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Singapore stopover en route .. Brisbane to Johannesburg RSA. 9th August 2019
Drakensview Self catering Lodge, Winterton RSA. Our first stop after leaving Johannesburg, where we over-nighted , and collected our 4 x 4 Hire vehicle.
Drakensburg Mountains, Winterton RSA
Clouston War Cemetery ( British ) near Colenso .. Boer War
British Guns original position in Colenso town
The N3 from Estcourt to Durban.. ABNORMAL is equivalent to LONG Vehicle in Australia
Howick Falls
Arriving at Durban from Johannesburg
Durban beach front area
A Durban Pier, one of many. Sand advertising.
Durban Beach
Tugela River mouth .. North of Durban
Driving North on the N2 near the Richards Bay exit
Ndlovu Beach, St Lucia Estuary
Msitu Kwetu Lodge , Hluhluwe ( pronounced Shluhluwe )
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Hluhluwe - Imfolozi Game Reserve, Memorial Gate ... entrance gate
Orange Breasted Bush-Shrike
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White Rhino
Cape Buffalo
Park Lookout..large sections of the Park had been controlled burned to foster new growth for next season..mosaic burning
Our Vehicle in foreground
White Rhino mother and baby
Zebra next to vehicle
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Long Crested Eagle
Thorny Bushes , so typical of Africa
Nyala, Male
Crested Barbet
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Driving back from the Game Reserve to Hluhluwe lodge...for our second night there.
Emdoneni Bushlands Cheetah Conservation Park, just near Hluhluwe town. Had a guided tour.
Tour Guide.. " Ross"
Cheetah
Serval
Caracal
African Wild Cat
Turnoff N2 to Golela Border Post
Leaving RSA to eSwatini ( Swaziland)
Golela Border Post into eSwatini ( name changed from Swaziland in 2018 by the King).
No money changed hands, very easy and quick , staff polite.
Into eSwataini-- a big sugar cane growing country. The mountain range forms the land border with Mozambique
Only has 4 International flights per day .. all from Johhanesburg. A huge waste of money by the King
Sebebe Rock, near the Capital City ..Mbabane. It is the largest Granite Monolith in the world, and the 2nd largest monolith of any type, after Uluru
Restaurant on top of Sebebe Rock. Had a nice lunch there
Royal Swaziland Casino and Resort
Friend's house where we stayed at Simunye, eSwatani
Sign on road into Simunye town
Giraffe near the above sign on the road
Entrance into Hlane Royal National Park , Simunye , eSwatini. Our 4 x 4 in view
Water Buck, Male
Impala , Female
White Rhino
Nyala, Male
Waterhole viewing area
Hippo
Simunye - a Sugar Town
Approaching the Border Gate leaving eSwatini and entering Mozambique... the Namaacha Gate
Entering Mozambique area at the Gate. The corruption there was ridiculous...cost us a bit of money in bribes. Took one hour to pass through
Glad to get through the Border crossing...our first sign of Mozambique .. a country previously gripped by War for years , and it shows. A 3rd World country trying to get back on its feet
Namaacha District Government office -- run down
An abandoned ex Portuguese owned shop along the road in Namaacha town. Now run down and dirty
After Namaacha , driving to the Capital city of Mozambique, Maputo
Roadside Charcoal sellers are common in Mozambique
42 Km from Maputo
New Bridge in Maputo, ( connecting Maputo to Katembe )..built by the Chinese. Funded by a soft loan from them.
Maputo Railway Station built 1908..world famous for its architecture
Catholic Cathedral, Maputo. " Our Lady of The Immaculate Conception Cathedral ".
