Kruger2Canyon Vol19.07 by Mark Bishop

Hoedspruit

BOEREMARK

The next Market is on 6 March @ BOSVELD CENTRE 2.2KM out of town on R40

The paper that encourages dreams, supports people and builds the community! Vol 19 Issue 07, 12 February 2021, Kruger2Canyon News, Shop 12, Kamogelo Centre, Hoedspruit. Tel 015 793 2617 email: heidi.lee@mweb.co.za

The unbelievable gift of sight Just over one year after the final procedure to restore some vision, Bob Mashaba is ecstatic to report that the sight in his left eye has improved beyond his dreams! For over thirty years, BobBob was progressively losing his sight from corneal scarring in both eyes. By 2017 Bob could barely see out of his right eye, and only just a blurry distance of a few metres with his left eye. After an international campaign to raise funds, and a further excruciating two years spent visiting three doctors, the procedures finally took place in 2019 over a period of five months. ‘With a good regeneration of stem cells in Bob’s left eye a corneal transplant was considered, but ruled out because of the risk of his body rejecting the new eye and leaving him blind,’ says Brass Brassett, the key driver of the BobBob campaign. ‘Over 100 people from 17 countries came together to help a man many had never met, leaving Bob overwhelmed and beyond grateful. This act of #unbuntu didn’t just

Enjoy it’s

FREE

Brass Brassett

Heidi Lee Smith

Bob Mashaba, seen here with his personal journal inhand. A full version of the photo album will be loaded in digital format and will be available to read on Kruger2Canyon’s Facebook page shortly! Watch this space!

restore Bob’s vision, it restored his life,’ Brass says with gratitude. I am because you are is the Ubuntu philosophy. Brass not only motivated people from around the world to contribute to the

procedures and doctors’ fees, but she also stood by BobBob every step of the way, contributing personally to the transport, transfers and many treats that she showered him with. Some of these

included simple meals along the way at a Spur or a Steers, something Bob might never have experienced in his lifetime. As a final gesture in the journey to BobBob’s sight, Brass has compiled a pho-

to album journal of the past two years, including all the contributors, which previously Bob was unable to see! ‘The delight on his face as he paged through the book for the first time, was tangi-

ble. He was totally overwhelmed,’ Brass told Kruger2Canyon. ‘Thank you to every person who has contributed to this journey, and made something so worthwhile possible.’ Brass ended.

12 February 2021 Kruger2Canyon

LOCAL IS LEKKER

@ the Kamogelo market For the love of Valentine Heidi Lee Smith

David Batzofin

Bush Bites was one of the discoveries I made on my recent visit to Hoedies. While strolling around the market at Kamogelo I discovered Mariaelena Traverso, and her yummy goodies. Bush Bites is a proudly Hoedspruit product, born out of Covid necessity, and inspired by The Bush Basket and Erika Schwaeble’s bravery to launch her shop in the middle of lockdown. ‘We were keen to support her and try something new. So, in lockdown level three, we decided to take our homemade favourite staple health goodies to market in Hoedspruit,’ says Mari. ‘Me and my husband: MJ Kühn run it together, we are both highly involved. I started the cooking and developed most of the recipes, but he is the ultimate critic and has improved many

The fact that the ‘month-of-love’ starts with a Serpent Day could be seen as an oxymoron, as we know the part snakes have played in relationships. In 270 A.D Valentine was beheaded by the Emperor at the time, a great start to the way we celebrate today, and perhaps where the expression to ‘lose your head’ when talking about love comes from. Cupid is the god of affection who shoots magical gold-tipped arrows at gods and humans alike. By piercing their hearts, he causes individuals to fall deeply in love, apparently a necessary ingredient for Valentine’s Day. It is not only humans that believe in romance and love. Many bird and animal species exhibit similar traits. The unofficial Ambassador of Love is the dove. It clearly did NOT read the memo and continues about its daily business on February 14th with no overt interactions between itself and others of its species. Would you believe that the sea horse is romantic? Pairs mate for life and the males give birth to and nurtures the offspring. Albatrosses choose a partner and mate for life. How do they manage to sustain a relationship seeing that they spend most of their lives in the air out at sea? Of the Big 5, it is only the elephant that makes this list. However, their love is for the family rather than monogamous relationships. So unless you see one with a bunch of

