~~~~~
Our first day in Kruger Park National Park
We boarded our Airlink flight to the town of Pahalaborwa…
..which arrived under us in approximately fifty minutes.
The sights which greeted us were totally unexpected as was the sign stating this was the Gateway to Kruger Park. However, upon reflection, perfectly normal.
Soon in the Kruger Park proper, for our drive to Olifants Rest Camp, we were greeted with what we thought a breath-taking, and unexpected, array of bird and animal life.
These photos are in chronological order, commencing with a vulture…
probably checking us out to see if there was a weakling among us….
..a trio of giraffes not knowing which way took look so covering all possibilities.
A thirsty elephant only about 100 metres from the road had cameras clicking.
…as did this klipspringer, high up on a rock formation.
a small herd (I’m sure that is not the collective noun) of zebras also made more than a cameo appearance.
Birds (this one a lilac-breasted roller) watching us watching them…..
…departed swiftly if they thought they had spent enough time with the new tourists.
The hornbill was to play more than a cameo in our holiday, although we did not know that at this stage.
More elephants on show…
…along with a resting Cape Buffalo. There was more but this was the best shot.
Once again, a first sighting and although not a very clear sighting, cameras were working overtime…at least mine was.
A long-range shot of some hippos was well received by all. The open mouth was not a yawn, rather a young one was being sternly rebuked by its elders.
Photographically, this is not a good shot, but these waterbuck appeared stranded on a narrow strip of terra firma…
…while the neighbour on the other side of the river was pretending not to notice.
Finally, Olifants Camp came in sight and our first day was nearly at an end. We all commented on what a great day it had been, discussing sightings and photographs taken. While we had travelled to South Africa to see the animals, it was not expected that we would be able to see them in such abundance on our first day.
Little did we know what was in store for us…
~~~~~
Weekly Photo Challenge: Unexpected
(dailypost.wordpress.com)
~~~~~
Related articles
- Weekly Photo Challenge: Unexpected (caligirlsays.com)
- Weekly Photo Challenge: Unexpected (travelicius.wordpress.com)
- Weekly Photo Challenge: Unexpected (stevemcp2002.wordpress.com)
- Life | Kaleidoscope
- 11-22-13 Unexpected | The Quotidian Hudson
- Weekly Photo Challenge: Unexpected | Journeyman
- Weekly Photo Challenge: Layers | Day One
- Travel Theme: Unexpectedly Fragrant… with Lines | Jaspa’s Journal
- Weekly Photo Challenge : Unexpected | A Journey Called Life …
- The Leafless Full Tree | Love in the Spaces
- Weekly Photo Competition: Unexpected | Reflections and Nightmares- Irene A Waters (writer and memoirist)
- Weekly Photo Challenge: Unexpected | Outreach
- Weekly Photo Challenge: Unexpected | six degrees photography
- Weekly Photo Challenge: Unexpected | Project Remnant Redo
- Weekly Photo Challenge: Unexpected | Let There be Peace on Earth
- Weekly Photo Challenge: the unexpected | br4ceyourself
- Unexpected snow, wind & cuties | follow your nose
- Weekly photo challenge : Unexpected | Connie’s World
- Weekly Photo Challenge : Unexpected | Jejak BOcahiLANG
- Unexpected in Central America: weekly photo challenge | Chronicles of a Public Transit User
- Weekly Photo Challenge : Unexpected « Simply Me
- “Unexpected” | “On Dragonfly Wings with Buttercup Tea”
- Weekly Photo Challenge: Unexpected | Something to Ponder About
- Weekly Photo Challenge: Unexpected | travelicius
- Weekly Photo Challenge: Unexpected | Flickr Comments
- Unexpected (Weekly Photo Challenge) | Icezine
- Weekly Photo Challenge – Unexpected | Chittle Chattle
- Daily Post Weekly Photo Challenge: Unexpected | Photographs by James Collett
- Weekly Photo Challenge: Unexpected | The Eclectic Eccentric Shopaholic
- Here’s Looking Back at You? (wp weekly photo challenge) | Daily Observations
- Weekly Photo Challenge – Unexpected | Just Snaps
- Weekly Photo Challenge: Unexpected | Stephen Chapman
- Weekly Photo Challenge: Unexpected – Joy and Woe
- WPC: Unexpected | Books, Music, Photography & Movies : my best friends
- My.Vivid.Visions | Weekly Photo Challenge: Unexpected – Curiosity of Little Girl
- Rue eau de Robec | Empire of Lights
- Weekly Photo Challenge: Unexpected | Steve Says….
