Off to Addo Elephant National Park ...

I had an e-mail from Gigi sent at 01h00 and received when I woke at 05h00 this morning - very early. She arrived in London safely and is already working hard to prepare for the Chelsea flower show and sends greetings to all.

Today I left Cape Town at dawn on a very wet and rainy day. Thanks to Chris for getting me to the airport in the predawn dark after a late bar shift the night before. I had to come up to Addo (about an hours drive inland of Port Elisabeth) for a biodiversity strategic planning meeting, hosted by the national Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, that will be held at a small conference venue, Africanos Lodge, not far from the Addo Elephant National Park



Approaching Port Elisabeth with Shark Rock pier and Hobby beach, which the boys will remember very well, from their 4 years in the city when they were in primary school.



A view over Addo Elephant National Park to the Zuurberg in the distance. Snow is expected tonight on the high ground! There are a couple of hundred elephant hiding in that photograph but nary a one did we spy on our afternoon game drive in an open game viewing vehicle. We nearly froze as a light rain fell and sprayed us as we drove. As the guide, Michael, explained, “The park doesn’t have funds to provide the elephant with warm jackets from ‘Edgars’ so they all have to make do with retreating into the thickest bush! Michael's fund of stories, including local lore, about the animals and plants was 'value for money. He is an asset to the park.



We saw lots of fresh tracks at the waterhole. I’m sure that all the droppings we saw must have been fibreglass replicas! There just can’t be that many droppings and no elephants – can there?



With the Addo bush being so thick and thorny the elephants use the roads when they need to cover distance to the waterholes. Therefore there is a lot of dung, and of course dung beetles, on the roads. And of course there has to be appropriate signage to protect the beetles.



We saw zebras …



… and red hartebeest



And driving to the guest farm outside the park after supper this evening I came across the sign below. Your guess is as good as mine! Yes this area is well known for its elephants … and …?



And with that thought - Goodnight!