Across the Frontier into Eden*

[Sharifa]

We are all set to visit the Frontier and Garden Route Parks.

This is our first visit to these Parks except for Mountain Zebra National Park (MZNP)

Our itinerary is as follows:

21-23 Dec. - MZNP
23-27 Dec - Addo
27-29 Dec - Ebb & Flow
29-31 Dec - Storms River Mouth
31 Dec-1 Jan - Bontebok
01-03 Jan - Karoo
03-05 Jan - Camdeboo

Having read some of the travel tales for these Parks, we are really looking forward to the trip

Tell you all about it when we get back

[Sharifa]

It is always exciting to visit a new destination and especially so when it is in your own country. Duke and I had not visited the Eastern Cape Parks and the Garden Route, except for Mountain Zebra National Park.

Beautiful

We crossed the Frontier and found the road to Eden



and also the stairway to heaven

[Sharifa]

Thanks Toko, nan, Richprins, Lisbeth and Mel

Sharifa

Welcome back on Earth

Primising start - vistas and skies

Sadly we had to leave Eden and come back to earth

First stop: Mountain Zebra National Park

21-12-2013

We arrived at the gate at about 3pm to a dark and cloudy sky



This was our allocated home for the next two days





Read the history of the Park while you relax







and enjoy a stunning sunset with your sundowner



The last time we were in MZNP we had two very special experiences:

1. The cheetah tracking
2 The Night Drive. Last time we saw caracal, aardwolf and black rhino.

We decided to give the cheetah tracking a miss this time. We could not do the night drive on our first night because of the rain. We did get a night drive on the second night and this was easily the best night drive we have ever had in any Park

[Sharifa]

Eish, the Mistress of Suspense... That night drive sounds promising.

Looks like they changed the patio furniture? Those chairs look much nicer than the ones we had almost two years ago.

I already know that I need to get back to that place as well. What a beautiful park with stunning sunsets (and sunrises as well).

But the day comes before the night so I will have to do that first

The furniture has changed but don't try lifting one of those chairs, even the driver was huffing. Why lift it you ask, well don't sit on one that has been in the sun

[Sharifa]

We were out of the camp at 6.00 am when the gates opened. There was mist in the valley





It was just too beautiful to describe. The mist lifting from the valley against the backdrop of the mountains....SIGH











and then the Mountain Zebra, Red Haarties and Black Wildies in the mist

[Sharifa]

We also got some nice flowers





[

A speckled mousebird also enjoyed the flowers



In the grass, a distance from the road, we saw a PCG wanting to make a meal of a snake. We thought cobra at the time but not sure now looking at the pics.





That was a little too close and the PCG thought better of it and flew off



Jackal Buzzard



Rock Kestrel



A PCG that new snakes should be left alone

[Toko]

Lovely flowers, Sharifa - The Pentzia globosa shrubs look very pretty and you captured also a beautiful Bulbine abyssinica

Love also the Rock Kestrel and the Jackal Buzzard


But my fav is the Hibiscus pusillus Supercool find

[Mel]

...also a chance to pick up the aardvark and aardwolf.

Aha!

Great raptors against blue skies! Also interesting interaction between the PCG and the what-ever snake.

[Lisbeth]

The furniture has changed but don't try lifting one of those chairs, even the driver was huffing. Why lift it you ask, well don't sit on one that has been in the sun

I have always wondered why the outside furniture is so heavy I suppose it is a kind of anti-theft

[Lisbeth]

Those misty pics have a very special atmosphere..........if it was not cold

Beautiful flower pics and I love the one of the mousebird