Day 7 - The Drive Out!


Wake up! Wake up lad! One last drive!
I better keep it down! Lest I wake the fury of the grumpy Germans from their slumber!

They must just know that I am Switzerland

Right!
Find the torch between the ants!
Get the flask of coffee ready!
Pack up the tent (in pitch darkness)
Pack the car!
Get to the gate half an hour early!
In the darkness I trip over a bag I placed there moments ago!

Face down in the dirt, the ants were given a chance to acquire sweet revenge as they scurried as quick as they could on to my body!

The milli-second when I felt my foot touch that bag I knew what would be required of me ... now all that could save me was the 'Shake it, shake, shake it off ant dance'!!

This dance move might yet become internationally recognized as cool! Or even become the new National Sport. Starting with a group of billy goat grumpy Germans at Lower Sabie!
Back to reality, where a fully packed Casper pulled up behind Bornfree's 4x4 behind the Lower Sabie gate. It was time for another lekker pre-drive chat with the legend. Apparently, she comes to Lower Sabie every time, and stays there for 10 days at a time! Somebody who knows what they like

As I turn right and she turns left, I imagine that we will someday meet again for an early morning chat. Since Lower Sabie will certainly see me again ;) The traffic and attitude of drivers in the South is the negative, however the game viewing makes up for it! I have never seen so many lazy horses in one trip before! I usually see one leopard on every second trip and now this trip I have seen 7 individuals!!


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Also In Lower Sabie's favour, is the variety of routes one can drive! And two of my favourite roads in the Park, the S28, and the H10 being on LS's doorstep! Yet that morning I was driving the famous H4-1 highway. I was a good 10km's out of LS and had been over taken numerous times already! I could not meander too slowly on route home either. I was keeping up a 35km/hour pace which is quite fast if you are the only eyes in the car having to look left and right into the tick February bush! It gives me only enough time to glance into the bush momentarily and hope to spot something out of place, before the neck rotation to the other side proceeds. It was a relief therefore, when I reached a rare open space on my right where I can take more with the sidewards glance than normal. It was on this occasion, that the corner of my eye did detect a texture ever so slightly out of place. And upon stopping my car I had realised that my sharpest spot of the trip was saved for the last day!
There Leana Leon lay looking at me as if to say “Oh you see me do you? The others didn't even care to stop!”
Leana thought it right to impress me with a yawn!
I recognized her brown collor around her neck meant she was marked as a Lioness in good condition with cubs! Yet I could not see any other leons in this grass. She sat up
Then it happened! A playful little Simba said “Good morning mooooom!”
After some persistent nagging
Leana Leon eventually agreed to move on!
What a stunning sighting I had to myself on the most unlikely of roads!!






Soon after take off one of Heksie's spies was peering into the car from above the trees as if to watch that I do not sing off keyin my morning joy!
I parked next to Socrabob on the H12 bridge who was engaging in his usual philosophical hermeneutics contemplation. The Socrabob method is a story for another Travel Tale. Today Socrabob was putting forth the point of our “historically effected consciousness” and how deeply our understanding is founded in our particular history and culture. Socrabob calls for a humility to learn from others. To allow a 'fusion of horizons'. Perhaps my travelling alone has made me completely loony! But I will always enjoy a philosophical encounter with the wise leader on the H12 bridge!

The Giant among the Kingfishers was also listening I'll have you know! Although he seemed less concerned about fusing horizons, and more concerned with catching a fish!
Tomothy TesticleBuff did not seem impressed by me disturbing his morning peace!
I had just passed Skukuza now and the Ena lads were having a race!
Left Ena
Right Ena
Farewell lads! See you next month!
The woody was also singing his beautiful farewell song!
I decided that I had enough time to cut across the S65 and go out at Numbi gate. Although I must admit my thoughts were completely elsewhere! Thinking of where I'm going to stop for petrol and a bite on the way back to Jozi. Thinking about checking my tyre pressure and clearing the visibility out my rear-view mirror. All these thoughts making me forget I was in the park, when I found a Jeep parked off at the river crossing on the S65. After pulling up alongside them, I saw what they were looking at;
A young Rosetta!
I do not know exactly how long I sat there for … but it was so long that I entirely forgotten about the objective of reaching home! Rosetta was just so beautiful!




It was only when I zoned back in to reality when I noticed about 7 cars around me! Transfixed by Ros I did not even notice the roaring car engines behind me! I set off for home, but was first greeted by Smileyfant
Despite the tear marks on the cheek, a broad smile could be seen.
A lot like me at that very moment.
I knew that what awaited me in the city was a question regarding my future plans. Indeed it was not long before my father asked me for a verdict after my pilgrimage to Kruger. It reminded me of the song Pilgrim by Enya.
Pilgrim, how you journey
On the road you chose
To find out why the winds die
And where the stories go.
All days come from one day
That much you must know,
You cannot change what's over
But only where you go.
One way leads to diamonds,
One way leads to gold,
Another leads you only
To everything you're told.
In your heart you wonder
Which of these is true;
The road that leads to nowhere,
The road that leads to you.
Each heart is a pilgrim,
Each one wants to know
The reason why the winds die
And where the stories go.
Pilgrim, in your journey
You may travel far,
For pilgrim it's a long way
To find out who you are...
This trip was certainly my most memorable to Kruger! I had many a conversation with the aMiNals! I was blessed lazy horses and other delights! And an epiphany looking over Nkumbe as the highlight! I hope you enjoyed the trip Report!