of our signature products with his contributions,’ Mari explains. ‘Honestly, we didn’t think much would come out of it, and were really just happy to experiment,’ she adds. ‘We were encouraged to receive such a positive response from the community. One sale after the other, things snowballed and we are now excited to be running a small, family owned and authentic health food brand.’

flowers, perhaps they are here by default? The anglerfish lives in the darkness and depths of the ocean. Once the small male meets the love of his life, he gives her a bite, which releases an enzyme that melts his mouth to her body, which quite literally joins them for life. No research has been done to see if the process can be reversed should the relationship not work out. Like a couple on Valentine’s Day, lovebirds’ affectionate nature and incredible bond were the real inspiration behind their names. The bonobo chimpanzee enjoys relationships with family and friends and will even share food with strangers. The bonobos use their romantic traits to release tension and stress.

Pufferfish are probably the most romantic, seeing that the males will die to protect their partners and offspring. The relationship between males and females consists of hard work, patience, and eternal love that lasts forever. Traits that we as humans can aspire to. However you celebrate Valentine’s Day this year, make it a memorable for all the right reasons.

Brief aan Mamma

Dis met groot hartseer dat ons ons liefdevolle Mamma, suster en dier-

bare vriendin, Susan de Bruyn van Hoedspruit Rame, Groet. Die liewe Heer het haar geneem op di 26ste Januarie 2021. Van ons ken haar al ons hele lewe lank, ander vele jare en ander dalk net ‘n paar jaar. Maar, sy het ons almal se harte geraak met liefde en omgee. Sy was ‘n sterk vrou met dryfkrag en deursettings vermoe. Sy het diep spore in Hoedspruit getrap en altyd met ‘n ope hart baie liefde gegee. Mag ons in ons harte all die mooi herrineringe koester. Mamma, ons gaan jou MIS! Liefde Wynand, Magdel, Eric, Ehren en almal wie se harte jy aangeraak het.

12 February 2021

NEWS & VIEWS

Have you seen ants in action? Hot,

Have you ever taken time to watch a line of ants form after dropping some food? They look like they are having a quick conversation, passing on information, then moving on and repeating the process to each ant they come across. It’s as though they are sending a message. This is the philosophy behind ants. The idea is to have a network of reliable transporters, which when linked together take a package to where it is needed, seamlessly and effortlessly. ANTS can also be an acronym for Automated Networked Transport Solutions. In nature this process happens automatically, but in our case we make use of technology. Typically, waiting for a package can be a frustrating experience. Package deliveries are notoriously late, damaged, work lim-

ited hours, have low customer service standards, and you have to make many phone calls to get the best rates, as well as checking the progress of your valuables. You get the feeling that even after you’ve paid, they are doing you a favour at their convenience. Ants has changed all of that. The idea of a more efficient delivery system began in 2012. After launching the local tuk tuk service known as ‘Tuksi’ we transported people around Hoedspruit, but the vehicle would occasionally break down. Spares could only be obtained via Johannesburg or India. Service failures from our side, due to a small spare part not arriving on time, resulted in enormous frustration. As technology advanced so did our formulation of an efficient delivery network

that would not only appeal to the town of Hoedspruit but also regionally and globally. Our soon to be launched cloud based application will enable you to place a collection request, get an instant quote, pay online, and watch your delivery take place in real time with GPS tracking. We hope to appeal to the fruit and vegetable farmers in the area to start using our technology. Farmers could effectively use our Ants app and not have to own a vehicle or driver along with the associated costs and burdens. We safely transport items from 1 gram up to 32 tons. Ants offers automatic Goods in Transit cover for R 1 million or more if needed. We have a call centre agent that will enthusiastically assists you if there are questions or concerns. Our network of Ants

