probably would have been interesting nonetheless, but the new plan was to get back to Johannesburg a day earlier than planned, and spend a free day organizing a few things before starting the next phase -- a three day stop in Dubai and then a month or so in India. Besides, the kids would like nothing better than to spend time at the B&B playing in the cool tree house in back.

Just as the sun was setting, Dex and Kylie came running up having once again found a Monitor Lizard. In fact, this time it was two. Wow, I had no idea these oversized reptiles could climb trees. Actually, they didn't look particularly secure or adept at negotiating the maze of branches, and I was afraid they were going to fall on my head as I took pictures.

I'm not sure what other people see when they come to the Kruger, but it seems like we had been pretty darn lucky. Wild dogs, hyenas, lions, leopards, alligators.... The lizards were pretty cool too, but definitely have a face only a mother could love.