It was a short run, via the scenic route over the hills to the old gold mining town of Barberton. This was a really lovely town with an excellent museum which covered geological aspects of mining, cultural aspects and a section on Percy FitzPatrick, the author of Jock of the Bushveld, who was a transport rider in the area. Jock is a favourite family book and it was so lovely to learn more about the man behind the story.
At lunchtime we travelled the short distance to the Malelane Gate in the Kruger and discovered that we were not booked in until 27th November! Fortunately, there was a chalet free at Pretoroskope so we travelled along the Voortrekkers Road to there. How different the Kruger looked on our return after the recent rains. The grass was lush and green, flowers popped up everywhere and the Impala had mostly given birth to their young. The accommodation at Pretorskope was basic and Hels had no bed again so back to the floor, but at least we had a roof over our heads.
Saturday 27th November 2010
We awoke early and went out for a short drive. We didnt see any unusual mammals but the bird life round there was excellent. We saw a variety of birds of prey but the best was a baby eagle owl by the side of the road, waiting for Mum.
We packed up and drove down to Skukuza to our booked rondeval. It was red hot and we had the windows open most of the way across. When we stopped at the petrol station to refuel, Hele and I decided to walk over to the Rondeval. We saw the vervet monkeys on the way over. Carole and Hele were cooking breakfast when a commotion broke out from the direction of our car; the monkeys were in the car trashing it, having gained access through an open window. They took every bit of food out in seconds and were fighting over the hand out. We had to laugh at them licking the jungle bar wrappers, as they had clearly enjoyed the contents!
It was too hot to go out again so we spent the afternoon and evening resting and catching up on washing!
Sunday 28th November 2010
We went out of the camp at 5am and stopped off at the first culvert to watch a family of hyenas we had seen the night before. The babies were possibly about 3 weeks old and were so cute!
About 5 km along the road to Pretoroskope, we came across a dead giraffe which had clearly been brought down by the lions. The lions in Kruger have learnt that if they chase a giraffe over the tarmac road, the giraffe slips and then they can kill in easily. There were 4 lions resting up nearby, in a terrible mess, from the kill. We all envisage lions as we see them in zoos, but these guys were covered in blood and gore; it was not a great sight.
Just before Pretoroskope, there was a loop road road a copje and were amazed to see a lion on the road, panting in the hot temperatures - it was about 38 degrees. Pete leaned out of the car window to get better shots, so he was about 3 feet away from the lion; when the lion moved his head, Pete shot inside the car so quickly!
We had breakfast at Pretoroskope and then chilled out in the Pool for a couple of hours - the pool there is glorious as it is chiselled out of natural rock and has a manmade stream leading from a small pool into the larger pool.
Around this area there is a tree that smells of earwax - unfortunately it is everywhere, especially in the camp!
In the evening, we booked on a game drive. It was late going out because a tour party had not turned up. Eventually a student took us out on his own. He used his radio and said he had something very special to show us. He took us straight along the main road to the lion kill and talked as though it had only just happened! We did see more lions as there were other family members on the road that we did not see in the morning. He also took us to see the hyenas which we had seen in the morning, then took us back to camp early. There was a small puff adder on the road though.
We were really disappointed so decided, quite rarely for us, to go to the bar for a drink. As we walked over we saw two bushbabies very closely that had just come out of the thatched roof. It was such a surprise and so pleasing to see. If we hadnt gone on the awful game drive, we wouldn't have seen the bushbabies.
Thursday, 29th November 2010
After a late start and a late breakfast, we watched the vervet monkeys for the last time and the mongeese raiding the rubbish bags, and set off for Blyde River canyon, via Satara and Orpen Gate.
The heavens opened and the much needed rain poured down. The Kruger seemed empty as most people had stayed at camp, and yet there was so much to see. We spotted the Ground Hornbills again, one of which was carrying a dead frog to trade with other Hornbills.
The rains brought the frogs out on the flooded plains and the noise of their croaking was deafening. We also saw herds of buffalo, far larger than we had seen before.
We arrived late at our beloved Blyde River Canyon Lodge to find that we had been put in the gorgeous Cottage. Helena found a large frog in her toilet! After a lovely meal we had a relatively early night.
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