Living My Dream Day 257 (Satara to Maroela)
Its an early good evening to all again….this really reminds me of the beginning of my trip….many days ago…I would get back to camp…prepare my dinner, make my fire, download the pics and then while my supper was cooking ….blog! No visitors, no one knew about me! Relaxing….and I thoroughly enjoyed meeting all the ppl at the busy camps…but now its back to downhill and the connection..Im connecting through my Nokia tonight, I had signal all day when I checked…but come time to upload pics and start blogging..nothing!
Not many days left….only 76 days and although I really enjoyed my experience in Kruger and talking to all of you, and meeting some or lots of you, the time has come that I realize I have done it….and really miss my husband (Engel) as the days count down and cant actually wait to get back home!
PS Medium rare, I do miss the leopards, but sure that before I leave this area and move back up north I will at least find another one…then maybe you can name me….the no leopard lady! DeleneD Maroela camp do have electricity…many years ago they didnt, but its different now, although they still have the communual freezers, think its from days before…..Louise Van Niekerk, I truly apologize I got confused last night….Pantera leo saw a Serval..in Afrikaans a “Tierboskat”…a caracal is a “Rooikat”…Green Widow, glad I dont have traffic probs in KNP, but I know that once I go back to Doha….its even worse than JHB! I really do not look forward to the traffic….but then….that is my home and I really look forward to going home! stevhil…Maroela camp is right next to Tamboti tented camp…about 6km from Orpen camp…really a gem…only camping here, but if you not into it…then stay at Tamboti…they have the normal budget tents that can sleep 2 or 4ppl or the luxury ones that can sleep 2 adults and a child with shower and toilet….my favorite for visiting Kruger without camping, must be Tamboti! Tim and Mel and girls….still remember you and that nice stir fry we had at Skukuza! Glad you had a nice Xmas time….not in Kruger….but still with some animals! Elizma, wow, what an experience you had! Not sure I would see the same…already missed the kill at the fence at Satara the night before I arrived in August/…but then, who knows what Kruger will show me! I once again thank you all for reading and commenting…it really makes it worthwhile bringing this blog to you….no matter how much I miss GW….Engel, thanks for your comments through a busy period….I love you too!
I left Satara at 7am and was going through my checklist…stays up, roof down, windows closed, handbrake off, electricity cable unplugged……and then SimonB came to ask a few questions….and I forgot the rest of the list! SimonB, nice meeting you and so sorry I missed those lions right outside the fence last night…but, glad you saw it! A quick stop at the petrol station to fill up the slug and I was on my way!
Right outside the gate, on his way to the webcam waterhole..an Elephant…then a few buffs lying down in the morning chill…lots of clouds about and the wind was blowing an ice wind, maybe from the UK to Kruger! I turned off towards Orpen…right turn…and then saw a curtain flapping in the wind…heard a noise…and can you believe, I forgot to close the caravan door! My checklist not done properly and I wondered why the petrol attendant or the 2 cars I passed did not say anything! I stopped and waited for a car to come…then a young guy I stopped…he was looking into the bush to see the lion or leopard I stopped him for! A nice guy and thank you so much for your help in stopping next to me so I could get out and lock the door!
All the way to Orpen (as you have to book in at Orpen camp) I only saw another Elephant far away, more buffs and the usual Zebra, Giraffe, Impala and a few Kudu! I got to reception and how great my surprise was when the lady told me…..”You are only suppose to come to Maroela on the 16th”!….Oh my, I did not even check my reservation….thougth I was suppose to be here today! At least it was not a problem…she quickly changed it and this is where I am! Really could have done the S100 a few more times without worrying about time!
Got to Maroela and can you believe the campsite was almost empty…another fam busy packing up, but the best site in this camp…empty…right by the fence and not too uneven…I quickly pulled in, checked the levels on the caravan and had to take out my levelling blocks for the one side…that done and the caravan was almost as level as you can ever get it! Then…..I could not unhook the caravan…with it elevated on the one side it was stuck to the hook of the car….no probs…I can show a few men a few things about camping…but I dont have the same strenght as them…I quickly asked for help and these guys had to jump on the back and it eventually came loose…one of those days I would not have been able to do it myself!
As I was setting up camp….the monkeys came…and I could not believe that someone that could leave their previous campsite so clean had thrown their left over bread over the fence….needless to say, the monkeys thougth it was me feeding them! This pic of one of them eating the bread!
