Flutts and the Brat go it alone

[Dzombo]

There is only 1 subspecies of Giraffe in Kruger.
They get darker as they get older. So the very dark ones are very old animals.

And the difference in the spots?

Natural variation

[Flutterby]

[Klipspringer]

The buffalo chase the lions off effortlessly

[Mel]

What a treat! Big cats to start the trip off with

Interesting rock mushroom

Shame, that the darker giraffes are the older ones. I quite like that coloration better than the lighter version.

[Flutterby]

The buffalo chase the lions off effortlessly

Yes, you can see why lions have a healthy respect for them.

What a treat! Big cats to start the trip off with

Interesting rock mushroom

Shame, that the darker giraffes are the older ones. I quite like that coloration better than the lighter version.

I also like the darker giraffes.

[Flutterby]

9 June, Joburg - Satara

A first for me...Green-winged Pytilia.

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A squirrel for Lis.

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© Bush Brat


Somewhere on the H1-3.

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We got to Satara at about 2.30 and checked in easily. We were in F circle which are 2 bed units with no kitchens.

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At reception we'd heard that lions had made a kill in the morning on the S100 about 5kms from the tar road. So after we'd unpacked we decided to take a look. They were still there, with lots of traffic! There's a new thing at sightings now...instead of parking parallel to the road, people park with their bonnets into the bush. This does allow more cars to fit at a sighting, but once there are 4 or 5 cars in a row, the sighting is totally blocked from view for those behind as you can't even see over bonnets anymore. It is also almost impossible to take photos as you are looking through the windscreen. It clearly states in the rules that diagonal parking is not allowed....wish people would read them!!

However, not long after we arrived, one of the lucky ones in the front row decided to leave so we were able to take their spot. There were 2 black-maned lions on a giraffe kill. The photos are not great as I had to hold the camera out the window and take photos without knowing what I was taking!

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Does my bum look big in this?

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At about 5.15 I suggested to the Brat that we should maybe take a drive back to where we'd seen the lions earlier. When we got back to tar we turned left and saw lots of cars going back to camp. The Brat asked if I was sure that the gates closed at 6pm and I said yes, I'd checked earlier. Two minutes later, he asked "Are you sure?" so I told him to check again, which he did and then he calmly said, "Mom, the gates close at 5.30." I slammed on brakes, did a quick U-turn and joined the rest of the cars heading back to camp!! Thank goodness the Brat thought to double check otherwise we would have waltzed back to camp at 6!!

Now it was time to light the fire. I'll admit that neither the Brat nor I have ever lit a fire from scratch before, but it all went well and the food was perfectly cooked!!

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Lamb sosaties and pork rashers!

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[Richprins]

Nice food for humans and lions!

(I also got caught out with the time difference! )

[Flutterby]

Ja, don't know what times I was looking at!!

[Richprins]

The gate opening times say 6!

[Flutterby]