By this Author: MAd4travel

APRIL - MAY 2023

A four hour flight west from Melbourne deposited us in a cool and damp Perth. This was the start of a new adventure with our good friends Glenn and Guylaine.
Glenn picked us up from the airport and drove us to their apartment in the Perth suburb of Peppermint Grove. An evening of catching up was followed by a tour of the neighbourhood the next morning.

Peppermint Grove Surfer Beach

Peppermint Grove sculpture park

It was then time for our road trip to explore the south west of Western Australia. With Glenn and Guylaine’s car loaded with luggage, food and two bicycles we headed south out of Perth. First stop was the village of Jarrahdale where Glenn left us and started cycling a section of the Munda Biddi trail (3) to Dwellingup where we would meet up again. Anne, Guylaine and I drove onto Dwellingup, and after a tasty lunch in town, checked into our rented cottage. The cottage was very comfortable and in a gorgeous location. The rest of the day was spent in the garden watching birdlife and waiting for Glenn to arrive from his 75km cycle ride. Dinner in our spacious cottage completed a great first day.

Australian Ringneck Parrot

Sliver Eye

Rosella

Rufus Whistler

The cottage was conducive to relaxing, which is what Anne needed following her bout of Covid, so getting motivated to go out was difficult. Our first full day was overcast and a bit chilly but we did manage to leave the cottage for a walk around the surrounding area and Glenn went further afield on his bike.

A bright blue sky and sunshine greeted us when we awoke on the next day, motivating us to be more active. By mid morning we were in the car on our way to Lane Poole Reserve to hike the Chuditch Loop. Once parked we crossed the Murray River (not the big one in Victoria) and began an undulating walk through the forest. For the most part, the four of us had it to ourselves, bar a few birds that would appear then disappear just as quick. Towering Jarrah trees lined either side of our route together with the unusual grass trees. This enjoyable walk was completed in around three hours by which time we were all hungry and ready to return to the cottage for food.

Fan Tail

Grass Tree, endemic to Western Australia

Chuditch Hike Scenery

The following day’s weather was even nicer and a bit warmer. Glenn & Guylaine had a bike ride planned so Anne and I decided to explore a stretch of the Bibbulmun Track (1). This stretch runs from close to the cottage and off into the nearby forest, following a rail track. Other than a couple walking their dogs we had the forest to ourselves, but this didn’t enhance our chances of seeing wildlife which was noticeably absent. A very pleasant walk though.

Tourist Forest Train

Our Cabin Dwellingup

It was now time for a new location and after a failed attempt to visit a local market we started the drive south to Quinninup. After a couple of stops en-route to stretch our legs and passing through numerous town with names ending in “Up” (2) we arrived at the nearby town of Manjimup. It was here we had lunch and bought provisions before driving the short stretch to complete our journey.
Quinninup is a tiny hamlet with a pub and a few properties scattered amongst the forest trees. Our accommodation for the next four nights was a rustic cabin set in woodland about 50 meters from the road. Not quite as comfortable as our cottage in Dwellingup but with everything we needed. It even had a group of Kookaburra’s as a welcoming party. After settling in, we took a short walk around the surrounding area, seeing a female Western Grey Kangaroo and her youngster on two occasions.

Kookaburra

Another Kookaburra

Ringneck Parrot on the cabin veranda

Roo family

Not far from our cabin is Karri Lake and the location of our first day exploration hike. As we walked down the access road the sun began to appear from behind the clouds and the day warmed up from then on. The notice board at the start of the circular walk warned of venomous snakes in the area. This, however, didn’t put us off as they should be hibernating by now. Our route hugged the shore line and weaved through the surrounding Karri Tree forest. Although the bird life was sparse the light on the lake was beautiful. Back at the cabin we met up with Glenn and Guylaine who had just return from their bike ride. Glenn climbed back on his bike and embarked on another section of the Munda Biddi (3) in the afternoon, whilst the rest of us chilled out around the cabin.

Karri Lake

Karri Lake

Karri Lake

The nearby Warren National Park drew our attention for the following day’s activity. A thirty minute car ride got us to the start of the trail deep inside the park. Our trail ascended and descended several times as weaved though an ancient Karri forest (4) (some of the trees are over 200 years old) before arriving at the Warren River. Here we rested before re-tracing our steps back to the car park. Lunch and food shopping in the small town of Pemberton completed our morning. The rest of the day was spent around the cabin and a night walk in the local forest when it got dark.

Gloucester Tree, once a fire lookout, 61m high, now a tourist attraction

Night Sky

Our last day in Quinninup followed a familiar pattern. Glenn headed out to cycle another section of the Munda Biddi whilst the rest of us went for a local hike. Although not far from Karri Lake the scenery was quite different for our chosen walk in the Orchid Forest. Plenty of tall karri trees but more spread apart giving a much more open environment. We searched for orchids as we followed the trail but found none, concluding it was the wrong time of year. However, this did make us look more closely at other flora and felt we benefitted from that.

Orchid Walk

Red Ink Sundew, carnivorous plant endemic to Western Australia

Banksia Seed Pods

The afternoon was spent relaxing at the cottage and the evening presented a nice surprise. Just as we were about to go to bed I spotted a female Western Grey Kangaroo (5) and her Joey right outside our bedroom window. She seemed quite relaxed so we crept out onto the balcony and for a time were no more than a few meters away from her. She accepted our presence for a few minutes before bounding of into the bush.

Night Visitor

It was now time to move on once again. Next destination was the small town of Walpole on the southern coast of Western Australia (see part b).

Observations & Interesting Facts

(1) The Bibbulmun Track is a long-distance walking trail in Western Australia. It runs from Kalamunda in the east of Perth to Albany on the southern coast, and is 1,003.1 kilometres long. The name comes from the Bibbulmun, or Noongar an Indigenous Australian people from the Perth area.

The Rainbow Snake (giver of life in Aboriginal culture) is the Bibbulmun Track symbol

(2) Many suburbs and towns in Western Australia end in the suffix 'up', such as Dwellingup, Manjimup and Quinninup which means place in the Indigenous Noongar language.

(3) Running almost parallel to the Bibbulmun Track (1) is the The Munda Biddi Mountain Bike Trail. This is a long-distance, mostly off-road, cycling trail that runs for over 1,000 kilometres from Mundaring to Albany. The completed Munda Biddi Trail opened end-to-end in April 2013 when it claimed the title of the longest continuous off-road cycling trail of its kind in the world. The name Munda Biddi means "path through the forest" in the Noongar Aboriginal language.

The Munda Biddi Mountain Bike Trail symbol (Path Through the Forest)

(4) Karri trees, which are from the Eucalyptus family, grow up to 90m tall. This makes them the tallest tree in Western Australia and one of the tallest trees in the world. Karri have a long straight trunk with smooth bark in shades of pink, orange, grey and white.

