Crocs, Hippos and Snakes in St. Lucia

St. Lucia Estuary
Kwazulu Natal
South Africa


South Africa, it seems, is where blogs go to die. The roads are paved, the restaurants are world class, and wireless internet access is widespread and the scam artists are not as crafty as they are in, say, Zambia or Tanzania. Traveling, the way I am now in South Africa, staying in lovely guesthouses with a rental car, is very civilized and lacks the frisson of my overland travels through East Africa down to Cape Town. I have encountered no more simbas in camp, and there are no outraged overlanders to add dramatic intrigue.

Now, I'm in the lovely village of St. Lucia, just north of Durban. I flew to Durban from Cape Town and picked up my rental car from the airport. Despite daily newspaper headlines that scream "Durban N2 Collision Ends in Death, Injury" or some such variation on the theme, I've gotten a lot more comfortable driving in South Africa. St. Lucia is the gateway to the St. Lucia Wetlands Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site with lots of hippos, crocs, birds and snakes. It encompasses the beautiful Cape Vidal and other lovely, deserted beaches. The guesthouse where I am staying boasts occasional leopard sighting in the garden and nightly hippo sightings. Hippos come up from the lake for an evening cocktail of swimming pool water. Guests are advised not to get between the hippos and lake, because hippos can and have attacked people. So, although my last week in South Africa may not have simbas in the camp, it does feature dangerous animals.

In my travels, I have totally wanted to see a snake, and in St. Lucia I finally spotted one! I saw a very long, fast green mamba crossing the road quickly just outside of town. What a beautiful serpent. I was happy to spot it from the safety of my car rather than on foot. Local newspapers report that three people have been bitten by green mambas in Kwazulu-Natal in the last month. March and April are prime green mamba months here, it seems. I'll keep a lookout. In the meantime, here is a picture of a baby zebra from Hluhluwe Game Reserve, the game reserve famous for bringing the white rhino back from the brink of extinction. I was sitting on the grass in the picnic area, meters away from this little zebra!

My trip is winding down, and I am so, so ready to return to New York! By all accounts, spring has sprung, and I've managed to miss the entire winter. See you soon!