Podcasts

Woman Around Town’s Editor Charlene Giannetti and writers for the website talk with the women and men making news in New York, Washington, D.C., and other cities around the world. Thanks to Ian Herman for his wonderful piano introduction.

Kruger National Park

Let’s Talk to All the Animals

03/22/2016

Memo: To the Animals
Re: Keep Up the Good Work!

As the guide for the American guests on the their safari here at Sabi Sands, I want to thank all of you animals who participated and provide some feedback. I know some of you came over from Kruger National Park and some of you were already nearby, but thanks to all of you. These guests were at the lodge for eight game drives, so you had plenty of time to impress.

leopard backSpecial thanks to the Spotted Leopards for outstanding participation! The guests really loved that first sighting when one of you held the standoff with the Warthog. It was fine that you decided not to engage, and the departure of the Warthog with four little ones trailing was a terrific cameo appearance. It also set the stage for me to detail dramatic examples of what fierce fighters you Warthogs are. Leopard, thanks for staying around after the confrontation with the Warthog to stalk those Impalas. Your tail flicks indicating your various levels of desire to pursue those Impalas was dramatic especially since the rest of your body remained completely still. Too bad the birds warned them of your presence before you could attack.

Spotted Leopard at NightYour appearance by the riverbank on Day 3 also impressed, Spotted Leopard. You were clearly relaxed and a bit sleepy, so we could drive very close and study your markings in detail. You are one magnificent Leopard, and I know those who have seen you will never appreciate fake leopard apparel again after studying your rosettes, creamy underside, powerful muscles and beautiful face.

Six appearances in eight drives! Good job, Spotted Leopards!

Giraffe 3But while I’m talking to you big cats—-where were you, Lions? Not so much as some tracks for us to follow! After your big kill in Kruger last week, and your appearance at the watering hole, you simply disappeared! Fortunately, the guests were so excited when the Giraffes finally showed up on Day 4—and a “journey” of Giraffes the next day— that they didn’t care about not seeing you. In fact, they decided the Giraffes were more interesting than you would have been, so your significance was diminished by your absence. This was bad PR.

Elephant with ear markingKudos to you, Elephants. It was very nice that a herd of eight participated many times at different locations. They loved seeing the little ones, and, Mom, having that tear in your ear made it easy for them to identify you by themselves. They feel so proud when they do that. All of you were impressive, especially coming so close to the land cruiser. You could have given them quite a thrill had you lifted your trunk just a bit closer to them. You could even have touched them if you had been inclined. But perhaps it would have been too much for some of the more timid guests. I think the Americans would have appreciated it, though.

But your kids! What showmen! Thanks to your little one for blowing bubbles in the pond with his trunk! You might ask him to do this again for future guests. It was a hit. As you know, I have a bias towards you. You always entertain, keep moving so you provide action, and charm your audience.

Thanks also to the two males who visited us one day. Everyone enjoyed seeing them play together, since the human males also wrestle sometimes.

Impala at watering holeImpalas, I know we are prone to take you for granted because there are so many of you, but please remember that we love your beauty, your grace and your antics. When a hundred of you came to the watering hole, all lined up like a parade, everyone watching from the lodge was charmed. But, when you repeated the performance the next day and added all that running and leaping, it was a wow moment—or moments—since you continued the show for so long.

And thanks to the Bachelor Impala Herd for putting in a few appearances. Good for everyone to see that you males are still around, even though only one of you at a time gets to be with the ladies and the kids.

Spitting Cobra. Quite a surprise to see you! Thanks for being on your good behavior and keeping your appearance short. I was a bit concerned that you might spit at one of our guests—-and most of them were not wearing glasses to protect their eyes—so I did need to move us away quickly.

Chameleon 2Chameleons, you livened up the drives, especially that first night. It was a bit of a slow night, so your appearance gave me something to talk about.  You may be small, but you are very charming. The guests liked that I could pick you up and bring you over for close viewing.  Always good to have you participate.

African Buffalo Looks like an English barrister?African Buffalo and Crocodile—quiet but satisfying performances. A bit more activity would have enhanced the wow factor but, hey— sometimes it is enough to just show up!

HipposHippos, same to you. Wish we had seen your pod closer, but you did make a few dramatic bellows and leaps in the water—enough to whet their appetites for more hippo viewing.

Monkeys, thanks for staying out of the Honeymoon Suite at the lodge. While we had warned the couple to keep the doors shut, it was good that they were able to open them and get some air.  We love you, but sometimes, quite frankly, your respect for boundaries is questionable.

White RhinoWhite Rhinoceros—good job. It’s a shame that two of the guests missed the final morning drive and did not get to see that “crash” of you close up, but that was their loss. I know their designated photographer did take many shots of you, so your participation was captured. Good involvement on your part.

George the resident wildebeestWildebeest and Kudu, you must have been disturbed since every time you appeared, there were references to how tasty you are! You could almost hear them salivating. Having that Warthog carpaccio for dinner their first night set a tone, I guess. However, Kudu, your spiraled horns are a showstopper, and they enjoyed seeing you and seeing you frequently. It’s always good to have you here. George, thanks for hanging around the watering hole. You are an awesome representative for all Wildebeests.

