How’s this for a view at breakfast!!?? We were sitting on the deck and the zebras ambled over to the water hole below us for a drink. We’ve been in Hluhluwe (pronounced Shuschluwee)-iMfolozi Park in KwaZulu-Natal for several days. Hilltop Camp is like being on top of the world – you can see forever. It has been extremely windy until tonight, but the wind finally blew away the haze caused by fires. There are always fires – caused by burning sugar cane fields, cooking, heating, wildfires and controlled burns.
We’ve visited several wonderful museums focused on Zulu culture, traditional dress, beading and basketry. Yesterday we trekked down several deeply rutted dirt roads where the bus couldn’t go to visit Zulu basket makers. They were happy to see us and our purchases made a significant contribution to their local economy.
We’ve been on a number of game drives, both day and night. There is quite a variety of animals, but so far the lions have eluded us. There are many white rhinos in this park. At one time they were poached nearly to extinction and it was the conservation program developed by Dr. Ian Player (brother of golfer Gary Player) who is credited with returning them to healthy numbers at iMfolozi and repopulating all of Africa. Tod
ay we encountered a herd of grazing elephants which was a delightful sight.
All the guided hikes were booked during our free time, but after encountering this puff adder last night, I wasn’t too disappointed that a hike through the bush wasn’t an option.
Today we had a traditional braai (barbecue) in the bush. This sign was posted at the beginning of a trail leading out of the picnic site. I wonder if the same sign was posted at the trail leading in so the animals would know they weren’t supposed to enter or exit the picnic area.
1 comment:
Your zebra shot at breakfast is beautiful and so is the rhino!!
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