{"id":19228,"date":"2024-10-17T22:33:05","date_gmt":"2024-10-18T02:33:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/aleta.life\/?p=19228"},"modified":"2024-10-18T07:55:16","modified_gmt":"2024-10-18T11:55:16","slug":"kruger-vignettes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/aleta.life\/index.php\/2024\/10\/17\/kruger-vignettes\/","title":{"rendered":"Kruger Vignettes"},"content":{"rendered":"
Position: 24\u00b023’44.1″S 31\u00b046’29.4″E<\/a><\/h6>\n

Visiting South Africa is a bit like entering a gated community. Once inside, safe behind the security guards and barbed wire, you can leave reality behind. In Kruger National Park, the tourists are almost all white, and predominantly European. While there are some families with kids, for the most part visitors are older \u2013 in their 60s and 70s. Most can walk to and from their cars, albeit slowly. Hand them the keys to a golf cart I\u2019m confident most could play 9 holes. At times, things felt a bit more like Pecan Plantation<\/a> than South Africa. A little self-consciously, we nonetheless leaned into our privilege.<\/p>\n

Caspar<\/h6>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Caspar is a white lion. White lions are rare in Kruger National Park. There are only three or four white lions in the reserve and Caspar is the elder statesman for the pride. He and his (LoC1<\/sup><\/a>) buddy were a couple of miles from Satara Rest Camp hanging out by the side of the road. A cold wind out of the northeast cut across the savannah kicking up dust and ruffled the lions\u2019 manes. For 20 minutes our driver for our early morning safari waited while we snapped photos and quietly wished we\u2019d brought a couple more layers. But it was worth it. The rest of the drive proved a bust. The winds had brought low clouds and all the other animals stayed snuggled in bed waiting for things to warm up. As soon as we got back to camp, we did the same.<\/p>\n

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