Accidental Game Drive

On Sunday afternoon I was driving to the Bayete Camp on Phinda Private Game Reserve and I took a wrong turn on the way.

It was rather a lucky turn, because after a few hundred meters (or yards) I spotted a Black Rhino that developed some interest in my car. I got a few pictures before I turned around from my “accidental game drive” and got onto the right way to the camp.

My friends from Panthera (www.panthera.org) and Phinda (www.phinda.com) took me on a proper game drive in the evening. On that drive I took this picture with the funny Cheetah pose.

A Lion’s Roar

This morning I woke up to the sound a lion roaring. When I left for Richards Bay I heard him very clearly east of Thanda House.

I am not sure if it was the male that I saw yesterday afternoon while I was driving through the reserve (picture below). It might have been him 🙂

Have a good day!

African Wheels :-)

I got my new car today 🙂 Tomorrow I will be on the way to Thanda Private Game Reserve, my new home and workplace in Kwazulu Natal.

These are two pictures of me and my new vehicle in front of my friends’ house in Pretoria.

Thanks again to all my friends in the USA and Europe who contributed to my African car fund.

And here is a little preview of what is come: Below is a picture of a herd of buffalo which I took at one of my previous visits at Thanda.

More to follow soon …

… and for the car enthusiasts: The car is a Toyota Fortuner 3.0 Diesel – 4×4 with manual transmission (http://www.toyota.co.za/VehicleRange.aspx?vehicleRangeId=13).

I have arrived …

After a my short visit to Germany and Switzerland I have arrived in South Africa.

The picture above is a first glance at my new home country shortly before the plane landed in Johannesburg. The weather was beautiful at my arrival – a good start!

For a few days I am staying with very good friends in Pretoria, sorting out the necessities of modern live (phone, car, … 🙂 before I will make my way to my new workplace – Thanda Private Game Reserve – in Kwazulu Natal.

The picture below documents my last look at a beautiful sunset in Zürich, Switzerland, before I boarded the plane to South Africa on Saturday evening.

More from South Africa soon ….

Stop-over in Europe

My five day stop-over in Europe is almost to an end. I will depart tomorrow evening from Switzerland to South Africa.

I had a few very nice days with my family in Germany and today I did my farewell visit to the Zurich Zoo in Switzerland. Two real Zurich Zoo enthusiasts (Christa and Freddy B.) walked with me through the Masoala Hall (my favorite indoor rainforest exhibit), showed me the construction site of the new Elephant park and the newly opened Pantanal exhibit.

I especially like the main Pantanal exhibit with six South American animal species living together (Brazilian Tapirs, Giant Anteaters, Capybaras, Southern Screamers, Hyacinth Macaws and Green-winged Macaws).

The picture above is of a very special Orchid. It is the flower of a vanilla plant, which was blooming in the Masoala Hall. The picture below if of a Pallas’s Cat, which was not happy about me taking pictures!

Besides the Burger’s Zoo in The Netherlands and the Zoo Hannover in Germany, the Zurich Zoo is one of my favorite zoos in Europe. If you should visit Switzerland, reserve a day for this excellent zoo.

The next time you will hear from me, it will be from South Africa 🙂

Uf Wiederluege – Yebo, Sawubona!

Going, going, gone …. Goodbye Nashville!

I had a great time in Nashville. I will miss the town, and I will miss the many animals at the zoo (as the Lynx cub, the small Tamandua and the little Clouded Leopard in the picture); but most of all the good friends I made over the last few years.

Thanks again for everything. I will miss all of you in South Africa and hope that many of you will be able to visit me there.

Christian

PS: I will continue to blog regularly from my new home. So look out for those wild blogs from the African bush 🙂

Correction and Reminder!

Correction

Sorry I  made a mistake in the last post, I will be at the Nashville Zoo for the last time on Sunday May 27, not on May 28.

For the full message go to https://christiansperka.wordpress.com/2012/05/19/countdown/

Reminder

Just as a reminder, I will sell all my belonging which I will not take to South Africa on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday this week.