transporters all have Public Drivers Permits and undergo a police background check. Our core team has over 50 years combined experience in the logistics industry. Our logo was designed by ShaunDean Thomas, one of our partners, who is an international award winning Brand Director. He is available to assist our clients with their brand strategies as an added service offering. We are open to negotiations to reach workable options. Next time you see an ant let it be a reminder that we are tirelessly at work, 24/7, 365 days, busy with your deliveries. We do shopping on your behalf as well as deliveries, ALL items from ALL shops in Hoedspruit http://antsrunners.com/ app/sign-in.php. Contact Ants (Pty) Ltd on: 0836771692 or go to: www.antsdeliver.com

Kruger2Canyon

hotter, hottest!

Heidi Lee Smith Rodney Hayne started his woodworking business, known to most people in Hoedspruit as Splinters, in 1999. Rod has always been known for his humility and honesty, plus good quality work at an ‘olden-days’ price. On 27 August 2006 Rodney and Vanessa, his wife and business partner, lost everything in a massive fire.They were just getting ahead and then the fire happened, but you can’t keep these two down. They rebuilt Splinters, slowly but surely, and in 2007 they started doing number plates when the Maruleng licensing department was just starting up. Rodney then began making ‘Rodney's Sauces’ as a hobby, but in no time, due to popular demand, it grew from strength to

strength! For a number of years now Rodney has been making and selling his chilli sauce, which can be found in many shops, including SPAR and PnP in Hoedspruit and as far afield as Rose Cottage in Dullstroom. From humble beginnings and only three different flavours Rodney has now got his certificate of acceptance from the health department and offers a much larger range of sauces, the latest being a signature Peri Peri sauce. Rodney would rather be in the kitchen these days with his chillies than doing woodwork at Splinters, but no matter where you find him, he will be smiling and trying to please his customers! Look out for Rodney’s Sauces and support local. We need each other! local. We need each other!

All our proceeds go to Seeds of Light in Acornhoek

ADD YOUR DONATION TO OUR VALENTINES TROLLEY AND SHOW SOME LOVE TO THOSE WHO REALLY NEED IT!

12 February 2021

Kruger2Canyon

LOCAL IS LEKKER

Farmwatch BIG Birding Rains turn Kruger into wildlife heaven Day 20 Feb 2021 Kerstin Nyberg Peart

‘A few weeks ago I was fortunate to meet Ian Owtram, a distinguished bird enthusiast from Hoedspruit. Man, is this guy serious about his birding. Anyway, over a few cups of coffee (seriously) the question of fundraising for Farmwatch came up, and it did not take long to start talking about a birding day to achieve this goal,’ says Ron Hopkins who has been raising funds for Farmwatch annually for a few years. Ian has been able to get Henk Nel (the designer of the well-known birding app BIRDLASSER) to create an application specifically for our needs, so we are in very good hands. The objective of the Hoedspruit Farmwatch Big Birding Day will be for teams of two or four to identify as many birds as possible within 24 hours. This will be a joint effort combining birders from Hoedspruit, Phalaborwa and Tzaneen, and will take place on Saturday 20 February 2021. The 24 hour window begins at midnight on Friday 19 and ends at midnight on Saturday 20. The area of the challenge

has been demarcated as an 80km circle around the central point of 24° 0’32.75”S, 30°40’59.65”E (the Selati reserve headquarters). This will offer enough scope to include all three major towns and surrounding areas. The area stretches from Kurisa Moya in the west to Motswari in the east, Giyani in the north and Bourke’s Luck Potholes in the south. Bird calls can be included as long as a majority of the team agrees to the identity. The official logging app will be Birdlasser, so if you don’t have it loaded already it can be downloaded for free from the playstore. By signing up to this you will also be adding to the database of birds in the region and will become an important citizen scientist. Once the registration fee has been cleared, your name will be added to the challenge and all you need to do is start logging on the day. Final tallies will be concluded on 23 February and the winning teams (most species recorded) will be announced and awarded their prize.