Karri Trees

(5) There are four species of Kangaroo. The Red, is the largest marsupial in the world. A Red male kangaroo can grow to over 2 meters tall and weighing as much as 90kg. They can be found in arid and semi arid part of the country. The Western Grey is smaller with a large male weighing around 54kg. They can be found in the southern part of Western Australia, South Australia & the Murray-Darling Basin. The Eastern Grey occupies the eastern side of the country including Tasmania. Finally, the Antilopine Kangaroo occupies the northern part of the country and has a unique characteristic of swollen nostril passages. This allows more heat to be released whilst residing in the hot and humid climate.

APRIL 2023

It was now time to leave our comfortable beach house in Apollo Bay and start a new adventure. That is all bar, Nikki, who had to return to Melbourne for work.
The rest of us, which included Neil & Steve, were about to start a road trip into the outback. But before we turned inland there was more of the Great Ocean Road to explore.
Just under 70km west of Apollo Bay is Wreck Beach, our first stop. After navigating the gravel road to the carpark there were 350 steps to descend before we reached the Beach. An almost deserted sandy beach greeted us at the bottom of the cliff with just one set of footprints revealing we were not the first visitor today. The beach is only accessible at low tide and its main draw is the iron work left stranded on the rocks following numerous ship wrecks over the years. We investigated the anchors and other metal remains, enjoyed the solitude and then made a hasty retreat back up the steps before the incoming tide cut us off.

Remains of ship wreck on the beach

Anchor on the beach

A further 26km west along the Great Ocean road was the next point of interest, the Twelve Apostles. Rising abruptly from the tempestuous Southern Ocean, these seven limestone stacks (the ocean has already devoured five of them) are one of the main attractions along Great Ocean Road. A viewing platform is accessed via a shop and souvenir complex and provides a great view of these outcrops sitting a few hundred metres out from the current coastline.

The ramaining of the 12 apostles

These natural wonders were not the only bit of entertainment for our visit. A little bit of commotion erupted close to shop complex and two park rangers were at the scene. Soon we were witnessing a skilful remover of a large Tiger Snake (fifth most venomous in Australia) before it attacked an over inquisitive tourist.

Tiger Snake captured

Tiger snake safely bagged to be released in a safe place

It was now time to finish our first day’s journey so we progressed to the overnight destination of Port Fairy. Once installed in our three bedroom apartment we went to explore this very attractive little coastal town. Our walk took us passed many period buildings and out to the Moyne River. We followed the river passing waterfront properties until we reached some old fortification at its mouth, then hunger kicked in and we searched out somewhere for dinner.

Moyne River

The previous day had been bright and sunny but we weren’t so lucky for day two. Periodic showers and constant threat of something heavier was with us all day. A 600km drive north to the town of Wentworth lay ahead of us, but before that we had a visit to a UNESCO World Heritage Site called “Budj Bim”.
Located about 50km north of Port Fairy, Budj Bim consists of a lake and surrounding forest. A local, but now extinct, volcano formed the landscape over a hundred thousand years ago. It is estimated that the area had been inhabited by aboriginal people (1) for many thousand of years before white settlers forceable took there land. Fortunately, those same white settlers did not destroy all of what the legitimate land owners had left behind and today it provides a window into Australia life 6,000 and more years ago.
Getting protection for this site wasn’t easy. It took constant petitioning from aboriginal tribal leaders over many years plus the support of UNESCO to get where it is today.
A long driveway bordered by gum trees, with a few Koala’s and a couple of Wallabies to welcome us, brought as to a carpark and an impressive visitor centre. A boardwalk led from the visitor centre out into the adjacent lake filled with bird life. Shortly after our arrival we started a tour of the site. The tour was conducted by a local aboriginal guide and was one the most informative and interesting we have ever had.

Budj Bim Center

Budj Bim Lake

Eel Tank at Budj Bim

Our guide explained that his people had lived on this land for many thousands of years with the most recent structures dated some 6,600 years ago. They lived in stone and wood houses, constructed to provided comfortable shelter for all weathers. They lived on eels from the lake plus fruit and veg from the forest. They operated a system of aquaculture, harvesting eels using eel traps, only taking what they needed when they needed them. A few of these traps and houses still survive for us to see. We learnt about the lifecycle of the eel, the lake’s formation and how the local people lived and traded all those thousands of years ago. What was particularly fascinating was how sophisticated and sustainably they lived back then.

The remaining foundation of an aboriginal dwelling

Budj Bim eel holding pond where the aboriginal trapped the eels

For the rest of the day we were on the road heading north. Brief spells of sunshine were dwarfed by constant rain sometimes heavy, but mostly showery. The terrain changed as we progress with tree covers becoming more sparse. Finally, as the light faded we reached our destination and after a quick bite to eat we retired exhausted to bed.

Silo art on the road to Wentworth

Only a three hour drive lay ahead of us the next day so the start was more leisurely. We had time to visit the confluence of Australia’s two longest rivers. The Darling and Murray where they meet at Wentworth.

Confluence of the Murray and Darling Rivers

It was then onwards north to our next location of Broken Hill. Pretty much a straight road into the outback. The terrain was much more desert like now, with trees only growing near a water source and small shrubs covering the rest. Massive trucks use this road 24 hours a day transporting ore from the mines in the north, hence the road kill was numerous. We punctuated our journey with a couple stops, both times to be amazed by the unusual sight of standing water in this part of the country. Torrential rain further north a few months earlier had allowed dry rivers to flow and even created a lakes.

Desert Water after heavy rain fall

Our car for the trip

Road to Broken Hill

Broken Hill Street

Neil had visited here many times and became our town guide, a role he had been playing all through the trip with his constant flow of interesting facts. Especially those relating to renewable energy and the output of wind and solar farms we passed on the road.
Broken Hill also provided us with our most luxurious accommodation of the whole trip. We had rented a 1911 church that had been converted into a house with the most upmarket fittings you could imagine. This made leaving our very comfortable surrounding more difficult each day.

Outback Church, our accommodation

Inside the Outback Church

We had two nights in Broken Hill which gave Neil the chance to show us all of his favourite places.
In the centre of town we visited two galleries displaying the work of local artists and the Palace Hotel where a famous scene from “Priscilla the Queen of the Desert” was filmed.

Art Gallery display

The Palace Hotel

The Shoe from Priscilla Queen of the Desert

Away from the centre we visited the mine that made the town famous (2), a vast solar farm generating massive amounts of clean energy and a little piece of desert that had been set aside as a sculpture park.

Solar Farm

Broken Hill Mine (BHP)

Desert Art

Then there were the more unusual attractions.
Camels played a big part in Australia’s transport history, initially being imported from the middle-east and central Asia. With them came their Afghan handlers together with their islamic religion and the need for a Mosque. Tucked away in what is now the suburbs is the first Mosque constructed in the area. We meet the curator there and were given a very interesting and entertaining history of Camels, their handlers and islam in Australia.

The Mosque in Broken Hill

Inside the Mosque

Again tucked away in the suburbs we visited an old ice cream cart, originally owned by Badsha Mahommed Gool. On 1 January 1915 a fatal incident took place on this spot, known as the The Battle of Broken Hill. Two men shot dead four people and wounded seven more, when they attacked a train taking picnickers from Broken Hill to Silverton, before being killed by police and military officers. The attackers were both former camel-drivers working in Broken Hill. Badsha Mahommed Gool, was an ice-cream vendor, and his partner Mullah Addullah, a butcher and local imam. The attackers left notes connecting their actions to the hostilities between the Ottoman and British Empires, which had been officially declared in October 1914.