WaterbuckWaterbuck, sorry you had to hear me talk about how smelly you are. Oh, well, they loved your markings. The white ring on your rump makes you especially memorable, although there is always that joke about “pinning the tail on the waterbuck.”

zebraI apologize for forgetting to mention you, Zebras. Your “dazzles” dazzled, and your little ones are scene stealers. Thanks for presenting a group with diverse markings. The guests did not know you could have brown “shadow stripes,” so good to have those of you with this coloring represented. You never cease to add a dramatic element to the wilderness.

Little Bee-EaterAs always, you birds fill a special role in these drives, Nice to have you here in profuse numbers, adding to the soundtrack, calling your warnings to the animals, and often staying in position long enough so you could be clearly identified.

Saddle-Billed StorkThey were thrilled to see you, Saddle-Billed Stork, on their very first drive and glad you remained at the watering hold for the next day. Always good PR to see endangered species, southern ground hornbill. cape Glossy Starling, despite your profusion, your magnificent blue-black iridescent feathers always glitter.

Go-Away BirdGrey Go-Away Bird, your ‘mohawk” is memorable. Lilac-Breasted and European Rollers, your pastel colors always draw ‘oohs and ahs.” Thanks also to the two unidentified small yellow-breasted birds who appeared to drink from the infinity pool most days. The guests were delighted that your routine always includes this stop.

TurtlejpgTo those of you who put in an appearance, or appearances, that I have not mentioned, you also filled in otherwise quiet moments of the game drive. From the smallest of you—Rabbit, Ground Squirrel, multiple Mongoose, and Tortoise—-to those who leaped or loped by—Side-Striped Jackal, Spotted Hyena, Nyala, Steenbok, Grey Duiker, I thank you for your participation.

Well, that’s about it. I know our American guests took a lot of pictures and will give good reports to their family and friends. With all the German tourists present that week, it is useful to know that news about us will also be shared in the United States.

Photos by Daniel Kobayashi

Read Susan Kobayashi’s article on Nkorho Bush Lodge.

Nkorho Bush Lodge: Safari by Day, Relaxing at Night

03/21/2016

The perfect culmination of our three weeks in Lesotho and South Africa was the five days we spent with our son and his wife at Nkorho Bush Lodge in Sabi Sands Game Reserve. Since Sabi Sands is located next to Kruger National Park and shares 50 kilometers of unfenced boundary, the animals roam freely over this large natural area.

Airport waiting area Skukuzi

Airport waiting area, Skukuza Airport

Some visitors to the area stay at different lodges for two or three nights, but we remained at one lodge for our full four nights, becoming totally relaxed and deeply in the present moment. When we made our reservations, we did not realize that our lodge was two to three hours away from the Skukuza Airport, located within Kruger National Park.

Kruger National Park Entrance

Kruger National Park Entrance

However, we had arranged drivers in both directions and all we had to do was sit back, look around, and nap. Skukuza is a very small, but beautifully designed airport. The “departure lounge” located outside feels like a luxurious spot to relax and actually enjoy waiting for a plane.

Our cottage

Our cottage

Our Two indoor and 2 outdoor showers SBK

Our bathroom with showers indoors and outdoors 

The warm greeting we received at Nkorho upon arriving set the tone for the remainder of our stay. Nkorho is a small lodge, having only seven cottages and a maximum of about 16 guests.  The chalets have very attractive comfortable bedrooms with sliding doors to the deck. Our bathroom, and I think all of them, was quite luxurious with showers both inside and out.

View of watering hole

Infinity pool

The common space at Nkorho includes a thatched building with inside and outdoor lounging areas including the bar, the infinity pool, a smaller rock pool, and a thatched dining porch. It overlooks the open plain and the watering hole where the animals come to drink, so we often had entertainment even when doing nothing.

Nkorho Groounds 2

Nkorho grounds

One interesting fact is that the only fence around the property is a wire to keep out the elephants.  Therefore smaller animals can, and sometimes do, get in. This does not appear to be of much concern during the day—-unless it is, for example, the lion we were told once came in and decided to stay—-but we were warned that once we were all in our cottages for the night and the outdoor lights were turned off, we should not go wandering. Since there were wild animals around, guests were realistically confined to the premises and could not, for example, go for a run or an unaccompanied hike, which was the one drawback for some guests.

Sunset on game drive DBK

Sunset on game drive

Each day had the same structure. The rangers woke us about 30 minutes before our pre-dawn drive started. After a quick cup of coffee, we climbed into the land cruisers for a two to three hour game drive. Those wishing could go on a bush walk with the ranger and spotter as soon as we returned. Between breakfast around 9:30 a.m. and lunch at 2 p.m., many of us would go back to bed or lie on the lounges on our decks or by the infinity swimming pool with a book, a drink, or binoculars so we could see the action at the nearby waterhole. By 4 p.m., we would be back in the land cruisers for a drive that would transition from late afternoon, through sunset. When we returned in the dark, we were greeted by a blazing fire set in a barrel. The attentive staff offered us refreshing drinks. Dinner was served in the boma, a circular enclosure made of leadwood branches. It was lit by a central campfire and many lanterns. The food was tasty and plentiful, including a memorable warthog carpaccio.