1st Prize: 2 nights for 2 people at River Lodge (includes game drives) 2nd Prize: 2 nights for 2 people at Manor House DBB 3rd Prize: 1 night for 2 people at Manor House DBB Thanks to Trevor Jordan and Shannon Rombi for these magnificent prizes. As the title suggests, this will be a fund raiser for Hoedspruit Farmwatch with all proceeds being donated to them to help with their ever-increasing fight against crime and their efforts to keep our roads and properties safe. For more information about their activities follow them on https:// www.hoedspruit.co.za/ Farmwatch If you are keen to participate in the project please email Ron your details plus proof of payment to: ingwebook@gmail. com. Details required for entry are: Name of main member | R100 per participant paid to Standard Bank Acc 230112293 | Cell number | Email address that was used to register with Birdlasser | Name of team | Happy birding.

A few weeks after tropical storm Eloise brought heavy rain and flooding, life in the Kruger National Park is getting back to normal – but it’s a ‘new normal’, a lush abundance which hasn’t been seen for decades. The road from Phalaborwa Gate to Letaba takes you through dense greenery which hides any animal that may be around, including elephants. You may not see much animal life, but they are in there somewhere, feasting on an incomparable salad buffet. It doesn’t matter that you don’t see them, they will be there in a few months’ time when the lush vegetation is just a memory. Turning north from Letaba, the road becomes an avenue lined with bushes which in places are as high as an average car. From the Letaba bridge you get the spectacle of the river filling its bed completely, and the current is fast enough to make hippos stay close to the bank. Just north of the Letaba bridge we came across a

large maternal elephant herd, with some of the youngsters clearly having a good time playing with their food, tossing strands of vegetation around. Further north, the arid fields around the Tropic of Capricorn have turned into lush meadows. This has drawn several hundreds of zebras to the area. They congregate around the (now defunct) Tihongonyeni waterhole, behaving as if they could hardly believe their luck. Foals gambol in grass that’s nearly as high as

they are. More rain fell in the northern part of Kruger than further south, but the Olifants is also in full flow, just about contained within its bed, and the elephants stay in the safety of the riverbanks. Some of the gravel roads near Satara have metre-high grass growing in the middle, a testimony to the abundance of rain and lack of vehicles. This is Kruger as you seldom see it, and, if you have the chance, go and see for yourself.

Letaba River, delivering an ocean of water through KNP

LOCAL FEATURES

12 February 2021

Kruger2Canyon

Reptile Rescue Service Chris Cooke

We live in a beautiful part of the world that is rich in biodiversity, and snakes are very much part of it. They perform a critical ecological role both as predator and prey. If snakes are eliminated from the food chain, all other links are threatened, and the entire food web is at risk of collapse. While snakes may not be everyone’s favourites, they have as much right to exist in the world as we do. The act of killing a snake is the most dangerous interaction that a person can have with a snake. Should you find a snake in your house call Hoedspruit Reptile Centre for assistance! Hoedspruit Reptile Centre (HRC) has successfully run its ‘Reptile Rescue’ programme since 1984. The Reptile Rescue programme is a service for communities in the greater Hoedspruit area whereby HRC will come to your location and assist with the removal and relocation of unwanted reptiles. Although the service is free, HRC does appreciates donations towards fuel and general expenses to keep its reptile rescue vehicle on the road, in order to provide this important service. Snakes can find themselves in the most peculiar places. Over the years HRC has removed snakes from just about any situation and environment one can think of. Cluttered storerooms, garages, offices and shops are a common place for snakes to hide, as these environments often create perfect micro-habitats for rodents and other animals that snakes prey on. Keeping our immediate environment clean is the only way to deter snakes. Chemical products such