Ice Cream Cart

During the previous day, reports were coming in of Cyclone Isle which would hit the north west of Australia that evening. It would then push a band of heavy rain across the country over the next day or so. Therefore it wasn’t a surprise when we awoke to find the sun had disappeared and light rain was falling. Although it was a wrench, we had to leave our luxurious accommodation in Broken Hill and move on to our next location of Silverton.
Silverton is only about 30 km up the road from Broken Hill so it gave us time to visit the Indigenous market before we left. Having watched some traditional dancing, bought some local art and sampled a Kangaroo Hot Dog, it was time to leave.

Traditional Dance

By now the rain was getting harder and dampening down the normally hot and dusty landscape. The roads around Silverton had turned from dust to mud but still drivable. We visited the local reservoir and a view point but with both under sodden skies we didn’t linger long. An undercover tour of the Mad Max museum was our preferred activity for early afternoon followed by lunch at the local cafe.

On the road to Silverton

Silverton Main Street

Outside the Mad Max museum

Inside the Mad Max museum

Silverton is small settlement with no more than around 50 permanent residents. It gives you the impression of an American wild west town with a handful of buildings surrounded by a barren landscape. The centre piece is the Silverton Hotel which would be our accommodation and dinning option for the night.

Silverton Hotel

On the horizon, a wind farm could be seen, albeit shrouded by the now heavy rain, with over 20 turbines rotating in the wind. Neil was one of the main instigators in getting these colossal structures built and was recognised immediately when we walked into the hotel. The owners (Peter and Patsy) greeted him as a friend as did others during our stay. Drinks before and after an early dinner were the order of the day, plus guitar playing and singing as the alcohol took hold. We left the party earlier and missed the arrival of a large Australian Tarantula, which Patsy swiftly intercepted and put in a jar of methanol, before it could cause anyone harm. We heard the story at breakfast the following morning and saw the results as the pickled spider sat in a display jar alongside other trophies of dangerous visitors.

Inside the Silverton Hotel

Australian Tarantula captured that day

Deadly collection at the Silverton Hotel

Wind Farm at Silverton

Although the sun was now shinning it had rained heavily all night. This had caused a burst of greenery and pockets of standing water that hadn’t been there the previous day.
We didn’t delay in leaving Silverton as we had a four hour drive in front of us. Our next destination was Lake Mungo the significance of which is explain below (3). We had booked a tour for 16:30, a dinner reservation at the lodge in the evening and tented accommodation over night. The excitement grew as we got ever closer, that was until we turned on to the access road and met with a sign stating our road of choice was closed. We phoned the help line hoping to find another route but were informed that the heavy rains had made all the dirt road to Lake Mungo impassable.

Road Close to Lake Mungo

It was now around mid-day and our bed for the night had been cancelled so we needed a new plan. After deliberation we decided to push on to the town we had planned to visit the following day. Echuca was a further four and half hours drive south but it still seemed the best bet. We managed to organise accommodation en-route and rolled into Echuca as darkness set in and nearly nine hours after we had left Silverton. On the plus side we had a bed for the night and would have more time to enjoy the area having arrived earlier.

Although a little jaded from our long drive the day before, we were keen to make the most of our stay in Echuca. After breakfast Neil left us as he had to return to work. Whilst we, together with Steve, set about exploring the town. A walk along the river bank and through the historic dockland area was followed by a Paddle Steamer cruise along the Murray River. The cruise lasted for an hour and included commentary on the history of the town and river (4). We passed bridge pillars that indicated the flood levels achieved over the last 100 years or so. The height seemed unbelievable and surely would have flooded much of the town on many occasions. The Murray River reached heights in 2022 not seen since 1916.

Echuca 2022 Flood level

The Murray River paddle steamers

Echuca Moama Bridge with lever of flood water recorded

Echuca Old Pier

The afternoon was spent shopping and transferring from our hotel room to another luxurious property for our two remaining nights in Echuca.

The plan for the next day was to explore the surrounding area.
We started with a morning visit to the Kow Swamp in the Gunbower National Park. A large shallow lake full of bird life. This was followed by an excellent steak lunch in a local hotel, but not before we engaged in conversation with a local fisherman. A conversation about the local area that was both interesting and informative.

How Swamp

Brown Falcon with lunch in his talons, a little bird

For the afternoon our destination was the Barmah National Park. Late afternoon is the best time to see wildlife so we timed our departure accordingly. The plan worked and we were treated to some amazing Kangaroo and Emu sightings, even if the bird life was a bit sparse.

A Roo

Grey Kangaroos aka Roos

Emus

Trentham Falls

We completed our stay in Victoria at Neil & Nikki’s place in Port Melbourne (See Australia 2023 P1 for details).

Observations & Interesting Facts

(1) Being an ignorant westerner I was interested to know how to correctly refer to what is generally known as Aboriginals. I didn’t like this term and felt it may be derogatory. What better way to find out than to ask our Budj Bim guide, who was from the Gunditjmara Aboriginal people. He said, although opinions may differ, he was happy to be referred to in any format - Aboriginal, First Nation, First People, Indigenous or Black Fella’s. What he said was important was that they were noticed and treated the same way as all other Australians.

(2) BHP the massive mining conglomerate stands for Broken Hill Proprietary’s who rich history began in a silver, lead and zinc mine in Broken Hill. Incorporated in 1885, BHP engaged in the discovery, development, production and marketing of iron ore, copper, oil and gas, diamonds, silver, lead, zinc and a range of other natural resources.

(3) Mungo National Park is a protected national park of 110,967 hectares, that is located in south-western New South Wales. Mungo National Park is the traditional meeting place of the Muthi Muthi, Nyiampaar and Barkinji Aboriginal Nations. People are no longer able to climb the sand dunes by themselves as stricter rules have been enforced, all visitors groups need to be accompanied by an accredited tour guide to access the sand dunes.The national park is part of the UNESCO World Heritage listed Willandra Lakes Region. The Mungo National Park is noted for the archaeological remains discovered in the park. The remains of Mungo Man, the oldest human remains discovered in Australia, and Mungo Lady, the oldest known human to have been ritually cremated, were both discovered within the park. They were buried on the shore of Lake Mungo, beneath the 'Walls of China', a series of lunettes on the South eastern edge of the lake. (courtesy of Wikipedia)

(4) Echuca, Victoria State, is on the confluence of the Murray and Campaspe Rivers. The border town of Moama is adjacent on the northern side of the Murray River in New South Wales State. Echuca lies within traditional Yorta Yorta country. The town's name is a Yorta Yorta word meaning "meeting of the waters”. At Echuca, the Murray River is at its closest position to Melbourne which contributed to its development as a thriving river port city during the 19th century. In 1850 an ex-convict named Henry Hopwood purchased a small punt to ferry people and goods across the Murray River near the Campaspe junction. The small settlement known as Hopwood's Ferry grew to become the town of Echuca. By the 1870s, Echuca had risen to prominence as Australia's largest inland port and railway junction. Paddle steamers would arrive at the 332-metre long redgum wharf, were unloaded by hydraulic crane, and the goods then transported by rail to Melbourne. Wheat, other grains, livestock, and timber were the most common commodities transported to Echuca. The expansion of the railways from Melbourne to most parts of Victoria, as well as improvements to roads and fickle river conditions all combined to lessen Echuca's importance, and by the 1890s the paddle steamer fleet was in decline. An economic depression and the collapse of several banks virtually ended Echuca's role as a major economic centre, and its population began to disperse.

