Last Saturday, Mom and I drove to Kruger National Park. The Area Public Affairs Office was holding a 5-day seminar for all the Public Affair senior missionaries in Southeast Africa there.  Leaving Johannesburg, we drove northeast going through the Drakensberg "dragon mountains." This is South Africa's largest mountain range. 

 Mom was able to capture this picture of a waterfall. I was too busy trying to stay on the left side of the road.

Our first night was spent at the Khayat Manor House. As you can see, it was pretty nice.

Getting ready for dinner looking out over the pool and Kruger Park.

During the day, there were training classes; but at 5:30 am and 5:00 pm there were drives into the Park. We saw lots of animals and I got pictures of some. This is a Common Hippopotamus. This guy, like most hippos, spent a lot of time in the water and this was the best shot I could get. Contrary to his appearance, a hippo can attain a speed of 20 mph on land. It was probably better he stayed in his watering hole.

This is one massive Rhinoceros! He was just coming down the road at us when our driver thought it was better to pull over and let him pass.

 Totally absent north of the equator, the Blue Wildebeest was constantly in migration mode except at Kruger where they can't leave the park. Kruger is huge. It extends 220 miles north-south and averages 38 miles east-west, so they can roam a bit.

This bird is a giraffe's best friend picking bugs off this long necked animal (except when the bug is in his eye!)

 This is a male giraffe. You can tell because he's larger and has a darker hide.

 A full grown Steenbok. The name is an Afrikaans word for "stone buck." This refers to the fact that when disturbed, the Steenbok usually goes stone-cold still. This one held still for his picture op.

 A male Common Waterbuck.

 The Impalas were plentiful but usually we saw the males (with horns) in their group,

 while the females were in theirs. Apparently, this time of year the females stay together because many are giving birth and all the mothers lookout for their young.

 We sat in the Land Rover while a small heard of elephants walked around us. Being so big, it was amazing how quiet they were.

 Can you say "Akunda Matata"? Here's a Spotted Hyena, Africa's second-largest predator after,

 the Lions. We couldn't get too close; but if you look carefully, you'll see two white lions on the left. They are considered very rare in the wild.

 This guy just kept staring at me, so I took his picture. I would really hate to get in his way.

Lastly, at Dullstrom, a small village on the way to Kruger, we had lunch at Harrie's Pancakes. We could only think of our oldest grandson. We love you, Harry, and all our grandchildren.