Living My Dream Day 203 (CBridge Day 21)
Good Evening to you all again….tonight Im not getting to the comments, but will do so tom night as Im moving camp and will show you what and if I see anything on the way! I have VVSG and SO here tonight who came to help me packing up the wet awning….and set up camp again at LSabie…again, I thank them for their support, company and help!
I woke up early this am..and as you know had to blog as the website would not open last night….and I must say..after the hard labour of digging trenches Im stiff all over..apart from the muscle I pulled in my butt…my shoulders are also killing me..and it was an effort to get out of bed this am!
Blog done, teeth brushed and my hair tied up …I was on my way….rain still pelting down, but its my last drive from CB in the am..so I had to go and wanted to go…I get very frustrated sitting at camp..wondering what is out there! My first sighting just outside the gate, this huge snail/slug….Engel Im sure “our” slug is not as beautiful as this!~
I drove through the rain..just coming down in buckets again…and as said before, just so much rain and there is no ways I could even see out the front windscreen as the wipers were just screaming to try and keep the rain away….
I thought of driving to LSabie, buy a pie..the pepper steak one that Engel enjoyed so much…but again, I never got there!!! So apart from the slug…all I have to show you tonight…and please let me know if you are tired of seeing this…a LIT, a LOG and a Cub!!!! That is all I saw, apart from the buffs, Zebras and Impalas…..
At the bridge where the little cub is…I stopped and looked..but nothing in sight….then just a km up the road….a Leopord on the ground….(LOG)…it had a kill lying a bit further away….and while sitting there I met a couple that I met just after I started “Living My Dream” at Shingwedzi…sorry I forgot you names…and it was nice to see someone who I have actually spoken to so many months ago.,..I hope you have a good trip up North and down again! The first pic I took was of this very wet leopard trying to “bite” the rain!
and then got up and made her way to the kill….she ate, but so into the bush that this is the only “decent” pic I could get for you…
Then it left the kill on the ground…and I could not believe it…I had a good spot and wanted to see it taking it up the tree…but she did not…she walked away…..lie down on the ground somewhere behind the trees and then came walking out again…
and then climbed up the tree…without the kill…..
She just sat there, cleaning herself and gave us a bit of a look…..no LSabie for me and no pie..so I went hungry, but at least had a coolerbox with a few beers, so that was my breakfast and lunch!!!
She eventually climbed down the tree and dissapeard…I really believed that this was the mother of the cub…so close to the den..I think it had to be…so I turned around and left….after trying to dry up the seat, window and inside of the slug…but I was not successful…can just imagine what it will smell like tomorrow….luckily Engel is not here, and wont be here for another 129 days to smell and shout!!!!
I got to the place with the cub and only 1 car there…I spoke to them..sounded like Australians…they told me that they are waiting as well…so I found a nice spot…as I know where the cub is sleeping and waited…..not long and a ball of fluff appeared….its just so small and you cant see it through the grass….
but I watched it for about an hour….chasing the flies…eating the grass….and going into “hunting” mode…for what I dont know as I could not see….then the rain came again…and like a flash it gave a few hops and steps and dissapeared into the hole again!!!! This is the best pic I could get again….
and with that Im now half packed up…the laundry is done and the awning is drying out as the sun came out for a while…the oxtail potjie is almost done and its time to eat and enjjoy the eve with friends….
Im not sure how or where or when I will stop tomorrow as I will have the caravan in tow…and certainly hope I find a good spot for the next 26 days….
Until tomorrow
Sleep tite
Martie
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November 21st, 2009 at 8:18 pm
as always, it’s lovely to read your news. the LIT/ LOG and cubs are always lovely to see, keep on showing them please
I also enjoy the different things - like tonight’s slug
enjoy your evening with helpful freinds - nice to have company too.
oxtail sounds lekker “ook nog”.
seems like drier weather is on the cards.
happy travels and will see what you show us next tme - although take it wasy with the van on the back.
God bless.
Heather (Rooihuiskraal, Centurion)
November 21st, 2009 at 8:20 pm
aahhh!!! take it EASY on the road with the van on the back. once you push send, it’s impossible to stop it.
enjoy your day.
HC
November 21st, 2009 at 8:24 pm
GEES WHAT AMAZING SIGHTINGS…..
AND WITH 3 WEEKS IN LOWERSABIE..WHAT A BLESSING
BE WELL. ENJOY!
IAN AND FAM
(1ST YIPPPEEEE)
November 21st, 2009 at 8:30 pm
Hi Martie
I am looking at the blog with my cousin Brendan Thomas and he does enjoy it aswell.
