We really are blessed to be living in such a beautiful part of the country, even though the highway is now incredibly close to our home post the new road works and depending on which way the wind is blowing can make for noisy evenings with the traffic buzzing by.
Onto happier things… just in case you missed my post on the Addo Elephant National Park, it is a mere 2km drive from our home now that they have opened the south gate, a true privilege! It used to take close to and hour and a half to get into the park before they opened the new gate and just for interests sake, Addo is now the third largest national park in South Africa. 🙂
Pete and I went on a bike ride adventure which led us right to the border of the park. Sadly we didn’t see any wildlife, although there was evidence of Elephant as we spotted loads of dung.
The Addo border fence
Good thing the gate is electrified as an ellie could easily push its way through
Elephant dung just the other side of the electric fence
There used to be a railway station bordering the park in Colchester eons ago evident by how overgrown the tracks are which will make for a beautiful photo shoot – soon I hope. Somebody must have known the station will never re-open as when they tarred the road, they tarred straight over the tracks – or were they possibly just lazy.
Overgrown rail tracks
Tracks intercepted by a road
I’m sorry to hear the highway has been diverted and is now so close to your home! But yes, on the plus-side, this new entrance to the park is fantastic. What a great opportunity you have to see the magnificent elephants – I have to travel a long way for that experience xx
Elephants are truly magnificent creatures and being able to be right next to one is incredibly Charlie. You always have a room here if you ever come our side of the world. Have a super day. 🙂 xo
Wow!
Thanks Lizzy! Have a lovely day. 🙂 xo
Only 2km now from home – wow that’s amazing! You might wake up one morning to find Nellie the Elephant tapping on your window with her trunk asking if you have the kettle on 🙂 Loved those railways shots!
First thing that came to mind was “I wonder what the cats would think of an Ellie in their garden” – hee hee. I am looking forward to going back to get some more shots of the railway. Have a beautiful day Tanya. 🙂 xo
What an exciting experience! I would love to get that close to the animals!
Have a good day!
You would love it Anige! Have a super day. 🙂 xo
I spent two wonderful days at Addo just over a year ago. I am deeply envious…elephants at the bottom of your garden! I only have chickens (who have decided to retire so I don’t even get eggs.) Thank you for bringing some warmth and sunlight to a cold, grey London day. Maeve
Hi Maeve, how lovely to know you were just down the road a year ago. I am so thankful to have such a magical place just down the road! I was last in the park a little earlier this year and you can see a few photos here: http://wp.me/pT5Tj-1wG . Have a super day and sending you warm sunny South African greetings to you. 🙂 xo
Colchester is just up the road from us! In the UK. I think I’d want an electrified fence between me and an elephant; we saw some in Kenya and what amazed me wasn’t their size but the noise. How wonderful to have all this just on your doorstep.
“Our” Colchester was named after Colchester in the UK. Elephants do make the most wonderful sounds. Have a wonderful day. 🙂 xo
I’m sooooo jealous! My husband and I visited South Africa for the first time last year. I have been in love with elephants my whole life and it had always been a dream of mine to see them in the wild. We also booked a days interaction with two rescue elephants as part of our holiday. I cried when it was time to leave them. They are so beautiful and so intelligent. Emma xxx
Emma, seems you and I have the same love for animals. How special that you and your hubby were able to interact with them! Fabulous! Have a super weekend. 🙂 xo
Mandy, how amazing to have them so close by and accessible. We live near a main road too, so I empathise.. xx
I hope to be able to spend a whole day in the park sometime soon Celia. I have yet to see lion in the park. Have a beautiful weekend and hope your main road is nice and quiet. 🙂 xo
What a beautiful thing, to be able to come so close to these magnificent creatures!!! (Yes, you and Pete, of course!–but elephants, too.) 😉 The road-building is not so delightful, but if it in any way contributed to bringing you closer to the elephants, it may be a grand thing indeed.
