Wildlife – Seite 2 – WANDER OUR WORLD

29. Oktober 20196. Januar 2020

Into the wilderness

Hello, Bonjour and Sawubona from South Africa. It’s been some exciting days during the past time. After getting my 4×4 with a rooftop tent close by the Airport in Johannesburg, I drove straight to Ezemvelo Nature Reserve. I had certainly no intentions to stay any time longer than needed in the big city.

By the time I arrived at the reserve it was unfortunately already dark but everything went fine and the night guard opened the gates for me. At the campsite I spotted a giraffe eating calmly some tree leaves. I build up the tent and was happy to sleep as the jet leg started to kick in. Next morning I could witness a stunning African sunrise with all the red shaded colors you can only imagine, followed by birds, impala, eland and ostriches that made their way towards the waterhole.

Stunning sunrise view from the camp spot

Camping spot at the reserve where I saw giraffes, Impalas, Kudus and ostriches

It was time to move on and head towards Graskop, close by the Blyde River Canyon, where I chose to stay at Graskop Backpackers Valley View for 2 nights. I visited God‘s Window and the Three Rondavels viewpoint that offered a fabulous view over the Blyde river, especially during the late afternoon hours. I took the advantage of the city and went to see a doctor to get my spider / tick bite checked. Apparently, it’s healing nicely but can take over a year to be fully recovered. Nevertheless, I know now that it actually is very likely to be a spider bite, even though I can’t do anything anymore but wait for it to not hurt anymore.
Afterwards, I made my way towards Kruger National Park and entered at Parabowra gate at the east side. Now I am in a malaria-endangered area but I think it’s not yet the crucial time for to get this disease. As we are heading from winter to spring season it’s atcually one of the best time of the year to watch wildlife and I can’t wait what will come accross my way here!

Three rondavels at Blyde River Canyon during the afternoon hour

Close by the entrance I spotted my first elephants drinking calmly from a bassin, followed by giraffes, impala, waterbucks, kudus and birds. I was heading for Letaba Rest Camp, where I wanted to stay 1 night. The hut I was sleeping in was on the front row and very close to the letaba river bed, where I spotted a herd of elephants walking around. It’s looking like this is going to be an elephant paradise.

Elephants coming for a drink to the waterhole

The next morning started with my own game drive towards Ngotso as apparently there should be two leopards mating. However, I didn’t see them, instead I saw some giraffes, ground hornbills and kudus before I stumbled right into a herd of elephants that were very close to my car, crossing the dirt road in front of me. A young bull even tried to mock charge me in my car, showing off his power but then he dedcided he was actually not too much interested in me and went busy eating and following the rest of his friends.

From here I drove back up direction towards Letaba and back down again to do my check in at Olifants Camp for Balule Satellite Camp, a very remote campsite without any electricity. On my way I saw a herd of buffaloes crossing the dirt road just ahead of me, giraffes enjoying the olifants river and elephants taking a mud bath.

Giraffe between the leaves of trees in the beginning of spring time

Endangered Southern Ground hornbill looking for some food

Big buffalo herd before crossing the road in front of my car

Elephants enjoying the much needed rain and mud

At the campsite I was greeted by a curious hyena that was wondering if she could find anything to eat here. The night was full of hyena callings that I could hear all too well from my little roof-top tent.

The dust on my boots and the rhythm of my feet and my heartbeat say… AFRICA!
Vusi Mahlasela

My new lessons learned during my travels around South Africa:

African sunsets are just special – the Three Rondavels in Blyde Canyon are a great spot for a sundowner;
Hyenas are very curious creatures – they can make you feel as you were the interesting object;
Elephants can just appear out of the nowhere – huge but gentle in their own way!

Cheers to wandering the world and the wonders of our lives – bye bye, salut and sala kahle ∞

28. Mai 201917. Januar 2020

31 giants and the deep peace of the wild

Hello, Bonjour and Salibonani from Cawston Wildlife Estate, Northern Matabeleland where I help for about 2,5 months with the horses. During the last few days I did some splendid outrides to new places on the reserve that I haven’t been to yet. I saw so much wildlife from a horse‘s back: a herd of sables with 2 calves, 4 elands, 31 giraffes that were very close and curious, a herd of wildebeests and impalas. Every single bushride has just it’s own magical encounters and I am so very happy to be able to enjoy this journey in the heart of Zimbabwe.