Although I have nice shade for 90% of the day…its also a trampoline for the monkeys to jump on my already torn awning…I was told by the man that came to help me that it would be senseless to try and repair it, rather buy a new one! No ways Im spending the money now with so few days left…I tried to repair it with a plastic bag and tape…and lets hope I dont get wet or have no awning left at the end of my stay at Maroela!
I finished setting up camp and was actually very worried that I would be the only person in camp tonight….then another couple arrived in a big caravan…and some in a camper van….great I wont be alone to face the night! I did not go for an afternoon drive…and started my fire to cook my roast pork and vegs…..Im also trying the roast potatoes from Marty and fam that they showed us at Satara…..basically….potatoes cut in half….if big…in quarters..rub with oil and coarse salt…then wrapped in foil and put on the coals! Not sure if mine will be the same as his…but only time will tell…the bugs are here as well…and its really like rain all over…just little black smelly ones all over you….luckily again…I have my vegs in foil and the box is covering my roast!
As I cant show you any pics of animals, here is Maroela camp and my campsite….
and looking up toward the ablution block…only one here…and quite a walk to it…
Luckily I have a porta potti, not sure I want to “brace this walk” in the middle of the night…..and the view from the ablutions to the kitchen and freezers…
and the look of the gate from the inside out ….no cattle grid, so I cannot imagine what comes in during the day with no one there watching!
and looking back from the gate to the other campsites….
And with that I have come to the end of my first day at Maroela camp…I sure do look forward to the night sounds we have always experienced at Tamboti and Orpen camp…but also glad my neighbours are here for the next 10days, not sure how I would have handled being here all bymyself in the camp tonight…it seems like the bugs are going to bed…and maybe I can check my roast now!
Until tomorrow, hopefully my connection better…
Sleep tite
Martie
Like
January 14th, 2010 at 8:28 pm
Hi M
Glad you are safe and settled. Enjoy your stay and peace at Maroela. We’ll keep in touch via the Orpen webcam!
Blessings
DAS
January 14th, 2010 at 8:35 pm
Hi Martie, sounds as if you had a good day with a few senior moments along the way!!!!!! or maybe just maybe something is saying enjoy your last couple of months and then it is time to go home. So glad you are not alone in camp tonight, enjoy an early supper and I hope you see the leopard on your drives that I have seen on the webcam. Regards Chrissie.
January 14th, 2010 at 8:48 pm
Hi Martie…. Yeh looks a bit isolated there, must say I wouldn’t be happy staying there on my own either… (glad you have some company) but on the upside you won’t have the hoards of traffic leaving the camp in the morning. Lets hope you see some more leopards around there. Take care Bev
January 14th, 2010 at 8:49 pm
have a good time there. may you see many things and meet new people too.
wonderful) so your blog really “keeps me going” – thank you again.
take care. no chance for me to get to Kruger again before August ’10 (just spent 3 weeks in Mossel Bay
may there be fewer bugs and lots of mammals and birds and flowers and goodies!
God bless.
Heather
January 14th, 2010 at 9:12 pm
Hi Martie,
Pleased that u arrived at Maroela safely. I am sure u will enjoy this site very much. We camped there once in our tents. What an experience. It is like a animal park. It is alive around the fences at night. Wow what a camp. Hope u enjoy it as much as we did.
Tks again for bringing us Kruger.
Enjoy
Sanet _ Vanderbijlpark
January 14th, 2010 at 9:20 pm
Gosh Martie the countdown is going quick for us, maybe not quick enough for you. It seems just the other day you said you had 100 days left. Thanks for a good chuckle when I read about you leaving the door open and driving out of camp – shame we all have those Senior Moments – I know I have lots of them so it is good to read that I am not alone !!! I really fancied Maroela camp when I drove there in October but perhaps it would be scary at night if nobody else was there. I know my son Gordon and his wife Bonnie from Krugersdorp (they have commented on your blog before) really loved it when they were there last year. I decided that next time I go to Kruger I want to spend some time in a tent at Tamboti – I imagine the night sounds will be wonderful. I just hope that the monkeys are not a problem for you – like you had down at Malelane! I cannot understand why people must entice the wild animals by throwing food over the fence. I hope that you have a good sleep tonight and a great viewing day tomorrow.
January 14th, 2010 at 9:21 pm
Hi Martie,
Pretty impressive … a move, and an early blog! Thank you!
Enjoy the quiet camp, hope it’s a nice change after the busy school holidays.
