• Website Home
  • About
  • Services
  • Portfolio
    • Recent
    • Archives
  • Shop
    • Catalog
    • Order

ASK Design Blog

Designer | Artist | Teacher

  •  
    • Blog Home
    • Web Design
    • Graphic Design
    • Art
      • Licensed Art
    • Links
    • Calendar
    • Contact

    Journey to South Africa – Week 2

    December 5, 2016 by ProfK 3 Comments

    The first part of our 2-week journey to South Africa was spent doing volunteer work at Moholoholo Wildlife Rehabilitation Center and Daktari Bush School. We then entered “safari mode” and went to Kruger National Park. These pictures are accompanied by brief narratives that describe what we experienced.

    Day 9 – Oct. 21, 2016

    Daktari Bush School to Olifants River, South Africa

    Our final morning at Daktari was quite moving. Each student had written a list of “promises” and, one by one, stood on a large rock and read the list aloud to everyone. “I promise to be kind to animals.” “I promise to take care of the environment.” “I promise not to be a drug dealer.” “I promise to have safe sex.” So brave to make these proclamations, especially in front of our large group! We could see how far they had come in one short week. The air was filled with hope as I imagined each student becoming an environmental steward.

    Our next destination was the Olifants River, the natural boundary between Kruger Park and surrounding land. It was a long drive from Daktari to get there, but the moment I saw the river I was in awe. Due to the severe drought, most of the rivers we had seen were dry. The Olifants River had an abundance of water. We boarded the double decker boat for a sunset cruise and saw lots of animals and birds, a preview of what was to come on our safari. I wore my binoculars and checked out all of the amazing wildlife, continually asking Dawid (our Toerboer guide) what animal I was seeing! This was one of my happiest moments on the trip.

    Sunset on Olifants River

    Sunset on Olifants River

    NOTE: click on the thumbnail image to see an enlarged slideshow!
    Sunset cruise on Olifants River.
    Water buck
    Water buck
    Buffalo
    Buffalo

    Olifants River
    Olifants River

    Olifants River
    Olifants River
    Olifants River
    Olifants River

    Day 10 – Oct. 22, 2016

    Safari Day 1 – Malompheni Wild Camping, Kruger National Park, South Africa

    2 days of off-road safari in an window-less vehicle. Lots of heat and dust, with huge rewards of unobstructed, up-close views of the animals. My first elephant siting was on this jeep. Would love to do it all again.

    Photo opportunities galore! Everywhere you looked, beauty. A couple of times, we climbed out of the jeep to soak in the sites, sounds, and expansiveness of the wilderness. Binoculars helped to see animals in the distance.

    We camped that night in a remote area of the park, near the banks of the Letaba River. There were no fences to separate us from the wild animals. Two professional, armed rangers were with us, making sure we were all safe. Toerboer staff set up the site, complete with tents, fireplace, and kitchen. They prepared a most delicious meal, too! We sat around the campfire eating, talking, and watching the fire as the stars emerged in the darkened sky.

    Afternoon on Letaba River, Kruger Park, South Africa

    Afternoon on Letaba River, Kruger Park, South Africa

    Photo © 2016 Shayne Travis.
    On safari! Photo © 2016 Shayne Travis.
    Photo © 2016 Rosa Capano.
    A giraffe!
    A giraffe!
    An elephant!
    An elephant!

    Impala
    Impala
    Selfie with Peggy at very wide and dry Lebata River.
    Selfie with Peggy at very wide and dry Lebata River.
    Lebata River
    Lebata River

    Afternoon sky, Lebata River.
    Afternoon sky, Lebata River.
    Afternoon sky, Lebata River.
    Afternoon sky, Lebata River.
    Anne, Peggy, and Laurel
    Anne, Peggy, and Laurel
    After a brief rain, a rainbow!
    After a brief rain, a rainbow!

    Giraffe at watering hole
    Giraffe at watering hole

    Elephants eating leaves from a tree.
    Elephants eating leaves from a tree.


    Our dome tents in Malompheni, a remote wild camping area of Krugar Park, SA.
    Our dome tents in Malompheni, a remote wild camping area of Kruger Park, SA.
    Anne in the doorway of our tent.
    Anne in the doorway of our tent.

    Day 11 – Oct. 23, 2016

    Safari Day 2 – Satara Rest Camp, Kruger National Park, South Africa

    Each day brought a new special moment in our South Africa journey. It was a lesson in being present, paying attention to every moment. Otherwise, you would miss something! Safari day 2 was the highlight of the trip for me. On the second day of our safari, we saw many more animals and had closer views of them. Kruger was bustling with activity! That evening, we welcomed the enclosed, comfy rondavels at Satara, and showered off the dust and sweat from the last couple of days.

