You are going to Kruger??......Again!!?? *

[Twigga]

Haven’t even finished unpacking my suitcase after my 5-8 July Kruger visit in Shingwedzi when it was time to start the engine again and point the nose to the Lowveld, AGAIN! This time the yearly winter visit to Kruger with the family 18-21 July

18 July - Skukuza

We had a bit of a false start. We were planning this trip for a while now, and as fate will have it was in the process of getting another car so it was exciting times, that was until a day before our departure.

The dredded news – You will not get your car in time for your holiday…….Eish that was not what we wanted to hear. Ok lets just stay positive….We couldn’t use our current vehicle as it was already sold no worries, or so we thought.We had a plan B which I will mention later. Then another hope full phone call, “You’ll get the car tomorrow morning by 10” Just before our departure. Yeah!! We are going in style after all – So we’ll get to Kruger just a few hours later as usual, no worries.

Well morning has broken and by 11:00 still no new car, 11:30 bags packed, ready to go, No car!!
By 12:00 the crocodile in me was wide awake and with snapping jaws were causing destruction - There was no other way around, still a few hiccups with the paper work and things looked bad, we must just accept it, no new car for this trip. Luckily our first camp was Skukuza so we didn’t had a long way to go in Kruger, about 10 odd km.

So by 12:30 we had executed our plan B into motion and we were on the road! Finally! The plan B had a name Toyota FJ Cruiser. W e were 4 people.The rest of the fam we would meet at the gate. The FJ - the ideal Kruger car if you are just 2 people, but not for 4 adults. It has 2 doors and then 2 like small “dummy” doors at the back that opens from left to right, so stupid, and then the back window….now that’s another story ! I have never in my life had the privilege to ride in a submarine but after this trip I know exactly how it must feel. That’s how the back window looked.Small round window! So we took turns to drive and sit in front

But nevertheless we worked with what we had. We got some rain on the road and an overcast Paul Kruger gate awaited us







Impala, kudu & giraffes part of the welcoming party into Kruger, we made it to camp just in time
So tired but satisfied, we were in our beloved Kruger

[Twigga]

Day 2
Morning drive – Skukuza TO Satara

I was up looong before the alarm went off, day 2 in Kruger after all, day 5 another story.I was on coffee duty,.How hard can it be? Well half an hour later!! An excuse of an urn in that kitchen, the water comes out at a snails pace!! I gave up after trying to fill 5 cups and I couldn’t stand the sighs and coughing coming from behind my back.

By now there was a Q of about 4 people,I quickly did a leopard crawl back to the furnished tent. By half past 6 we were on our way to Satara for 1 night

Misty mornings in Kruger, I hate it!!
Don’t know how many creatures we passed.Our first pic & animal for the day


DSC_0066 by twigga2011, on Flickr

These 2 guys we saw from the Skukuza high water bridge


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We were cruising to Tshokwane, but just had to do a pitstop at Nkumbe viewpoint & Orpen dam


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At Tshowane we had some help to make our breakfast, this little nugget suggested that he began to scramble the eggs so long


DSC_0112 by twigga2011, on Flickr

[Twigga]

After breakfast we decided to pop in at the Baobob tree, haven't been there in ages and there was reports of the local leopard showing himself, but on this day no leppie, only a very naked tree - Can't wait for spring / summer, this winter has been too long


DSC_0144 by twigga2011, on Flickr

Somewhere along the road, thirsty ellies

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And then a few giraffes that came speeding past us over the road, I was half asleep in the submarine by then and was too slow to take a pic, only of the last one over the road. They were definitly startled by some sort of predator way off in the bushes


DSC_0142 by twigga2011, on Flickr

[Twigga]

We were about 10 km before our destination for the night, Satara, stopping for every little creature along the way to kill time because of the 2:00 check in time. When we spotted this chap marking his territory.....we were all alone with this guy. That was until we got around the corner, he joined up with his girlfriends


DSC_0167 by twigga2011, on Flickr


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I was so irritated by this time, looking like a little bush baby, nose against the window just to get a glimpse of this sighting. By now about 20 + cars. Crazy!!! School holidays was long over, that's just the new Kruger I guess, popular winter months, I will never get used to it

The lions got so irritated as well, they were being herded like cattle, and they walked off into the bushes

Note the lump on his shoulder?


