Kruger Park

The Friday after Thanksgiving I went to South Africa with the Meyers(school directors/couple I live with) and Beverly (Art teacher). We left EARLY Friday morning and headed for Nelspuit, South Africa. It was rainy so we decided to do the grocery shopping on Friday and the park on Saturday. Nelspruit is a small-medium sized town. It is very "westernized" compared to Maputo. We did some grocery shopping and went to the mall. Yes! They have a pretty good sized mall. It was so weird! A bad thunderstorm hit about 30 min. after we got there and all the power went out so the stores closed. The only shop opened was the grocery store b/c they had a generator. We stayed with an old friend of the Meyers. They are South African and run/own a sugar cane farm. It was a beautiful place. It's been in their family for a long time. Saturday morning we headed to Kruger Park. We saw 10 lions! Not at the same time, but almost within an hour. It was a good day in the park, especially considering it was cloudy and rainy. It was a nice way to spend our extended weekend. I enjoyed seeing more of South Africa. It really is a beautiful place. Much cleaner than here in Maputo. The crime rate is rising though. We did not have a problems but it is getting really bad & we have friends who have been robbed. It was weird to be in a place that seemed so modernized, it's easy to forget you are in Africa. But you are quickly reminded where you are when you notice all the guards everywhere, in the stores, in the parking lots, etc. I'm thankful that I don't live in such a "gated & guarded" place back home. That I can walk/run/drive around feeling safe. Of course bad things happen everywhere, but some places are safer than others. Anyways...I had a good Thanksgiving break. I hope you all did too! I was not very "camera happy" but here are a few pics...


MM & Me




Kingfish




monkey




bats!



restaurant we ate at w/ bats on ceiling!



lion xcrossing road



4 lions sleeping



wild dog







was not ready for picture!