Knysna Elephant Park, October 2016, 1st day

On Friday 21^st October, I arrived at George airport around 9 AM. My friend, Johan, a local cab driver, was waiting to pick me up and gave me a big hug as we met!!! I first met Johan in 2012 as I was doing volunteering at Knysna Elephant Park. Himself, his brother and other cab drivers from his company, Dolphin cabs, would drive the volunteers to Plettenberg Bay, Knysna and so on. Johan has a generous personality and is a very hard-working guy! So, of course we caught up on the latest news during the trip to Knysna Elephant Park where we arrived around 11 AM. 

I first met Mac, (check image 13), a wonderful elephant handler who has been part of the successful story of the elephant park since the beginning. As it was too early to get my room, I went to the shop to buy some water and “bumped” into my good friend, Geoffrey,(check image 10), who was off work and just happened to be inside the souvenirs shop and was very surprised to see me there so suddenly. He had known I would arrive on the Friday but did not expect me so early. I think he was gobsmacked! We hugged and I fetched some water and rushed back to the reception to be able to go on the next tour to the elephants. Luckily enough, my friend Aubrey was in charge of that tour. He was also gobsmacked to see me there so early! I went in the video room with him and the other tourists and got to see the new video that Knysna Elephant Park shows the tourists before meeting the elephants. I find it beautiful and very well-made. Finally, after a quick look at the boma, we drove to the field to meet the ellies. I had bought a bucket of fruits and veggies to feed my babe, Mashudu. Since we were only a few people, I got to feed him. I was so moved at seeing him again, that I felt like a little girl! The tourist next to me did not understand why I was so moved, so I told them, I had come a long way to feed that little fellow. Maybe they thought I was crazy but the people who know me also know how much Mashudu means to me! After feeding the ellies, I got to spend time with Aubrey and Mashudu. It was good to be there again. At last, I was home again!

Later, I went back, had lunch and finally could go to my room. I unpacked and went to see the ellies again. I spent a couple of hours there with the ellies and the elephant handlers. 

Here are a few pics of my beloved ellies.

Mashudu

 

Sally

Nandi

Keisha

Hungry ellies

Thandi and Nandi

Flight to George

Mziki Safari Lodge, October 2016

After 2 years, I am finally in South Africa again!

My new trip started on Sunday 16 October. I flew from Zurich just before 11 PM. I was lucky enough to sit next to a nice South African woman from Johannesburg. We got on very well and chatted until 3 in the morning. ;-P

The flight was shakier than usual and made it impossible for me to sleep much. Finally, we landed in Johannesburg at 9:15 on the Monday morning. The plane parked so far from the terminal that it took us more than 10 minutes by bus to reach the gate. It was great to get off the plane after 10.5 hours! It was a sunny Spring day. Together with several hundreds of passengers arriving from Europe, I stood in the queue at the immigration control. It took me a whole hour to get through. Our luggage had even been removed from the carousel because in the meantime new planes had arrived. Luckily enough I found my suitcase and hurried towards the arrival hall where my cab driver, Wusi alias Lucky, had been waiting patiently to bring me to Mziki, my first stop in South Africa. After getting myself a few thousands rand and a SIM card for my South African phone, we finally started our 2 hours’ journey. Wusi, a Zulu guy, was nice to talk to and we chatted all the way to Mziki. 

Well after 1 PM, we reached Mziki Safari Lodge about 50 km from Brits in the North West Province. 

By then we had 35 degrees and I felt as if I was melting altogether. I was the only guest and after getting a small lunch, I went to my lodging, the beautiful "Blesbok" rondavel and took a rest! 

Because I was so tired, I decided to skip the afternoon drive. In such a heat, it would not have been much fun anyway. In the evening, I had dinner with my guide, a very friendly Afrikaans girl. I went to bed early and got up on Tuesday just before 6 since we were to start our first game drive after 6:30. What I love the most about game drives is that you never know what to expect. Will you see a lot of animals? Which ones will cross your path? You just don't know.

We were lucky enough and got to see quite a few animals. We took a break on some height overlooking the river. Unfortunately, due to the drought, there was very little water.

 

Then we headed back to the lodge and had breakfast. The food at Mziki is excellent. Kego, the cook is a wonderful woman with a very hearty laughter. At 2 we had lunch and went on the afternoon drive after 3.30 PM. You must remember that in South Africa at that time of the year (Spring), the sun is already setting at 6. We saw more giraffes. A herd of elephants we saw did not let us pass by so we had to drive away since they were building a wall! 
 

In the evening, two French families joined the lodge and brought more life! Tuesday evening, there was a big thunderstorm and it rained an awful lot so the drive was cancelled on Wednesday morning. So, we could all just chill out and look at the animals on the other side of the electrical fence which surrounds the lodge. We could see some guinea fowls, impalas and a few vervet monkeys. 

The afternoon drive was fun with 4 kids on board! Many laughters and giggles from the teenage girls! Somehow the animals seemed to be hiding but we got to see a few antelopes. Thursday morning, I had my last game drive at Mziki. We started just after 6.30. We “bumped” again into the elephant herd and they did not let us pass through again so we had to drive away. We got to see zebra, impalas, wildebeests, giraffes…

The landscape in the North West Province is very different from anything I had seen so far in South Africa. It has an awesome bush scenery. You feel very far away from civilization there. 

After the game drive, we went back to the lodge, had breakfast and Wusi picked me up after 10.30 to drive me back to Johannesburg.

There I stayed at the Protea Hotel OR Tambo Airport hotel. 

I had lunch and dinner there and went to bed early since I had to get up at 4 to go the airport. At 4.45 I took the airport shuttle. I was there just after 5. And you will not believe it, but the airport was full of early travellers like me who had to queue to go through security. Just before 7, we took off to George airport. The plane was a CANADAIR REGIONAL JET 700. I sat at the very last row and even though it was loud there, the flight was fine. As usual I took many pictures of the South African landscape which still fascinates me!!!