DSC_0187 by twigga2011, on Flickr

Satara - happiness

[Twigga]

Moving swiftly along

Satara afternoon drive

I was so glad to be back at Satara, even if it was just for one night. My last visit was in December 2012, so felt like ages ago. Really busy at camp, we went for an early afternoon drive, we wanted to make the best of our short visit. We also don't like to drive the S100 in the afternoon, we saved it for the next morning so we decided to cruise to Nsemani and back.

Mr Ugly 2007 also present at Nsemani dam on this day


DSC_0235 by twigga2011, on Flickr

Can't remember the last time I saw such a small water buck


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The "Cleaning Squad" waiting for their next meal


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Sunset over Nsemani day

DSC_0273 by twigga2011, on Flickr

Some of the family members went on a night drive. I opted to sit out as I did a ND at Shingwedzi a week earlier and was not in the mood to freeze to death again(although it is always a great experience ) There was a freezing bite in the air on this night

We were 3 that stayed behind, an hour into their drive I was suddenly extremely upset that I didn't tag along. One of my rules in Kruger is that I can't compare my previous visits, but the memories of my Dec 2012 ND at Satara edged in my head, were we saw the S100 mega pride, about 15+ lions sleeping in the grass. A night that I will never forget.

Sadly no predators on this drive for them, but nevertheless a worthwhile experience!

They had an well educated guide that showed them the smaller creatures Kruger had to offer like this chameleon


DSC_0310 by twigga2011, on Flickr

TBC................

[Twigga]

Thanks ya'll for the comments - truely appreciated

Morning drive

We had a great evening at Satara and was so sad to leave this camp, our next two nights would be at Tamboti

But first we had to drive the famous S100 then a pitstop at Nwanetsi, one of my favourite picnic spots

This was the highlight of the whole S100,these 2 shared a moment.


DSC_0337 by twigga2011, on Flickr

I guess all predators decided to make a duck when they saw it was not the Brown clan or Heksie & Mom

After a scrumptious breakfast we decided to go to Sweni bird hide, haven't been there in ages


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A quick pitsop at Satara then it was time to head to Tamboti



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Nsemani in daylight

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We had to stop at this "twigga" which I'm sure has been photographed alot, any ideas?


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After a bumpy ride on the S106, we finally reached our destination Tamboti
View from 22 changed a lot since our last visit

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[Twigga]

It was a chilly evening at Tamboti, that didn't stop the locals from saying hallo! We soon learned why, neighbours were feeding them, the badger also dashed underneath the tent to search for scraps at another tent

Animal proof dustbins FINALLY installed at Tamboti, well done Sanparks

Picture 012 by twigga2011, on Flickr

I can never tell the difference between the two genet species, large OR small?

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That concluded our first night in Tamboti

[Richprins]

Lovely pics, Twigga!

You could post the giraffe under "Strange behaviour"?

They are susceptible to "warts", for want of a better name for the skin condition, but never seen it this bad?

Could be an added combo of a lion attack, age, head-butting with another male opening up wounds, and the ever-present oxpeckers which keep wounds open !?

[Twigga]

Thank you so much ya'll for every comment, I truely appreciate it

I have been enjoying all the other TT so much and have been so preoccupied to keep up that I have completely forgot to finish mine

But really alot of interesting TT on the go

So it was our last day at Tamboti and in Kruger so we were feeling a little under the weather. And I am sure the H7 had something to do about it.

We decided to have breakfast at Muzandzeni, haven't been there in ages
S140 - S145 - S36

We haven't drove long on the S140 when all of a sudden one of the comrades said: In the calmest tone ever.
"Please go back a few meters back, there is an odd looking wildebeest that I want to show you ( the few meters turned out to be 500 meters) This is what he saw.......


DSC_0410 by twigga2011, on Flickr

Sable calf! In his defence it was really early in the morning and very bad light

We knew his mom would be near, we could only see about 3 for most of the time, but still a sighting I would never forget


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[Twigga]

The red sea

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