Africa, Winter 2012 #11

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WE are SOOOO loving this trip- hope you are too thru the pictures!

Continuing down the “Wild Coast” as they call it, we drove through an area called the Transkei (pronounced “sky”) This is an area inhabited by traditional Xhosa Africans. There are no whites at all, and there are traditional houses dotted ALL over the beautiful rolling hills. We had been warned NOT to drive thru this area by people in Canada, but on further investigation over here, heard it was no problem to do the drive in the daylight hours. So we did. We had absolutely no problems- with many friendly waves from the locals- we even stopped at a mall- where we were the token white people. Again- everyone was super friendly.

We spent one night in Port St. Johns, which was off the “beaten path” ON the way to the private campground here, we saw a local selling corn on the cob It looked beautiful, so Mark bought 2. We couldn't wait to eat it! Imagine our surprise when the first bite revealed that it was cow corn- not edible!! How disappointing- and it made for a very small dinner that night!



Leaving the Transkei, we drove to East London- which is a nice holiday town- filled with large vacation homes- this trend continues almost all the way to Cape Town. Jogging back inland, we visited ADDO Elephant National Park- unfortunately- we arrived on a Saturday. Much to our surprise, the campground was full and they turned us away. We had to drive about 15 minutes back to the town and stay in a private campground.. We actually enjoyed a laugh with some locals at the park, as Mark had a VERY difficult time lighting our “braii”- they had to come help- and bring over more paper, more matches, more fire starter.....it was pretty funny. We thought we might not be eating until the morning!

That next morning, we awoke early to head back to ADDO for a game drive. Sad to say, I did not keep the combination on how to exit the gate from this private park. Needless to say, Mark couldn;t find it....... and so we wasted much of our early start searching the camper through and through, and then trying many numbers on the key pad!!! Finally- Mark had to bite the bullet and call the owners- at 6am- to ask for the numbers again. If you can believe it, he didn't understand the numbers properly, and so had to call back to ask AGAIN!!! How embarrassing!

Finally, we got out the gate- and headed to the park. As you can see by the pictures- it was well worth the trip back! We enjoyed watching the lions again, and the elephants having a bath! Each animal experience is like a new movie- one you never tire of!

Back to the coast, in Port Elizabeth we stumbled across the SAMREC Penguin rehabilitation center. What a hoot! WE had a very informative tour, and watched them feeding the penguins. The staff had to put up a gate to keep the penguins back, in order to feed them one at a time. There was much pushing and shoving by the penguins- to be first in line- and of course, many of them get pushed over the edge! After they finish being fed, the staff just pick them up, or push them – into the water again! It was very entertaining!



Note in the pictures- the stunning pics of the waves crashing over the rocks. I won't bother to mention how LONG Mark sat there trying to get the perfect shot........I ,of course, left him there in search of my good book!!!!

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Photos

Wart Hog-
Check the double tusks!

Comments

[Tom]

Again, Nerine and Mark: what beautiful country, how varied. The clarity of your photography has been welcome and appreciated throughout your travel's blog entries. Have a safe and, dare I say, speedy trip home.