Chris Cooke carefully removes a boomslang.

as snake repellents and other household remedies do not work in preventing snakes from entering our bush homes, so please do not waste your time or your money on them. Here are a few tips if one encounters a snake in your home. Firstly, stand still and freeze. Snake vision is better than most may think, and very sensitive to movement. Snakes are afraid of people. If you move around, the snake may interpret your actions as threatening. Snakes will always choose to move away when encountered, and whilst an encounter with a snake is understandably frightening for people, it’s best to simply freeze and allow the snake to move off on its own. If the snake cannot or does not move away from you (perhaps its cornered?), back away slowly from the snake

making sure that you do not trip over items that may be behind you. Then, once at a safe distance from the snake (about 3 meters), grab the HRC number which can be conveniently located on your fridge for ease of access. Try to keep the snake in your view until a curator from the centre can arrive to assist you. Do not try to catch the snake yourself. Do not try to stop the snake from moving. If the snake starts to move, simply keep your eyes on the snake so that you can tell the HRC curator exactly where the snake is, when he/she arrives. HRC rescues and relocates many unwanted animals each year. Do not request snake removals or emergencies on social media as these platforms are not constantly monitored, rather give us a direct call on 015 795 5203 / 064 516 7439 for assistance.

Hoedspruit Reptile Centre were recently called out to rescue an African rock python that had become entangled in a fishing net.

12 February 2021 Kruger2Canyon

LOCAL IS LEKKER

A 53-year search finally pays off ... David Batzofin Which one of the following is real? Big Foot, the Loch Ness monster, unicorns, or pangolins? One of them has been on top of my WLWL (Wild Life Wish List) since my 13th birthday in 1966, when my present was a trip to the Kruger National Park. In the intervening years, every time I have visited a lodge and the field guides enquire about favourites, ‘pangolin’ is the first word out of my mouth. That changed on a recent trip when I broke with tradition and requested hyena instead. Perhaps it was a way of not tempting the pangolin gods, and then perhaps, just perhaps, my wish to see one would be granted. We had started a morning drive when a garbled call came in over the radio. We all thought we had heard the word ‘penguin’. ‘Repeat please’

was the immediate instruction. ‘PANGOLIN’ was the response. Was my dream finally about to become reality? Nothing ventured, nothing gained as the game vehicle was turned around and we set off in the direction of the sighting. Finally, we arrived and the guide who had called in the sighting, pointing excitedly to a spot under some branches... I held my breath as I peered into the undergrowth: 53 years of waiting finally came to an end! There it was! Curled up and trying to make itself as inconspicuous as possible. The most trafficked animal on the planet lay (almost) at my feet. This animal had been on top of my list for so long that there is not even a number two to take its place. I was also concerned that it would stay in this position indefinitely and a

small portion of the pangolin was all that I would see. However, once all the vehicles and their guests had left the area, a tiny face slowly peered out of the undergrowth. Would it emerge? I held my breath... I saw a snout... and eventually it appeared out of the undergrowth. Although the front feet have several huge claws, those are used for digging and not for defence. Their major form of self-protection, rolling into a tight ball, is also their biggest weakness. When they are in this position, they can be picked up and placed in a container without any resistance. Still uncertain of the threat posed by those still at the sighting, it rolled into a partial ball and ended up looking like a giant artichoke. Finally, it crept out of the safety of the branches

The determination of Nancy Coetzee to support those in need at ‘Volkshulp 2000’ is remarkable. Nancy has managed to accumulate some valuable

donations from Hoedspruit folk. When searching for a means to get a load of furniture to Pretoria, Gert Bezuidenhout of Ambrosia came to the

party by offering Nancy space on a truck they were loading with Witkrans Transport, destined for Pretoria. Ambrosia also donated two pallets of lemons to Volkshulp 2000, while Chris Maritz gave a pallet of butternuts, Dirk Harding added four pallets of peppers and Simon Harding contributed 93 watermelons. The furniture donated by Dale van Reenen, as well as various boxes of clothing and linen, blankets, pillows and toys, made up the balance of the load. All in all, the community of Hoedspruit continues to show their kindness in many ways. Nancy says ‘Volkshulp 2000 are exceptionally grateful.’

