Adventures in Kruger Park

Last week we had to deliver Seminary materials to some of our members who were unable to attend the Seminary Training Meeting because they live too far away to come on Saturday and then come again on Sunday  for church.  One of the families lived next to Kruger Park,  the largest wild animal preserve in the world.  We decided that as long as we were that close to the park, we would stop and drive through part of it after we got our materials delivered.  We called the two Elders who didn't have to go to Joburg for transfers to see if they wanted to ride with us to know where these members lived.  They agreed to go.  We packed a lunch and snacks and headed out.

As long as we were at the member's house, we left a message and had prayer with them before we left.  They were very grateful for our visit.  After stopping in town for a bathroom break and a cold drink, we checked the map and got on our way.  Somehow, we missed the road to the gate we were planning to go through.   Although there are several entrances to the park, many of the gates were closed because the rains had washed out bridges and roads.  We ended up having to back track to get to the one we wanted.  We wasted an hour, but were still game for a short ride through the park.  Soon after entering, we saw some wart hogs run across the road.  I think these were the first wart hogs I had ever seen.  We weren't expecting to see animals so soon, and consequently didn't have the camera ready.  By the time we rolled the windows down and turned the camera on, we saw  a very huge elephant munching near a tree.

This definitely gave new meaning to the song "Jumbo The Elephant" that I would sing to the kids when they were little!

A little while later, we ran across another wart hog.  This time the camera was ready, but because of the swiftness of the animal, we were only able to catch the back end.  

We were fortunate to have two good camera men ready to capture the sights at hand.  Elder Center ran the video camera and Elder Handerade was snapping with the still camera.  They did an excellent job.  Elder Baxter drove and I kept a lookout for moving creatures.  We were a great team.  What someone missed, another one  saw and alerted the rest of us.

This elephant was definitely in need of an orthodotist!  

We named him "Snaggle Tooth!"

This one was pretending to be "The Leader of the Pack", until it got too close to the mama's baby, and she growled loudly at him, and he hurried on his way!

Nice shot of the rino's behind.

We waited for this small herd of zebra to cross the road.

This small one decided that the journey had made him hungry and he had to 

stop for a snack before he could continue.

This huge rino and her baby had started to cross the road and the mama wasn't letting anything or anybody go across while they were there.  There were several cars backed up waiting to move forward.

We waited 10 to 15 minutes for them to cross the road.

As the baby would move, the mom kept a sharp eye on anything that was threatening to take over the road.  The sound of the motor would cause the mother to tilt her horn and threaten to move the vehicle off the road.  Needless to say, we waited patiently.  When they were far enough to the other side with their rear ends facing the road, we slowly eased our way down past them.  She was not to be fooled and whirled around toward us.  Elder Baxter gunned the motor and we made a safe get away!!

A close up of a rino resting.  It's baby was playing near by, but she was determined to take five while she could.  This is a different one than the one monopolizing the road.

Cameras don't seem to interupt their nap time at all.

That's a honkin' big horn!  I'd hate to have him after me!!

This litle white bird was just going along for the ride.

A water buffalo grazing in knee deep grasses.

For those of you who like steer wrestling, this would be a bit of a challenge for you!!

Ya gotta love those horns!  And that wasn't any small creature!!

Good shot of a kudu.  Check out those horns.  Justin, I thought of you when I saw him!

You would have loved it!

Nibbling some of those yummy leaves.

Don't be so bashful!!  We just want to see your face!

Wild - a - Beasts have nice horns as well.

This little bird decided to hitch a rid on the back of this impaula!

The bird thought he had found an old friend.  Nothing like saving  wing flaps!!

Some nice impalas.

At one of the Park entrances, we saw several impalas and baboons enjoying each others' company.

Can't decide if he's giving her a love pat or picking a bug out of her fur.

So nice of him to share a bit of lunch with his friend.

Looks like a family reunion!

This is what I call "Getting a bird's eye view!"

Any guesses as to how long that rock will stay secured to the other without falling?

This is one of those hidden pictures.  See if you can find two hidden giraffes!

We had a really good camera man.  Not only could Elder Center spot moving animals, but he could spot a spider web with a spider in it.  The web was about 3 or more feet wide.  I had to look carefully, but I could see it when the sun shone on it just right.  It must have moved just a little to cause the blur in the middle. 

This is what you call a determined bug with a lot of faith.  Elder Handerade caught him as he crept across the road with no worries that a large rino would come squish him in an instant!

 Coming home, we passed acre after acre of banana fields.  They put a plastic bag around the bunch of bananas to keep them from ripening too fast, and to keep pests out.  There is only one bunch of bananas to a tree, and the bottoms of the bananas grow pointing up toward the sky.  A beautiful flower grows at the bottom of the bunch. After the bananas are harvested, the tree dies and another one grows in its place.  They cut the old one down to make room for the new one. They grow really fast.

Though our drive through Kruger Park was sort of a last minute thought, we felt it had been a very successful afternoon.  We have talked with several people who say they hardly saw any animals when they drove through.    The day was sunny and clear and a perfect day for enjoying some of Heavenly Father's creations after  delivering materials for the Seminary Program.

We never cease to be amazed at the beauty and wonders of not only South Africa, but also the rest of the world as well.   He has created this beautiful world for us to enjoy while we are  here, and all He asks is that we live worthy to live with him again some day!  How can we doubt His love for us?  We are grateful to be a  part of this wonderful work!