MARCH 2023 - APRIL 2023

A misty morning taxi ride got us to Heathrow Airport then Qantas Airlines took over our transportation to Australia. Sixteen, mostly sleepless, hours in the air got us to Perth. At least it was direct, and in fact, currently the longest direct flight offered by any operator in the world.
Although it had been raining, it was now dry and a lot warmer than the UK. Our hosts for the night picked us up at the airport and brought us to their very comfortable B&B not far from the airport. A bit of flight recovery was our first job. Once the day began to cool, we took ourselves out for a stroll in Gravey Park, next to the Swan River. It was good to stretch the legs and the park was full of bird life, which added to the enjoyment.

Stick Insect crossing our path

Walking in Gravey Park

The following day consisted of more travelling. This time we were crossing Australia from Perth in the west to Melbourne further east. We arrived in a wet Melbourne and were greeted by our good friend Neil. Once the bags were collected he whisked us off to their place in Port Melbourne and to a lovely meal prepared by his partner Nikki. For the next three and a bit weeks we would be staying with Neil and Nikki, either at the house in Port Melbourne or their one in Apollo Bay, punctuated by a road trip.

On our way to Melbourne

We had arrived in Melbourne at the same time as the Australian Grand Prix. As the circuit was only a short walk from the house, Neil and I thought we would attend the qualifying day, which happened to be on our first day in Melbourne. Anne and Nikki had no interest in joining us and instead did their own thing. We then joined up in the evening for a Greek meal.

Day two in Melbourne started very early for us. The jet lag was taking its toll and as we were awake we decided to go out and see the sun rise from Port Melbournes Princes Pier. Well worth the effort.

Sunrise over the commercial port

Port Melbourne Prince's Pier at Sunset. It's what remain of the 580 metre long historic pier, it was known as the New Railway Pier until renamed Prince's Pier after the Prince of Wales who visited Melbourne in May 1920

As the day was turning out rather nicely we all thought we would take a stroll after breakfast. A walk along Port Melbourne’s sea front was our chosen destination and we joined many others enjoying the autumn sunshine. The day was completed by a delicious late lunch at a local brewery.

Day three, four and five had a similar theme, as we hoped on to the tram to explore Melbourne’s city centre. The short tram ride from Port Melbourne deposited us into the heart of the city and from there we did our own self-guided city tour. During this time we covered most of the main attractions and were particularly impressed by the Sandridge Pedestrian Bridge over the River Yara.
Years ago in a previous incarnation, the Sandridge Bridge transported thousands of new arrivals from Station Pier to Flinders Street Station and new lives beyond. This is now commemorated by some impressive steel sculptures but what makes it special and very informative are its side panels. Each glass panel represents an originating country and lists the number of Melbourne and Australia immigrants together with where their journey started.

Melbourne High Rise

The Sandrine Pedestrian Bridge

Melbourne Federation Square

ACDC Lane in Melbourne

Melbourne Old Tram

Having collected our hire car the previous day we were now ready to change locations. Neil had already left to pick up his brother Steve from the airport by the time me, Anne and Nikki had loaded the hire car ready for the trip. Our destination was Apollo Bay, where Neil & Nikki have a beach front house.
The first section of the journey was pretty un-interesting as it consisted of motorway. But once we left the motorway and joined the Great Ocean Road it became much more interesting. The Great Ocean Road hugs the coast from south of Melbourne all the way down to Apollo Bay and beyond. The road undulates from beach level to high above the cliffs, all the way providing magnificent views, albeit a bit hazy for our journey.
We arrived around lunch time and once fed and watered we were ready to explore the beach in front of Neil and Nikki’s house. Pizza and beer at the local distillery followed by a relaxing evening in this beautiful house completed the day.

Ocean Road scenery

Scenery along the Great Ocean Road

Apollo Bay House

The weather forecast for our stay in Apollo Bay was not good, and as predicted, the next day we awoke to a rain filled sky. Rain showers were ever present for the duration of our stay but this didn’t dull our enjoyment or prevent us from doing things.
Firstly the house was beautiful and a great place to escape the worst of the weather. Then the beach was right on our doorstep so convenient for a walk between the showers. Plus the town of Apollo Bay had its own charms and even some galleries to look around.

View from the house in Apollo Bay

Low tide at Apollo Bay beach

Rock pool treasure at low tide

Having said all of the above we did get some good weather and were able to have some great trips out during our stay.
One prolonged period of sunshine drew us to a location high on a hillside above the town. This was called Mariners Lookout and afforded a magnificent view of the bay stretched out below us.

View over Apollo Bay from Mariners Lookout

A short drive west of Apollo Bay is the Great Otway National Park. Through it runs the Great Ocean Walk (110km walk starting in Apollo Bay) and because of that has a number of well maintained trails. On our first visit to the park we entered on the eastern edge and followed the Elliot River Loop. A beautiful trail through giant eucalyptus trees eventually emerging on the coast where the Elliot River empties into the Ocean. However, a nice walk wasn’t the only reason for our visit, this is a perfect environment for Koala’s and we were incredibly lucky with our sighting. We spotted several sleeping in the trees but the most special sighting was meeting one on the ground, moving from one side of the forest two the other.

The koala or, inaccurately, koala bear, is an arboreal herbivorous marsupial

Koala on the move

Rare sighting of a Koala on the ground

Koala up a tree, where they are generally found, which means walking looking up if you want to spot one

Elliot River emptying in the Great Southern Ocean

We returned to the Otway National Park the following day and entered a bit further west at Maits Rest Rainforest Walk. This area has never been logged so the trees are much older, ferns much larger and with a Jurassic Park feel to it. Elevated walkways protect much of the fragile undergrowth and dedicated paths keep tourist off the rest. The area is also renowned for the very rare Carnivorous Black Nail, which we were able to locate two of them.
Another visit to the Koala area of the park on the way back was rewarded with further very good sighting of Koala. A pleasant coastal walk finished the day.