And enjoy your drive tomorrow … Big 5 or not … it’s the anticipation, and enjoying It All, as you seem to be so good at!
Take care and goodnight,
i♥kruger
January 14th, 2010 at 9:25 pm
Hi Marti Still enjoying your blog no matter the sightings. A nice looking campsite – hope the monkeys dont become a problem. Regards Cassia
January 14th, 2010 at 9:27 pm
Hi Martie,
I’m sure the peace & quiet is going to be nice for a change and you’ll be able to rest a bit!
Enjoy Maroela camp, we’ve seen a leopard from camp at night, so keep a spotlight nearby.
Hope those awful bugs stay away from now on…
Blessings
Annette
January 14th, 2010 at 9:36 pm
Hi Martie
I really hope you will enjoy your stay at Maroela a lovely camp. I hope you’ve recieved my email and LBR with snake. Will you please let me know which weekend will suit you so that I can make my bookings. Hope tomorrow the Kruger will bring your leopard
Erika Swart
January 14th, 2010 at 9:56 pm
Hi Martie,
Glad you’ve got a nice camp site. Enjoy the peace and tranquility and I hope you have great sightings in this regin as well. We’re almost on our way and hope te see you sometime next week.
Regards
Louis
January 14th, 2010 at 10:13 pm
Hi Martie, I was trying to visualise you driving with the caravan door open!!!! I’m sorry, but I had to smile, with all your interruptions, i’m not surprised that you forgot!!!!! Glad you arrived at Maroela safely and most of all that there are other people there, it’s quite scary at Tamboti when you have to walk a distance to the ablusions, only thing I did’nt like about Tamboti, but now they have tents with showers and loos, much better!!! You will probably hear the Scops Owl tonight, and your dinner sounds great, wow you are really good at bush cooking, we have to have a book with pics and the occasional recipe thrown in!!!! Martie, take care, and have a good nights sleep!!! Hope those bugs get lost!!!!! Till your next blog!!!!
January 14th, 2010 at 10:21 pm
Hi Martie,
Satara feels empty without you. Really missed you today. So glad you managed to get the best site. We love it down there on the fence. Maroela is really a little bit of heaven – quiet and peaceful. We also had a quiet day today but the park is just so beautiful at the moment that just being here is great. Enjoy your little corner in heaven and we hope to see you somewhere on the road.
Regards,
Tibby
January 15th, 2010 at 12:41 am
hi Skattie, so glad your move went relatively smoothly, Maybe this forced relaxation (not (m)any visitors) will give you a chance to get your breath back ! Looking forward to your sightings at Maroela. Take care, love JenE @ Cullinan
January 15th, 2010 at 1:06 am
Aaaaah Martie,
Obviously been reading the blog everyday but haven’t commented in ages!! Just wanted to say how this blog really made my heart sink with the yearn for the Kruger. Those great quiet days in the Kruger when you can hear yourself think – best place in the world.
Enjoy and savour the last 76 days – still plenty of surprises up its sleeve I am sure – come on Ietermagog!!
Cheers,
Ingwe1 (Sydney, Aus)
January 15th, 2010 at 1:54 am
Hi MG – Ah Tamboti and Maroela! Have a great weekend.
January 15th, 2010 at 4:25 am
Hi Martie,
Thanks for the pix of Maroela Kamp!!! It brings back great memories of my “trek”
You’re almost in the same spot I camped at,so hopefully you get to see that Ystervark-Porcupine !!
Is their water in that river along the camp now???
Glad they were willing to change your reservations,because I tried a couple of times and the only thing I heard was; ‘Sorry, Fully Booked” and I spoke to different tourleaders who had the same problem,but knew that sometimes up to 40 % of the campsite are unoccupied.
Happy to hear you got your site!! Greetings from a wet and rainy Vancouver,Lekker Slaap,Thomas
January 15th, 2010 at 6:24 am
Hi Martie,
I’ve just finished reading the last 6 or 7 blogs. Glad you had a nice day on the 12th; pitty about the bugs, but they come with the teritory of which we are in fact the invaders.
Enjoy the new environment. I love the river view.
Cheers and God Bless!!
ALAN
January 15th, 2010 at 6:43 am
I am glad for you that you are settled in, nice and quiet, a good time to just enjoy the stillness of the Kruger without people bugging you the whole time! I know you dont mind, but still, now and then it is needed. Enjoy your day!