We like the pics of the leopards espically the baby.
Enjoy.
November 21st, 2009 at 8:50 pm
elllooo
What wonderful leopard sightings do you seem to be having! Very lucky! Hope the move to lower sabie goes smoothly.
November 21st, 2009 at 8:59 pm
Martie ….
What can we say …. You are one very lucky lady!!! What an amazing sighting.
I have sent you a PM via the forum .. please check!!
Have an awesome time at Lower Sabie and looking forward to the sighings.
November 21st, 2009 at 9:19 pm
G’Evening Martie,
I have just got back from the wedding of my friends - what an enjoyable wedding too. When I left they still had family with them and will probably only read your greeting tomorrow!
WOW Martie what amazing patience you have and what stunning pictures you get - I will never get tired of seeing such beautiful pictures of the LOGs and LITs and that cutest little cub, so keep on blogging them.
I hope that you have lots of amazing sightings at LowerSabie, just travel carefully in the rain. At least the sun came out for us today. I think you deserve a bit of sunshine too even though Kruger needs lots more rain to fill the dams. I have never liked slugs so can’t say that one is cute - how come you call your vehicle a slug ? Safe travelling and God Bless.
November 21st, 2009 at 9:52 pm
Hi Martie
More beautiful LITS and LOGS! Yet another great sighting!
No we’ll never get tired of seeing your fantastic photos of them. Safe travel tomorrow and hope you find the best spot possible to set up camp. Safe trip.
November 21st, 2009 at 9:58 pm
Martie, yesterday I said can it get any better than this? Today the answer is YES IT CAN! Wow and wow again - wonderful LIT, LOG and cub.
Love the huge carnivorous snail too.
Can’t believe all that rain - wore than a Cape Winter.
Lovely day in Cape Town today. Went to Cape Point - not a single baboon - only a few birds - go figure. But the scenery was stunning.
November 21st, 2009 at 9:59 pm
PS for GW if he gets to read this. SO fished today - only got the tiniest red roman so don’t eat your heart out.
November 21st, 2009 at 10:02 pm
Hi Martie,
Lovely pics of leopards and cub. Amazing different sights when the rains come, like the snail. Wonderful friends VVSG and SO to help you move camp, not a pleasant thing with wet awning etc. Hope you get a good spot at L Sabie and hope you see lots of cheetahs and of course, more LITs nd LOGs. Never tired of seeing them. Regards, Delene.
November 21st, 2009 at 10:03 pm
Hi Martie, glad you had help with the awning from VVSG & SO have a good evening. The slug is like the one we took a pic of at Mopani they are rather large. Just love the leopard especially the cub. Have a safe drive tomorrow and hope you get a good spot and hope you get to meet my niece Jenette & family. Regards Chrissie.
November 21st, 2009 at 10:14 pm
Wow Martie yet another hugely successful day in the Park! So wish I could be you at the moment although us Bloem ‘mites had an awesome Meet today! Hope you enjoy the last evening in CB and enjoy your stay at LS!
Have a great evening!
PL & N
November 21st, 2009 at 10:32 pm
Hi Martie
Thanks again for braaiing in the rain yesterday, it was great to experience the whole “braai in the rain” process, and the food was divine!
Getting tired of a LIT, a LOG and a Cub? Never! Wish we could see the cub too, we just saw the mother. Now we are waiting for the pics of a leopard kill.
We drove Voortrekker Road to Pretoriuskop today and you won’t believe the number of streams we had to cross flowing over the road, some flowing quite strong. At one place the road looked like a river, going around a bend, and we could not see how far the road was covered in water, but had to just go for it. We made it, and I now know my 4×4 can swim! Then we got to the Pkop end of the road and it was closed!
Trust you will find a great spot in Lower Sabie! Enjoy all the family that will be coming to visit, hope you can show them great sightings.
Blessings
Annette
November 21st, 2009 at 10:42 pm
Hi Martie,
Once again thanks for the lovely pics of the LIT and cub. Yes, we’ll never get tired of them. Drive safely to LS in the wet weather and all the best with setting up camp. You make my mouth water with your oxtail potjie. Enjoy!
Regards
Pumba (Benoni)
November 21st, 2009 at 10:47 pm
I hope everybody will vote for you on
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SANParks Champion of the Year.
as voting closes on Wednesday, 25 Nov.
