Elephants in Kruger National Park

“I want to see an oliphant,” said Samwise to Frodo.

Read all about the huge and stately elephant here.

Shongololo

So how many legs does a millipede grow?

When Joan pointed out the shongololo millipede on the road in Kruger National Park I thought she was kidding. They are so big, about 10 inches (25.4 cm).

Not like what I’m used to seeing in the Pacific Northwest where the night trains get no bigger than 1.5 inches (3.81cm).

In actuality, they only have 102 pairs of legs. The babies hatch with only three pairs of legs and acquire more at each molt. Although they have so many short legs and move rather slow they are powerful burrowers easily forcing their way underground head first moving their body in a wavelike pattern. They are detritivores, eating decaying leaves and dead plant matter.

Due to their lack of speed and their inability to bite or sting, millipedes' primary defense mechanism is to curl into a tight coil—protecting their delicate legs inside an armored body exterior.

Many species also emit poisonous liquid secretions or hydrogen cyanide gas, smells like cherries, as a secondary defense.

And then there’s the Shongololo Express named by indigenous people upon seeing trains winding through the hillsides.

MWT – Lions at Kruger NP

I held my breath and my heart stopped beating as the lions walked no more than 10 feet (3.048 meters) from Joan’s truck, just ambling past up the road.  Read more about this lion experience here.

The Blessing

We sat outside the sweat lodge about dusk where Mike gave me a powerful and loving blessing.

Smudging with sage smoke helps centering, cleanses and serves as protection. 

The Hopi say Eagle’s feather will carry prayers to the Creator as the Creator sent Eagle to the people.

Yellow corn pollen comes as a special gift for rebirth and growth.

I felt so calm yet filled with such positive loving energy.

African Queen

I'd like to introduce my “tour guide” Joan...

SWF – Sunrise in South Africa

Sunrise over False Bay from Moonglow B&B, Glencairn, ZA 6:19am

My last day in South Africa I felt like a bloody tourist, not my preferred mode of travel. Yet with only six hours before heading to Cape Town International airport I tried to get in as much as possible and got an early start. Very soon I’ll be posting more about this most awesome of journeys.

6:57am

To visit more views of the sky from around the world, or to share your own, go to Sky Watch Friday by clicking here.