Back in blog
After a bit of a hiatus, the Dave on Kruger blog has made a return and finds itself in a hot and dry October in the mopaniveld around Phalaborwa where the bush is still showing off the gorgeous autumnal colours of brown, tan, orange and red, although the onset of spring is subtly revealed in the new growth of delicate yellow florets of the sjambok pod and the soft purple hanging flowers of the gentle tree wisteria.
This is being written from the veranda of our hut in Shimulwini Bush Camp where the family and I have taken a much deserved break from work and school. Just a moment ago, a gewoond (bold and familiar) business of dwarf mongooses confidently scurried around our cooler boxes looking for scraps and a jittery tree squirrel tentatively approached my feet but dashed off when I turned my head to look. A Southern yellow-billed hornbill scratching in the sand a small distance away looks up at me suspiciously from time to time. I find myself rolling my eyes. I really do struggle to take them seriously. A small pod of hippos are grunting and complaining in the Letaba River below and a flock of brown-headed parrots are shrieking quite incessantly and monotonously (and frankly, slightly irritatingly at this point) from the deep shade of a Natal mahogany tree sounding not unlike the action of an electronic cutting blade. Otherwise, it’s all quite peaceful.
I’m reminded that we all need to take a break from life from time to time and though I’m biased, there really are few better places in the world to unwind than the bushveld. If you allow yourself, it doesn’t take long to adapt to the slower pace of things in the wild and soon you’ll forget to track time and rather eat when hungry, sleep when snoozy and crack a cold beer when you feel like it, even if it is before noon. Doing a digital detox is also something I can highly recommend. Our modern world has come to dominate us with technology that we can’t live without. I’m the first to admit that the smart phone has made our lives infinitely easier – just think of mobile banking, Google Maps, sending a photo via WhatsApp. And if that were the extent of it not all would be lost. But throw in Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and any other platform that allows you to expose yourself (figuratively, that is) to the planet while nosing around the mindless drivel that the world’s population take the time to post and you quickly have an addiction. So I’ve made the very conscious effort to go cold turkey and turn my phone off during our holiday until we return to the real world. It’s only been twenty-four hours and already I feel liberated, emancipated, released, and any other adjective describing an uninhibited existence. I almost feel rebellious. I might even open a beer.
October also sees us winding the year down as our kids begin preparations for their final exams and we make plans to wrap up work until 2024. More importantly, now is the time to book your December holidays so my advice would always be to steer a willing listener towards the bushveld of the Kruger National Park. The more discerning traveller may also consider basing themselves at our hotel – Bushveld Terrace Hotel on Kruger – where the 4-star comforts we offer are incomparable to the charming but aging accommodation of the Kruger. Our friendly and attentive staff really are the best in town while our restaurant is without peer. Drop us a line and we’ll see to all your needs.
See you in December.