Liza – Pretoria
January 15th, 2010 at 6:55 am
Good Morning Martie,
You are stil one amazing lady!!
Best Regards,
PAMBERE
January 15th, 2010 at 7:11 am
HALLO MARTIE
Still reading your blog, and will do till the end. It’s nice to have peace and quite from time to time, enjoy will it last. Enjoy your stay at Maroela. Hope you see someting interesting at Maroela. best wishes
Thea
January 15th, 2010 at 7:22 am
Good morning engel. It shows what a small distraction can do. Thank heavens you discovered it soon and not only when you arrived at Maroela. Wow that camp looks deserted. Im glad someone else is also there with you. I would be worried if you were alone. Hope the monkeys dont wreck the van. You will have to close everything tightlywhen you out. I hope the awning holds out otherwise you will have to put up full tent and that is not a 1-man/woman-job. Im packed & ready for next trip..Morocco, Brazil, Argentina, Venezuela, Costa Rica & Antigua. All in just over a week. Hectic. Hope you have a good day with nice sightings. Speak later Luv you XXX
January 15th, 2010 at 7:54 am
Thank goodness for the Porta-potti!!!!! A wonderful invention. Take care and enjoy your last few days.
January 15th, 2010 at 7:58 am
Hi Martie
Thanks for showing us the camp. Enjoy the peace and tranquility of the smaller camp. You deserve it after the hectic holiday period in the bigger camps. But please don’t stop feeding us our daily fix; all the lovely photos and of course your ”lekker” stories!
May you have another wonderful day in Kruger!
Pumba (Benoni)
January 15th, 2010 at 8:03 am
Martie – G
January 15th, 2010 at 8:06 am
Hi Martie
Thanks for the pictures of Maroela – have never been there before but it looks so nice I think we’d better try it next time – your site looks lovely under the trees. Enjoy your stay.
Cheers
Gill
January 15th, 2010 at 8:07 am
Martie – Good morning – pleased to see that you have settled in at Maroela – thanks for the photos of the camp. It really looks peaceful.
Had to laugh when I read about the caravan door that was left open – luckily no baboon’s or monkey’s found their way inside.
Have a great day today and so looking forward to seeing you again tomorrow.
norms
January 15th, 2010 at 8:13 am
Hi Martie
Glad you noticed your door open before a baboon or monkey hitched a ride.
Maroela really looks nice, I have heard so many great things about this little camp and cannot wait to try it out one day. I believe the night sounds are awesome!
Enjoy the stay, how long are you at Maroela?
Regards
Glen
January 15th, 2010 at 8:38 am
Martie, you are at one of the best camps ever! Just seeing the site made my heart ache for Kruger, we have camped at the same site many times! Hope you have a wonderful time at Maroela, you will smell the porcupine before you see it, they smell terribly! Regards, Mariaan from Uvongo.
January 15th, 2010 at 8:40 am
Hi Martie
Glad you found a lovely camping site. It must be a great relief to have company. Hope you are able to enjoy some R&R here.
January 15th, 2010 at 8:46 am
Hi Martie, I got to hear of your expedition whilst in Kruger over December/January and have managed to read a few of your blog entries. Will probably spend the weekend reading your early entries. You certainly are living a fantastic dream! My wife and I are Kruger fanatics and visit at least once or twice a year. Having really battled to find Leopard over the past several years we were lucky to see no fewer than seven different leopards during our recent stay. One of these sightings included a large male leopard stuck up a tree close to Crocodile Bridge with 10 hungry lions lying around the tree. You should have got sponsorships for your trip this would have been great advertising. Maybe someone out there can organise you a new awning. Will continue to read your blog with interest.
January 15th, 2010 at 8:50 am
Hi Martie
2 years ago we camped on the campsite just to the left of you. Maroela is a nice camp if you want peace and quite.
Be on the lookout for skopsuil inside the camp Toera in the big tree, the nightly visit of the hyena and the leopard in the early morning and afternoon on the road towards the tar.
January 15th, 2010 at 9:37 am
Hi Martie, Looks like you are on the exact camp site we were on where SO shocked himself! Have a wonderful stay at this lovely camp and hopefully you won’t be too lonely.
Angie
January 15th, 2010 at 10:00 am
Again I hope you enjoy your stay at Maroela. I once stayed alone at Tamboti and there was only one other couple in the camp and that was scary,I realy felt isolated as you can not even see the other tents, so I can understand that you happy to have some people sharing this camp with you.
