But we were there before it ever broke down. Come with us and see what it used to be like all those years ago.

 

Northern Transvaal adventure:

After we left the Kruger National Park, from the Phalaborwe Gate, we travel west. 

When we had been in the Kruger Park, our daughter wanted to show us a much bigger baobab tree. 

So that was where we were headed now, to the famous old baobab tree near the town of Modjadjiskloof. The town is marked with a red `pin’ on the map above. 

Past and present:

The baobab tree fall down about 4am on the 13th of Aprill 2017. 

Google’s 2019 map shows the tree as it is now, in its broken down state. But when we were there in about 2005 it was still standing proud and tall. 

The baobab tree as it used to be:

When we got there, we pulled off the road and parked in the required area near the baobab tree. 

This is the full view of it back then: 

 

Getting out of our car and walking up to the tree, it towered above us. We were impressed by its height and size of its trunk.  

You felt dwarfed by it sheer size, especially when you compare it to the surrounding countryside trees: 

 

At the time we were there, there were no other cars parked anywhere in sight. No one else visiting the tree. So we had the tree all to ourselves!  

It’s so wide and huge:

You could walk right into the middle of it. And when you got inside the tree trunk, you discover the cavity is so big… it even holds a pub!  

And like any true pub, it was set out with bottles and drinking mugs, etc. Can you believe it, no one to serve or watch what you did in there, either!  

Amazing… in those days! Considering what’s like today… nothing is safe from theft! 

We had a good old jolly time of it!

Let me tell you we don’t normally drink alcohol at all. But it didn’t stop us from bluffing we were serving and drinking out of bottles. 

It was such fun, making ourselves at home. We giggled like children and at each other’s antics, doing silly ridiculous stuff! Oh, well, there wasn’t anyone to see what we were getting up to, was there! 

 

Making ourselves at home there:

After our frolics, we stopped and thought we could sit awhile in the pub and quietly eat our lunch, couldn’t we? 

When we finished eating, we made sure we cleaned up after ourselves. Especially as the place was entrusted to us to keep clean and leave it as we found it. 

Looking back:

We were indeed so lucky to have experienced, been right inside that majestic old baobab tree, before it had broken down!

Who can say that now!