Mountain idyll

When I arrived the river was in spate and the sound of it was soothing but not so good for the bladder.  The site I picked was in the shade from around 10 am so no need for air-con and of course, in general the temperatures were a lot more bearable.  The town itself is still fairly pleasant but the suburban roads are horribly pot-holed.  There also appears to be a slew of abandoned houses but Merry Pebbles is a gem - even if all the trees are exotic.  A long weekend snuck up on me and the place became quite crowded but nowhere near full as it is massive.

While enjoying sundowners one evening I heard a whump and there lay a small  chameleon, obviously winded and very disorientated.  However after about 10 minutes it got up and moved resolutely towards the trunk of the massive fir in front of the van.  With the jerking gait and a pace that may just beat a snail, I reckon he only made to the lower branches sometime the following day.

The local Spar shop has a large bin labelled Abandoned Pets Bin and I would have obliged except I don't have one.

The shongalolos (millipedes) around here are also quite different with a rather handsome bronze colouration.

No shortage of waterfalls in these parts either, the closest being Lone Creek which features an impressive single drop of 68 m.

Bit of nostalgia in the forest near the falls in the shape of Falling Stars or Crocosmia aurea.  There is a lot of overlap of KZN species in this area which makes identification simpler - when I can remember the names.

A delightful pair of Mountain Wagtails preceded me along the path but even when they stood still it was impossible to get a decent shot - that blasted tail never stops.

Next stop was Horseshoe Falls that necessitated negotiating a pretty horrendous road and were not that spectacular.  It's on private property and I really don't envy the people who live there - unless they only head into Sabie once a month or so.

The surrounding countryside is essentially wall to wall fir trees but most of it is pretty picturesque.  All roads leading to Sabie - and there are 5 of them, are absolutely made for motorcycles and over the weekend the bikers descend in hordes.  Makes me wish I hadn't sold mine.

When I stopped to take this photo I turned and headed back to the bakkie and there on a slope behind it were a raft of Agapanthus inapertus the Drakensburg or Drooping agapanthus.  Just one of the many grassland species losing out to forestry.

Near the highest point of the road to Lydenburg is Long Tom Pass and it was here that the last remaining piece of artillery available to the Boers was used to chuck shells onto the town now known as Mashishing, nearly 30 km away.  I found it even more impressive that these guns were built in a foundry near Barberton just down the road.

More falls, Bridle Veil this time, which in my last blog was flowing a lot more strongly but a close-up was required.

The pool at the base has a large rock which was on the receiving end of the main fall and watching the continuous change in the pattern of the flow caused by gusts of wind was better than TV.  A mini-rainbow was also present and this too shifted and waned constantly.

A path leads around the back of the fall and if you look closely you'll see a couple of guys right behind the curtain.  They're pretty small - look in the wish-bone on the left.

Part of the cliff face features this brick-like structure of exposed sedimentary deposits.

See what I mean about the constantly shifting water and rainbow?

Walking back through the forest I heard a call that I knew but couldn't place.  From the depths of the sludge that is now my grey matter a tiny spark shot forth with Yellow-streaked Greenbul and a few seconds later Robert's confirmed it.  Not bad, as when I worked out when I last heard the bird was probably in Ongoye Forest 25 years ago.  Tried to get a pic but gloomy forest and highly active birds only resulted in bits of branch and foliage, however the internet always provides - ta da.

Went through Graskop on the way to the next local attraction and discovered Panorama Caravan Park and they certainly are not joking - how's this for a pool with a view?  One for the future perhaps.

In comparison God's Window was a bit of a let down.  Noticed something interesting on the path to the view site it was possible to distinguish locals from the hordes of Europeans simply by which side they hugged when passing you.  Europeans right, locals left - seems we are pretty conditioned by driving.

Thought the view inland from the mist-belt forest at the top was better than the view site.