Hoedspruit giving again

and proceeded to scuttle across in front of me. I could have wept. Not only did I get to spend time with it, but to be this close was a once-ina-lifetime experience. And then it was off... but I did get to spend 90 minutes with this armoured marvel. The name, Pangolin, is derived from the Malay word ‘pengguling’, which

means ‘rolling up’. This elusive mammal is, unfortunately, on the brink of extinction and has been classified as Critically Endangered, mainly because it is the most trafficked of all the wildlife species. They are being taken out of the wild at the rate of almost one every 5 minutes. Their scales are not as valuable as rhino horn

(R840 000 per kg) but can fetch more than R42 000 per kilogram on the black market. They are utilized in both local and international traditional medicine markets. Being made of keratin, the same as our fingernails, they have NO known medicinal properties at all. But that doesn’t stop the poachers from catching and killing them for both

their meat (R4 200 per kilogram) and the scales. The latter, ground into a powder, supposedly helps with a variety of ailments, from lactation difficulties to arthritis issues. I am both grateful and blessed to have had this opportunity to finally get to see my ‘unicorn’ and to share the experience with like-minded people.

FGASA FIELD GUIDE FUND Please support this fund set up for all FGASA Field Guides. To donate or find more info on how to access funds visit the FGASA website at: https://www.fgasa.co.za/ campaigns/guide-fund

12 February 2021

LOCAL IS LEKKER

Kruger2Canyon

Southern Cross welcome their Grade 1’s

‘A New Year brings new hope – and we are looking forward to a fantastic 2021,’ says SCS Marketing Liaison, Tracey Larmont. The Grade 1’s got to experience their first bushwalk at school. What a great way to begin a lifetime of learning at ‘big-school’.

BUSINESS DIRECTORY

Advertise in Kruger2Canyon to get a FREE listing on our Business Directory BUSINESS / SHOPS / SERVICES @Home Dog Grooming 083 843 0331 ABC Information Technologies 015 793 0851 ABC Information Technologies 079 875 8888 Abupheli Waterproofing 082 780 3610 Agri Box 082 888 0520 Barefoot Dance Academy 083 785 5354 Blackbird Business Services 082 552 6594 Boek & Pen 015 793 0859 Bureu de Change 015 793 1368 Bushmaster Solar & Electrical 015 793 3540 Cap Company 082 774 5809 Crocodile Printers 087 802 8307 Cudo Point 084 657 5031 Deltec Solar 015 793 2448 Darkie Design Interiors 079 503 0151 Ecologic Degreaser 089 525 9210 Fruitful Living 015 793 3703 Gabriella’s Décor & Events Hire 074 140 6069 Garden & Home 062 278 2724 Godding&Godding (24’ SOUTH) 072 467 3310 Hancolodi 079 432 3505 Hangupz (24’ SOUTH) 082 440 8514 Hi-Q Hoedspruit 015 793 1580 Hobby Box 015 793 0043 Hoedspruit Cleaning Crew 071 879 6416 Howzit (24’ SOUTH) 082 304 9131 Hoedspruit Paws 078 431 3161 Hoeds Wildlife Est Pharmacy 015 793 1427 InterAfrica Money Exchange 015 793 1368 Joburg Online 015 793 0093 Khaki Fever 015 793 0943 Kruger2Canyon News 015 793 2617 Maruleng Municipality 015 793 2409 Mediation & Training 083 253 3675 Moov to Move / Nina 078 778 9014 Must Love Dogs 083 843 0331 Niche Cleaning Service 083 233 9852 Pet Bar 078 819 1336 PicknPay Hoedspruit 015 793 0482 Proforum Accountants 015 590 6761 RadioActive 015 793 0855 Round Da Bend (24’ SOUTH) 078 431 3161 Secure Storage 083 263 7433 Simply Sewing 072 210 7411 SPAR Hoedspruit 015 793 2305 Tops @ SPAR 015 793 2069 Top 2 Bottom Cleaning 073 722 7913 Valencia Fabrics / Nelspruit 013 752 7005 Vehicle License Department 015 793 0838 Woodenways Luxury Furniture 013 590 5018 CONSTRUCTION & INDUSTRIAL BUCO 015 793 0560 Coastal Hire 015 793 0971 Drain Surgeon 015 793 1484 DU Paint & Tool 015 590 3993 Emross Consulting Pty Ltd 082 467 8868 1st Class Electrical 071 657 5305 Hoffmans Thatching 015 793 1530 LED Electrical and Pumps 083 501 8979 Midrand Aircon Hoedspruit 015 793 3337 Pool & Spa specialists 015 793 0166 Rudamans Hoedspruit 015 793 0137 Talisman 015 793 0560 Trellidor 013 752 4022 Wildlife Thatch 015 793 0792 SCHOOLS & EDUCATION Drakensig Laerskool 015 793 3756 Drakensig Pre-primer 015 793 2401 Perspective Training College 082 787 4471 Hoedspruit Christian School 015 793 2067 Lowveld Academy 015 793 3750 Mariepskop Laerskool 079 529 6071 Mariepskop Pre-primer 082 880 7069 Southern Cross Schools 015 793 0590