Kath, you truly have the most wonderful and encouraging and positive things to say, thank you! Have a beautiful weekend. 🙂 xo
While I do envy your ability to bike over to an elephant park, on this cold dreary morning I especially envy that big blue sky and the beautiful weather you must be having. 🙂
Bill, our weather really is lovely at the moment. Hope your weekend isn’t too cold. 🙂 xo
The opportunity to be able to be so close to the park and its wonderful animals must be a little bit of a consolation for the noise of the road.
It is Karen. Have a wonderful weekend. 🙂 xo
wow, what a fun journey……..
i really dreaming visiting South African Conservation Park…..
lucky you my friend!
It really was a fun outing Dedy. Hope you can get to visit South Africa. Have a super day. 🙂 xo
indeed, but the south african travel package cost me about 4-5 thousands USD here in Indonesia…
i guess i should saving more from now on!
That is still a very good price Dedy. hope you can save for a trip soon. 🙂 xo
Lovely experience! Beautiful pics, Mandy. I’ve always heard South Africa is an amazing place :))
South Africa really is a beautiful country and is really cheap for people visiting from other countries. Have a super week ahead Ela. 🙂 xo
The beauty of living near to an animal park means you can go frequently, watching the season change and the animals’ response to it. At only 2km away, you could walk to it, although, having seen Jurassic Park, I think I’d prefer the relative safety of a car. 🙂
John, just yesterday evening I said to Pete that we don’t frequent the park enough which is so silly having it on our doorstep! Damn, now I am going to have to keep my eyes open for dinosaurs!
Have a wonderful week ahead. 🙂 xo
Shame you didn’t see any wildlife Mandy, but having it so close to home I reckon you should go back again real soon! x
Absolutely Lisa and I think Pete and I will definitely be going back to the park before the end of the year. 🙂 xo
How nice to have the beautiful wildlife and nature so close, maybe it makes up for the road that comes a little close? Thanks for sharing your adventure.
Thankfully the road noise is only a problem when the wind blows in a certain direction. Have a super week ahead Laila. 🙂 xo
Great shots Mandy.
Very kind of you Glenda, thank you so much! Have a super week ahead. 🙂 xo
And i saw your bike too! that is one tough machine!!.. the cow dung was a rather terrifying size, you would not need much to fertilise a garden.. have a gorgeous day mandy.. c
I LOVE my bike Celi – more and more with each ride. Hee hee, that cow dung is elephant dung. Just got back from a nice run with my Pete, even though he pushes me when I feel like my lungs are going to jump out of my chest. 😉 Have a gorgeous day too. 🙂 xo
–Mandy,
you live in another world. A beautiful world. XXxxxx
I mean, Elephants!! WOW.
How I would love to spend a day with you in the park Kim – you would LOVE it. We should add it to our wish list. 🙂 xoxoxo
That is some huge dung!!! Mr. N and Miss A will seriously get a kick out of that picture Mandy. It sure puts an elephant’s size into perspective. And how awesome to live so close to so many amazing things. One of these days I hope to get down your way. My list of places to go is immensely long!
Wouldn’t it be lovely if you could visit SA Kristy. I bet the kids would love it too. Have a super day. 🙂 xo
Mandy, this all seems so exotic to me. How I would love to get a chance to visit. But man, that is some dung! I thought Lola could produce but those elephants are surely impressive. Wonder how that stuff would be for fertilizer in the garden. Don’t you wonder what it would have been like to ride the train through there?
Why have I never thought about using Elephant dung before, I am sure it must have the same benefits as all other fertilisers – well natural ones that is. I have been meaning to find out when the station closed but alas have not got that far yet. 🙂 xo
From the looks of those piles, I’d get Pete to help you lift one. You could probably take care of the entire garden with just one or two of those babies.
Absolutely! Now if I could just send some your way too. 🙂 xo
You really do live in such a beautiful place, Mandy. What a fun bike trip! Sorry you didn’t get to see the actual elephants.
Thanks Betsy! No matter as I can always go into the park and go on a personal game drive. Have a lovely weekend ahead. 🙂 xo