Otway Black Snails are carnivorous, eating insect larvae, earthworms, slugs and other snails

The Otway Black Snail with a shell measuring only 28mm (the pinky finger nail if you have a small one)

Tree Ferns are older than Dinosaurs

Maist Rest Rainforest Tree Fern

Sleeping Koala, they can sleep up to 20 hours a day

Beach next to the Great Ocean Walk

Elated after an amazing road trip we arrived back at Neil and Nikki’s in Port Melbourne. The focus was now on party preparation. Neil likes to celebrate his birthday in style with each year having a different theme, this year it was the Blues Brothers.
However, the preparation didn’t get off to a good start. Anne, Neil and Steve hadn’t been feeling on their best form for a few days towards the end of the road trip. By the time we got back to Port Melbourne Neil and Steve seemed to be on the mend but Anne’s cough and sore throat had got worse. We decided a visit to the doctor would be the best way to speed up the recovery but this wasn’t possible until she had taken a Covid test. To our surprise she tested positive, to our greater surprise so did I, even though I felt very well and had no signs of the virus. All this prompted Neil and Steve to test as well, who also returned a positive result. Nikki had been shielded from us over the past few days and thankfully tested negative.
A plan was hatched that Nikki would vacate to an AirBnB nearby, to avoid catching anything, whilst the infected one’s would make party preparation in semi-isolation. The Covid rules in Australia required infected people to isolate for between 5 to 7 days after the first signs of illness, beyond this period they were unlikely to be infectious. Based on the first signs of illness, Steve, Neil and I would be safe to attend the party whilst Anne would have to stay in her bedroom.
Four days later the party went ahead as planned. All the furniture was removed from the downstair of Neil & Nikki’s Port Melbourne house and replaced by Blue Brothers paraphernalia. Large quantities of alcohol was purchased, food for around 50 guests was prepared and Anne baked an enormous Victoria Sponge Cake. Around 18:30 a five piece band arrived followed by a constant flow of guests. An evening of music, dancing, socialising, drinking and eating then followed.

Before the Guests arrive

The Cake!

The Blues Brothers Party aka Neil's Birthday Party

Brushtail Possum (not to confuse with the Opossum they are found in the Americas)

The days before and after the party were spent either assisting in the party preparation, taking time to recover from the effects of Covid or enjoying shoreline walks.
One location we couldn’t resist visiting is an area with the same name as our home town, called Brighton Beach. Its just a few kilometres east of Port Melbourne, so a comparison was a must. The first thing we noticed was the row of beach huts, it definitely had that in common. The beach however was quite different, no undulating mounds of pebbles but smooth white sand instead. The water was also much more blue and I am sure a lot warmer, although we didn’t test it to see.

Brighton Beach Australia

The Canberra class is a ship two landing helicopter dock (LHD) ships built for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), 230.82 meters

It was now time for Anne and I to move on. We thanked Neil & Nikki for their wonderful hospitality and took an Uber to Melbourne Airport. Next stop Western Australia.

JUNE 2022

Although we said goodbye to Rob in part 1 of our South African adventure we welcomed two more friends almost simultaneously. No sooner had we dropped Rob off at departures we were joined in the hotel by our good friends Carole and Olivier. They had just completed a lengthy journey. First they flew from Montreal, Canada to London, England. Then after a long lay over, from London to Johannesburg, South Africa. They were a bit jet lagged but had enough energy for a couple gins and a bite to eat in the pub next to the hotel before retiring to try and get their body clock sorted out.

The next day was a long drive south, from Johannesburg down to the Drakensberg Mountains. The scenery was fairly flat and uninteresting for the first part of our 4 hour trip but as we got closer to the mountains it improved considerably. This was the first time Carole and Olivier had been in South Africa so everything was a new experience. The first of those experiences was our shop en-route for groceries.

Getting ouf Johannesburg, 4h00 of not so interesting scenery

On the way to the Drakensberg

Once we left the main road for the final few kilometres to our accommodation, just outside Winterton, the road condition deteriorated. Still tarred but with massive potholes. Avoiding them was a challenge, made worse when not following a local who knows the road.

Local road in the Drakensberg

Home for the next six nights was a delightful cottage, just outside the town on Winterton and with great views of the mountains. We had stayed at the cottage before so everything was familiar and just as good as we had remembered. This is winter in South Africa so it wasn’t a surprise to see snow on the top of the mountains (see Drakensberg Mountains below) which contrasted with the warm sunny conditions we were enjoying below.

Our Cottage in Drakensberg

View over the Drakensberg from our Cottage

Everyday was warm and sunny, which gave us the opportunity get out and explore.

Hiking in the mountain foothills occupied three of those days. The fresh mountain air and beautiful scenery made us feel good and provided an excuse to indulge in the local food and drink afterwards.

Giants Castle section of the Drakensberg

Sterkspruit Falls walk

Beer tasting

Drakensberg Scenery

Monk's Cowl hike in the Drakensberg

The rock on the left side is the Monk's Cowl

When not hiking we would investigate other attractions the area had to offer, museums, art & craft galleries and local markets. On the Sunday we had a Braai at our cottage, a typical South African thing to do. Beautiful cuts of meat with fresh vegetables, washed down with Savannah Ciders.

Firing up the Braai

The Old 19th century shop who is now a museum

Step back in time a the re-creation of a local shop

One of the non hiking days we visited the local town of Winterton. An experience that exceeded our expectations.
We were first welcomed to the town by the car minder, as he directed us to a vacant parking space in the high street. He then assured us the vehicle would be safe under his watch, hoping to be rewarded for his work, which he was.
Across the street was the Post Office, the main reason for our visit to the town. The postmaster was very helpful and somewhat entertained by the number of postage stamps we needed to purchase. He enquired where we were from and hoped that we would return to his establishment soon. It was heart warming to see how proud he was of his Post Office and the service he offered, something that is rare these days. Even if the postcards took six months to arrive.

High Street Winterton

On leaving the Post Office we spotted a little shop selling Biltong. Biltong (see below) is a favourite snack in Southern Africa and as Carole and Olivier had never tried it, this seemed the ideal opportunity to introduce them to it. Inside the shop there was a vast array of flavours to choose from and the shop owner kindly explained each of them. Following a sample tasting we left with a selection to munch on.

Biltong selection

Biltong Shop

Next stop on our Winterton tour was at the museum. Another warm welcome was offered on our arrival and the curator seemed very pleased to have foreign guests once more. Spread over two floors with some larger items outside, the museum documented the history of Winterton and the surrounding area. Photo’s, documents and artefacts bought the whole thing to life and was fascinating to look around.

Winterton Museum

Winterton Museum

What was meant to be a short stop in Winterton ended up taking a couple of hours. By this time we were hungry and thirsty so a short drive to a local farm restaurant was called for.

As mentioned earlier, this was the first trip to Southern Africa for Carole and Olivier and to my mind it wouldn’t be complete without going on safari. So with this in mind we altered our itinerary to incorporate this. The only problem was we weren’t in the right part of the country to achieve this. Having assessed our options we decided our best bit was to return to the Kruger National Park.

The distance from the Drakensberg to the Kruger was too far to comfortably do in a day so we decided to overnight on route. Our plan was to get the bulk of the journey done on the first day which would allow time to travel to the Kruger and an afternoon in the park on the second.

