Hey Guys,
Time for a new TT and to capture some history, although it’s nearly a year late, but we have another Kruger trip coming up in October, so I need to catch up with trip reports.
Work and other commitments have been demanding the last few years and I leave home in the dark and return in the dark, so I’m going to push this out fairly fast and in “bulk” when I get a gap each day/week.
School holidays are always a problem for accommodation, Bushpig was writing matric and Albert grade 11, so we had to change the trip up a few times to accommodate. Hawkeyes and her boyfriend, Sasquatch, had Varsity commitments so they stayed and looked after the house, Granny, dogs, fish and hamsters for the 2nd year in a row.
The final trip for the rest of us was as per below.
28th September Nkonkoni Fishing Camp, Jozini Dam
29th, 30th, 1st and 2nd Lower Sabie
3rd Talamati
4th, 5th, 6th and 7th Skukuza
8th Biyamiti
9th Mpila Camp, Imfolozi
The rhino population is again a concern as they were missing from many of the usual spots, however I’m going to omit all Kruger rhino sightings even though I don’t believe it makes much of a difference nearly a year later.
The grass was “greener” and longer than we have ever experienced for this time of the year, so KNP must have received more consistent rain later in the year than numerous previous years and it initially felt like an April trip.
We found the condition of the accommodation rather sketchy for the price in some camps, but we still prefer staying in the park than putting up with entrance gate chaos each morning.
In summary, the trip was again a little different without Hawkeyes, but Kruger is still a special place.
To be continued
Browns in Kruger October 2022
Re: Browns in Kruger October 2022
28th September Home to Nkonkoni Fishing Camp Jozini
I sometimes work half day when we are stopping over at Jozini Dam on route to Kruger, but decided to take the entire day off to eliminate the pressure I put on the Cow to have everything ready and waiting in the driveway, so we slowly packed the car in the morning and left for Jozini at around 9am as we could only book in at 1pm.
Nkonkoni is actually marketed as a tiger fishing camp with direct access to the dam and it’s largely unfenced on the northern side, but it has plenty general game, including the odd mental elephant and hippo, however no land predators that we are aware of, so it’s generally safe to walk around which is cool.
We arrived at reception at around 1pm, the owners were at reception and they informed us that there was only 1 other camping group this evening so my teeth started to hang out immediately as we would have peace and quiet which is what I in particular long for because our neighbourhood at home is the opposite lately.
An army of warties were parking off in front of our units as per normal and they got a big skrik on our arrival, but soon calmed down when they noticed that we weren’t paying any attention to them.
The huts are simply 1 room with 4 beds, a bathroom with outside shower attached and a private braai boma. They also charge per head, not per unit, so the Cow and I had our own unit and the Rats their own unit next door.
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I sometimes work half day when we are stopping over at Jozini Dam on route to Kruger, but decided to take the entire day off to eliminate the pressure I put on the Cow to have everything ready and waiting in the driveway, so we slowly packed the car in the morning and left for Jozini at around 9am as we could only book in at 1pm.
Nkonkoni is actually marketed as a tiger fishing camp with direct access to the dam and it’s largely unfenced on the northern side, but it has plenty general game, including the odd mental elephant and hippo, however no land predators that we are aware of, so it’s generally safe to walk around which is cool.
We arrived at reception at around 1pm, the owners were at reception and they informed us that there was only 1 other camping group this evening so my teeth started to hang out immediately as we would have peace and quiet which is what I in particular long for because our neighbourhood at home is the opposite lately.
An army of warties were parking off in front of our units as per normal and they got a big skrik on our arrival, but soon calmed down when they noticed that we weren’t paying any attention to them.
The huts are simply 1 room with 4 beds, a bathroom with outside shower attached and a private braai boma. They also charge per head, not per unit, so the Cow and I had our own unit and the Rats their own unit next door.
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Re: Browns in Kruger October 2022
I was soon bored after unpacking, so suggested a short cut bush walk to the main boma, which caused the Cow in her traditional “1st day Kruger tiger dress” that I dislike, some distress and I got the odd greasing on route. The boma hadn’t changed since our last visit so we didn’t hang around long, but Albert decided to “poach” Hawkeye’s tree stump pic before leaving since she wasn’t with us.
It was very hot, so we all soon lost interest in walking and returned to our units for something to drink on the veranda while watching the old duiker that popped up and a Nyala that had arrived to eat the flowers which had fallen off the tree between our units.
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Re: Browns in Kruger October 2022
It was a little too early to braai, so I suggested a drive down to the main dam which all were keen for.
Nkonkoni isn’t a very large place and one could probably drive around the entire property in less than half an hour, but there aren’t many sign boards and we got lost on our last visit even though we have stopped over many times on route to Kruger, so I had to pay attention to take the correct road to the dam.
