Day 18: A garden full of giraffes & back to Johannesburg

July 15, 2019

Today we leave the Marloth Park and the Kruger NP and drive back to Johannesburg.

Since we don't have to leave the house until noon, we don't have much time pressure and can sleep in.

When we set the table for breakfast on the veranda, our little private zoo is already waiting for us.

The ostriches are already scratching their feet, the warthogs are already lying next to the terrace in the shade.

As we set the table, we discover a herd of giraffes behind the house among the trees!

Wow!!!! Giraffes!!!

After our private zoo has finished breakfast and moves on, we can explore the area around the house at our leisure.

In front of our car on the road stands another giraffe nibbling on a tree.

More giraffes come running across the road into 'our garden' and lie down a few meters away from us to sleep.

Wow!

That's super cool!!!!

In between is an ostrich and is completely unimpressed by the giraffes

A little further behind the house, a few impalas chase each other over the dry grass

Very cool  - and all this without a game drive!

We leave our rustic African house Savanna Pride and have lunch in the center of Marloth Park.

After lunch, we start our almost 5-hour drive to Johannesburg.

We are only staying overnight in Johannesburg.

I have booked the Aero Guest Lodge  in Kempton Park, near the airport.

Johannesburg is known to be not quite so safe, so we are not in a rush to get there.

Oh, I still get to drive!

So let's go!
Actually, we still want to stop at waterfalls on the way, but according to the travel guide and Google maps, the turnoff there is exactly in a construction site where all exits are currently blocked or can only be driven with restrictions.

But first, we wait in traffic for almost 30 minutes....

We try 2 times to find the right turnoff, but give up after the 4th detour.

It's not that important right now, we're more focused on reaching Johannesburg while it's still daylight (which of course doesn't work).

We pass some fires next to the road (it's soooo dry) and reach the Greater Johannesburg area around 7pm.

I find driving in the dark in city traffic on the 'wrong' side extremely exhausting.

Fortunately, we quickly find the way to the guest lodge and don't get lost.

The surroundings of the guest lodge are anything but 'fine'. It seems like we have ended up in a not so good area, but the address must be correct!

The rolling gate opens and we really drive into a little oasis:

between the high walls there are several buildings and bungalows, in the middle a large lawn area with pool and loungers, pavilions and a bar.

Wow, none of us expected that here!

We occupy 2 adjoining bungalows (we booked 2 x twin rooms), we get a place in the small restaurant, where we eat pizza and a rice dish, and then we fall into bed.

Since we have to be at the airport at 7 a.m. tomorrow morning, we miss breakfast, which only opens at 7 a.m.

Unfortunately, there is no doggy bag or anything like that, so we'll have breakfast at the airport.