The small town of Carolina was our chosen destination for the overnight stop. Nothing there of note except for a comfortable Bed & Breakfast to stay at. We arrived in the late afternoon and after a bit of relaxation went out for dinner.
Our hosts at the B&B had informed us that there was only one restaurant in town so that is where we went. Coalers Restaurant and Pub was just off Carolina’s main street accessed by an alleyway. We parked outside and assessed our options. On one side of the building was the pub, with music pumping, fruit machines flashing and full of cigarette smoke. On the other was an empty room full of tables and chairs. We choose the latter and entered. This was obviously the restaurant as used cutlery and crockery still lay on the tables. A lady quickly appeared, showed us to a table and cleared up the mess left by the previous diners. At this stage we didn’t know what to expect but as the evening progressed we were treated to a very pleasant dining experience. Our waitress, who had obviously had a hard day, soon relaxed around us and became very welcoming even teaching us some Zulu phrases. The chef ran the kitchen on his own and served up some very tasty food, which we washed down with beer and cider. An unexpected but very enjoyable evening.

B&B in Caroline on our stop over from Drakensberg to Kruger

The Coalers Pub Menu (not to share)

The following day, after a hearty breakfast, we were back on the road again heading north towards Hazyview. Hazyview would be our access point into the Kruger National Park and we had three nights booked on the same estate we stayed with Rob.
By early afternoon we had unloaded the car and dinned on the veranda of the accommodation. We were now ready to go on safari. The excitement was building as this was Carole and Olivier first African safari and I always love going on safari. Unfortunately that excitement soon turned to disappointment when we arrived at the entrance gate. A sign reading “No entry, park quota reached” was what we were greeted with, the first time ever we had not been granted access. However, we turned that disappointment to renewed vigour and went back home to plan our safari’s for the next two days.

It had not been light for long when we awoke the next morning. We had planned an early start to ensure entry to the park and were pleased we had, when we joined a queue of cars at the park entrance. It took almost an hour to get in the park but once in the wait was worth it. It was a beautiful day and the wildlife was plentiful. We spent the whole day watching wildlife, only breaking for a late breakfast at Skukuza Camp.

Central Kruger

Cape Vulture

Oxpeckers on a Giraffe's back

Spotted Hyena and Pup sharing a meal

Spotted Hyena finshing breakfas

Spotted Hyena mother feeding her young

Lioness on the prowl

Impala

Lilac Breasted Roller

Gaggle of Oxpeackers

African Squirels

Nile Crocodile

Elephants

Buffalo herd crossing

Filled with enthusiasm the next day was more of the same, albeit in two different locations. Another early start and another good morning’s wildlife watching. We then returned to the cottage for lunch and to wait for our afternoon/evening activity to start.
We wanted Carole and Olivier to experience a night drive and as we couldn’t self drive in the Kruger after dusk, we booked one with a private game reserve. Our choice was the Sabi Sands Game Reserve which has an unfenced border with the Kruger National Park. Around 14:00 we were picked up from our front door and driven into the Sabi Sands reserve, about an hour and a half by tarred and dirt road. Once in the reserve there was time for refreshments before the game drive began. We were joined in an open safari vehicle by four Americans, which made a party of ten when you added the driver/guide and a spotter perched on the front. Wildlife spotting for the first two hours was enjoyable but not that notable (for us as seasoned safari goers).

Driver and spotter on our night drive

Bateleur's Eagles

Elephant rear end

However, just before dusk the excitement levels rose considerably when three White Rhino’s, a family of mother, father and baby, were spotted amongst some bushes. We ventured over to get a better look and spent around 15 minutes in their company before they disappeared out of sight.

White Rhino

It was now getting dark and time for our sundowner so we parked under a tree, disembarked and had our sundowner drink. A nice sunset even if the catering wasn’t up to the usual standard.

Sunset

If the late afternoon drive hadn’t been that spectacular it was all about to change as night fell. Firstly, we were almost joined on our sundowner experience by a Spotted Hyena that was out on recognisance. He or she glanced over at what we were doing before continuing on, passing about 10 meters from the back of the vehicle.
Back in the vehicle we didn’t have to wait long for more excitement. Negotiating a narrow track through long grass we came upon a Leopard out looking for a spot of dinner. Unsurprisingly our company was not welcome and it disappeared into the long grass a few minutes after being spotted. We searched with spot lights but it wasn’t going to hang around for our pleasure.
Still buzzing from the Leopard sighting, news came over the radio that a male Lion was chilling out by the side of the road not far from us. We raced to the location and joined two other groups parked a respectful distance from the Lion. He didn’t seem to mind the company and continued to doze while we attempted to take photo’s. After a while he needed to stretch his legs, just in case the girls needed his assistance in the evening’s hunt, and strolled off roaring to announce his presence. We all followed until he settled down again. He still didn’t seem to mind our presence, which couldn’t be said of the Impala which made a hasty retreat when we all turned up. In all we probably spent about 30 minutes in his company before leaving him in peace.

Lion on the move

Lion at Night

Lion

After that sighting we all felt it couldn’t get any better, but it did. Almost back at camp we came across another Leopard. This one was bigger and bolder than the last, and tolerated us for some while as we followed it along a narrow path. Eventually, enough was enough and it disappeared into the undergrowth.

Leopard

Leopard

Surely that was the end of the excitement for the night, but no. With the camp lights looming in the distance another Spotted Hyena crossed our path. It disappeared in to the undergrowth but not before we got a good look.
With so many sightings at the end of the day we were late back to camp but we hadn’t missed our dinner, which had been delayed for our return. A beautiful meal then followed before we met up with our driver for the return journey back to the cottage.

Even now the excitement was not yet over as we met a herd of Elephant by the side of the road. We cautiously tried to pass only to be sternly told to back up by an ear flapping matriarch. We duly did as requested, soon finding out what had annoyed her. The kids were still on the opposite side of the road and we were not allowed to pass until they had crossed. We waited a few minutes until all were present and correct, then was permitted to continue our journey. What an amazing evening.

The following day was a bit subdued after the excitement of the previous night. Added to it being our last day in South Africa and other than a bit shopping, the only activity for the day was the drive back to Johannesburg Airport. The drive complete and the hire car returned, all that was left was to board the plain for the flight back to the UK. On the bright side, Carole and Olivier were joining us on the flight and would spend a few days with us before returning to Canada.

Personal Observations & Interesting Facts

Mode of Transport
We hired a Nissan X-Trail with 4x4 option for the entirety of the the trip. This gave us enough room for 4 adult, luggage and provisions. The 4x4 mode wasn’t needed but we were pleased to have the safeguard.

Weather
In the Drakensberg we had no rain. Most days were sunny with temperatures ranging from mid 20’s C during the day and circa 2-6 C at night.
In the Kruger & Hazyview it was sunny every day and a little warmer than in the Drakensberg.

Drakensberg Mountains
The Drakensberg is the eastern portion of a mountain range known as the Great Escapement, that stretches northwards up as far as the Limpopo Provence. In KwaZulu Natal, where we were staying, the Escarpment reaches its greatest elevation of almost 3,500 meters. It also forms the border between South Africa and the tiny country of Lesotho. In fact Lesotho occupies the plateau on top the Drakensberg Mountains and is completely surrounded by South Africa. Waterfalls tumble down the sheer cliffs of the Drakensberg and form many important rivers in South Africa. One of these is the second highest in the world. The Tugela Falls has a total drop of 947m and is only surpassed by Angel Falls in Venezuela with 979m.