Odd that some of the once well frequented tourist attractions are now abandoned such as this very rare phenomenon of a natural arch which was overgrown, neglected and forsaken by curio sellers

Nearby Sudwala Caves are privately owned and still doing a roaring trade.  Not anywhere near as blessed as Kango they nevertheless feature some pretty unique rock forms.  The dangly bit to the right of the guides torch is a flow-stone which differs from 'mites and 'tites in that it is deposited in layers. One right at the entrance called The Gong emits a boom that can be heard a couple of kilometers away, when given a hefty smack with a rubber mallet.  The stalagmite bottom centre is King Kong with his arm up and about to scratch his head.  As the guide quipped come back in a million years and he may just have achieved the feat.

With a growth rate of 25 mm per century, we were informed that the Colossus on the right was 1.8 million years old.  I started singing Happy Birthday.

I did a few kilometers of the Loeire Trail a 10 k loop that starts and ends at Merry Pebbles and in one section that was mostly indigenous found a butterfly party in progress.  Ever tried photographing these buggers?  Kudos Steve Woodhall, I only managed to get a decent shot of this African Leaf Butterfly (I think) because a) it had the decency to sit still, and b) adopted the flat wing pose of a moth.

Kruger in the rain

In Gauteng everybody's favourite is SANRAL the National Roads Agency who blew billions on upgrades to the freeways just before the World Cup then slapped up automatic toll gates and proceeded to rip motorists off.  The fact that 80%of the population ignores the bills doesn't seem to phase them even though the paperwork probably costs more than what they collect.  The toll gate on the N4 really takes the cake as the freeway ends immediately after they rob you.

Spent a few nights at Hennop's Pride on the banks of the river of the same name and got energetic enough to explore what is actually a massive property.  On a tranquil section of the river came across this little family of Black Ducks who set about paddling away from me as fast as possible.

And this is what the once sleepy little village of Hartebeespoort now looks like.

One thing that the Highveld does really well is afternoon clouds that often result in heavy thunderstorms.

As Kruger offers good pensioners discounts at certain times of the year I decided to wend my way slowly to the Lowveld with the first stop being Loskop Dam between Middleburg and Groblersdal.  On the way there passed Eskom's Medupi Power Station, which is years behind schedule and of course billions over budget. They are trying to regain their reputation by boasting on radio adverts that they have excess capacity and load shedding is a thing of the past.  Meanwhile it is beginning to be more and more obvious that the whole crisis was "manufactured" to benefit a certain Indian family - ho hum.

There were any number of hawkers around Harties selling large bags of fruit that took me some time to recognise.  Sclerocarya birrea better known as marula trees were heavily laden and the fruit, though somewhat lacking in substance, more than makes up for it in flavour.  They tend to drop while green and ripen to yellow and there is nothing quite like popping the whole thing in your mouth and biting through the tough outer skin.  The seed is massive and bears nuts which are highly sought after, while the fruit is used to make jam, beer and of course Amarula Liquour.  Just doesn't do the flavour justice though.

It is also noticeable that not all trees bear fruit because they are either male or female.  And all that hogwash about animals getting drunk is pure myth.  Most of the sequences shown in Jamie Uys' film "Beautiful people" were shot on the game farm of a fellow that I was in the army with and the animals were drugged.

After the dreadful drought it was a pleasure to see some real rain again and though Loskop was low, it was filling rapidly.  I took sundowners to a boat launching ramp and decided to see just how fast by placing a small rock right on the edge of the mirror-like water.  When I left half an hour later it was already submerged and early the next day was at least half a meter down - impressive.

An invasion of minute ants necessitated a trip into Groblersdal to get reinforcements and on the way I came across this.................huh.  Eventually worked out that it was warning of heavy motor vehicles that were obviously doing some weird things on that stretch.

Happened to pass the school and the kids were on break.  First oddity was that the majority were white, second that only the blacks were wearing shoes.

On the way back, ran into this weird looking beastie - Abdim's Stork, a summer migrant and normally in flocks.  Watching it walk, it crossed my mind that it would be very difficult to design a chair for it.  Back at the van I discovered I'd had little grey visitors who'd found their way past the net curtains and nicked me Naks.  Adding insult to injury they didn't even have the decency to bin the empty packet.- mental note, shut windows in future.

The whole campsite was beautifully shady with indigenous trees as it is actually part of a nature reserve but the stand-outs amongst them were the awesome Black Monkey-thorns, Acacia burkei, and yes Mr Boon I know we're supposed to call them Vachellia now, but screw Australia.

