Living My Dream Day 258 (Maroela Day 2)
Good Evening again! Another slow day, but another one in Kruger and Im not complaining! Think I should call this day….”The Day of the Jackals”!
Lots of comments and I once again thank you for reading and taking the time to comment! Sanet, I have not seen any animals around the fence…apart from the monkeys that are inside and out! Green Widow we always spent a night or 2 at Orpen and Tamboti….the new tents with the bathrooms are awesome…..but then….the experience of walking to the ablutions at night at those budget ones are great too…that is if you have someone with you! Hope you come and experience it! If I was not so far away, I would have come with you! Annette (click click) unfortunately I dont have a spotlight, so I can only see what walks pass my fires light! But still hope to see something while Im here! Quickie, offcourse we are going to meet….remember Im going to make you and your mother that breakfast at Timbavati…I cant wait to let you experience that! Drive safe….hope you have lots of sightings on the way! Tibby, so now you not at Satara anymore, but here at Maroela…nice seeing you today….hope you had better sightings than me on the way back to camp! Ingwe1, I hope that all understand the same language……I dont need to see cats…just to sit and listen, hear, smell the bush is something I will really miss once I leave Kruger! Still hope to bring you some awesome sightings, but if not, just enjoy the atmosphere with me! Trekboer Thomas, there is a lot of bush, but no water in the river…really hope we can get a heavy downpour and see this river in flood! GW (Engel)….dont worry about me…Im fine..and if the awning does not hold up…I will do without…no ways I can pitch the full tent by myself! Hope you have a good trip…and see lots of new things! Glen79 we had always experience the most awesome night sounds around the Orpen area, sadly last night, not a sound….hope it will change while Im here! RolandC, glad you heard about the blog and are reading it….wow, what a sighting you had at CBridge! Sponsors…..no one was interested in an old woman coming to Live Her Dream! Same to Tim and Mel…the only things I get..and really enjoy is the stir fry you made for us at Skukuza and the wonderful meals I have spent with many ppl from all over the world! Sure nothing will change…so few days left….but as said last night…I have done it…and Im proud of myself…and offcourse of Engel for understanding and supporting me……know its not always easy…but thank you again Engel…! Love you lots! Angie, glad I did not get shocked putting up the awning, feel sorry for your SO, but happy to hear the electrical fence is working! Pantera Leo and Nkumbe…what a gentleman of a son you have! Thanks for the compliment….I know Im not a young girl….but nice to hear I dont look as old as what he thought I would be! Brian and Marion, cant believe a whole year has passed since our celebrations at LSabie…thank you for still reading and enjoying the pics…..the painting…..so many wonderful sightings that it will really take me a while to decide on the painting! Thanks for remembering! I will post my last few camps at the bottom of this post for all to see my whereabouts! Jaycee (MIL) thank you also for doing the register…glad it can keep you occupied and out of mischief! I did miss your comments and was going to call you today….but thougth you probably got such a hectic schedule that I should not worry you!
Lily, how sad I am tonight reading your comment….please accept my condolences on the passing of your father…real pity he did not experience Maroela…sure you know in your heart that even if you took the pics he would not be here…..man, I want to cry! It just shows that life is really short…you cannot plan ahead…Will tell you about the potatoes next time…
I woke up bright and early this am…but the camp was just so quiet..I really felt like I would disturb the ppl if I started the slug (Diesel engine)…so I just sat outside and had some tea while taking in the sounds and smells of Kruger! Eventually left just after 6am…decided to drive the S145 pass Talamati Bushcamp and back up the S36 and then the tar road back to camp…a long drive off about 90km, but I had the whole day! Just before the Tjunction I found the Senegal lapwings, but really too far for a clear pic..The sun was coming up over the trees and I know that this light is so great for pics, but no animals wanted to show itself to me! Eventually this Zebra with young one and at last a pic with the early morning sun!
The rest of the way not much…the bush is really thick and I would hear an Elephant before I see it! The scenary around this area is very nice…and the 50 odd km I travelled I only saw 1 other car…its really nice to just switch off the engine and let your mind and imagination wonder! Then on the S36 just after Muzandseni Picnic spot….a Rhino, but a real shy one…I dont think he like to have his face on the blog tonight! I have to show this as Im not sure when or where I will see another one……sure you remember the beginning of my trip Engel kept on asking for Rhino and I could not find one!
Just before the turnoff to camp, a lot of vultures in trees, something I did not see when I drove passed there this am…not sure when the kill was made…but did find this jackal eating the remains with the vultures waiting!
And it seemed like the vultures were waiting for the jackal to finish his meal before they climbed into the meal…
Back at camp just after 11am…played a bit of scrabble, checked your comments and addressed a few emails…then a sandwich and time to read my book and have a lie down! 4pm up….had a nice cool shower…must say the shower I had today was probably designed for a child…I had to almost bent down to get the water to spray on my head..but still nice with good pressure…dishes done and time for a quick pm drive! This is where I met Tibby and SO that have now moved to Maroela….hope you saw more than me this pm! Up the road to a waterhole that sadly has also been disconnected….Nwatisaka or something like that and I found another jackal marking its territory….almost in the same place as where i saw it this am with the carcass…The sky was covered with clouds and definately not a golden hour drive for pics…but still nice and cool!
