11th March,2009

I had a very good walk starting at 6.00am. My guide saw a jackal. I now understand why normally sane tourists do stupid things like approaching lions for a close-up photograph. On hearing the word "jackal" in a state of high excitement I started moving forward without a thought to any potentially dangers. Needless to say the jackal vanished before I even got a glimpse of it.

Tala really wasn't worth the money. There is absolutely nothing to do in the evenings - no wildlife information or books which one could consult. As I was the only person actually staying the three days were more than sufficient. It had the plus that except for one occassion I had the game rangers entirely to myself and we had many interesting conversations.

Donnette came to collect me and she took close up shots of a rhino. When we were back home I told her that there were no black rhino in the park. I had been informed that the rhinos were white. Donnette was adamant that the rhino she had photographed was a black rhino. I mentioned that the creature had not been in an area where one would expect to find black rhino. But then I recalled that the rhino had a completely different horn to the ones which I had photographed earlier. It had indeed been a black rhino and I hadn't bothere to photograph it even though I could have got a really good shot! (Subsequently I found a picture of a black rhinocerus which I had taken.) It's the one above.

A Day Out with the Children

7th March,2009

As I hadn't given the children an outing I took us all to "The Crafty Duck" where there are all sorts of animals, horse rides and a minature train. Savannah was not with us as she had opted to stay with her aunt and cousins.
The Crafty Duck is clearly mainly interested in generating income although they do run a rehabilitation centre. Many of the cages are very small, there are no informative notices about the animals and worst of all visitor safety seem to be a matter of indifference. Children could put their fingers through the fence and touch the crocodiles. No helmets were provided forchildren on the horse rides. A poor young lynx was in a tiny enclosure right at the entrance to the rehabilitation area. She was being teased by a group of afrikaans speaking children. I told them nicely but firmly to stop.

It is a good outing for children as they can feed ducks, geese, parrots and numerous other birds. There are also rats, hamsters, guinea pigs, goats, snakes tortoises, antelopes, ponies and the afore-mentioned crocodiles.

The train ride was a complete rip-off and badly organised.

After lunch we went to Albert Falls Miniature Railway which was constructed and is run by a friend of Donnette's father. I was persuaded to take a ride and it was great fun. There is a properly laid track and the train goes over bridges and through tunnels.

Next we went to Albert Falls where there is dam. The cascades are beautiful but somewhat marred by the workshops right in front of them which are full of steel girders and abandoned machinery. We had bought lovely fresh mealies earlier and Donnette gave the workers enough so that they could roast them when they had a break. I thought that was a lovely gesture.