Browns in Kruger October 2022

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Richprins
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Re: Browns in Kruger October 2022

Post by Richprins »

Page 8.

What scandalous behaviour by the blue light brigade on the H11, please send me the pics! It is very topical at the moment! @#$ @#$ @#$

This sort of government excursion is exactly what we warned about regarding the developments in Skukuza. O**


Nice doggies, porcupine and lion! \O


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Bushcraft
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Re: Browns in Kruger October 2022

Post by Bushcraft »

Richprins wrote: Wed Jul 12, 2023 6:02 pm Page 8.

What scandalous behaviour by the blue light brigade on the H11, please send me the pics! It is very topical at the moment! @#$ @#$ @#$

This sort of government excursion is exactly what we warned about regarding the developments in Skukuza. O**


Nice doggies, porcupine and lion! \O
Ja, that blue light lot O/ I remember that a German tourist was murdered outside Numbi gate or on their way to Numbi gate the day before, so I think tensions were high. -O- I have deleted the pics from my folder as it ruined our experience when scrolling through our holiday pics, but I think they still on my master backup, will check tonight.


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Re: Browns in Kruger October 2022

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9th October Biyamiti to Mpila Camp, Imfolozi

We woke this morning with the normal “leaving Kruger pelicans” so the car packing happened in silence and we were out of camp just after 5:30am.

1.5km down the S25 Bushpig and I spotted something that didn’t fit within the thick bush, so I hit the brakes.

“There’s something in the bush!”

I reversed and we all said “Lion!” at the same time.

The pride from the previous day slowly approached and they crossed the road in front of us.

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Re: Browns in Kruger October 2022

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We didn’t hang around due to the long drive ahead of us.

Just before the S25/H4-2 intersection we stopped for the last batch of pics as a hyena with a bloody pip appeared next to the road and 2 Kori Bustards were cruising around in the distance.

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It’s never nice leaving Kruger, but we were out of the park and on route to the Swazi border by 7am.

One can’t take meat through Swaziland, but my boss was at Imfolozi for the weekend with his family and I had pre-arranged for him to bring some additional braai meat with, so we didn’t have to hassle in Hluhluwe trying to purchase food and linked up with him around midday to collect the meat on the way to Mpila camp.

It was 39 degrees and our only sighting that we took pics of on the way from the gate to the camp was a large ellie hiding in the bush from the sun.

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Re: Browns in Kruger October 2022

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We had booked the 3-bedroom unit number 15 at the end of the camp because it was our 25th wedding anniversary and it was the same price as the 2-bedroom units, but on arrival we found out why. The 2-bedroom units had been upgraded since our last visit and the 3-bedroom units were still old and very “tired”.

After unpacking the kids relaxed in the lounge and minutes later Albert sounded the alarm as there were plenty bees in the lounge and a humming sound coming from the old blocked off chimney.

I then also heard the humming sound and went outside to look at the chimney and bees were flying around it, so there was clearly a hive inside the old chimney.

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I’m not certain how things like this just don’t seem to be picked up by staff in game reserves. I did a better job of blocking the old fire place off and we ignored the humming sound since we were only there for 1 night.

We then all did a walk to the shop, which was a waste from a shopping perspective as they had very limited stock, but it was nice to walk around without fences as it adds a new dimension and feeling.

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When we returned from the camp “shop” I left all the doors open because it was roasting hot in the unit, but seconds later another shrieking alarm sounded and the entire family ran out the house.

“WTF?”

“There’s a blue ball vervet stealing in the kitchen!”

I roared into the kitchen with confidence, but the blue ball showed its teeth at me and charged at the door where I was standing, so I hit the deck while waving my arms in defence and it flew over my head and out the main door. The vervets at Mpila are a problem, so pay attention if you leave doors open.

At around 4pm we decided to do an afternoon drive to at least explore some of the Imfolozi reserve as we hadn’t visited since covid. I didn’t post any rhino pics from our Kruger trip due to the politics around rhino images, but that’s impossible when visiting Imfolozi and we gave up counting at around 20 plus sightings on the afternoon drive, which is more rhino in one 2-hour drive than we spotted in Kruger for 9 days. I won’t mention where we drove within the reserve so that I can post 1 or 2 rhino pics. We also hit a luck with a collared cheetah that was hunting and initially in the road in front of us, but we were slow on the camera draw.

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Re: Browns in Kruger October 2022

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Once back in camp we had our last braai of the holiday, but unfortunately no hyena came to visit as they took the covid shutdown opportunity to get rid of “problem” animals. A mate of mine is staying at Mpila at the moment and I believe that there’s another hyena clan hanging around camp, which was bound to happen, so are they going to get rid of them now also? Later that evening a genet came sniffing around while we were sitting outside chatting, but there was no other action.

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Re: Browns in Kruger October 2022

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Later that evening a howling south westerly came through as a cold front hit and this created a new problem as many of the windows in the “chalet” didn’t close properly so the blinds were banging around, therefore I had to do more unit maintenance.

We were up the next morning at 1st light and drove straight out the gate and home without taking any pics as I had to work the next day and the kids had school.

In conclusion, it was a good trip, but as per normal, it was over far too quickly and each time it seems to get harder to shake that “Kruger feel” and to get back into the concrete jungle work environment.

Lastly, thanks to all of you guys who took the time to read our trip report.

Bushcraft, the Cow and Kids. X#X


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Re: Browns in Kruger October 2022

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Page 9.

What luck again, Bushy! ^Q^

Dogs, lion, leopard and hyena on one day!

Also love the doggie drinking.

Ja, baboons are a menace these days, they must be sorted...

Hiklarious narration as always!

October can be very hot... 0:


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Re: Browns in Kruger October 2022

Post by Pumbaa »

Thanks so much, Bushcraft,

as always such a wonderful entertaining report ^Q^ ^Q^ ^Q^ with many extraordinary sightings - You had luck with the lions whilst staying at Biyamiti :-0 and a more tha nice leopard in tree ;-) That view from the Biyamiti look out point is always breathtaking and a nice group of buffaloes you saw there ^Q^ ^Q^ ^Q^

Stunning rhino shots in the end and even a cheetah :-0

Until the next time which will hopefully be soon 0/* 0/* 0/*


PuMbAa

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Re: Browns in Kruger October 2022

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Page 10

What sightings again, Bushy! :shock:

Wild dog kills all over the place, and great adrenaline narration! O/\

That was quite a long afternoon S21 route, but I have tried to follow you on your races before! lol

Lucky cheaper restaurant evening... O**

Ja, AW has had gatherings at guesthouses before, I wonder if we were also noisy? :twisted:


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