Kruger die-hard regulars brave the cold to secure spot for 2018 booking season
2017-08-01 11:48 - Ügen Vos, Netwerk24
Pretoria - An elderly couple braved the cold on Monday night to sleep on the porch of the SANParks building in Pretoria - just to make sure they have the opportunity to visit the Kruger National Park in 2018.
It is the third year in a row that Harm, 80, and Magda, 73, Timmerman have braved the elements to make sure they have a stand booked in one of the popular parks' caravan camps, Netwerk24 reported.
"We go to the Kruger for a family holiday every year with our children and grandchildren, so I hope we'll get a stand in one of the caravan parks.
"We aren't internet savvy, so this is the only way of guaranteeing that we get in," they said.
"We have been going to the game reserve each year for 10 years now and try to stay as close to one another as possible," their son, Phillip, 45, said on Monday night.
It is a family tradition for him, his wife Mariska, 43, and their children Christian, 16, Marcel, 14, and Reinhardt, 9, to spend the winter holidays in the Kruger with his parents.
According to Phillip, the first option in terms of SANParks' policy is to queue for tickets, after which people can phone and then book online. "However, when it gets to the third option, it's often too late."
"My husband is 80, so Phillip and the grandchildren normally help us set up the caravan," Magda said on Monday.
"We arrived at about 17:30 and are now 10th in the row. We actually were among the first here, but because we are 10th, doesn't mean we'll get in.
"We'll have to wait [until Tuesday] and hope for the best."
Magda and her husband had planned to spend the night in a passage on SANParks' porch.
"The passage is open and the wind nippy. We are upbeat, have blankets, a bit of sherry and nice things to eat."
According to her, there was a kilometres-long queue by 19:00. However, as it grew colder, the people seemed less enthusiastic.
The family hopes to get stands for five nights for two caravans somewhere between June 23 (2018) and July 16.
SANParks spokesperson Janine Raftopoulos said it was up to people themselves to decide if they want to queue, but she was glad that their attractions remain so popular.
http://www.traveller24.com/News/kruger- ... n-20170801
