South Africa again! In July and August of 2019 Andy was again asked to travel to south Africa to conduct some wood quality studies. Work had allocated a little over two weeks to conduct approximately six days of field work. While the work went smooth and the lodging in Kaapschehoop was pleasant it was mildly frustrating towards the end having so much free time and no easy way to travel and explore. Although not ideal it was nice to have free time to take care of data entry and associated tasks before returning to the US.
The actual work took place in Mpumalanga in eastern South Africa. The plantations were located in Ngodwana approximately 30 minutes from Nelspruit. Lodging was at the Kaapschehoop Guest House located in the picturesque town of Kaapschehoop. There were several dramatic hikes in town along the escarpment and over to the Battery Creek Waterfall. Luckily the guest house found a mountain bike for my stay which allowed for several enjoyable rides around the nearby Blue Swallow Reserve and the escarpment. One of the highlights of these rides was stumbling on to Adam’s Calendar (https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/adams-calendar).
Having the weekend free I was able to line up a one day safari to Kruger National Park. While the entire day was amazing it was towards the end that we began seeing some of lesser seen animals. I was lucky enough to see a white rhino relatively close as well as three lions lying in the tall grass.
Towards the end of my stay in Kaapschehoop I took a short trip to nearby Sudwala Caves. While it was a nice outing and the caves were impressive the actual attraction was a bit heavy on the tourism side for me.
Overall this visit to South Africa was a success, both professionally and personally. Working with such a competent field crew and making new friends made the work go by quickly. Outside of work South Africa is a joy to visit with its stunning landscapes, wildlife and easy going people. I consider myself fortunate to be able to take trips like this for work. One of these days I hope to return with the rest of the family and tour more of the country.
emma jean jones 
I grew up in the part of Mpumalanga that you describe in this post, so enjoyed seeing your photographs. I haven’t visited there for a long time and yet reading your descriptions and looking at the scenery, I can still feel the air and the wind, and smell the veld and the trees. I am glad you enjoyed your brief sojourn there: South Africa is a very beautiful country with so much to see.
Thanks for your kind words. It really is a special place in the world.