November 21st, 2009 at 11:14 pm
Hi Martie
Just missed meeting you today! Left a note for you at your caravan. We decided to wait out the rain till we go and set up camp - so we are staying at Ngwenya for now. SO and I are hesitant to set up camp in the rain with 2 grandchildren - what will I do with them if it keeps on raining???!!! Got in at Croc Bridge this morning but had to go out at Malelane this afternoon as the bridge was under water. Anyway we had a great day BUT DID NOT SEE LOG OR LIT etc!!!!
Well I can see that you had a great day at the office. Enjoy your move tomorrow!
Best Wishes
Merle Brits
November 22nd, 2009 at 1:17 am
Hi Mg - Lovely pics of the leopard. How big is the snail/slug? Its pouring here in Melbourne too. Hasnt stopped since 5pm yesterday. Almost 20 hrs of solid rain. And across in Sydney its hot and fire season!
Hope you had a good Forum birthday!
Cheers
rusky Mel Aus
November 22nd, 2009 at 6:48 am
you are our Kruger longing eyes each day,
WOW thankyou . Move safely
di
November 22nd, 2009 at 7:17 am
Morning M
Welcome to LSabie. Hope you have a great time staying at a great camp. Please can we have some nice landscape sunset / sunrise pics over the water from Sunset and crossing the Sabie river using H10? We trust you have some space weather wise to set up camp in the dry!
Love
DAS
November 22nd, 2009 at 9:23 am
Hi Martie
We will never get tired of seeing what you have to show us it is GREAT to get it as it is remember we are experiencing Kruger through your eyes on a daily basis so bring it on LIT LOGs cubs and all the rest. And once again THANKYOU
Take care
November 22nd, 2009 at 11:40 am
You had indeed luck with all your leopard sightings Martie and now moreover leopard cub
Happy moving
November 22nd, 2009 at 12:11 pm
Hi Martie - my first comment. Thanks so much for living your dream because you are living mine too. Thanks so much for every word you write - we are truly Kruger fanatics, go there once a year for about 3 weeks and so sorry we did not meet you this year - I had not found your blog, but have now read every report. Once again - thanks for cheering me up every day as we return only in July next year! (We also have a horror with people getting out of cars etc., they bring the worst out of me…)
November 22nd, 2009 at 1:20 pm
Hi Leopard Queen, see that you’re at it again!! What beautiful pics of the mother trying to bite the rain and that little one is so cute!!! By the way, I remember somewhere in my travels having been told that that large snail is only found in SA!!! interesting and beautiful!!! Have a good trip to LS today and hope you get a good parking place for the van!!! Wonderful sightings for you today Martie, until your next blog, be safe!!!
November 22nd, 2009 at 4:30 pm
Wow Martie, you have been so lucky with the sightings. I have read your blog from the beginning and thoroughly enjoy it. You are living my dream too. Absolutely love Kruger Park and go at least once a year. We will be up there again in December - Lower Sabie, Skukuza and then Satara.
November 22nd, 2009 at 4:38 pm
Hi Engel Only just read this blog. Guess what Ive been dooing… PACKING… Lovely pics AGAIN of Leopard and of cub. Rain may have been a pain but the Park really needs it. Glad ur move to LS went ok . Speak soon Luv you XXX
November 22nd, 2009 at 7:53 pm
Awesome pics Martie…. Safe trip to Lower sabie and enjoy Sunset Dam, one of my favourite places to chill at, so much happens there. Can never get enough of LOG and LIT. Take care bev
November 22nd, 2009 at 8:27 pm
Hello Martie
Thank you so very much for your good wishes on the occasion of our wedding on Saturday. Coming from you on your blog made it very special. It was lovely to be surrounded by family and special friends, like Green Widow, on our great day.
We have now caught up with your news and were captivated by the gorgeous pics of the leopard cub, especially the one showing where it stays when Mom is away. We also enjoyed the pic of the turtle on the wet tarmac and now the slug, an indication of the amount of rain you are experiencing. Just to do the shopping locally is a mission in rainy weather, let alone moving camp. We admire your diligence and perseverance! Enjoy Lower Sabie.
November 24th, 2009 at 1:19 pm
hi martie, thanks for the kind words. Yes we met you at shingwedzi. What a joy when we saw that bakkie with the red and yellow ribbon. Best of luck with your trip and see you soon.
November 26th, 2009 at 10:57 am
All I can say is I am JEALOUS. Martie, thank you so much for sharing you incredible journey and the MOST amazing experience of your life I am sure.
Oh how I wish I could do what you are doing and see the sights you have seen. I am photocrazy and would love such awesome photo opportunities.