January 15th, 2010 at 10:17 am
Hey Martie
Maroela looks like a cozy little camp, your campsite nice and shady! Hope you have a wonderful time!
I appreciate you going all the way to Tshokwane just to meet Pantera Leo & family. They all enjoyed it very much!
PL says that you look even younger in real life,than in picture’s!
(Just sad that I could not be there!)
Enjoy your day!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Regards
Nkumbe (BFN)
January 15th, 2010 at 10:47 am
Hope you get a vist from a Porcupine tonight. And don’t worry if you don’t find a leopard in a hurry ……….. Shingwedzi has plenty!
January 15th, 2010 at 10:50 am
Hi Martie
We are very happy to see you have settled in nicely at Maroela with great shade at this time of year.You still have some time to go before you are done in the Kruger so I agree with Roland C that you are going to need a new awning , and with the support that you have had. I’m sure that there is a person from a company that is assotiated with camping or caravaning that would be able to sponser a new awning. Come on big buisnessmen help a lady in need,we also dont want her laptop to get wet.
Regards Tim and Mel
Margate
January 15th, 2010 at 11:31 am
Hi Martie
Your days are decreasing, but we will have been to KTP for 2 weeks and back and you will still have plenty of time left…..enjoy.
We have never stayed in this area, so will be interested in your sightings.
You need to visit KTP one day…..
regards
Richard
January 15th, 2010 at 11:35 am
Hi Martie, so glad you are still enjoying your stay in the Kruger. Marion & I have been following along a lot of the time and enjoying your commects and photo’s. So nice I tell you! Can’t beleive its a year since we were privelaged to join you guys at Lower Sabie when you first went there. That was so lovely. I really enjoy the photo’s you have taken. I wonder which of your collection you will want a painting of??! Remeber I love mixing and matching, so you may want a scene made up of a number of pictures. We will be camped at Satara the weekend of 19th, 20th & 21st March, not sure where you will be at that time. Probably way north? I hope you still have many great sightings and experiences in your last 75 days!! Enjoy it to the full. Cheers for now, the Kokkies!
January 15th, 2010 at 12:18 pm
Hi again Martie – my first experience at Maroela was awesome yet a bit unnerving. We were camped in tent, with no attached groundsheet. In the middle of the night, the lions roared so close to camp that you could feel the ground vibrating. I had images of them getting into camp and crawling into my tent!!! Needless to say, was very relieved when dawn broke! You will have a special time there I am sure. Enjoy your countdown to seeing Engel again and thank you for still being so enthusiastic, after all this time, in bringing ALL of your sightings to us!
Enjoy!
January 15th, 2010 at 1:17 pm
Hi Martie
We were passing through Maroela in Sep’09 – Was pretty full then , but this really makes me sad – Dad wanted me to take some pics of the camp as they were going to KNP in Nov and possibly stay at Maroela if my pics would convince him. Sadly he passed away in Mid Oct and never got to see the pics or go on his last trip to KNP (Would have been Nov at Satara). Therefor Enjoy your time and although I can think how much you must miss Engel , we do appreciate you bringing us news / pics from KNP. Anyway – The potatoes : Do you have to pre-boil , peel or do you just cut in pieces as is ?? Counting the days with you (Happy for Engel and Sad for us).
Mooi Bly
Lily (Kempton)
January 15th, 2010 at 1:17 pm
I know you have mentioned when you going back. We are planning a weak in the Kruger, the last in April.
January 15th, 2010 at 2:27 pm
Hi Martie
Thanks for your blog! Wow must be pretty eerie being one of the only one’s there, especially after experiencing so many people over the holidays! Hopefully those pesky monkeys don’t get out of hand.
Have a good day and enjoy your stay at Maroela!
Cheers
Jenette
January 15th, 2010 at 3:12 pm
Hello there, have not commented for a couple of days – been reading the blog from day 1 again to get my register of readers up to date ( only up to day 88 so far) but I am enjoying going back in time. Your trip up to Maroela could have turned out quite differently, if you had not seen the problem through the rear view mirror a lot of your loose equipment in the van might have decorated the road along the way ! ! Good luck with some special sightings and put your rubber snake on top of the awning to scare the monkeys. xxx
January 15th, 2010 at 3:36 pm
hi martie,
glad you managed to get the spot you wanted.never camped in kruger before but i must say that maroela looks a lovely camp hope you enjoy and have loads of great sightings.cheers for now stu & toni