I am sad to be leaving South Africa in less than 24 hours. The journey has been like a wide awake dream. I’ll be back to explore more of the wonders found here hopefully next fall, winter and spring. Or spring, summer and winter depending how you look at the seasons.
Spotted Hyenas Kruger National Park
The wildlife so close and roaming free in its own environment while I stay in my cage called a car. Such an improvement from wandering a zoo and looking thru bars while my heart breaks over the containment of life for human enjoyment.
Golden Gate Highlands National Park
Landscapes of such diversity abound in this country no bigger than the state of Texas. And I’ve yet to see them all. Some places remind me of home in the States, similar but different. Towering walls of sandstone like the canyonlands in the Southwest.
Nature’s Valley
High mountain streams cascading into waterfalls like the Rocky Mountains.
Hogsback
Mountains blanketed with forest like Washington’s North Cascades.
Free State
Rolling hills with farm fields stretching on to forever like Iowa.
Great Karoo
Vaguely vegetated desserts like southern Arizona.
Tsitsikamma National Park
Waves crashing on rocky shores like the northwest coast.
West Coast National Park
Sand dunes to clamber over like the east coast.
Camdeboo National Park
And colorful sunsets like everywhere in the world.
Flap-necked Chameleon Kruger National Park
Yes, I am sad to leave but carry some most amazing memories away with me. Plus I long to sleep in my own bed.
I’ve seen so much and taken 1000s of photos. I will be sharing the journey with you all as I post for probably the next six months or more.
One of my most favorite quotes is…..”Our truest life is when we are in dreams awake.” . Henry David Thoreau It would appear you have had a wonderful opportunity to do exactly that. I look forward to seeing the amazing pictures of your trip. Welcome Home!!
I love that quote. Not quite home yet. Still have over 20 hours of flying to do starting tomorrow afternoon. Plus some layovers.
What an amazingly diverse land you have shown us. I’m so glad you had such a memorable time – and I’m looking forward to more photos. xox
I’m in love with South Africa.
Move there! Beautiful pics Gaelyn! Can’t wait to live your vaca through your pics!
Give me a few more years to full retirement and I just might move here.
Thanks for taking me along on your South African adventure, Gaelyn!
It’s not quite over yet. Still have over 20 hours of flight plus layovers.
Beautiful photos of an awesome experience. I’ll look forward to reading more about your trip. Always a little sad when a trip ends, isn’t it?
Thanks Cathy. I know I’ll be back but it’s still hard to leave.
Great photos! I love the lizard video!
Thanks Lori. Chameleons are very cool.
I can’t believe our trip is over. It seems like you just got started. What a gorgeous gorgeous place. Leaving such beauty must be heart breaking. I love your comments on ‘the containment of life for human enjoyment’. I strongly feel that way and I haven’t been where they are wild and free. It must be much worse for you. Safe travels. I look forward to hearing about all your memories. Let the count down begin to when you will return. They don’t happen to need National Park volunteers do they????
Everyone needs volunteers. I’ll be looking into that for my/our next trip. Next is the worse part, the 20+ hour flight back. Then the dentist on Friday.
Zoos have always been a conflict for me, even when I was an animal keeper.
Really enjoyed this post – lovely photos and the comparisons of what we have here in the states to a small country – how diverse! I hope your trip is safe and that you’ll have many more chances to enjoy great trips like this one.
Thanks Nancy. Seems I find similarities to the States wherever I roam.
This is the best kind of trip, the kind that leaves you longing for more. Knowing that there so much more left to see. And yet happy to be going home to YOUR nest, to your place. I’m so glad you had this wonderful experience and that you’ve shared it so wonderfully with us.
(Ms.) Ernie
This has been one of the best trips so far. Thanks Ernie.
Glad you have enjoyed your African tour and shared it with us all.
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Colleen (longdog2)
Traveling with The Longdogs
http://travelinglongdogs.blogspot.com/
There is SO much more to come.
I am so happy for you Gaelyn. You have experience so much again and I appreciate your adventurous spirit travelling alone. Such wonderful landscapes and experiences. I look forward to lots more pictures.
Loved the little video. What a great walk. Is it because the ground is so hot that the lizard is cooling off it’s feet in the slightly less hot air?
Thanks Arija. I think they always walk like that. Wasn’t really that hot.
Ah Gaelyn So sad to see you go. I wish you lived here in SA! You are a darling and a treat to have visiting our beautiful country. I hope to read up more of your posts of your tour as soon as I get back to East Africa. Safe travels my dear friend. Big (((hugs))) Jo
Gee thanks Jo. I’ll be back next year for even longer. A couple more years until I retire, then I can move to SA. Hugs back.