    Stunning vista at our lunch spot, Lebata Rest Camp, Kruger Park, SA.

    Stunning vista at our lunch spot, Lebata Rest Camp, Kruger Park, SA.

    Sunrise on the Lebata River.
    Sunrise on the Lebata River.
    Peggy and Anne, sunrise on the Lebata River. Photo © 2016 Empty Cup Media.
    Peggy and Anne, sunrise on the Lebata River. Photo © 2016 Empty Cup Media.
    Zebra
    Elephants using their trunks to drill holes through the dry riverbed to the water underneath.
    Elephants using their trunks to drill holes through the dry riverbed to the water underneath.

    Photo © 2016 Empty Cup Media
    Photo © 2016 Empty Cup Media
    An elephant!
    An elephant!
    Elephant!
    Elephant!
    Unusual white bark tree at Letaba Rest Camp.
    Unusual white bark tree at Letaba Rest Camp.

    Jackal
    Baboons

    Warthog
    Warthog
    Warthog
    Warthog

    An unbelievable siting: a lion with several lionesses on the other side of the river bank!
    An unbelievable siting: a lion with several lionesses on the other side of the river bank!
    A lioness lying on her back!
    A lioness lying on her back!

    Day 12 – Oct. 24, 2016

    Safari Day 3 – Kruger National Park to Numbi Hotel, Hazyview, South Africa

    We spent the next morning on another drive in Kruger and then headed for our hotel in Hazyview, a busy, small rural town. We rested a bit before heading out that evening for a special festival at Shangana Cultural Village. The arts and crafts at the Marula Market were beautiful: exquisite craftsmanship, vivid colors, inviting textures. An incredible edible feast came after the highly entertaining performance with singing, dancing, and acting.

    Numbi Hotel
    Numbi Hotel
    Anne and Eloise
    Anne and Eloise
    (clockwise from back left) Dennis, Anne, Laurel, Anne (Ellis), and Mark
    (clockwise from back left) Dennis, Anne, Laurel, Anne (Ellis), and Mark

    Textiles at Marula Market
    Textiles at Marula Market
    Wood bowls at Marula Market
    Wood bowls at Marula Market
    Painted textiles at Marula Market
    Painted textiles at Marula Market

    Shangana Cultural Village
    Shangana Cultural Village
    Chief Soshangana
    Chief Soshangana
    Shangana cultural festival
    Shangana cultural festival

    Anne dancing at Shangana cultural festival
    Anne dancing at Shangana cultural festival
    Shangana Cultural Village
    Shangana Cultural Village

    Day 13 – Oct. 25, 2016

    Bourke’s Luck Potholes and Blyde River Canyon to Ginnegaap Guesthouse, Johannesburg, South Africa

    The convergence of the Blyde and Treur Rivers form a fascinating landscape filled with potholes shaped by the intensity of rushing water. It reminded me of the American Southwest, where the flash floods carve gorgeous shapes into the sandstone. The Blyde River Canyon is the third largest canyon in the world. Quite intriguing.

    Bourke's Luck Potholes
    Bourke’s Luck Potholes
    Bourke's Luck Potholes
    Bourke’s Luck Potholes
    Bourke's Luck Potholes
    Bourke’s Luck Potholes
    Bourke's Luck Potholes
    Bourke’s Luck Potholes

    Bourke's Luck Potholes
    Bourke’s Luck Potholes
    Bourke's Luck Potholes
    Bourke’s Luck Potholes
    Bourke's Luck Potholes
    Bourke’s Luck Potholes
    Bourke's Luck Potholes
    Bourke’s Luck Potholes

    Blyde River Canyon
    Blyde River Canyon
    Leslie at Blyde River Canyon
    Leslie at Blyde River Canyon
    View of Three Rondavels, at Blyde River Canyon
    View of Three Rondavels, at Blyde River Canyon
    Blyde River Canyon
    Blyde River Canyon

    Peggy and Anne, at Blyde River Canyon
    Peggy and Anne, at Blyde River Canyon
    A sampling of crafts, Blyde River Canyon
    A sampling of crafts, Blyde River Canyon

    Day 14 – Oct. 26, 2016

    Ginnegaap Guesthouse, Johannesburg, South Africa

    We had the day free to do whatever we wanted. I chose to relax and sketch in the lovely garden at our guest house. For lunch, Peggy, Anne (Ellis), and I walked to the nearby neighborhood center and had a nice meal. In the late afternoon, we all boarded the bus one last time and Ernest drove us to the airport. Lots of hugs as we said goodbye to our South African “vibe tribe”. I will miss you!