Local People
Meeting local people allows us to better understand the country we are travelling in. Although we don’t seek out interaction we encourage it when it is offered. Although almost all conversations are informative and interesting, some individuals leave a greater impression than others.
The Postmaster in the small town of Winterton who was so proud of his Post Office and so pleased he could deal with our postcards for us. He even asked us to call again when we were next in the area.
Then there was the lady making baskets. Her shop front was a bus shelter at the side of the road which also doubled up as a workshop were she created her baskets. It was also her child care centre as she had two young children to look after as well. Her work was of the highest quality and priced very reasonably, so we were happy to buy a few to bring home. Although a bit shy to engage in conversation we did have a brief chat and she was very pleased with our custom.

The Weaver workshop

Basket Art Gallery

Biltong
Biltong is a form of dried, cured meat that originated in Southern Africa. Various types of meat are used to produce it, ranging from beef to game such as ostrich or kudu. The cut may also vary, either fillet of meat cut into strips following the grain of the muscle, or flat pieces sliced across the grain. It is related to beef jerky in that they are both spiced, dried meats; however, the typical ingredients, taste and production processes may differ. The word biltong is from the Dutch bil ("buttock") and tong ("strip" or “tongue").

MAY/JUNE 2022

Having signed off as full time travellers in 2021 we are in the process of reinventing ourselves as part time travellers. Our initial plan was to get this new lifestyle underway in 2022 but we soon realised that this was in conflict with our plans to renovate our house. Therefore a staged approach has been adopted. House renovation will take priority in 2022 and the new part time travelling lifestyle will be launched in 2023.
However this is not to say we won’t be leaving these shores in 2022, it will just be not so regularly.

Which brings me to the start of this new adventure. A taxi from Hove and a flight from London Heathrow deposited us (Anne, me & Rob) to the warm winter sun at Johannesburg International Airport, where our latest South African adventure was about to start. But not before we had completed the entry formalities, which were well organised and reasonable swift. The lack of foreign tourist obviously helped, but even with the Covid checks we were soon through immigration and ready to collect our hire car.
With the paperwork completed and in possession of our hire car keys we headed north along the N1 and into the Limpopo province. A fairly flat landscape gradually turned more mountainous as we approached our first stop of the day. We had chosen the town of Polokwane and its “Mall of the North” for lunch and to shop for provisions. Then with bellies and shopping trolleys full we continued our journey, this time east and further into the mountains, passing the strangely named town of “Nobody”.
Finally, high up in the Magoebaskloof Mountains we turned of the main road and continued along a dirt road that cut its way into the Woodbush Forest. Somewhere along this “road” was our accommodation for the next five nights. Our host had said the accommodation could be accessed by a saloon car but we were very relieved to have 4x4. However, the bumpy journey was worth it, our palatial villa with stunning views was idyllic.

Veranda at our villa

Bedroom 1 in the villa

Inside the Villa

We had five nights and four full days in the Magoebaskloof Mountains and spent each day exploring the area. Generally the weather was warm and sunny each day, which evidently hadn’t been the case the week before.
We broke ourselves in gently on the first day with a look around our nearest town, Haenertsburg. A quaint town at the bottom of the mountain pass with a few shops and restaurants. We started with a bit of shopping then retired to the outside dining area of a charming restaurant for a late lunch.

Haenertsburg main street

The next few days followed a regular pattern. We would start with a leisurely breakfast on our veranda with just the forest and bird life for company. Then head out for our daily hike. Each day would take in a different terrain. The mountain foothills one day, into its dense forest another and a combination of the two in a local botanical gardens. They all were very enjoyable with their own charm. We either had rolling hills and forests laid out in front of us or we were immersed in those very forests, so dense the sky was barely visible.

Breakfast on the Veranda

Relaxing on the Veranda

View over the Magoebaskloof Foothills

The Haenertsburg circuit hike

Some muddy part of the circuit

Funny on the walk

Botanical Garden in the winter

Forest hike in the Magoebaskloof Mountains

Forest hike in the Magoebaskloof Mountains

Scenic view over the Magoebaskloof Mountains range

By mid to late afternoon our activities were normally complete and we would return to our villa in the forest. There were many reasons not to stay out later. Firstly, we wanted to enjoy the villa and its surroundings. Especially the visits from a troop of rare Samango Monkeys, which are endangered and not found in many parts of South Africa any more, together with its varied birdlife. Secondly, the forest road to the villa wasn’t easy in the daylight so avoiding it in the dark was a priority.

Knysna Lourie

Knysna Lourie

Samango Monkey outside our Veranda

Samango Monkey

Samango Monkey

From the mountains we drove east and into the Kruger National Park. We had booked a cottage in Letaba camp in the more northernly section of the park. The cottage was comfortable and had views down to the Letaba River just a short walk away.
Each day we would head out into the park to explore the surrounding area and see the wildlife it supports. Although we had some amazing sightings the animal population in this part of the park didn’t seem so plentiful as we had experienced further south. Maybe they were there but the thick foliage blocked us from seeing them. South Africa has had good summer rains this year, which they were in great need of, which meant the foliage was very thick and very green.

Sunset at Letaba Restcamp

Lilac Breaster Roller, in total, it has around 8 colours: green, white, black, yellow, turquoise, dark blue, reddish-brown, and lilac

Grey Hornbill

Waterbuck,crocodile and lion avoid preying on waterbuck because of their unpleasant smell

An elephant trunk has up to 40,000 muscles

Klipspringer :this pint-sized rock hopper can jump onto a spot the size of an Oreo cookie.

Impala

One thing we hadn’t encountered before in the Kruger was having a flat tyre. Fortunately the tyre stayed inflated enough to get us to camp and they had a garage that could perform a repair. In fact because the hole was so big we needed a second repair when the first started to leak. The second repair still leaked a little bit, but did the job and got us through the rest of our stay in South Africa.

Tyre repair

Tyre repair

Tyre Repair

Repaired Tyre

On the forth day we traveled through the park to get to our next destination, the small town of Hazyview. And what a day. We probably had the best wildlife sightings we ever had in the Kruger, which included amongst many others, Spotted Hyena, Lions, Leopard and Wild Dog. What also enhanced the pleasure was that the park wasn’t as busy as usual, far fewer foreign tourists.

Oliphant River

White Crested Helmet Shrike

Grumpy Yellow Billed Hornbill

Zebra are closely related to horses but they are not the same species

Oliphant river view from Olifant Restcamp

Zebra grin

Elephant have 4 toenails at the front and 3 at the back

Giraffe towering above the trees, world tallest mammals

Baobab Tree, probably over 2000 years old due to its size

Giant Kingfisher

Southern Ground Hornbill , The adult male has an extensive brilliant red face and throat wattle. Prey can include rodents, snakes, lizards, frogs, bird eggs, nestling birds and insects.

Hippo mummy and baby, look at the front of the mother

Male Ostriches . A group of ostriches is called a flock. Flocks can consist of up to 100 birds. The most we saw at a time was 4

Giraffe are at they most vulnerable when drinking. These 2 after hesitated for 10mn decided it wasn't safe enough and left

Southern Ground Hornbill. They are only 1500 left in the world , all in South Africa, the species is classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List.