EMERGENCY – HELP LINES After Hours Emergency Doctors 084 770 1741 Air Force Base Hoedspruit 015 799 2911 Ambulance AFB 015 799 2065 Ambulance Hoedspruit 015 793 1581 Ambulance Tintswalo 101 77 Farm watch/ Plaaswag 072 310 0032 Fire Brigade AFB 015 799 2172 Fire Brigade Maruleng 015 793 0536 Hoedspruit Medical Rescue 072 170 0864 Hospital AFB 015 799 2065 Hospital Tintswalo 013 795 5000 Police Hoedspruit 015 799 4000 Protrack 015 793 2585 MEDICAL & VETERINARY SERVICES Counselling Ronelle Joubert 082 787 4471 DR Van Eeden (Dentist) 015 793 1876 DR Werner Muller (Dentist) 015 793 1894 Hlokomela 072 698 6538 Hoedspruit Clinic 015 793 2342 Hoeds Wildlife Est Pharmacy 015 793 1427 J Coetzee (Clinical Psychologist) 015 781 0012 Marlie Landman (Eye Clinic) 082 803 0369 Med Centre (Dentists) 015 793 0845 Med Centre Emergency No 084 770 1743 ProVet Veterinary Hospital 015 793 0797 REAL ESTATE & PROPERTY Century 21 015 793 1534 Fine & Country 083 377 6622 Pam Golding 015 793 2712 Wildfig Apartments 083 977 9678 RESTAURANTS & CATERING Anne’s Cotton Club Café 079 286 5600 Desperate Housewives 015 793 0820 Silverwings Spur 015 793 0559 Sleepers Railway Restaurant 015 793 1014 Three Bridges 079 912 9416

For all your renovations

REASON EMPIRE 8 Raptors Safari Junction | 015 793 1895 email:info@africansummerspa.co.za

