Monday, March 7, 2011

Time to say Goodbye! [Final on Massingir Excursion]

Journey's End!  The Mozambique border post at Giriyondo.  From here, we cross back into the Kruger National Park, back on South African soil.
There is an expression, 'All good things come to an end!'  For those of you who have been along from the start of this journey, we have finally reached the end.  Today is our last day.  I thought we'd mainly concentrate on bird sightings, but please don't feel limited by this suggestion.  As always, keep those eyes pealed in case you spot some larger wildlife.  By now, you've learnt that 'whilst in the bush' you need to pay attention to everything, otherwise you could very easily miss out on seeing quite a lot.

Please click the Read more button below to continue this post...

 
"The curious beauty of African music is that it uplifts even as it tells a sad tale.  You may be poor, you may have only a ramshackle house, you may have lost your job, but that song gives you hope!" ~ Nelson Mandela.

Impala lily, a lovely indigenous, deciduous succulent shrub or small tree, resembling a miniature baobab. The flowers are sweetly scented and bloom from May to September. It is found mainly in the Kruger National Park where it is protected.  It is on the Red Data lists of Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

"Just wait your turn!  Can't you see I'm crossing the road here!" Black-bellied Bustard.

"Hold on a moment...I know I saw some roadkill lying here before I landed!" Gabar Goshawk.

"You've got to be kidding me!  You really think I'm intimidated by your hooter?  Don't you know I can so easily just push your vehicle off the road, if I feel like being obstreperous?  I can assure you, you DON'T want to toot your horn at me.  I'll move out of your way all in good time!"




"Oh, I heard you folks were leaving today. Thought I'd pop by to say, goodbye"



Remember, you do not rush in Africa.  Everything here is on its own clock, quite independent from and foreign to Big Ben's schedule of time keeping.  There is a word for it...it's called, 'African time!' 

[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/African_time]

If you try to rush it, you WILL come off second best!  You will be the one who is sweating and fuming and raging...no one else and nothing else around you will even take any notice of you!  So, with this in mind, let's take a SLOW drive back to the Mozambique border post at Giriyondo.  We can stop at any point along the way if there's anything you'd especially care to photograph...just say the word! 
Ground Hornbill
Kingfisher
Hornbill
African Fish Eagle
Kudu
Hornbill
Warthog
Vulture
Nyala
Eagle with prey
Every end is a new beginning!

    

29 comments:

  1. Oh my, Desiree, these photos are stunning. You have captured Africa in essence with every single image. I loved it. Thanks too, for all your kind visits and comments on my blog. Bless you my friend. I hope we can meet one day. Jo

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  2. It's so sad to leave such a beautiful place... You've been spoiling us with great photos and stories all throughout this little journey.

    The wildlife is amazing. I can't even name all the species you've shown us. Of course, the giraffe had to take the spotlight too :)

    The idea of African time is great, I feel that I'm already going at its leisurely pace.

    The photo at the end is gorgeous, that is a beautiful golden sunset.

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  3. O my i enjoy every Africa post of you...i am curious what shall be your next post !!!????....i am so glad i found your beautiful blog !!!...thanks for all thye beautties !!! life is good.......and beautiful !! love Ria,....xxx...

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  4. Just beautiful! This trip was so amazing! So many wonderful sights that I will probably never see for real.

    Thank you!

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  5. I've always wanted to visit one of these big reserves - now I even more want to! What a marvellous trip and what stunning photography. Many thanks for sharing.

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  6. Once again I really enjoyed your travels, thank you. That impala lilly is spectacular - here it is known as desert rose - dont know that mine will ever get that big!

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  7. What a wonderful safari we've enjoyed! We thoroughly enjoyed the ride along! Thanks!

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  8. Wow, what beautiful photos! I had to laugh when right as I was thinking how calm and serene the photos were making me, up popped the birds with the red heads. Are they vultures of some kind? You are blessed to be able to experience that part of the world and all the wildlife and plants there. Does that bush full of flowers get any leaves?

    Thanks for your comment on my last post. I sure love setting those tracks up! I didn't know I had that ability. I look forward to him coming over again, so I can set them up another way.

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  9. I loved this trip. Thanks so much for sharing all of these wonderful pictures. One day I'd love to see some of it in person.

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  10. You can't beat African wildlife. Thanks for the exotic tour and the grand finale sunset.