Old Maputo Fort built c 1781
Commissioner of Mozambique Albuquerque 1896 - 1898
The statue was previously located in the main Maputo City Square, but was relocated to inside the Fort after Independence in 1975
Establishment of Portuguese colony ..c 1583. Site called Lourenco Marques, a Navigator. The name was changed to Maputo in 1976 after Independence. This old inscription is locataed within the walls of the Fort
Maputo Market
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112 km to Xai Xai ( pronounced Shy Shy ) on the N1
Roadside stop for lunch along the N1 ... Boiled Eggs and coffee
Bilene Town on the coast. We turned off the Main road N1 to go to Bilene, and then by back road to Xai Xai
Track from Bilene up the coast to Xai Xai
Track from Bilene up the coast to Xai Xai
Limpopo River bridge at Xai Xai
The Limpopo River is the second longest river in Africa after the Zambezi.. 1,750 km in length. It's drainage basin ( pictured ), is 415, 000 square kilometres
Arriving at Xai Xai
Chongoene Beach near Xai Xai.. arrived late afternoon
Sunrise next day at Chongoene Beach Resort
Front of Resort House we stayed in.. called "Casa Corne" by the staff
Rear of House.. a steep 4wd sandy track up from the beach
Good Surf .. Indian Ocean
Abandoned old Chongoene Hotel Resort complex about 1km up the beach from our house ... it closed in 1975 when the Portuguese had to leave Mozambique in a great hurry..within 24 hours of being told to leave, and with only 20kg of luggage.
Xai Xai town shops
Leaving Xai Xai along the same road. heading inland . Destination.. Massingir ; to the North West
Limpopo River, crossing back over
On the N1... most village shops in Mozambique are Red in colour
Turnoff to Massingir.. our destination for the day
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Road heading North West to Massingir
Rail Crossing
Stopped for lunch on the side of the road further on past Chokwe town
Lunch stop .. the bush was very dry and dusty
Massingir Township
Small Kraal
Normal size Kraal
Village outside Massingir on back road
Covane Community Lodge.. owned by the local community, managed by a white South African couple. Very tidy
Massingir Dam ... view from our Lodge verandah
Nice workmanship of the lodge roofing
On the Massingir Dam wall.. it is 5 km long. Construction of the Dam commenced in 1971 , but owing to a lack of money , and a Civil War , it was not completed until 2007
Entrance to Limpopo National Park, just at the end of the Dam wall.
Entering Limpopo NP, dry and dusty in August. It adjoins the Kruger NP in South Africa.. and the border fences have been removed to allow greater movement of animals
Southern Yellow - billed Hornbill... well camouflaged
Sign Post in Limpopo NP... we entered at Massingir Gate and .. and exited at Giriyondo Border Gate..into The Kruger NP in South Africa
Small Baobab tree with Social weaver bird nests
Check point inside the Limpopo NP
Zebra well camouflaged
Kudu female, inquisitive
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Heading 2
Giriyondo Border Gate, exiting Mozambique and entering RSA ( Kruger NP )
Sliding Border Gate entrance into RSA
Entry sign in Kruger NP
Heading 2
We were heading for Shimuwini Bushveld Camp. The time and distance figures indicate the speed limits in Kruger NP...mostly 30 km per hour
Entered via Giriyondo Gate on 25th August 2019. Stayed at Shimuwini Bushveld Camp...left there early a.m. on 27th August and drove 274 km South to Crocodile Bridge Exit from Kruger.
Wildlife was apparent as soon as we entered Kruger. Zebra and Blue Wilderbeest. These two species seemingly have a close relationship...and are often seen together. Perhaps it gives each a safety in numbers defense.
Warthog and Zebra
Secretary Bird and Zebra at a watering point
Dry Season...man made watering points are life sustainining
We saw large numbers of young animals
A Tsessebe..like a cross between a Horse and a Buffalo. They are an Antelope and are the fastest in Africa.. they can reach speeds of over 90 km per hour.
Termite Mounds between Mopani Rest Camp and Shimuwini Bushveld Camp. Didn't see any Cheetahs sitting on them unfortunately.
Shimuwini Bushveld Camp...located on the Letaba River.
Red-billed Hornbill in front of the Lodge
Dwarf Mongeese in front of the Lodge
Afternoon setting across the Letaba River in front of the Lodge
Afternoon sun baking, Nile Crocodile and feathered friends, in front of the Lodge
Afternoon drink, Impala
Afternoon drink, Water Buck
A Jackalberry Tree..was the only spot to get a Mobile Phone signal at Shimuwini. This tree is also called African Ebony. The tree timber, and fruit are extremely useful. Jackals also like to eat the fruit when it falls to the ground, hence the common name.
