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In our last few days in
Sodwana we joined our friends Iain and Lea in their timeshare
chalet. We got to go diving with Iain and enjoyed a some
lovely relaxed meals together.
it was great to spend time with friends as it may be a long time
before we meet up with folks we know again.
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Then it was time to head back to the
bush! We chose Mkuze Game Reserve as our first port of
call. The reserve is quite small in size but is home to 66
Black Rhino, many White Rhino and general game such as giraffe,
wildebeest, zebra, impala, kudu, nyala and lots more. They
also boast a large and diverse bird population which had us reaching
for the binoculars regularly.
Mkuze has many hides and platforms where one cam get out of the car
and go and sit at a waterhole as the animals come down to
drink. The terrapins at one waterhole kept us amused with
their antics of climbing on top of one another; always with a
smaller one on top until pyramids of four to five could be
seen.
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Mkuze is also home to a forest of fig trees, huge fever trees (as
shown on the left below) and Umbrella Acacias. We enjoyed a salmon
salad lunch one afternoon sitting underneath the vast branches of
fever trees, while hippos grunted nearby and flamingoes and pelicans
soared overhead. It's so good to be back in the bush!
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When we arrived at our
campsite we found a clump of caterpillars all piled up together in
the cool of the early morning. As soon as the sun took over
from the shade they started waking up and were soon marching off -
nose to tail - in a procession. These processionary
caterpillars leave a strong strand of silk behind them and those
that follow walk along the line of silk. The picture below on
the left shows the caterpillars in their sleepy clump and on the
right is the caterpillars as they start to get into line.
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Here's some more pics. from the waterholes at Mkuze. We then
spent one last night in South Africa in the town of Pongola where we
did some shopping. It's off to the Kingdom of Swaziland
next! Until the next time.....
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Malachite Kingfisher
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Male Nyala
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Marabou Stork
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Highlights:
Best meal: We enjoyed wonderful Barracuda Steaks followed by
Irish Coffees with Iain and Lea - thanks guys!
Best moment: When we got to go diving with Iain (after
years of promising to do it).
Worst moment: The worst thing that's happened is our having
to wait 13 minutes at a section of roadworks (I'm not too worried
about our stress levels at this stage!). Interesting people
we've met:
Our friends Iain and Lea!
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