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  11. Enjoying all your photos and commentary

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  12. Absolutely gorgeous!!! I have totally enjoyed following your adventures. Thank you so much for sharing! :-)

    Ronda

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  13. I love the reflections in that second photo and the eagle is amazing! Thank you so much for these.

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  14. And yet, another visit filled with the beauty that is Africa. A trip that was much the better becausea you were our tour guide. Thank you.

    And, your comment.....LOVED IT...had me laughing.
    I do wonder sometimes what animals must think of us and our dealings with them.

    Toby sends his sniffs to Heathclif....kt

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  15. I so enjoyed all the photos, especially the Eagle with his prey, you actually captured a feather floating away.

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  16. I came by earlier to offer you an award, but got carried away on safari.

    So, I want to pass on an award to you that I received (post #153 on 3/9).

    You don't have to go through all the acceptance junk.
    I just wanted you to know that I appreciate you.

    kt

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  17. Thank you Desiree. This trip with you was superb.
    The sights you've shown us of your beautiful country are magnificent.

    I thought the Impala Lily to be very special, the varieties of succulents seem vast. This one is not only beautiful to look at with its thick trunks, but has a sweet scent as well.

    Your commentary is just the icing on the cake Desiree - it makes the trip very real. You've a lovely sense of fun, and the way you brought all the photos together was so enjoyable.

    Seeing the birds, the elephants and all the other animals in their natural settings is so good.
    Thank you again... very much :D

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  18. Thank you so much for adding the names of the animals and birds to the post! Although I don't recognise a lot of them, it's nice to know I can look up more information about them on the internet.

    Looking forward to the next post.

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  19. To thank you for being a great reader and commenter and, above all, a really great blogger, I want to nominate you for the Memetastic Award.

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  20. Lavi:

    Oh, Wow! I am so touched that you chose me for this award and really want you to know how much I appreciate both the gesture and your kind words.

    I must, however, decline as I have elected to be an award free blogger. My readers' comments are more than enough to sustain me :)

    Hugs,

    Des xoxo

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  21. Obstreperous, what a great word! And what a marvelous trip, Desiree. Now how does one follow up a journey like that? The closest I ever came to such a trip was Yellowstone Park as a child, and I was so thrilled to see a MOOSE! So now you head back to the tiny thatched airport and go home with lots of memories and pictures. SO glad you shared all of it!

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  22. It's been so much fun - as if I was there with you. I hate to see it come to an end, too! I hope there will be more blogs to come. It's so interesting to see into someone else's life - someone so far away and yet so much like anyone I know here.

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  23. If you still want to follow us we are posting at:-
    http://michaelhanne.tumblr.com
    All our photos disappeared on blogspot. ( error 404 )
    Cheers!

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  24. Hola Desiree, so sad that your wonderful trip as got to the end, but as you said every end is a new beginning. I have loved all the animals and nature you have captured and specially the eagle ones!!!
    muchos cariños

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  25. I've missed so much in the past week. What a fantastic place to live. I hate Zoo's and never took my children to one. They don't never took theirs either. Seeing animals out in their natural habitat with nothing to fence them is...is wonderful, Desiree!
    Beautiful photo's. Almost like being there...
    I said almost!
    Thank you for you sweet comments...you have been so sweet to me!
    Mona

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  26. What a fantastic journey you have taken us on. I say it every time but I absolutely love coming to your blog. sadly I can't stay long as the bits of cotton wool in my ears to block out the noise of the screaming french children in McDonalds is not working and Hubby is 'looking daggers' at me and wants to leave the cafe (understandably). So, I shall be back very soon now and over to visit you for a lengthier stay. Huge thanks for your comment on my blog I always look forward to them and enjoy what you have to say. It's true to say I've missed you while I've been away.
    See you soon.

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  27. WOW!!! again!!
    that Lily tree is so beautiful!!! what a piece of ART...as is everything you capture in your pictures!

    i did not rush...i took my time...i did not want this journey to end.

    what a finale...that sunset! i could sit and stare at it...forever...but the sun sinks swiftly!! and rises on the other side! yes, another day...another adventure!

    thanks for this journey Desiree...i loved every minute of it!! :laura

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  28. What a treat! I love the giraffe with his heard in the clouds and the hornbills are wonderful. I'll take this trip again!

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  29. Thank you so much for the virtual tour of your country. The pictures were gorgeous and your way with words put me right there with you. It's always a treat to visit your web site.
    Have a wonderful day!

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