Having seen the Battle at Kruger on YouTube, we wanted to go to Kruger to learn how animals co-exist and survive in the wild. Recently, we were fortunate to have had the opportunity to go on an African Safari, which took us through Kruger National Park and Sabi Sands.
We traveled on South African Airlines on a direct flight from JFK to Johannesburg. The food was great and the entertainment was good, considering that we were in economy class and had our own television screens, unlike on a number of domestic US airlines. While en-route to Johannesburg, however, we were faced with the possibility of being arrested upon landing at OR Tambo International Airport as a result of an altercation that we had with one of the flight attendants on the use of the iPhone over international airspace. The exchange between us got louder and louder, with a final blowout echoing through the cabin. The flight attendant, then, threatened us, asking us for our sir name to report to the pilot and the lead attendant. We take it for granted that the rules are the same as over US airspace, but it isn’t so. The use of ‘smart phones’ are not allowed over international waters, even if the airplane mode is turned on and you’re using the device as a MP3 player. We thought, then, about the possibility of having to go to the US Embassy in South Africa and negotiating bail in a country that we were not familiar. The task seemed daunting. To quiet the matter, we apologized profusely to the flight attendant, who apparently got his feathers ruffled during the rather loud exchange that ensued, but who definitely had a ‘self-rightous’ attitude as well.
Upon landing in South Africa, there were a number of natives that wanted to help us with our baggage. We were warned in advance to travel lightly and to ask questions of the authorities only. Generally, it’s customary to tip the natives. However, we were told that this seemingly innocuous act could be misconstrued and cause us to have further problems downstream. The advice was well taken. We got to the Metcourt Hotel without incident. Since we were very tired from the trip, we relaxed at the hotel and for dinner, ate at a seafood restaurant that was quite good. After a good night’s rest, we were picked up in the morning and were on our way to Kruger, stopping at a local eatery for lunch. The drive to Kruger took approximately five hours from Johannesburg, but the countryside that we passed through to get there was amazingly beautiful and seemingly untouched. We read about the beauty of South Africa in novels by Wilbur Smith, but having driven through the countryside, it was much grander than we ever expected.
On arrival at Kruger, there was a certain rush that we experienced. Upon entering the park gates, we were very excited to see the impalas in their natural habitat, grazing on the side of the road. At that moment, it hit us that we were on safari and looking forward to our six days in the ‘bush’. Thirty minutes later, we got to the campsite and checked into a bungalow that we would call ‘home’ for the next two nights. It was quite rustic, yet comfortable. And we loved the thatched roof on these bungalows. We walked the campsite a bit only to find 10 or so vervet monkeys scavenging for food and playing in the nearby tree. These monkeys weren’t afraid and came within a few feet of us in the open. After our brief walk and once we had a chance to clean up a bit, we went on our first two-hour game drive through Kruger, a drive that we were looking forward to since our arrival in South Africa. It did not disappoint!
While on safari, we experienced something unique and at the same time, exhilarating. A herd of elephants, while feeding their young across the river, started to trumpet and make their way towards something that they smelled in the bush. The trumpeting was so loud that it echoed through the bush and caused the earth to tremble. We waited patiently to see what the commotion was all about, only to see the lion pride retreating from the edge of the river. The timid cubs were first to appear, making sure that their parents were following closely behind. The lioness then appeared, and finally, we saw the king of the jungle, the lion king. While it was only a fleeting moment that we saw these amazing animals before they retreated back into the bush, we knew that it would be an amazing six-day excursion.
After arriving back at our campsite, we were treated to a moonlit dinner out in the wild. The chicken stew was delicious and we shared the meal with two travelers from Spain, a couple from the US and the crew from Outlook Safaris. All sated, we were taken back to our bungalow to rest up for our 5:30 a.m. call the following morning.
More to follow….
Leaanneng's Blog 
Leave a comment