Last week, Monday 16 November 2009 was my brother Malcolm's birthday - hope you had a great day. It would also have been our good friend Biddy's birthday - rip my friend you were greatly missed.
Anyway, Liesel (my sister) and I took leave and along with Leanne decided to go to Phezulu in Botha's Hill, the Valley of the Thousand hills. The weather was miserable and drizzling and on arriving up there, it was rather chilly. I thankfully had changed my mind and wore jeans as I would have frozen. It really is quite breathtaking to see all these hills and the mist had lifted in order for us to see so clearly.
We booked to see the cultural show, followed by the crocodile park and finishing off with the snake park. We enquired about doing a game drive but due to the rain on the previous few days they advised that they would have to check to see if the roads were okay and would let us know. We went in to the cultural village where we were taken through two rondavels and explained what happened in there and the tools and things that were used. It was rather stuffy as there was a very smokey fire on the go. I am not sure how the Africans manage to live in places like that with all the smoke - it was quite a relief to get out into the cold, but fresh air. After the cultural talk we went to watch the cultural courting dance having already been told what the procedure was. These dancers are amazing and have so much rhythm.
Then it was in to the crocodile park. This is the oldest crocodile there, I think about 106 years old and weighed over 400kg's.
We saw a variety of different sized crocodiles but I am not going to post those pictures as they are really all the same.
We booked to see the cultural show, followed by the crocodile park and finishing off with the snake park. We enquired about doing a game drive but due to the rain on the previous few days they advised that they would have to check to see if the roads were okay and would let us know. We went in to the cultural village where we were taken through two rondavels and explained what happened in there and the tools and things that were used. It was rather stuffy as there was a very smokey fire on the go. I am not sure how the Africans manage to live in places like that with all the smoke - it was quite a relief to get out into the cold, but fresh air. After the cultural talk we went to watch the cultural courting dance having already been told what the procedure was. These dancers are amazing and have so much rhythm.
Then it was in to the crocodile park. This is the oldest crocodile there, I think about 106 years old and weighed over 400kg's.
We saw a variety of different sized crocodiles but I am not going to post those pictures as they are really all the same.Next was the snake park - uggggg! Hopefully this is the closest I will ever get to a python!!!
At the end of the crocodile and snake parks there is a gallery where they have skeletons etc of the various different crocs and snakes and off course we could not resist in playing around with this dead, stuffed crocodile!!!
Our wonderful guide - Brian, who was very knowlegable and told us all we wanted to know about the crocodiles and snakes. I could not bring myself to hold or even go close to this snake he was holding, even though he assured us it was totally harmless!
After we came out of the crocodile/snake park we were advised that a game drive was going to take place. I went and booked our tickets and then off we went. It was freezing so our guide got us blankets to put over our legs.
We saw a Wildebeest (known as a Gnu).
Some buck and Zebra's.
Mommy Zebra with her baby and it just stayed by her side all the time. Most of the Zebra females were pregnant.
The baby buck, who were jumping around for us. They were practising their bucking and were jumping and bucking their back legs quite a bit. It was really fun to watch.
There were two giraffe who had names, but I cannot remember them. A male and a female.
After our game drive we headed back to the restaurant for some lunch. That story is in the next post. 
At the end of the crocodile and snake parks there is a gallery where they have skeletons etc of the various different crocs and snakes and off course we could not resist in playing around with this dead, stuffed crocodile!!!
Our wonderful guide - Brian, who was very knowlegable and told us all we wanted to know about the crocodiles and snakes. I could not bring myself to hold or even go close to this snake he was holding, even though he assured us it was totally harmless!
After we came out of the crocodile/snake park we were advised that a game drive was going to take place. I went and booked our tickets and then off we went. It was freezing so our guide got us blankets to put over our legs.
We saw a Wildebeest (known as a Gnu).
Some buck and Zebra's.
Mommy Zebra with her baby and it just stayed by her side all the time. Most of the Zebra females were pregnant.
The baby buck, who were jumping around for us. They were practising their bucking and were jumping and bucking their back legs quite a bit. It was really fun to watch.
There were two giraffe who had names, but I cannot remember them. A male and a female.
After our game drive we headed back to the restaurant for some lunch. That story is in the next post.Safari parker signing off ....
4 comments:
Wow Michelle you got some fantastic photos there & you have now told me about another place I never even knew about - Reilly is definitely in for a treat when his next birthday comes around as he loves this kind of thing!
Now that looks quite snug under a blanky whilst viewing natures beauty going by. Lovely photos here.
Hugs
Desire
Some really lovely photos!!!!
Great photographs, loved seeing them
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