S African Safari 3. Bush Walk to Olifants River

 

Day two of our safari started early with a bush walk. After arriving late in the Kruger National Park area the day before, yet still catching up with the lions before retiring to bed, I was full of expectation. What will we see today?  The lodge served us a quick cup of tea before we set out and reminded us to watch out for the monkeys.  In our bleary state, we did not notice a cheeky vervet come in through the window before it had stolen a half eaten banana and rusks.   Our party loaded into the open jeep just as the sun was coming up. On the drive toward Olifants River, where we would do our walk, we drove past our first impalas and zebras.  

Both of these are plentiful in the area, and like to graze in large groups for added protection from the lions.  They seem to know when to look out for lions, however, and when they are safe to roam.

Still, we started the walk with a safety talk and two loaded rifles. Hippos are the real danger, as they roam away from their watery homes at night, and do not like being disturbed on their way back.  They literally bite a person in half. 

Fortunately we were able concentrate on some smaller beasts without worrying about the hungry hippos. Our guides pointed out spiders, termite mounds, plants and birds, throwing in some local folklore to spice each up. 

There was a giraffe poop pellet spitting contest, that I politely declined. I did taste the magic guari bush leaves that produce tannin when picked. Elephant dung has a surprising list of medicinal properties I didn't know about and so couldn't miss taking a puff of some smoking dung. 

There was an abundance of hornbills, and a couple of vultures. No animals came near us on the walk, and I suppose they know to keep away. We did see baboons in the distance across the river, but they also gave us a wide berth.  The animals' presence was only evident in the large number of hoof and paw prints in the sandy soil.  The heat was intensifying, and we were happy to find a shady river bank.

We stopped a while to rest, snack and watch the hippos: one mother, with a baby, and other males swimming and clambering up the bank. All the time, the oxpeckers never left their pursuit of parasites on the hippos' heads and back. As the hippo submerged, the birds rose into the air, only to land again on the head when it appeared above water. 

The water was incredibly inviting, and we headed back to the lodge for breakfast and a swim. 

It would be nice to have some down time, to write down and digest what we had seen and learned so far.  At this point one of the vehicles refused to start and they had to send for a mechanic.  The breakfast service was also delayed because of a power cut.

The lodge, ideally situated as it was, was also in need of some repairs. The park was closed a year ago, and tourism stopped completely. Many people lost their livelihoods. No was around to look out for the poachers either, and the rhino population has been decimated. 

This was something we noticed, no one pestered us for money, and no one was overcharging us. This is a simple example of where tourism can help a community economically, which in turn can help the ecology of the area.  I was told that there were no Americans with us on the safari, because Americans like luxury, insinuating that our 'budget' tour was beneath them. I would encourage everyone to come out and rough it a bit, while helping to bring this place, and others like it, back to life.