Monday Musings And Trip Advising

Reflecting on age, I realize that travel keeps my free spirit alive and inspires my audience to see aging as an opportunity for fresh adventures.

This morning, while spinning, I forced myself to stop looking at the clock's very slow tick and instead let my eyes drift over my fellow spinners.  We're not a young lot.  Some are slender, others well built, even rotund.   At 80-something, the sprightliest of the lot really surprises me with her agility and sheer bloody-mindedness as she relentlessly grinds those gears—an ageless, jolly bunch who have a zest for life.  

First up was a friend's son,  a kid I've known for 35 years; it feels like a heartbeat since I attended his wedding and another when I attended his children's christening. Here they were showing their daughter off before she was whisked off to her Matric farewell, captured in the photo above, which I hope helps you picture this special moment.   

Sometimes when we've been on the road for 14 hours, I feel I've bitten off more than I can chew.  Every joint is stiff when I alight our cruiser, and I count myself lucky that I've not missed my footing and gone down like a ton of bricks in front of everyone having breakfast at the Wimpy.

I'd hardly touched down or got over my jet lag when we slipped away for a fortnight to the Kruger National Park and Mjejane Game Reserve.

Paul Kruger must rest easy, no spinning in his grave.   Our most popular travel and tourist destination is a success story.  We entered the Kruger National Park at the Phalaborwa gate, spent our first night at Olifants Rest camp, and then meandered down to Satara.  

The Rondawels (cottages) have been revamped, painted and upgraded.  The decor is simple but adequate, and the linens and towels are fresh and neat.  The showers are good, with plenty of hot water, good water pressure, and spacious cubicles.   After a long day sightseeing, it's a pleasure to stop off, relax and have a braai.   Our cottage only accommodated two guests; it was frustrating to find that the cutlery provided was only for two.  Fortunately, we always have a well-stocked picnic basket with a very sharp utility knife.   All the cottages are serviced, which is such a treat.

Spring is a good time to visit the park; the plains are still dry as the rainy season hasn't started yet, but here and there green tufts of grass are beginning to show.  Up north, the acacias and other flowering trees were blooming red, pink, yellow, and purple.  This, of course, is perfect for spotting well camouflaged animals.

It always surprises me how quickly the terrain changes from mopane forests to grasslands, then to hilly outcrops, baobab trees, and giraffes.  We spent much of our time exploring the dirt roads and sitting at water holes, which are good too, as there's not much water in the veld, and a good meeting place at midday when it's boiling.  We were fascinated by a committee of vultures swooping in to drink, bathe and dry their wings on one occasion.

After a grueling Boland winter, it was bliss to wear shorts and T-shirts again.  We were back in the bush with magical sunrises and sunsets.  Kicking up a dust storm is perfectly suited to these dry conditions, and it all adds to the sky's spectacular saturated colours.  Nothing beats sitting somewhere cool overlooking a waterhole, listening to the African Fish Eagle, the thunder of hippos vying for space, while quietly sipping a gin and tonic.

Our journey took us all the way to the south of the Park where we exited and joined friends at the very exclusive Mjejane Game Reserve near Malelane. Situated on the banks of the Crocodile River, Mjejane Game Reserve is one of South Africa’s premier reserves and the only residential estate that boasts a private bridge into the Kruger National Park. Positioned on the Kruger’s southern boundary between the Malelane and Crocodile Bridge gates, the reserve boasts 10 km of spectacular river frontage and is fenced into the Kruger Park.  We enjoyed two guided trips, which Precious found a treat; no backseat driving from me, and he could relax while our guide did all the talking.

We lazed in the pool overlooking a waterhole, sipped cocktails on the deck, slept in comfortable beds and enjoyed the luxury of air conditioning.  On the downside, to cross from one park to the other, a toll must be paid, although not too expensive at R300.00; we found it excessive, especially since we were there for a week.   The drive to the Malelane gate is trouble-free, but the wait and inefficiency of the systems at all the Kruger gates for day visitors left one feeling miffed.  On one occasion, we waited in a queue for 2 hours before we could present our Wild Card.   Although staff at the gates were all friendly, cool, calm and collected, it must frustrate them too.  Even on public holidays, at most of the gates only two computers were working.  

The daily distance we had to travel to enter the park left us no option but to stay there all day. However, not what we're used to, it allowed us to venture into the rest camps; there we made use of the upgraded facilities and enjoyed the food and beverages from the restaurants, many of which are now franchised, e.g., Mugg and Bean, Wimpy, Spur, and Cattle Baron. 

The Park shops are very well stocked with an enormous selection of almost anything you might need.  The fresh produce is fresh, and the frozen goods look appetizing.  I enjoyed browsing and admiring the souvenirs and even bought a book or two, a T-shirt to post, and a beaded bracelet.  Once again, it was a pleasure dealing with all the staff, who were knowledgeable, well-trained, friendly, and helpful.

We weren't lucky enough to see a leopard fall out of a tree, nor a lion kill, but we did see creatures great and small and enjoyed them all.

Side note: there are plenty of pensioner specials on the Parks website!  This is the one time I don't say how old I feel when asked.   “You don't stop laughing when you grow old, you grow old when you stop laughing.” ― George Bernard Shaw. 

We were in Jock of the Bushveld country; Sir Percy Fitzpatrick must sleep peacefully too, as the earth where he travelled with his beloved Jock has remained very much untamed.  It's comforting to know that not all the world is our playground.

“... fortune is not in time or place or things; but, good or bad, in the man’s own self for him alone to find and prove.” 

― Percy Fitzpatrick, Jock of the Bushveld