On the way back a Buff came storming out of the bush…stopped, smelled the air and stamped his hooves….only one of them..and although I looked as much as I could, I could not see a cat around, sorry dont have the same smell as a buff….
He then stormed a few bushes and darted across the road! Just before the Tjunction to turn off to Maroela and Tamboti camps, I found the reason for so many jackals…..a den…in this pic I think you can see 4 or so, but more lying to the side…probably 7 in all….will look out for them tomorrow to see what else they are eating!
And with that the end of another day in Kruger! Tomorrow night Im spending the night at Tamboti camp with norms, his brother and friends…if I see something awesome I will blog….if not…its a night off listening to the sounds of the bush instead of my keyboard typing and talking to you!
I wish you all a good weekend…
Until next time
Martie
PS…..My camps and whereabouts for the next 70 odd days….
Maroela – until the 29th Jan…..
LSabie..Big Birding Weekend from 29th till 31st…
Balule…1st Feb – 19 Feb..(that is if I can stand the heat without any electricity)
Letaba..20th Feb = 1st March
Shingwedzi..1st – 12 March
Skukuza (Forum Cricket weekend) 12 -14 March
Shingwedzi till 16 March
Punda Maria…16 to 24th March
Letaba 24th = 1st April!
and back on the tar road to camp…..
Like
January 15th, 2010 at 8:22 pm
1 St April wow…April fools day and you will be out of th KNP…cant believe this. Pse stay 1 day longer. By the way…my youngest one, Ashley, was born on April fools day…at the age of 11…when aked where she wants to go for the holiday…one answer…she wants to see the crocs in the KNP.
Keep going girl
January 15th, 2010 at 8:31 pm
Hi Martie,
Great report again,and don’t worry if you can’t get anything ” special” for us.
I think we all enjoy your discriptions just the way you experience them,Greetings,Thomas
January 15th, 2010 at 8:39 pm
Hope you enjoying the solitude and peace up in Maroela. Must be good to just have the roads to yourself for a change.
Still enjoying reading every day, and can appreciate when you say you just sit and listen to the sounds and take in the smells of the bush. Boy, do I miss that.
Sounds in Jhb - dogs barking at nothing and cars speeding by, and of course, not to forget sirens and alarms going off because of bad weather etc. I’ll trade you anyday Martie!! Just returned and can’t wait to come back for Easter.
January 15th, 2010 at 8:42 pm
Good Evening Martie,
What beautiful lighting for the Zebras pic - enjoyed your “Day of the Jackals” too. Glad that Buff did not chase you, I am just as afraid of them as I am of the Ellies! When you are in Doha and really long to get back to Kruger, you better contact me – I will meet you are OT airport and we can drive to KNP and go and spend a week in a tent at Tambotie ! I am sure Engel won’t mind you going back to Kruger for a week ! I do hope that you do hear some animal sounds tonight. Enjoy your evening with friends 2moro.
January 15th, 2010 at 8:43 pm
P.S. You forgot to tell us what was on the menu for supper tonight !!!!
January 15th, 2010 at 11:12 pm
Hi Martie, what a fabulous day you had, peace and tranquility, there’s nothing like it, especially in Kruger!!!! One of these nights you are going to hear many sounds, of this I’m sure!!!! and also you will see a lot on the Orpen-Satara road, something I have always done!!!! It’s so nice to hear that you are relaxed!!! wonder why the showers are so short, maybe for very little people, i don’t know!!!! Have a great evening, and a wonderful weekend and tomorrow night at Tambotie – enjoy!!!!! Take care, Martie, until your next blog!!!!!
January 15th, 2010 at 11:29 pm
It must be awasome in Maroela, cant wait for our caravan revamp to be finished to stay there, better chase Bruce on…..
The smell of the bushand the night sounds at Orpen and Tambotie are very special and so wild,for me there is no better place.
It is so sad for us to see how soon you will be gone, but I am sure one gets to a point when you just want to go home.
Sleep tight, dont let the bugs bite
January 16th, 2010 at 12:16 am
hi martie,
hope you have some night action tonight and enjoy tommorrow at tamboti bye for now stu & toni
would love to see a den of jackals,seen plenty of hyeana dens but never jackals.although you enjoy meeting all the people it must be nice to recharge your batteries and have some time to yourself
January 16th, 2010 at 12:40 am
Hi Martie, had I known you don’t have a spotlight last week this time, I would have left my new rechargeable spotlight with you until I see you in March… can you believe last week this time we were still in Satara, feels unreal…
Your photos are really great, as always. The buffalo looks like a real poser. I think even buffs have personalities, some are really cute.
Was the jackal eating a zebra carcass?
Enjoy Tamboti, it looks like a forest at the moment, bush really thick, let us know which tent you stayed in, number 20 is really nice with a lovely view, so that’s the one to go for if you have any choice!
