Africa...Here We Come

AFRICA!
WOW!

Yes, we did.  Six weeks in South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, and back to South Africa.   Around Thanksgiving we had arranged to rent a Toyota Hilux double cab diesel camper pick-up with two collapsible tents on top for the three of us: Jim and I sharing one; Steve in the other.  Steve drove on the left side of the roads nearly 6,000 miles beginning near Johannesburg, the mile high city of South Africa.  We picked the truck up our first afternoon and began our grand adventure by heading east towards Kruger National Park where we had reservations beginning two days later.

Our first campsite was in a park outside Dullstroom, the coldest city in South Africa, which we did not realize until the middle of the night.  However, we went to bed with tummies filled with the delights of Mrs. Simpson's chef.  If South African food is this good, we will be really happy travelers.

The first animal we heard in South Africa was a horse munching grass at dawn.  The first animals we saw in South Africa were chickens and sheep.  This shy mama hen did not want her photo taken, but see what she was sheltering...8 babies!

            

We drove by the overlooks of Blyde River Canyon including God's Window.  Blyde River Canyon is the second largest canyon in Africa.  

God's Window is really a slit between the big sections of rock, but the sun was in the position to limit my photography skills.

The view from God's Window opened a vista towards Kruger Park and other private game reserves.

The parking lot was our first glimpse of tourist souvenirs.  Someone told me much was made cheaply in Zimbabwe, and everyone had nearly the same things for sale.  I decided to try to buy directly from the artisans who make the items I chose to buy on our trip.