For the full message go to https://christiansperka.wordpress.com/2012/05/19/packed-and-sale/

 

 

 

Countdown …

Pictures: Clouded Leopard at Nashville Zoo at Grassmere and Asiatic Lion at the Zurich Zoo

The countdown is running. I have ten more days in the USA and then I will spend five days in Germany and Switzerland before I depart (one way 🙂 to South Africa.

Now I am very busy with packing and getting everything ready, so unfortunately I have very little time left for goodbye lunches and dinners.

But I thought that there is no better place to say goodbye than at the zoos in Nashville and in Zurich/Switzerland. So for anyone of you would like to see me before I leave to South Africa …

… I will be at the Nashville Zoo on Sunday, May 27 in the morning and I will have lunch in the Zoofari Cafe at 11:00am. I would be great to see some of you at the zoo. To track me down at the zoo just call 347 819 3030 once you are at the zoo.

… I will be at the Zurich Zoo on Friday, June 1 in the morning and I will have lunch at the Masola Hall Restaurant at 11:00am. It would be great to see some of you at the zoo. To track me down at the zoo just call +41 79 793 9393 once you are at the zoo.

And if I do not see you again before I leave then  I hope to see in South Africa sometime soon 🙂

Thanks and all the best – Christian

Packed! and Sale!

DIRECTIONS to the SALE : from the corner of Nolensville and Old Hickory go south on Nolensville for about 1 mile. After you see the PIE IN THE SKY restaurant on the left turn left at the next traffic light (this Lenox Village Drive)
Then turn right into the parking garage of 6900 Lenox Village Drive and drive one floor up (this is considered level 3). Park your car in one of the 2 hour places on the west side of the parking. Enter the building (on the south side). This is the block with my apartment and your are on the correct level. Go to apartment 320. If you have problems finding it give me  a call (347 819 3030).

Some of you have asked what I will take to South Africa and what I will do with all the things I cannot take with me. Here are the answers:

By Sea

This is a picture of the Pelican cases with all my stuff, to be sent by sea to South Africa. They will arrive a few weeks after I will have arrived at Thanda.

By Air

This is a picture of the four cases and the bag which will travel with me on the planes first to Switzerland and then from there to South Africa.

Sales and Giveaway

I will only take my cameras, computers, clothes and a few other personal items to South Africa. Everything else has to go!

So here is the procedure how I will get rid of my belongings:

Where: My apartment at 6900 Lenox Village Drive – Unit 320, Nashville, TN, 37211, Phone 347 819 3030

DIRECTIONS to the SALE : from the corner of Nolensville and Old Hickory go south on Nolensville for about 1 mile. After you see the PIE IN THE SKY restaurant on the left turn left at the next traffic light (this Lenox Village Drive)
Then turn right into the parking garage of 6900 Lenox Village Drive and drive one floor up (this is considered level 3). Park your car in one of the 2 hour places on the west side of the parking. Enter the building (on the south side). This is the block with my apartment and your are on the correct level. Go to apartment 320. If you have problems finding it give me  a call (347 819 3030).

When: From May 22 to May 24 from 3pm to 7pm

Open House Sale – Day 1 and Day 2
Tuesday May 22, 2012 and Wednesday May 23, 2012
On these two days I will sell all items in my apartment. All sales are cash and carry! (Any purchased item must be taken away on the day of the sale).

Open House Give Away – Day 3 
Thursday May 24, 2012
On this day all remaining items (not sold on day 1 or 2) are giveaways. You may pick them up any time between 3pm and 7pm

Goodwill – Day 4
Friday May 25, 2012
All items not gone by then will be moved to goodwill on this day. And then I am ready to leave 🙂

What items are for sales:
– Computers
– Screen
– TV
– Blu-ray player
– Surround sound system
– Tables
– My famous wooden cubes (large and small)
– Briefcase
– Printer
– Speakers
– Cabinets
– Bed
– Plastic containers all sizes
– Glasses
– Plates
– Cutlery
– Lamps
– Books
– Clocks
– Clothes
– Shoes
– Safe

… and many other items …

Note: Unfortunately I have no time for previews and answers to questions about the sales items. If you are interested you have to come and see yourself.

Looking forward to seeing you at the sale 🙂