Night sky during cocktails on game drive

Night sky during cocktails

While some guests retired right after dinner, we found it was an enchanting time to sit in the outdoor patio next to the pool, drink in hand. The bar was staffed by the rangers and the other staff we saw routinely, so we had additional opportunities to talk with them. I remember some very nice moments near the bar with our ranger, Jason. We discussed his family background and training to become a ranger, and studied the map on the wall of the Sabi Sands preserve. When I was curious about the difference in the roars of a lion and a leopard, Jason whipped out his cell phone and we compared videos of the two. (Yet I still can’t imitate the appropriate roars with my two-year-old grandson!)

Each game drive had the same structure, but each was, literally, a trip in itself. Despite our wishes it were otherwise, the weather and whether the animals appeared remained beyond our control. There were blankets if we were cold, ponchos in case it was wet, and conversation was encouraged while we were driving along, so that helped to keep us entertained when the animals did not cooperate. Nkorho used two land cruisers, each one with three rows of bench seats that were capable of holding 10 passengers, but we never carried that many, and we always had space to spread out and have clear sightlines.

Close to the elephants

Close to the elephants

The guides were in contact by radio with other guides in the area so, if one found something of interest, others could be informed. The guides would not want to raise false expectations for the guests, so they used code names for what they were stalking. If there was an interesting sighting, no more that three cruisers would congregate at a time, so we never felt in the midst of the tourist horde.

Because the animals were comfortable with the cruisers we could get up close to most of the game. In Sabi Sands, the cruisers were permitted to go off the roads, which allowed us to be very near the game in their natural surroundings. We were, however, warned to stay seated. It was almost as if the cruisers were just another animal!

Coffe break morning game drive

Coffee break on morning game drive

The morning game drives included a stop to stretch and have coffee and a snack. We were asked at lunch what we would want for our “sundowner drink” so that, when we would stop during our evening drive, our preferred libation was provided, along with snacks such as biltong, pretzels, and other munchies. Some of these stops were in open plains and one memorable one was near a riverbed. A sundowner in Africa, on a game trip, with a full moon, or seeing the stars and the Southern Cross, is a magical moment in time, and space.

WITH JASON

With Jason in driver’s seat

Each game drive had a team of a guide and driver, Jason, and a tracker, Victor, who sat on a little seat in front of the cruiser hood, spotting game or searching for tracks. Sometimes the two would get out, follow a track, then get back in the cruiser and drive into the bush, hoping to spot the game that they had tracked. Of course, everyone wanted to see “the Big Five” (Lion, Elephant, Buffalo, Leopard, and Rhino) and we saw all of them except lions who seemed to have moved on to other areas after making a kill nearby the week before. Sometimes, it was only one animal, at other times a larger group, including a dazzle of zebras, a crash of rhino, a herd of elephants, a pod of hippos and a journey of giraffes.

Watering hole 2

Elephants at the watering hole

We had especially good luck seeing spotted leopards and elephants. Jason knew the nicknames, personalities, and history of some of these magnificent creatures. When we saw one stalking prey, Jason shared what he was observing, the movement of the tail and its meaning, for example. We also were able to see a spotted leopard at rest on a riverbank. While it lacked the drama of a kill or a mating, it provided time to really study the amazing rosette design, the different colors of the fur, including a creamy white, and the mesmerizing eyes of this masterpiece of nature. One day, we spent about 30 minutes near a group of eight elephants at the waterhole. Jason’s enthusiasm and visible affection for the elephants was part of our experience, and he had all of us entertained with commentary on the baby elephant’s awkward efforts to drink water.

Chameleon

Chameleon

Our tracker and guide were also adept at spotting the little animals. On one night drive when we were having little success seeing the big animals, Jason stopped the cruiser, placed an interesting chameleon on his arm, and we studied him while Victor held the spotlight. We also saw magnificent birds, termite mounds, and many smaller animals such as mongoose, steinbuck, and turtles.

Impala and Wildebeest at watering hole

 Impala and Wildebeest watering hole

The animal that seemed most profuse was the impala. In addition to seeing the “bachelor herds” since only one male accompanied the females, we witnessed, on two days, parades of impala lined up neatly walking to the watering hole. We were in the infinity pool, as hundreds of them approached in a neat line, drank, and then leaped away.

While each of us intellectually understands that there are patterns in nature, this visit to the bush  dramatized it. In addition to the rosettes on the leopard and the spots on the giraffe, we saw the waterbucks with a large circle of white surrounding their tails and the stripes on the kudu and the wildebeests. We witnessed the variety in the stripes on the zebra. Some of them are actually “shadow stripes” of brown, and the layout of black and white patterns vary from one zebra to the next.

I assume that most of us returning from Safari make lists of which animals we saw, but it is of greater value to reflect on what we learned about these animals. It is humbling to be a guest in their world, still enjoying the comforts of ours, and grateful that, at the end of each day, we can both be in the places that feel like home.

Photos by Susan Kobayashi and Daniel Kobayashi

For more information, go to the website for Nkorho Bush Lodge.