Contact: Carol @ 0729170832 Email: carolndlovu89@gmail.com

Advertise here Support LOCAL Promote LOCAL

SPA’S & SALONS African Summer Spa 015 793 1895 Africology Spa 076 339 1035 Godding& Godding Spa 082 808 9203 Hooked on Hair 015 793 0475 StylistiX Hair &Beauty 015 793 2944 TOURISM & THINGS TO DO 24 Deg. South / Old Silk Farm 072 467 3310 Africa Unlocked Tourism Specialists 082 745 0522 Amurala Lapa 015 781 7766 Ashtons Kruger Shuttle 015 793 2617 Blyde Canyon Adventure 015 795 5961 Cheetah Paw 079 563 4463 Daktari Wildlife Orphanage 082 656 2969 Eastgate Airport 015 793 3681 Forever Resort Swadini 015 795 5141 Godding&Godding 082 808 9203 Hoedspruit-info 015 793 2167 Hds Endangered Species Centre 015 793 1633 Jabulani Elephant Interaction 015 7931265 Khamai Reptile Park 087 806 2093 Klasirie Dam (Tersia) 073 463 3148 Kruger Park Shuttle (KPS) 072 667 2231 Moholoholo Rehab Centre 082 907 5984 Roots of Rythms 083 785 5354 Sun Catchers (Hot Air Ballooning) 087 806 2079 Sky-Way Trails 013 737 8374 VEHICLES. SPARES & REPAIRS Cronje Vervoer 079 695 5444 Deltec Batteries Hoedspruit 015 793 2448 JC Plant Hire Hi-Q Tyres 082 804 2502 Laeveld Trekkers 087 806 5616 Supa Quick 015 793 0176

Professional Accountants (SA) Et Tax and Business Advisors Professionele Rekenmeesters (SA) Et Belasting en Besigheidsadviseurs Tel: +27 15 590 6761 | email: hoedspruit@proforumacc.co.za

OFFICE: 015 793 0792

Chris Dreyer: 0835735920

Main Street Hoedspruit

www.facebook.com/wildlifethatch

013752 6057 / info@crocprint.co.za

SCS get back to school

Memoirs of a mountaineering mom eat.pray.climb personal blog by Carina Nel

As is tradition at Southern Cross College, the seniors welcme the new Grade 8s as they enter the Earth Circle

Southern Cross Schools welcomed their senior learners back to a revamped classroom environment on 1 February 2021. ‘With all COVID regulations in place of course, it was fantastic to see all our learners walking through the school gates,’ said Tracey Larmont. The College welcomed the 2021 Grade 8’s into an exciting new space.

OFFICE: 015 793 1484/5 Main Street Hoedspruit

“No job too deep, too dark or too dirty”

Not everyone likes the idea of a hiking holiday. You have little or no luxury and live out of a duffle bag, showers are scarce and, last but not least, it is physically exhausting. As a mom, leaving your kids at home for two weeks or longer is tough. I have two daughters. You constantly ask yourself how they will survive without you for so long, especially if they are young. You feel guilty. Let me tell you this: A mom sacrifices herself day in and day out, to make sure of her family’s well-being. Toddler moms know the scarcity of a candle-lit bath, a private bathroom break, unscathed make-up, intact jewellery,

and clothes that have not been used in a dress-up game. You sacrifice everything for your children. It’s not that easy to just pack up and go. While preparing for a climb, I involve my kiddies in the process. I tell them in detail what I will do, see, and experience. I show them my hiking gear and what I need for a trip. But the one thing I tell them is: ‘Mommy loves you most and will always come back!’. And with that in mind, they are able to ‘let me go’. As a mom it is really important to put the oxygen mask on yourself first. Taking care of yourself is taking care of your family. If you are happy, everyone is happy. And so, I can go on. My wish is to be a good example to my daughters and

teach them to pursue their dreams. I hope to inspire them to challenge themselves someday, whether it is physically or mentally. They should know that a woman can be independent and strong. There is a place for everyone in this world whether you are a full-time mom, a career mom or a travelling mom, whether you have a conservative or unconventional approach to being a mom. I support all moms out there. You do an amazing job. “The very fact that you worry about being a good mom means that you already are one.” – Jodi Picault. Follow eat.pray.climb on Instagram #allyouneedisabackpack #mountainlove and Facebook.

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“Quick As A Wink”