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Published: December 20th 2009
Our first Animals
Right past the Paul Kruger Gate. People think you are nuts to photograph Impalas. Like taking a picture of a squirrel.So, are the roads as deadly as they say they are? As I said before, ALL roads are deadly, especially those that you take for granted. That said . . .
Alexandra
We had what hopefully will be the most eventful episode of the trip this morning. Near Sandton is a township called Alexandra which is as rough as they come. We went a different way to the highway this time, which got us lost in the middle of Alexandra. Some people think there are some bad spots in America . . . my friends, Parsons Avenue, Little Creek, Over the Rhine . . . these have NOTHING on Alexandra. I felt like I was on the set of Black Hawk Down driving through Mogadishu. We made it out safely evidently, and in hindsight, it was interesting to have gone through there and seen the real side of South Africa. They organize tours to Soweto, in part so that the squalor may be viewed from the safety of a guide's vehicle, I think however that there is something more poignant and real to do it the way we did it - scared shitless. We got stuck at a traffic light
with a big jam, and as I saw one guy cutting everyone off to the right, I did the same and went into oncoming traffic and blazed through the light. The rest of the way we were behind a police vehicle which if I allowed my imagination to wander, may have accounted for our safe passage. On the other hand, I think there is a fair amount of sensationalism in describing the crime of South Africa, without a doubt you have to be careful, but you have to be careful anywhere as a tourist. The only significant factor here is that the consequences of carelessness is violent crime, which is certainly no matter to be taken lightly.
Driving to Kruger Park
5 hours, 550 kilometers - Google Maps was pretty well dead on. I thought I would beat it but ultimately didn't. The N12 and N4 feel extremely safe and I would not even consider convoying on such a route. There are great service plazas along the way and because the N4 is a toll route, there are constantly police and Toll Service vehicles travelling along it. The N12 is in a bit of a rough condition and narrow
Main Hall
At Tinga Legends Lodge near Jozie, but the N4 is as good as it gets in non-European and non-North American countries, so we gladly paid the 87 Rand in tolls (about $12). Mpulumanga Province is beautiful, especially where the N4 splits, it is a mountainous region known for its trout fishing, something I think that with more time would have been worth a night's stayover.
Nelspruit is an unusual town, not picturesque in any way, quite large and bustling, we have some great video from it. I think some hotels would suggest that it and White River are great pieds-a-terre for visiting the area but I would completely disagree, it is still a ways to the park from either of these. I may feel differently I suppose if we were visiting the Blyde River Canyon.
I am much more accustomed to driving Brit-style and have a level of aggressiveness almost equal to that of the locals now. There are only two points I will make regarding safety on these roads (1) I think that 120 kph is too fast for some of them, it can be done, but it is a bit out of control; and (2) the bakkies and communal buses,
Tinga Legends Lodge
Main Room. There is a TV behind me. Never used. Anyone who does use it should be fed to the hungry lionesses. along with the people along the side of the road they are meant to pick up are dangerous as they are going at a much slower pace than those in the right lanes. Seeing people on the highways, lots of people, is not a shock, we have seen it elsewhere, but I am sure many Americans inexperienced in foreign countries might be shocked by this.
Kruger National Park
This is the great grandaddy of national parks in Africa, one of the first of its kind in the world. Very well run, and of course a big moneymaker for the country. We came in through the Paul Kruger Gate after much debate as to which might be the best. After getting lost once, I did not want to attempt side routes and gates. We first spotted Impalas with great excitement and photographed them intently from the car, others stopped, looked around to see what we had found and drove away quizzically. You see, Impalas are like rats in Kruger, they are all over the place. No big deal. They exist for the benefit of the other animals there, really. They are a cannon fodder of sorts. A chew toy for
The Unacceptably Small Shower
Sorry, could not give the full 180 degree effect. Take my word for it. the big cats. We passed by Skukuza for a fill up on petrol and headed to Tinga Legends Lodge. I did not know what to expect based on the way I had booked it.
Tinga Legends Lodge
Absolutely fabulous. That is all I have to say if you know how critical I am of hotels. I think that frankly can be said about many of the lodges here. When you pay over $1000 per night, you expect it to be good. I am just too picky am prepared to be disappointed. Tinga did not disappoint. It is on the banks of the gorgeous Sabi River, filled with crocodiles and hippos, the opposite bank teeming with Impalas and Water Buffalo. Our riverfront cottage is massive, exceeding the suite we had in Santorini and in St. Barths. Full glass facing the Sabi, including a 180 degree two-head shower that could comfortably accommodate a family of six. An interior hot tub with a view of the river, plus an exterior deck jacuzzi with a view of the same.
The service is good, it reminds us of the staff at Coral Sands in the Bahamas, now it is more clear where that
Indoor Jacuzzi
With view of Sabie River. Never used, except by a couple of bugs. "don't worry" culture of the islands originated . . . in Africa. An Italian gentleman on our game ride said he loves that about this place and would love to be here forever. The problem with that attitude is, well, Africa's a bit of a mess, and colonialism and slavery seem to have had a marginal role in the outcome, but what do I know?
We went for a Game Drive on the lodge's brand new Land Rover. For our first try we had some great success - Bush Bock, Impalas, Elephants, Giraffe, Impalas, Lionesses, Impalas, Zebras, Porcupine, Wildebeest, Impalas, leg of a baby Impala in a Leopard's mouth in a tree. Yes, we saw a Leopard. Devouring dinner in the darkness just above us in a tree. Now I know how our cats can eat that hard dry cat food - "crunch! crunch!". That leopard was crunching through bone like a nutcracker. Even the sighting of a porcupine, a very large porcupine, is rare, apparently it only happens every 5 months that they run into one. We also were some 4 feet away from hunting lionnesses. They were both stalking a pack of zebras and impalas while a
Deck
With View of the Sabie River. progressively larger group of vehicles lined up and followed their every step. They missed their sneak attack and were discovered, we both think in part because of the amount of activity we provided. The way tourists watch lions is very different from the way we watch zebras and impalas. These last two must have become atuned to that difference over time.
Dinner followed, Jennifer had some sort of chicken, and I had my first game meat - a gemsbok - which is a large springbok I believe. Venison essentially. Tinga's food is good, not extraordinary, but good. Finally, I am a huge fane of Pinotage. It will be my red of choice when I return, yet another excuse not to drink all of those wine bottles in my cellar and stock up on more.
Flora & Fauna
There are lots and lots of animals in Kruger. All kinds of animals, including insects and arachnids. They come out in the evening and at night. Jennifer was bit three times by mosquitoes as she forgot to put DEET on her lower back which was exposed at times in the evening. Probably malarial, so definitely take pills when coming here
Our View
Of the Sabie River, at Tinga Legends Lodge. and you cannot be overprotective. My first assignment when we settlend into our cottage was killing all of the creepy crawlies, one of these looked like wasp on steroids, and some goofy looking spiders. I am at the point where big bugs made me a bit squeamish but I don't mind them anymore, I even find them very interesting, so long as they don't fall down my shirt or bite me. We saw a stick insect and an albino praying mantis. I saw some huge spider above our door which looked like a brown recluse, but I don't think they have those here. In fact, there are really not any poisonous insects save for the button spider. I haven't seen one of those, at least I don't think so, cuz I have no idea what they look like.
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