On the short 1.5km drive down to the dam we found more Nyala, warties, impala, etc, a herd of ostriches at the dam slipway, a reedbuck hiding in the bushes at the waters edge and a little further on a side road, waterbuck, a water monitor in the sun, a nervous herd of zebra and then on return to our units 30 minutes later the local wartie family had grown in confidence and were cruising around in front of our chalets.
Nkonkoni isn’t a very large place and one could probably drive around the entire property in less than half an hour, but there aren’t many sign boards and we got lost on our last visit even though we have stopped over many times on route to Kruger, so I had to pay attention to take the correct road to the dam.
On the short 1.5km drive down to the dam we found more Nyala, warties, impala, etc, a herd of ostriches at the dam slipway, a reedbuck hiding in the bushes at the waters edge and a little further on a side road, waterbuck, a water monitor in the sun, a nervous herd of zebra and then on return to our units 30 minutes later the local wartie family had grown in confidence and were cruising around in front of our chalets.
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Re: Browns in Kruger October 2022
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Re: Browns in Kruger October 2022
I haven’t drunk much alcohol over the last few years due to a liver issue and prefer the new legal “green tea” which can be made into “green biscuits” by the Cow so I chowed these and started a massive wood fire while the Cow fiddled around in the kitchen and the kids took turns braving the outdoor shower, but eventually all pulled into the boma.
Teenagers get faulty when a camera comes out so I stalk around, call, take the pic as soon as everybody is looking and hope for the best. The Cow seems to have more control of the teenager photo situation, but has to tell me “Now” and take the pic as I look up with a false cheesy because I hate having my pic taken.
After supper we sat chatting on the veranda of our unit while scanning the bush every 5 minutes to see what was cruising past, but soon Bushpig and Albert wanted to return to their unit as it had been a long day, so the Cow instructed me to escort them which was fortunate as they nearly stumbled into a reedbuck cooling off on the grass in front of their unit.
I enjoyed the outdoor shower experience as per normal and bailed into bed to vegetate, but at around 9pm the Cow’s phone rang, it was Bushpig.
Suddenly the Cow’s hands started frantically waving at me, she started running on the spot and then blurted
“SNAKE!”
“What snake?”
“THERE’S A SNAKE IN THEIR UNIT!”
I knew there must be dramatic commotion on the go, so stumbled around trying to put my normal pants on while the Cow continued to wave her hands and squawk at me.
“HURRY!”
We charged across to the kids’ unit and they were waiting with pelicans and big eyes at the door.
“IT’S ABOVE THE BATH!”
It turns out that the snake dangled down from the thatch right in front of Bushpig’s face while she was in the bathroom.
It was a small beautiful harmless/mildly venomous tiger snake, but it was fairly stroppy and I didn’t feel like getting chowed so shouted at the Cow
“Braai tongs!”
Teenagers get faulty when a camera comes out so I stalk around, call, take the pic as soon as everybody is looking and hope for the best. The Cow seems to have more control of the teenager photo situation, but has to tell me “Now” and take the pic as I look up with a false cheesy because I hate having my pic taken.
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After supper we sat chatting on the veranda of our unit while scanning the bush every 5 minutes to see what was cruising past, but soon Bushpig and Albert wanted to return to their unit as it had been a long day, so the Cow instructed me to escort them which was fortunate as they nearly stumbled into a reedbuck cooling off on the grass in front of their unit.
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I enjoyed the outdoor shower experience as per normal and bailed into bed to vegetate, but at around 9pm the Cow’s phone rang, it was Bushpig.
Suddenly the Cow’s hands started frantically waving at me, she started running on the spot and then blurted
“SNAKE!”
“What snake?”
“THERE’S A SNAKE IN THEIR UNIT!”
I knew there must be dramatic commotion on the go, so stumbled around trying to put my normal pants on while the Cow continued to wave her hands and squawk at me.
“HURRY!”
We charged across to the kids’ unit and they were waiting with pelicans and big eyes at the door.
“IT’S ABOVE THE BATH!”
It turns out that the snake dangled down from the thatch right in front of Bushpig’s face while she was in the bathroom.
It was a small beautiful harmless/mildly venomous tiger snake, but it was fairly stroppy and I didn’t feel like getting chowed so shouted at the Cow
“Braai tongs!”
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Re: Browns in Kruger October 2022
Luckily my reading glasses were still on my pip as I can’t see much at close range without them, but I had chowed some of the Cow’s green biscuits earlier, so the balancing mission on the edge of the bath was proving to be a challenge.
The only available tongs in the unit were 2 of the useless potato turning types, so I was battling to hold the snake and then suddenly the snake struck out, which resulted in shrieking from behind me and I nearly fell head first into the bath.
“@#*&, RELAX!”
The snake was now wise to what was happening and started to bolt across the thatch and out of reach from me standing on the edge of the bath, so quickly grabbed the tail section gently with the one set of tongs, but that was mistake as the snake swung around with another strike which caused more shrieking and I entered into a sword fight with the 2nd set of potato tongs as I attempted to deflect the strikes.
