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It has been one full week now filled with exploration and learning. We are discovering more and more about the lifestyle and culture of South Africa. We had a wonderful weekend filled with majestic scenery and a rare glimpse of the wildlife.

I had the opportunity to travel to Mpumalanga, the province just east of Gauteng (the province where we are staying). Mpumalanga, “the place of the rising sun” borders the Kruger National Park and is home to some of the most beautiful scenery I have ever seen.
We traveled thru the mountains and hiked to some of the most amazing viewing points in the area. We saw God’s Window, the Pinnacle, the Three Rondavels (three huge rocks with tops that look like traditional African hut roofs), The Bourke’s Luck Potholes (“nature’s wishing well”, a complex of smooth cylindrical potholes and rock sculptures hollowed out by whirlpools created at the meeting point of the Blyde River (‘river of joy”) and the Treur River (“river of sorrow”). The area is filled with lush forest areas and beautiful waterfalls. The whole experience was amazing.

On Sunday we visited the Lion Park and got up close and personal with some 4 month old lion cubs. Allisa was holding hands with one the cubs and did not want to let go! The guided drive through the park took us to 4 different lion camps. They are big hungry creatures! We also saw some other wildlife such as cheetah, hyena, zebra, impala, and springbok.