    Ginnegaap Guesthouse, Johannesburg, SA
    Ginnegaap Guesthouse, Johannesburg, SA
    Artwork at the guesthouse
    Artwork at the guesthouse
    Artwork at the guesthouse
    Artwork at the guesthouse

    Garden at the guesthouse
    Garden at the guesthouse
    Garden at the guesthouse
    Garden at the guesthouse
    Jacaranda tree
    Jacaranda tree

    Jacaranda tree
    Jacaranda tree
    Our last meal was a delicious lunch at a nearby restaurant
    Our last meal was a delicious lunch at a nearby restaurant

    Related Posts

    Journey to South Africa – Week 1
    Top 10 Favorite Places to Visit
    10 Tips for Pastel Painting En Plein Air
    Newly published book with my art & design

    Filed Under: Environment-Green-Sustainability, Inspiration, Teaching Tagged With: Daktari, Drakensberg Enscarpment, Kruger Park, Letaba River, Moholohol, Nan Hua Temple, Olifants River, Satara Rest Camp

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Lisa Devlin says

      December 6, 2016 at 11:36 am

      These pictures along with narrative are wonderful. Sounds like this was a life changing trip for both of you. I will be sharing this with Selma and Heidi who long to go back! You now have some amazing memories and images to apply to your artwork!

    2. ProfK says

      December 6, 2016 at 4:10 pm

      Hi Lisa! Yes, lots of inspirations for paintings. I did some sketching, but I didn’t want to miss anything, so I mostly took pictures as references for future art. Thanks for sharing!

    3. Tina says

      December 7, 2016 at 8:53 pm

      Your story telling of the African trip is WONDERFUL! So enjoyed every word and photo!

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Primary Sidebar

    Subscribe to Mailing List

    Sign up to get periodic updates on Anne's design and art adventures, and receive useful info. via her blog.
    * = required field

    We never share our email list with anyone.

    Looking for Something?

    My Art in a Book!

    kornegger loseyourmind front cover
    Several of my paintings are in this book (including the cover)
    BUY THE BOOK!
    My blog post about designing the book: Self-Publishing Adventures

    Testimonials

    I received the notecards on Friday and it was on my to do list today to email you my deep appreciation for them. They are amazing and I am so glad to have them to share. I am sure I will order more in the future. You are such a gifted artist and I thank you for sharing in a way others can use the art.

    — Shari Spokes

    Your new pastel "Lettuce Lake” is really beautiful. Very, very nice.

    — Tony from Belmont, MA

    My dear sweet sister. I can’t tell you how much I love your pictures. I so much wanted something and was so sorry that I couldn’t pick something out at your sale. On the other hand, I so much wanted something that you had chosen for me. Its been on my mind and suddenly, your beautiful pictures arrived. They are beyond beautiful and I cried when I saw them. Sending you love and my bestness.

    — Marti from Reno, NV

    Affiliate Partners

    We receive compensation when you purchase a service or product via the links on this blog.

    Web Hosting

    ThemeOfMonth

    Great Software Deals!

    MacUpdate Logo

    themeforest banner

    Photo, Video & Design Software

    Copyright

    © 2000-2020 Anne S. Katzeff. All rights reserved. Unless noted, all artwork and text are copyrighted by the artist. Images may not be reproduced, manipulated, or used in any way without Anne’s written permission.

    Categories

    Graphic Design

    • AIGA
    • Design Is History
    • Design without Borders
    • Grain edit
    • Janice Moore
    • Mass. Contractors

    Web Design

    • 960 Grid System
    • A List Apart
    • Blueprint CSS Framework
    • Smashing Magazine
    • underthesite
    • www schools

    Tech-Computer

    • Adobe TV
    • Orramac
    • Teknoziz

    Comments

    In an effort to reduce spam, comments are restricted. Please email Anne if you have a comment or question that you are unable to post. Thanks for understanding.


    Archives

    Typography

    • 1001fonts
    • Adobe Type
    • Adobe Web Type
    • Bitstream
    • Dafont.com
    • Emigre
    • Font converter (free)
    • Font Spring
    • Font Squirrel
    • Google Fonts
    • I Love Typography
    • identifont
    • Typeinspire
    • Typewolf
    • Typoretum

    Photography

    • Creative Commons

    Footer

    Subscribe to Mailing List

    Sign up to get periodic updates on Anne's design and art adventures, and receive useful info. via her blog.
    * = required field

    We never share our email list with anyone.

    Subscribe to RSS Feed

  •  ASK Design Blog
  • Contact

    Website
    Email

    Connect and Share

  •  
  • Copyright © 2021 · Optimal Theme · Built on the WordPress Genesis Framework· Customization and design by ASK Design