- There he was… just a walkin’ down the street… | Galen911
- WordPress weekly photo challenge: Unexpected | Milka Pejovic
- Unextected connection | Detours by Deepali
- Weekly Photo Challenge: Unexpected | Ohm Sweet Ohm
- The Eiffel Tower Insults My Intelligence | Bumblepuppies
- Weekly Photo Challenge: Unexpected | mybeautfulthings
- Weekly Photo Challenge: Unexpected | Lucid Gypsy
- weekly photo challenge: unexpected, or made from sewing books | Curls n Skirls
- Crowded in like Animals | meandmymegapixels
- Unexpected | de Wets Wild
- Weekly Photo Challenge: Unexpected | Hope* the happy hugger
- Weekly Photo Challenge : Unexpected | Moments In Life
- Weekly Photo Challenge: Unexpected | roastbeefandrakija
- Weekly Photo Challenge: UNEXPECTED | Lost in Translation
- Weekly Photo Challenge: Unexpected | Cee’s Photography
- WordPress weekly photo challenge: unexpected – and 50% off my photo calendars | Perfecting Motherhood
- Weekly Photo Challenge – Unexpected « LargeSelf
- WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE: UNEXPECTED IN THE DARK | SERENDIPITY
- Weekly Photo Challenge: Unexpected [Entry XIII] | Stephanie Lise Lamoureux
- Weekly Photo Challenge: Unexpected | Elämän katupeili
- Photo Challenge: Unexpected. | Multifarious meanderings
- Weekly photo challenge : unexpected | Mon beau manoir
- Weekly Photo Challenge: Unexpected | yarnwuseleien
- A mom’s blog
- Unexpected « LIVING WITH MY ANCESTORS
- Weekly Photo Challenge: Unexpected | This, that and the other thing
- Weekly Photo Challenge: Unexpected | Awl and Scribe
- Trapped | Broken Light: A Photography Collective
- Weekly Photo Challenge: the Unexpected | paintedwords
- Weekly Photo Challenge: Unexpected | Captured With My Phone, iPhoneography
- Best Seat on the House | Monochrome
- Unexpected | About-One-Thing
- WPC: UNEXPECTED « MY WALL
- Weekly Photo Challenge: Unexpected | Cali Girl Says…
- Weekly Photo Challenge: Unexpected | A chain of thoughts…
- So Totally Unexpected | Home’s Cool!
- Unexpected | Jasper Smits
- Weekly Photo Challenge: Unexpected (Reflection on Work) | What’s (in) the picture?
- Weekly Photo Challenge: Unexpected #photography | Moondustwriter’s Blog
- Weekly Photo Challenge: Unexpected | Mrs. Lanik’s Photo-a-Week Blog
- Weekly Photo Challenge – Unexpected! | The Urge To Wander
- Weekly Photo Challenge: Unexpected | castelsarrasin
- The unexpected views from a street in Delhi | Thirdeyemom
- Swimming on the Streets (4 Photos) | On the Streets of San Francisco
- Weekly Photo Challenge: Unexpected | ILEANA PARTENIE
- Weekly Photo Challenge: Unexpected | belgradestreets
- Weekly Photo Challenge: Unexpected | Life of a Minister Mom
- Weekly Photo Challenge – Unexpected | Perceptive Pot Clueless Kettle
- Weekly Photo Challenge: Unexpected | 2812 photography
- Unexpected | Kansa Muse
- weekly photo challenge: unexpected | Musings of a Random Mind
- Weekly Photo Challenge: Unexpected | Diary of Dennis
- Weekly Photo Challenge: Unexpected | belgianstreets
- Weekly Photo Challenge – Unexpected | Tvor Travels
- weekly photo challenge: unexpected | wise monkeys abroad
- Weekly Photo Challenge: Unexpected | Dim Lamp/קנה רצוץ לא ישבור
- Weekly photo Challenge: Unexpected (1) | V A S T L Y C U R I O U S
- Unexpected reminder | Life through a Lens
- :: WP Weekly Photo Challenge: Unexpected | Belo Horizonte daily photo
- Swan Lake | EclipseOfTheMoon
- Unexpected | follow your nose
- Weekly Photo Challenge: Unexpected | Snapshots & Smiles
- Weekly Photo Challenge: Unexpected | imagination
- Weekly Photo Challenge: Unexpected | Winging it
- Weekly Photo Challenge: Unexpected | That Time In
- Walk This Way | feelosophical
- A Picture and a Poem | Jaajaabor
- Unexpected | Zeebra Designs & Destinations
- Weekly Photo Challenge : Unexpected- Birds at Viera Wetlands | I see beauty all around by rob paine
- Weekly Photo Challenge: Unexpected … Times Five | Eyes to Heart
- Weekly Photo Challenge: Unexpected | A Mixed Bag
- Weekly Photo Challenge: Unexpected | Wind Against Current
- Weekly Photo Challenge: Unexpected | Ruminations & Observations
- Israel 4453 | artishorseshit
- Weekly Photo Challenge: Unexpected | What Is It?!?