Spotted Hyena pup. they Live in social territorial group call Clans

Natal Spurfow, used to be called Natal Francolin but change name due to it's spur claw

Hyppo - as a group called a Pod of Hyppo

Spotted hyenas - Hyenas are not members of the dog or cat families. Instead, they are so unique that they have a family all their own, Hyaenidae

Leopard in the shade

Hazyview is a sub-tropical farming town renowned for its large banana and macadamia nut industries, contributing about 20% of South Africa's bananas and 30% of macadamia output. It’s located just west of the Kruger National Park, and at the foot of the Blyde River Canyon massif. The town's name is derived from the shimmering haze that occurs during the heat of summer.

During our stay we split our time between exploring the Blyde River Canyon area and day visits to the Kruger.

Access to the Blyde River Canyon area requires a steep drive out of Hazyview up a mountain road, avoiding the many large potholes and past the numerous banana plantations. Usually this takes about 30 minutes, but during our stay the journey was substantially longer due to road works en-route. Although designated as road works the hold up was for rock blasting. Many of the rocks in the cliff above the road had become dangerously loose during the summer rains and needed to be dislodged before they fell on any passing motorist. We queued in an open mountain tunnel with other motorist, most of them got out of their cars which created a bit of a social event whilst we all waited patiently. This unusual event caught the attention of a group of vervet monkeys who briefly came to investigate what was going on.

Blasting the road warning

Waiting for the blasting to be completed

Road after the blasting

Once clear of the hold up we were able to continue to the top of the canyon. Blyde River Canyon has many natural attractions and we are fortunate enough to have visited most of them on previous occasions. However, two of our favourites hadn’t been visited by Rob, so these were the ones we selected.
First stop was Graskop Gorge. Situated at the bottom of sheer cliffs and fed by an impressive waterfall is a pristine sub-tropical forest. Originally almost inaccessible it can now be reached via a lift. The bottom of the gorge is a nature reserve where we followed a circular boardwalk to explore the indigenous flora and fauna. The boardwalk provides access to the thick foliage as well as protecting it from foot traffic. Although only small, there was enough to see to keep us amused for an hour or so.

Scenic from the lift down to Graskop Gorge

View over Graskop Gorge and waterfall

Lift down to Graskop Gorge

Boardwalk at Graskop Gorge

Having extracted ourselves from the gorge and taken lunch in the town of Graskop. We proceeded out of town to our second stop: the Graskop Pinnacle, a 30m quartzite tower protruding up from the valley floor and fringed by the dense forest of the Driekop Gorge. The tower was covered by brightly coloured aloes which is a major attraction for the bird and insect life in the area. Cliff top platforms provided us with panoramic views and good photograph points. There were no other tourists so we had the place to ourselves, which made exploring even more enjoyable.

Pinnacle View

Of course they had to beyond :-)

In addition to some shopping in Hazyview, we managed to fit in two day visits into the Kruger National Park. As is usually the case when on a self drive safari, the wildlife sighting were variable. You can spend a lot of time driving around without seeing anything of note and then your luck is suddenly in. Which was the case on these two days. Amongst the memorable sighting were a large pack of Wild Dog (Painted Wolf), Spotted Hyena and our first ever sighting of Civet.

King of the road

Lions chilling out next to the road in the Kruger

Close encounter of the furry kind. I had to use my mobile phone , it was so close my zoom wouldn't work

Flying Vulture

Painted Wolf: They only have four toes per foot - other dogs have five toes on their forefeet.

Cape Buffalo

Mum and pups cuddling and feeding time

Spoted Hyena and pup

Painted Wolf are critically endangered but numbers are improving due to conservation efforts

Wild Dog or Painted Wolf, their scientific name is Lycaon pictus – which translates directly as painted wolf and reflects their mottled caramel and brown fur

studies have shown that hyenas kill 66-90% of what they eat and when it comes to the actual hunt they are extremely versatile and successful hunters

African Fish Eagle

Bee Eater

This pup is probably no more than 3 weeks old

African Civet have an omnivorous diet includes carrion, rodents, birds, eggs, reptiles, frogs, crabs, insects, fruits, and other vegetation. Poultry and young lambs are sometimes taken.

African Civet and young,Despite their cat-like appearance and behaviours, the African Civets are not felines at all but are in fact, more closely related to other small carnivores including Weasels and Mongooses

African Civet. A nocturnal animal, this is the first time we had a good sighting of it

Young Spotted Hyenas with very young pups

It was now time to drive back to Johannesburg airport and say goodbye to Rob. His holiday was complete and he needed to fly back to the UK and return to work. A straightforward journey with some nice scenery to begin with, then turning to a less interesting flat area full of mining operations. It also completed the first part of our stay in South Africa. We had an overnight hotel stay at Johannesburg airport before continuing our travels south (see South Africa 2022 - Drakensberg & Kruger).

Personal Observations & Interesting Facts

Covid-19 in South Africa
During our stay in South Africa we found Covid-19 restrictions were still in place. Before entering any public indoor area you were required to sanitise your hands and wear a face mask at all times, except if you are eating in a restaurant. This was not an issue and seemed very sensible as the virus is still with us and vaccination rates amongst the South African population is lower than ours in the UK.

Pronunciation
We struggled with the pronunciation of the region for our first stay so we asked a local how to say it. Magoebaskloof is pronounced as Ma-huber-klouf.

Mode of Transport
We hired a Nissan X-Trail with 4x4 option for the entirety of the trip. This gave us enough room for 4 adults, luggage and provisions. The 4x4 mode wasn’t needed but we were pleased to have the safeguard.

Our wheels

Weather
In the Magoebaskloof Mountains were lucky to have very little rain, it had been very wet the week before we arrived. Most days were sunny with temperatures ranging from low 20’s C during the day and circa 5-10C at night.
In the Kruger & Hazyview it was sunny every day and a little warmer than in the mountains.

Local People
Meeting local people allows us to better understand the country we are travelling in. Although we don’t seek out interaction we encourage it when it is offered.
Although almost all conversations are informative and interesting, some individuals leave a greater impression than others. During this part of the trip two stand out amongst the others.
People of the small town of Haenertsburg seemed very proud of the environment they lived in and went to great lengths to encourage us to explore the mountains paths around them. Details of where to go, where to park and then enquiring how we enjoyed it, helped us plan the activities during our stay. A waitress took the time to help us pronounce the name of the mountains (see above), even though our attempts were poor and it delayed her.
Then there was Alec at the tyre repair shop in Kruger’s Letaba Camp. Dedicated to get our tyre fixed using only the most basic tools and materials, which initially didn’t fill me with much optimism for success. His workplace was a concrete slab and his tools were basic, looked on their last legs and stored in a plastic shopping bag. Yet he had faith in his ability and equipment and did a job that would see us through the rest of the trip. Even when the first fix wouldn’t hold, our second visit didn’t phase him. He just doubled the size of the hole plug and reluctantly took a small payment, claiming he should have fixed it on the first occasion. We left the camp feeling very grateful for his help and wished we could have done more to show our appreciation, if I could have called in at a hardware store I would have bought him new tools.

Tyre repair