Impala Male
A very old Baobab Tree ( Possibly more than 4,000 years old ). Rocks have been placed around the base to discourage Elephants from rubbing the bark off., Near Letaba , Kruger NP
Elephant herd , near Letaba
A " Crash " ( Pod ) of Hippos .. Letaba River
Male Lion feeding on a Blue Wilderbeest, near Shimuwini
Nothing but horns left of a devoured Kudu Male.. near Shimuwini
Sunrise over the Letaba River at Shimuwini Bushveld Camp, Kruger NP
Spotted Hyena , out on a morning walk
Blue Wilderbeest, morning grazing.
Curious Zebra
Spotted Hyena suckling her two cubs in the morning sun, right next to the road
Another Spotted Hyena in another sleeping hole near to the Mother and Cubs.
Our bakkie ( ute) parked on the Olifants River bridge south of Shimuwini..vehicles are allowed to stop on this bridge.. and passengers can alight.. at their own risk.!
A " Tower " of Giraffe out having a morning feed.
Zebra and Impala at a drying waterhole. Late August and waterholes are drying out.
Black - backed Jackal on the move in the morning. They are very hard to see when they are moving through high dry grass. Photo taken North of Satara, Kruger NP
Lion Pride, resting in the midday shade
Satara Rest Camp , Kruger NP
Cape Buffalo
Kudu , male
Kudu, female
Chacma Baboon and Baby.
Leopard resting in shade
White Rhino
Elephant and Wart Hog, just North of the Kruger NP Crocodile Bridge exit gate
Crocodile Bridge Exit from Kruger NP ( at the Southern end of the NP ).
We were fortunate to see and photograph the BIG 5 in our last day in the Park. They were all seen from just North of Satara Rest Camp through to near the Crocodile Bridge exit.. a distance of about 150 km.
The BIG 5 are; Elephant, Rhinoceros , Cape Buffalo , Lion , and Leopard.
Reverie Safari Lodge, Marloth Conservancy, just outside the Kruger NP. The area has a boundary fence separating it from the Park ..and the border consists of the Crocodile River
Impala male, near the Lodge
Looking through the Boundary fence into Kruger NP. A Kudu male and a Saddle - billed Stork in the Crocodile River bed
A Sharpe's Grysbok female at the back of the Lodge
Warthogs at the back of the Lodge. Male on left ( has four Warts ), Female on right ( has two Warts )
Driving from the Marloth Conservancy toward Malelane, and later the turnoff to Witrivier ( White River ). A lot of Banana and Sugar Cane Plantations along this section of road ( N4)
Entering the High Veld region of Mpumalanga Province
We turned off the N4 onto R538.. final destination Graskop, for our next overnight stay
New Macadamia Nut Plantations are being developed..electric fences around the plantations to deter thieves
Hazyview town.. on the N40
Round Hill near Graskop.. a fairly common geological feature in this area . Mpumalanga Province
" Bourke's Luck Potholes ", Blyde River Canyon Nature Reserve, near Graskop.
Lady Dancers at Blyde River Canyon
Lisbon Falls near Graskop
" God's Window ", Blyde River Canyon Nature Reserve, near Graskop
Graskop main street. A pleasant town.
Pilgrim's Rest, a gold mining town, established in the 1870s, and still functioning.
Pilgrim's Rest...a community get together spot
Dullstroom, Mpumalanga Province. The highest town in South Africa. Famous for Trout fly fishing. Quite a trendy town for day trippers from Pretoria
Heading towards Belfast on the R540
Belfast town, Mpumalanga Province. A seemingly dreary place , polluted by mining in the region. Was the location of a number of battles in the Boer War
At Belfast we turned onto the N4 to Pretoria. The smoke pollution was terrible
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Gas Fired Power Station. A lot of smoke pollution in the whole region
Our last night in Africa, Sheraton Hotel , Pretoria, Gauteng Province
Government buildings in Pretoria
Travelling from Pretoria to Johannesburg Airport ( O R Tambo )
Our plane from Johannesburg to Singapore, 31st August ..1st September 2019. It was actually quite full when we boarded, as it originated in Cape Town
Singapore, Rochor Canal
Enjoyed the Tiger Beers
Our Plane for the final leg from Singapore to Brisbane 3rd Sept 2019
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