Looking at the wildebeests just behind the trees

I prefer the saddle to the streetcar and star-sprinkled sky to a roof, the obscure and difficult trail, leading into the unknown, to any paved highway, and the deep peace of the wild to the discontent bread by cities. . . it is enough that I am surrounded by beauty.
Everett Ruess

As some of the horses are not fully fit or rideable, I lunge them. Zhovhe for example is a gelding that is apparently not yet fully broken in, so I lunge him with a saddle on and I try to put some weight on him. We will see how it goes for the next few times.

We are still repairing the paddock, remember when I said I am happy if this will be done before end of May (see this blog post) ?.. well.. take your time here. Things are just moving on a bit slower and I definitely get used to it!

During lunchtime, I enjoy myself at my happy place, watching kudus, impalas, bushbucks, warthogs, monkeys and even a waterbuck drinking and playing around the waterhole. I had the amazing chance to spot 19 eland antelopes during sunset hours at my happy place together with some zebras. I haven’t seen zebras at that spot since I came. They usually like to hang out at other places on the reserve. Such a wonderful experience! I really start to love this fabulous reserve with all its great opportunities and epic sunsets.

Eland, impalas and warthogs sharing the waterhole

The last weekend, we hosted a group of bird hunters to shoot some guniea fowls. One morning I could join in and watch them shooting the birds and finding them with the help of plenty of dogs. This was quite an interesting process.

One of the evenings, we prepared a sundowner in the bush for the clients and I drove on my own to the place to bring some food. I wasn’t really sure where exactly the place was and I couldn’t even remember that I ever had been there. So it was definitely a fun drive, where I tried to figure out my way on my own to a place I wasn‘t sure where it is supposed to be.

A couple of times I thought I was lost, but I actually wasn’t because I found the fireplace with all the chairs already prepared after a 25min drive. This night the sunset was just magical with all the pink, orange and red colors the sun could possibly draw into the endless sky. Perfect evening for a sundowner and enjoying the peace of the bush that I had completely to myself as the clients were still too busy shooting some birds.

My new lessons learned while helping in Cawston Wildlife Estate:

Giraffes are so very quiet – especially if you get very close to them, they seem more and more graceful and silent, you can barely hear them.
To get things done in Africa doesn’t take days – always count on weeks or even months!
6 hunters required more than a dozen of helpers – the ratio of staff to clients still amazes me.

Cheers to wandering the world and the wonders of our lives, hope to see you soon – bye bye, salut and lisale kuhle ∞

10. März 201919. Juli 2021

African Adventures

I’m Janine:

Half-French, half-German, I love traveling the globe, exploring new cultures and enjoying the wonders given by our nature. Especially the African continent has my heart and I am mesmerized by its magical beauty. No wonder I have a deep passion for Southern Africa, its’ wilderness, wildlife and landscapes. An astonishingly divers region enriched by breathtaking landscapes, prolific wildlife and ancient culture.

Originally from Germany, my heart wanders the world and admires the Southern African continent. I dream about the African savannah, its vastness, its natural richness and its beauty. Southern Africa is Africa at its very best.

There is freedom waiting for you, on the breezes of the sky, and you ask „What if I fall?“ – „Oh but my darling what if you fly?“
Erin Hanson

That is why I make my dreams come true: 1.) Flashback April 2019: I fly to Zimbabwe, Bulawayo, to volunteer at a private game reserve in the western part of the country. It’s actually not so far from the largest, most beautiful and just the greatest waterfall in the world that I was attracted to during a vacation in the past. Of course these majestic falls soaked my clothes until the last layers. However, a wonderful experience to be this close to the mighty Zambezi river falling into the gorge.

This fabulous country raised a passion and curiosity within myself, leading to a fantastic research of opportunities how I could interact and actively participate within these wonders. Finally, I found this great possibility of equine volunteering program and received the chance of participating for a three-months period. I will surely learn more about horses, African culture and living in harmony with the nature.

2.) Flashback December 2020: Life will take you to where you want if you dare to dream your dreams! I am lucky enough to have found a job in Mother City, Cape Town where I will be working for some time. This new journey starts a bit later than planned due to COVID-19 but it won’t make it any less adventurous at all. My Cape Town holiday back in 2018 showed me that this beautiful city is a place I want to call my home. The stunning sunsets, the fabulous vineyards and all the magnificent hiking trails are just waiting for me to be explored.

South Africa got my heart and didn’t let me down when I was looking for opportunities. Finally, I signed my contract, patiently waited for COVID to make the plans for me and booked my flight to move to the African continent in the midst of a pandemic to enjoy my first Christmas under the African hot sun. Welcome to my adventures!