A multifaceted holiday

Oh woe, my poor neglected blog... What can I say? I'm reprioritising, refocusing, rewriting (again)and have been much in need of a holiday. As you'll see, the blog's look has changed, along with a few other things. I think it's called metamorphosis...

But never mind all that, I'd much rather show you some happy snappies of a recent trip we took up the coast, where we managed to combine sun, sea, wildlife, landscapes and lots of fun. Hope you enjoy the virtual trip too!

There were panaramic vistas...

And there were moody seascapes...

There were lazy days at the pool, reading and sipping cool drinks...

...whilst gazing at a diamond-scattered sea...

and watching the waves crashing on the rocks

There were days spent gazing at the lagoon...

...munching oysters

And then there was wildlife, in varied forms...

And there were sunsets...

...and nightscapes...

...and more moody seascapes...

And there was even an African beach baptism!

All in all, a pretty good holiday!

Mpumalanga's Panorama Route

MacMac Falls

Not too many words today, been too caught up in editing and am kinda worded-out.

The shots below were taken after we left the Kruger National Park and spent two days mooching around Mpumalanga province's Panorama Route. Mpumalanga means the place of the rising sun. It is full of stunning vistas - fertile land, lush vegetation, big skies, big mountains, and waterfalls. The place where the Drakensberg mountain range rears up to form the escarpment, the land rising dramatically from the savanna plains far below.

The visibility was pretty awful while we were there - very bright light and veld fires everywhere. Winter is the dry season in the northern part of South Africa and the grass is tinder dry. Veld fires break out at the drop of hat and air was constantly filled with a gauzy layer of blue smoke as far as the eye can see. Despite taking a gazillion photos, these are a few that I managed to salvage from the rotten visibility.

Rolling gold

Robber's Pass as it winds down to Pilgrim's Rest, a quaint touristy spot that's been stopped in time. (Pics of Pilgrim's Rest will follow another time.)

Solitary tree with startling red blooms

The view from God's Window

The Blyde River Canyon, looking down towards the dam far below

Mpumalanga Plains

Mpumalanga sunset

Landscapes 2 - Trees (KNP 12)

Alone on a hilltop

Trees always speak for themselves. If you don't believe me go and hug one and listen.
By the way, it was winter here which is why leaves may seem in short supply!

Bushveld starkness

White blossoms

Nest in me

White bark

All shapes and sorts and sizes

Into the distance

Dawn tree on the Sabie River

Blues and greens and gold and grey

Next it will be birds...

Landscapes (KNP 11)

Looking over the Sabie River at dawn

Too many landscape pics by far... So today it's true landscapes, next it will be trees. I've also realised (me and my brain like a colander) that I've forgotten the birds... Anyone want to see birds? Other than the wicked hornbill, that is? Let me know in the comments section, please.

The landscape in the Kruger National Park is very varied - from savanna plains to bush and scrub, from granite outcrops (koppies) which simply pop up out of the rolling plains to mountains, from rivers and waterholes to forests. And of course, one can't omit the dramatic sunrises and sunsets.

Looking south over the savanna plains in the Orpen region

Same plains, looking north

On the savanna plains

Miles of bushveld

I'm not sure that winter necessarily does the landscapes justice - though it certainly makes it dramatic. Summer images - during the rainy season - are quite different, lush and green - making game spotting somewhat more difficult. Though, I'll say this, trying to spot grey and golden animals in a grey and golden landscape is pretty darned tricky too!

Sabie River in the dawn light

Rock pools on the Sabie River

Dense riverine enviroment, perfect for elusive spotted gorgeousnesses

Lake Panic

Lichen encrusted koppies - i.e. granite outcrops

Renosterkoppies

Boulder alone

Bushveld

Rolling west towards the Drakensberg escarpment

Moon over bushveld

The old railway bridge at Skukuza, now a baboon crossing.

First rays - Skukuza

Predawn light - Skukuza

Sunrise - Skukuza

Sun in the bridge - Skukuza

Molten sunrise