We had a long drive through Swaziland to Mpila camp in Imfolozi today, so the car packing mission started early in silence as nobody likes to leave Kruger.
I was battling with the finality of it, so suggested that we first drive up to the causeway for half an hour before heading down to Croc Bridge and all agreed. I knew it meant extra time in the car and less time at Imfolozi, however Imfolozi is more of a peaceful stopover for us to make the Kruger trip less final.
Just as I was pulling out of camp that weird howling/laughing bird noise started up again and the Cow found the guilty trumpeter, but every sighting in Kruger now made our trip longer, so the Cow got pressured to take a quick pic.
We were in the first batch of cars to leave camp and most stopped at Sunset Dam first, however we just carried on, so when this lioness jumped up onto the rocks at Lubyelubye there were only 2 of us around and the other car missed it and continued on. We just quickly snapped a few pics and also continued to the little dirt loop and found the male who was calling for his aunty.
The causeway produced a lioness on morning patrol, but she was walking away from us, so we turned and headed back towards Lower Sabie.
I had secretly plotted this little section as I was hoping for 1 more leopard sighting and a few km after the causeway what I was hoping for appeared in a tree next to the road.
He was very awake and getting rather excited at birds that kept landing in the tree above him which had us all laughing.
I was very conscious of the time, but this was a leopard so I was reluctant to leave, however other cars started to arrive including one crowd who didn’t know what was potting, so I was starting to lose it, hence we took 2 or 3 more pics and headed for Croc Bridge.
The H4-2 didn’t produce much except the normal gang; however we did stop for a few pics.
We only arrived at Croc Bridge gate at around 8am, which was an hour later than normal and we still had to stop in Komatipoort for petrol, so I felt under pressure and the Kruger gate guards must have read my mind as they weren’t keen on checking us out and we were told to continue on and out the park without any inspection which sat well with me on the day, however it probably doesn’t sit well if one considers the poaching activity, but I’m sure they have enough common sense to realize that poachers generally won’t have kids in the car.
To be continued
, hawkeyes 
, Bushpig 
But even with the 22 sightings, I can totally understand that the guy was a wonderful farewell gift!