There were extensive road works on the N11 with a lot of those aggravating stop/go systems and at the first of these I happened to look back - a most congenial spot.

On to Sabie where mine was the only van in a large resort on the banks of a youthful but exuberant Sabie River.

The weather was wet, overcast and misty for most of my stay but the Bridle Veil Falls were putting on quite a show, even if a long way off across the valley.

In pursuit of sunshine I headed for Kruger for two nights at Pretoriouskop and on an afternoon drive found Ship Mountain lazing in the balmy rays, certainly doesn't look like a ship from here.

Of course most souls are only in Kruger for the big and hairies whereas I prefer the bright and beautiful such as European Bee-eater displaying a whole palette of colours or..........

............... a Roller from the same part of the world flashing electric blue wings when they swoop on prey.

But there are others just as obliging though not quite as colourful, this little Spotted Flycatcher being an example.  The only time they are spotted by the way is when they are in juvenile plumage so am at a bit of a loss as to how the name originated.

Back at the camp a rarely heard noise had me snatching up a camera and galloping after a fast disappearing klomp of Retz's Helmet-shrikes - apologies for the pic the only time they were stationary was well outside the fence.

Spent time in the spectacular pool built around a huge slab of granite and also went chasing phantom cuckoos.  On our last visit, Jo and I missed out on two notable rarities Madagascar and Thick-billed cuckoos, hearing both calling but lacking sightings.  Shortly after her death I revisited both sites again and guess what?  Exactly the same thing.  The Madagascar has since disappeared but I've been back to the Thick-billed stake-out on two other occasions with no success.  Arriving at just after 06h30 I again heard the sod and that was it.  To heck with the bird it was time to hook up with Marion and John in Satara.

We actually arrived at the same time around lunch and I watched in bemused fascination as they went about erecting their three-star hotel that folded out of a trailer.  Very comfortable I'm sure but no air-con and far more PT than I'm used to.  The gentle suggestion that they ought to perhaps get something a little less cumbersome did not go down well, but drinks did and so did the sun, with a tiny crescent moon chasing it.

The next couple of mornings were spent driving around under overcast skies but no rain but with all the water around the animals were far less concentrated.  Did find this little guy who was very interested in us until he found a tendril to munch on.

There was also a lot of this pretty creeper on the sides of the road though I haven't managed to find out what it is yet, possibly a Graderia, any suggestions gratefully received.

We'd both experienced herds of elephants in the south of the park but in the middle section we only saw  large bulls, this fellow heading for a swim...........

............and this one heading for us.  Again apologies for the pics, shooting through the windscreen is never a great success.

We came across Lesser Grey Shrikes on a couple of occasions, both of whom were singularly uncooperative when the camera appeared; so it wasn't till much later that I managed to nab this one while out atlassing.  Not sure why, but grey birds always strike me as being extremely smartly turned out.

Had seen them flying over the camp but on the second evening a couple of Southern Carmine Bee-eaters were obliging enough to land nearby - another riot of colour.

Deciding that the cuckoo was not going to get away with it I returned to the nearest camp Skukuza, not a personal favourite but the camp site was quiet.  Here the Sabie River has grown up quite a bit and by the time it reaches Lower Sabie is a force to be reckoned with.  My first night the heavens opened and it bucketed down and continued to do so sporadically throughout the day.

Over the next three mornings I spent a total of six and a half hours on or near the low-level bridge over the N'swatishaka River hoping for a cuckoo - not even a peep.  Do you know how tiresome it gets answering the inevitable "What are you looking at?"  On the way to the site one morning came across this scrum following two big males as they ambled nonchalantly along the road.  Even Jacob would have been proud of this escort.

And on my last morning this fellow marking his territory with five vehicles following, but me going the other way and no I didn't wind the window down he actually looked like he was going to hop into the bakkie at one point.

The heat and humidity were becoming unpleasant, even with air-con so I headed for the hills and am currently parked on the very edge of the Sabie River again in a huge resort called Merry Pebbles, an absolute delight.