Roxanne Reid's Blog, page 34

Lion cubs at play in the Londolozi Game Reserve

If you’re feeling sluggish about going back to work or school after a great summer holiday, unmotivated by the thought of the long stressful year ahead, you can learn something about succumbing to the joys of life from this video of lion cubs at play. The footage, shot by guide James Tyrrell, shows the youngsters of the Mhangeni lion pride at Londolozi Game Reserve. They don’t need much, just a fallen knobthorn tree and each other. They submit to the joy of the moment–an inspiration for all...

Stuurmansfontein: a corbelled house in the Karoo

The sun had set and we were sipping wine and eating farm bread by candlelight at Stuurmansfontein near Carnarvon – a corbelled house in the Karoo, now an unusual guesthouse. It felt as if we’d fallen through a wormhole into the past.

There was old wooden furniture, satin-finished and honey-coloured with the patina of long years. There were deep windowsills confirming the thickness and cooling capacity of the stone walls. In the kitchen, a Dover stove (with a gas hotplate for modern conve...

Boyd Varty talks about ubuntu among people and animals

When a man speaks about things close to your heart you’re already primed to listen. So when Boyd Varty, who grew up in the Londolozi Game Reservebordering the Kruger National Park, popped up on TEDTalks I wasn’t going to miss it. And even if you’re not a wildlife addict, as I am, you shouldn't miss it either because of its central theme of ubuntu. Ubuntu refers to the African idea of sharing, humanity and empathy, the notion that ‘I am because of you’ or people aren’t people without other p...

Lion causes an adrenalin rush at Polentswa, Kgalagadi

Camping in the wilderness on the Botswana side of the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, is a remarkable experience that any Kalahari lover needs to have at least once. It can be calming one minute and zap you with a charge of excitement the next -forinstance when a lion causes an adrenalin rushat Polentswa.
First you need to understand that Polentswa is a rustic camp. That means: bring your own shower water, don't be squeamish about stinky long-drops, and leave behind family members who are s...

10 reasons why the new blog design is better for you

By Roxanne Reid
Some of you may already have noticed that this website has recently been given a fairly radical facelift. Not before time, either, given that the old one had become really dusty and tired. I’m just glad I managed it in time to start the New Year with a fresh look. Now let’s highlight 10 reasons why the new blog design is better for you, the readers. 1. First of all, the entire format is much wider and cleaner, with a more airy feel to help you find the info you want without h...

How to get stuck in the Richtersveld

By Roxanne Reid
‘Knock, knock, anyone there?’ It was our last afternoon at the Tatasberg wilderness camp in the Northern Cape'sRichtersveldTransfrontier Park and a young woman with a toddler in her arms had come to askif we had a tow-rope. Her overconfident hubby had ventured into the riverbedwith a 2x4 and discovered how to get stuck in deepsand. We were about to find that no good deed goes unpunished. That this man had got stuck is a reminder that no one should take the Richtersveldlight...

Lion goes flying as buffalo horns in to save its friend

Buffalo steaks may be a favourite on the menu for lions, but sometimes things don’t work out as planned. At least they didn’t for one lion in the Kruger National Park recently. See what happened when a buffalo launched a counter-attack to save its friend … The action started when a young lion was trying to deliver the final blow to a buffalo after a hunt in the Mjejane Reserve on the border of Kruger. But in a show of solidarity, another buffalo decided to take charge and change the f...

7 travel highlights of 2013

John Steinbeck said about travel that you go, not so much to see but to tell afterward. I travel for both those reasons. I’m endlessly curious and love experiencing new things I couldn’t in my own back yard, but I also enjoy sharing those experiences through this blog. Here are my7 travel highlights of 2013. Halali's Moringa waterhole in Etosha gives you great sightings, day or night Namibia
1. Why Moringa is my favourite Etosha waterhole
Namibiais one of my all-time favourite countr...

5 books about travel and wildlife

I love books almost as much as I love travel and wildlife, so the chance to combine the passions is always a treat. We can’t spend every minute on the road on in the bush, but books are a fabulous substitute, a way to travel vicariously, no matter where you are. Here’s my pick of 5 books about travel and wildlife that are definitely worth a look. Karoo Keepsakes II
by Chris Marais and Julienne du Toit
MLM Publishers R275

Explore the Karoo, its people, places, festivals and nature in this w...

Gamkaberg: new Kannaland 4x4 route opens

By Roxanne Reid
While we were staying at the gorgeous Fossil Ridge eco-lodge inthe Gamkaberg Nature Reserverecently we were lucky enough to get a sneak review of the newKannaland 4x4 route before it opened to the public at the beginning of November. With us was reserve manager Tom Barry, who was seriously knowledgeable about all sorts of things, particularly plants. That’s useful whenGamkaberg’s vegetation spans four of the South African biomes: Fynbos, SucculentKaroo, Subtropical Thicket...