Here Come the Animals!

Monday morning, 22 Feb, we attended the early morning devotional for the Area Office.  One of the senior couples was going home and they gave farewell talks.  Afterwards, we were given our car and an INSIDE parking spot!  After the devotional and a meeting with the Area Executive Secretary we headed to the Family History Center (FHC) to orient ourselves.  We were given our cards that give us 24/7 access to the Area Offices. Since the temple is still closed (and so is the FHC) on Tuesday, all six of the FH missionaries checked out an 8 passenger van from the Area Offices motor pool and headed off to see Kruger Park.  Africa just doesn't look quite like I had pictured it would; but it is really quite beautiful in some spots and quite barren in others.  They are experiencing a severe drought and the water holes, rivers, etc. are very low - in some cases, the water holes are non-existant.  It took about 4 1/2 - 5 hours to reach the park from Johannesburg so we only had 4 hours left on Tuesday to drive through before the gates closed.  Below, unfortunately in sort of a random order, are some of the pictures Allan and I took.  I took all of mine with my cell phone and some turned out really good.  Within five minutes of entering the park, we started spotting animals.  Just like Yellowstone National Park, you stop where you see other cars stopping.  The difference is that there may only be one or two other cars instead of 50!  Most of the time we were spotting all on our own.

This is one of many, many impalas.  

Spotted hyenas and numerous vultures sharing a delectable meal....

A leopard tortoise

This beautiful guy is a Kudu.  They were fairly plentiful, too.

Another Kudu!

Hippos headed for water!

Hippos in the water!

Same hippos :)

Much better picture of the Kudu - amazing horns!

Another beautiful Kudu...

Lunch :)

These guys are waiting for their lunch ;)

Vervet monkeys!

Baboon having his lunch ;)

They have fearsome teeth!!!

One of many giraffes....beautiful creatures.

The group - from left:  Allan, Linda Coleman, Russ Coleman, Charlene Lee, Brent Lee (Al's brother)!  This was our first night out and we were having dinner .  It was very nice to be sitting outside with lantern light.  This was a place called The Gecko Lodge near the town of Hazyview just outside Kruger Park.

Some of the flora around the Gecko Lodge

Don't know what any of these are called but they were fun to look at.

The swimming pool at Gecko Lodge

Me standing in front of our room.

This plant is very rare - the owner had to have permission to have these!

Same plant - it is a member of the breadfruit family.....

I have to do this before we go home!!!

Hippo grazing

We watched this cape buffalo for quite a while.  We first started watching because we saw a lioness cross the road at this spot and waited for her to come out of the trees.  No luck!  She stayed well hidden.

Cape buffalo

South Africa's version of the Starling!  Called a Cape Glossy Starling.

This bird is called the  Gray Go-Away-Bird - interesting name!

Grey ground hornbill....reminds me of the nasty bird in Rio!

Blue wildebeest

This was interesting to watch.  If you notice, in the water, a small crocodile.  The saddle-billed stork stabbed a fish and the croc took it away.  The stork stayed close by for a long time just watching the crocodile.  When the croc finally took a bite of the fish, he turned back into the water.  Why he didn't make his dinner fish AND stork is beyond me.  The stork showed no intimidation at all.  There were three crocs that we could see.  None of the animals around this water hole seemed to mind at all.

The crocodile took the fish and came out of the water.

Stork is still watching and waiting.  I think the stork was hoping the croc would drop the fish.

More wildebeest - love the baby!

Al found a wildebeest skull and, of course, had to pick it up.  Good thing that the rangers didn't see him get out of the car ;)

Why did the giraffe cross the road?

The trees are greener on the other side, of course!!!

Baboon mom and baby.....

Black backed jackal - very pretty and pretty small.

Baboon, again.

Nyala male with his harem

Second night out we stayed at The Hippo Pools Resort near Hoedspruit, again just outside the park.  We had dinner the night before on the deck behind me - we ordered and got our food 1 hour and 20 minutes later!  Oh, well!!  The company and the conversation were good.

Locals and their crafts at one of the overlooks outside the park.

Now for some scenes of the countryside around Kruger Park.

Brent and I at one of the overlooks.  There were craft stalls up the hill where we parked.  The first woman I spoke with asked me about my badge and asked what church we were from.  I explained that we belonged to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  I asked her if she believed in Jesus Christ and she showed me the pin she was wearing.....she belonged to the Christian Church of Zion.  We "high fived" and then she asked if I had a Bible.  She told me that she did not have a Bible.  I told her I did not have one with me but I would mail her one if she would give me her address.  She was delighted and gave me her address.  I bought a hat from her and we hugged.  We made an immediate connection.....a true sister.  I am excited to send her both a copy of the Bible and a Book of Mormon.  Unfortunately, there are no missionaries in that area, but a seed will be planted.

This area is called the Potholes.

Water is very low right now.

The happy (and I might add "HOT") missionaries.  I was melting in the heat and managed to get a wee bit of sunburn.

Okay!  Allan just had to take these pictures because he thought these were the coolest restroom doors EVER!

Me standing by Nelson Mandela statue in the Nelson Mandela Square.  This is in the center of a HUGE mall with some very exclusive stores.  We were going to dinner with Brent and Charlene and another couple.  The restaurant was very ritzi looking and the service impeccable.  Al and I shared chateaubriand for two.  He had escargots and I had a lovely salad for appetizers.  Probably one of the nicest meals I have had in a long, long time.  This area of Johannesburg is reportedly the most expensive mile in all of Africa!

Why do elephants cross the road?

Beats me!!!

There they go.....

A young impala - I love this picture.

Male impala

This was the lookout for the herd of elephants at this water hole.  In the background you can see a cape buffalo.

Hippos at the same water hole.  There were also Kudus there and when we looked up at the earthen dam at the end.....there was a cheetah, just watching.  My pictures of the cheetah did not turn out.  He was just too far away.  Thank goodness for binoculars.

Zebras - see the little one?

Can you find the Vervet monkey in the tree?

Wildebeest - another baby.

Giraffe.....

Can you see the second giraffe?

Now, to me, this is a classic African picture.  All the animals were searching out shade.  It was really hot!

Mom and baby!

Wart hogs

Back at the Potholes

The end!

We visited the Ward in Saulsville this morning.  Outside the church we spotted these two ladies.

It is very common to see the women carrying things on their heads.  They must really have strong necks!

The temple opens on Tuesday and we will start to work.  The FHC is open Tuesday through Saturday.  We are looking forward to working with members of the church as well as patrons not of our faith.  The people here are warm and friendly and have the most beautiful smiles I have ever seen.