WOW, Gaelyn!!!
What a fantastic country!! I had to compare sizes…yeah, I know how that sounds. hahaha! 8*)
South Africa is 471,443 square miles.
It turns out that Alaska is a bit too big at 663,268 square miles to hold South Africa .
But Texas was too small at 268,820 square miles! That had me roflmbo! 8*)
So, South Africa has the diversity of our whole country but is smaller than our largest state!! Amazing and so incredibly beautiful!! My heart bleeds for you having to leave there!! 8*(
Maybe you will get to retire early and go back sooner than expected. With our government messing with the National Park system so much, you never know!! Early retirement?? 8*)
Thank you for sharing this magical journey!! I can’t wait to see more!! 8*)
Have a safe trip home!! 8*)
Oh, I think you were right about the postcards!! I haven’t gotten mine yet! You might just beat it home!! 8*)
Dang girl, even I didn’t look up the sq miles. People here compare South Africa to the size of Texas. Guess we should throw in a bordering state too. Care to figure that out for me?
Being I’m only a seasonal with NPS I can retire whenever I want but need to wait a few more years until I can collect SS.
OK, Gaelyn, you ready? 8*)
I ended up at About.com because I was getting various square miles for South Africa and the states. About.com said:
South Africa: 470,693
South Africa is the square miles of:
Texas: 268,580 +
Oklahoma: 69,898 +
New Mexico: 121,589 = 460,067 Leaving 10,626 extra square miles.
Toss in
Massachusetts: 10,554 = 470,621 Leaving 72 extra miles!! 8*)
Then I tried by state sizes:
South Africa: 470,693
Texas: 268,580 +
California: 163,695 +
Indiana: 36,417 +
Rhode Island: 1,545 = 470,237 Leaving 456 extra square miles.
OR Since I am a New Englander:
South Africa: 470,693
TX & CA= 432,275 (leaving 38,413 sq mi)
Maine: 35,384 +
Delaware: 2,489 =
470,148 Leaving 545 extra square miles
Then I tried:
TX and CA: 432,275 +
MA: 10,554 +
VT: 9,614 +
NH: 9,349 not enough, so I threw in
NJ: 8,721 =
470,513 leaving 180 extra square miles
There ya go!! My inner Virgo just had a blast!! 8*)
So much for early retirement! Sorry about that! 8*)
I love your Virgoness!
8*)
Thank you for sharing your gorgeous photos!
Fantastic!!
I was about to correct you as well!! We very proud Saffers would like to have the world know we’re about twice the size of Texas!!
Ah well, thanks for going on our behalf!! I hope one day I can again experience all you just have! 😉
I heard many Saffers making this comparison. I really thought SA was bigger than TX.
South Africa truly is a world in one countrywith so much to see. We will have to find you work in South Africa for 6 months working in a national park or something. Perhaps you should link up with somebody on this side to promote tours to SA in the US market and then you come along as the tour leader.
I love the idea of working in your National Parks. Going to work on my online FAGASA this summer and become an Honorary Ranger. But maybe being a tour guide for others is a good idea also.
A tour guide is a fantastic idea!! You just gave all of us a tour through South Africa, why not earn a living doing it? Gather a group of paying customers and let them pay your way!! 8*)
I love it!! 8*)
I too think this is a great idea.
You are bringing back so many souvenirs… they will be in your heart and in your pictures. I am looking forward to see and read about your feelings and your thoughts compared or not compared to Arizona Beauty.
I love how photos evoke memory. I will start posting soon about this journey.
You certainly had yourself a trip. Trip doesn’t seem to describe it. Looking forward to your posts on this adventure.
I enjoyed this journey immensely. Working on some posts.
Incredible variety of landscapes, all so beautiful and fascinating, and I love the chameleon!
Considering its size, South Africa is a most diverse country. Isn’t the chameleon cute.
It’s over already? Yipes — that went wayyayyya too fast! Safe travels. Will look forward to reading more after you get back to your own bed.
It really did get over way too fast. I’ll stay longer next time. Will be posting for at least six months on all I saw and did.
It’s so true Gaelyn. Every place begins to remind us of other parts, but what’s unique are the cultures and critters that live there. I love all our world flavors. But those hyenas steal my heart:)
South Africa has stolen my heart.
The photo of the hyenas is so cute. And the scenery! Wow. Just amazing. Love the mountains and that fantastic surf.
South Africa is truly a land of diversity.