“@#^&, move, I coming!”, more shrieking.
I released the snake outside, much to the relief of the Cow and kids, and then the frantic jabbering war stories started, but we had to leave a 6am for the border post, so the Cow and I ducked back to our unit to sleep.
To be continued
The only available tongs in the unit were 2 of the useless potato turning types, so I was battling to hold the snake and then suddenly the snake struck out, which resulted in shrieking from behind me and I nearly fell head first into the bath.
“@#*&, RELAX!”
The snake was now wise to what was happening and started to bolt across the thatch and out of reach from me standing on the edge of the bath, so quickly grabbed the tail section gently with the one set of tongs, but that was mistake as the snake swung around with another strike which caused more shrieking and I entered into a sword fight with the 2nd set of potato tongs as I attempted to deflect the strikes.
“@#^&, move, I coming!”, more shrieking.
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I released the snake outside, much to the relief of the Cow and kids, and then the frantic jabbering war stories started, but we had to leave a 6am for the border post, so the Cow and I ducked back to our unit to sleep.
To be continued
Re: Browns in Kruger October 2022
29th September Nkonkoni Fishing Camp Jozini Dam to Lower Sabie
We ended up leaving Nkonkoni a little later than planned and arrived after 7am at the border, but it all went smoothly, I kept my internal Chucky at bay, and we were into Swaziland just after 8am.
I don’t think anybody actually knows what’s potting in Swaziland with the speed limits as they range from 60km/h to 120km/h on the same road and for no apparent reason that I can see. Some 60km/h areas are out in the bush and a newish section of road and then suddenly its 120km/h around 2km later, so I just stick to 100km/h in most places in an attempt to avoid the Swazi police politics, but we have learnt over the years to slow down whenever there’s a 60km/h sign as the police wait in ambush about 100m from the sign.
We got to Komatipoort just before 11am and our dreaded shopping mission started at the Spar, which normally ends in drama as I rush everybody, but with difficulty I managed to behave this time and we arrived in a peaceful mood at Croc Bridge at around 12:30pm.
Our first animal sighting, besides impala, were some wild dogs sleeping in the shade of a tree. The dogs were just parking off and every 5 mins one would stand up and then collapse in a new spot, so we took some pics and moved on.
The rest of the drive up to Lower Sabie produced the normal gang and we stopped for pics every now and then.
We ended up leaving Nkonkoni a little later than planned and arrived after 7am at the border, but it all went smoothly, I kept my internal Chucky at bay, and we were into Swaziland just after 8am.
I don’t think anybody actually knows what’s potting in Swaziland with the speed limits as they range from 60km/h to 120km/h on the same road and for no apparent reason that I can see. Some 60km/h areas are out in the bush and a newish section of road and then suddenly its 120km/h around 2km later, so I just stick to 100km/h in most places in an attempt to avoid the Swazi police politics, but we have learnt over the years to slow down whenever there’s a 60km/h sign as the police wait in ambush about 100m from the sign.
We got to Komatipoort just before 11am and our dreaded shopping mission started at the Spar, which normally ends in drama as I rush everybody, but with difficulty I managed to behave this time and we arrived in a peaceful mood at Croc Bridge at around 12:30pm.
Our first animal sighting, besides impala, were some wild dogs sleeping in the shade of a tree. The dogs were just parking off and every 5 mins one would stand up and then collapse in a new spot, so we took some pics and moved on.
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The rest of the drive up to Lower Sabie produced the normal gang and we stopped for pics every now and then.
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Re: Browns in Kruger October 2022
We decided to visit the H10 bridge before checking in at Lower Sabie and the major sighting, besides the normal bridge locals, was a car lying on its roof in the Sabie river.
We were staying in the cheap EH2 huts again which isn’t my scene due to the proximity to neighbours, but it’s at least affordable and we got the huts we had requested which was cool. The aircon’s are the oldest I have ever seen and funky looking, but they worked, so after unpacking we all just cooled off in our units for the next hour.
At around 4pm we decided to drive up to the S79 causeway and back.
It was a relatively quiet drive until the causeway where we found a massive boon troop and then the Cow spotted a lioness with 2 teenage cubs in the grass at the northern end of the causeway.
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We were staying in the cheap EH2 huts again which isn’t my scene due to the proximity to neighbours, but it’s at least affordable and we got the huts we had requested which was cool. The aircon’s are the oldest I have ever seen and funky looking, but they worked, so after unpacking we all just cooled off in our units for the next hour.
At around 4pm we decided to drive up to the S79 causeway and back.
It was a relatively quiet drive until the causeway where we found a massive boon troop and then the Cow spotted a lioness with 2 teenage cubs in the grass at the northern end of the causeway.
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