- WP weekly challenge: Unexpected « Jag gör världen vackrare
- An unexpected structure in Kurashiki | Summerfield84’s English blog
- Weeky photo challenge – Unexpected! | travels with toby
- Weekly Photo Challenge: Unexpected 2 | Ruminations & Observations
- S. Thomas Summers | Weekly Photo Challenge: Unexpected
- Weekly Photo Challenge: Unexpected « Jejak-jejak yang Terserak
- New Chicks on the Block | feelosophical
- Weekly Photo Challenge: Unexpected | autopict
- Weekly Photo Challenge: Unexpected | Potpourri Adventures
- Weekly Photo Challenge : Unexpected (The Flowing Basket on The River) | bambangpriantono
- Weekly Photo Challenge: Unexpected | Jennifer’s Journal
What a fantastic adventure! An unexpected pleasure for sure. Thank you for bringing us on this journey with you. The close ups of the wildlife is stunning.
LikeLike
Thank you. Was certainly a trip not to be forgotten.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great wildlife photos! Merci, too, for visiting my blog.
LikeLike
Thank you and you’re welcome.
LikeLike
Wow! What an amazing collection of wildlife! Thanks for the follow. I look forward to following you too.
LikeLike
Really? Unexpected? Some amazing shots here. But I probably would have turned back if a vulture was eyeing me!
LikeLike
Thank you. the animals were certainly unexpected in the number and closeness. You might like a look at my, I shouldd have said MGW’s photo of me holding a vulture in the A-Z V Challenge.
LikeLike
Pingback: Kruger National Park-South Africa is a marvel | newsafrica.co.uk
Pingback: Unexpected photographs | Processing the life
Pingback: Weekly Photo Challenge: Unexpected | Say It With A Camera
Pingback: Weekly Challenge: Unexpected | Through the Eye of Bastet
What an adventure! Great captures.
LikeLike
Thank you..it was a great trip.
LikeLike
Pingback: Weekly Photo Challenge / B4 Retouch: Unexpected (Karnak) | What's (in) the picture?
Love them all Woolly, especially that colorful little bird!
LikeLike
Hi Vastlycurious, I have deliberately delayed responding until I found out the name of the Lilac-Breasted Roller. It is pretty and although we saw many rollers during our journey they were never close enough for me to appreciate their colour. Maybe dark glasses and a degree of colour vision loss collaborated.
LikeLike
I am so glad you answered !Thank you and to tell you the truth today I thought of your photo on my hike today when I was trying to catch a little sparrow with my damn Iphone : >
LikeLike
Good luck with your iPhone. Most of my bird shots, in the wild, are long range and heavily cropped. I was using a 55-300 mm lens all the time in South Africa.
LikeLike
Yes I completely realize this ……..?
LikeLike
Kathryn here not VC 🙂 Sounds like an illness : )
LikeLike
When you write it like that it does……
LikeLike
Thats how you wrote it : ))))
LikeLike
Hmmm….I did too. I stand corrected.
LikeLike
No problem : )
LikeLike
The birds are really great !!! Very good work.
LikeLike
Thank you…they make great subjects to work with.
LikeLike
Pingback: Weekly Photo Challenge-Unexpected-2 | WoollyMuses
Wow! That vulture shot is great! You have fabulous pics, and I’m so glad I follow you so I can travel vicariously!
LikeLike
Thank you. Must confess the vulture is one bird that I had a re-think about. Realised my views were always negative thanks to movies. I may not like their eating habits but they are a great bird.
LikeLike
Thanks for linking me. I’m enjoying your blog and sense of humor. 🙂
LikeLike
I’m glad you like WoolyMuses blog. It was always meant to be lighted hearted with a twist of me 😉
LikeLike
Wonderful photos! Thank you for the pingback. Blessings to you!
LikeLike
Thank you and blessings to you and yours
LikeLike
What stunning photos. Thank you for linking to me so I could come and have a look
LikeLike
Thank you. You have some terrific photos on your blog as well. Always have loved a wild sea.
LikeLike
Thank you. I love it. I am lucky enough to have a balcony facing the sea, so I just need to look out of my living room window to see if it is behaving 🙂
LikeLike
I have always lived around thirty minutes inland so enjoy the sea when I see it.
LikeLike
Before moving here, it has been some distance for me. I am lucky to have the sea in front of me and the White Cliffs of Dover behind me. Birds are always nesting there so I get some decent shots occasionally there too
LikeLike
It must be a beautiful area to live.
LikeLike
It can be 🙂
LikeLike
Brilliant! Such great memories for you, what a trip… 🙂
LikeLike
It was a great trip, fantastic memories and experiences.
LikeLike
Thanks for taking upon a safari with these photos! Simply mind-blowing 🙂
LikeLike
You’re more than welcome. Our first trip into Kruger was just an entree though. It’s definitely worth adding to your list. Enjoy Tassie.
LikeLike
beautiful moments captured. thanks for the pingback.
LikeLike
Thank you and you’re welcome
LikeLike
Wow! That is a lot of photographic moments (I would love this place!). But I can’t see Africa from Texas. 😀 Beautiful shots. Looks like the trip of a lifetime.
LikeLike
Thank you. There is a lot of photographic moments in South Africa….we all gave our cameras a work out.
LikeLike
I would be out of control!
LikeLike
If you mean out of control with your camera, yes, very easily done. I took a new card for each day.
LikeLike