Blessings till next time
January 16th, 2010 at 12:41 am
Hi Martie
Maroela is one of our favourite camps. Manie just loves to sit outside in the evening listening to the sound of the bush until well pass midnight. Maroela is also one of our first camps we stayed in 35 years ago, before electricty. The gate opened half an hour before Orpen so we were the first on the road to Satara. Tambotie was not build yet.
Enjoy the camp but be careful of the monkeys, they can be a nuisance.
regards
Yvonne and Manie.
January 16th, 2010 at 5:04 am
Hi Martie
I hope you are enjoying the solitude of the camp. I think I would like that better than the busier camps – it looks really peaceful. I must say your Engel is busy all over the world – its awesome these days with all the technology how people in all corners of the world can connect and communicate with each other – imagine if you did this 20 years ago – and had to write letters to each other! Hope you get some good sightings today.
January 16th, 2010 at 6:00 am
Hi Martie,
We have made it to Graskop now and enter will enter the park on Monday and heading straig up to Punda, working our way down via several camps to P;kop until 2nd Fe. We hve our YR so hope to meet up with you somewhere soon.
January 16th, 2010 at 6:16 am
Hi Martie
It’s been 16 days since you left Skukuza and to be completely honest l have missed you getting up in the morning to find you not parked across the road from me and as you say,”There is more than just parking”.
The sightings around Skuks has not been as good but not bad for our groups coming into the Park as for most of them it is a first for them and of course l advise them to read your blog as it will give them a better understanding of what is happening and what we tell them. Thank you once again for this blog and l know come the first of April and beyond your followers are going to feel lost with out your blog…speaking of which l will call you to get the blog details if that is still o.kay with you.
Well Martie l will be going home on the 22nd Jan to see my grandson for the first time as he will be already 1 month and a day old, my son tells me that he is now weighing just over 3kgs and getting longer in length…so l am excited about that but not looking forward to the drive.
Anyway we will try to catch up to you before you make your way to Balule but will let you know, so until then Go Wild and enjoy the remainder of your days in Kruger.
Best regards,
Johan & Karen
(Skukuza Bush Cuisine)
January 16th, 2010 at 6:31 am
Hi Engel. Nice talking to you, even at 0400am. Just read blog. Thank you for the Rhino. They are beautifull from all angles…. The Zebra and foal is a really nice photo. I wonder what the Buffalo’s story was. Hope your sightings pick up and you have a great day. Luv you XXX Ps I got a 17 hour flt day so speak later..
January 16th, 2010 at 7:39 am
Hi Martie
Lovely sightings – unusual to see so many jackal in Kruger. Definitely more peaceful and unspoilt the more north you go.
SO caught cob on Wednesday evening, stuffed it with peppers, onion and tomatoes and baked it in the oven – served with mash and salad – delicious.
We’re missing Kruger already!
Have a great day.
January 16th, 2010 at 9:39 am
Morning Martie, what a nice quiet day you had, love the zebra with sun on it, I do not think we have ever seen jackal in KNP before and you get to find a den, super. Hope you have a good day today and take the night off and have a great evening with friends. Regards Chrissie.
January 16th, 2010 at 9:51 am
Hi Martie,
A Jackal day for sure, don’t often see so many in 1 day but very nice when you do, especially at their den.
Do hope you enjoy your night at Tamboti.
Take care
Regards
Elsa
January 16th, 2010 at 4:22 pm
Hi Martie,
I am not sure how the replies work, not very computer literate due to old age! Barry and I have never replied/commented before, due to very busy work schedules. We did, however, read your blog on a fairly regular basis, and envy you your year in Kruger! We actually are jealous that we cannot do it! I am not a camper, we usually make use of the chalets. We only have time to visit Kruger twice a year, (February and September annualy, 6 and 10 nights) and will be at Mopani from 20 Feb 2010, for 3 nights. Then we will be at Olifants from 23 Feb for another 3 nights, while you are at Letaba. Is there any possibility to meet you between the 23rd and the 25th before we leave on the early morning of the 26th again? We simply admire your guts to drive around the Kruger on your own without Engel by your side! We also had an “elephant experience”! We would love to bring you a spotlight (as a gift) as well, without which you cannot really visit the Kruger, and since you don’t have one! We saw a big leopard a few yards away in the riverbed with our spotlight at Byamiti in September 2009, thinking it was a hyena! We will tell you all about the elephant , either in a mail-message or in person, should we be so lucky to meet you somewhere in February. Enjoy Martie! It is an experience of a lifetime!
Best Wishes,
Barry & Hilda
January 16th, 2010 at 4:38 pm
Hi Martie
Jackal…and so many of them. A great sighting. Enjoy Tamboti, one of our favourite camps
January 16th, 2010 at 9:44 pm
I just started reading your blog some absolutely fantastic pics try the dirt road that runs parralel to the tar going to Satara I have seen some amazing sights on this road as well as Rabalaise
January 16th, 2010 at 10:19 pm
Hi skattie, short note just to say , still reading… lol JenE @ Cullinan
January 16th, 2010 at 10:29 pm
Hi Martie,
The car is loaded, we’ve got the stuff for the breakfast, alarm set for 02h30 and we hope to hit the road by 04h00. I’d better get some sleep now! Hope you have a splendid time at Tamboti.
Regards
Louis
January 16th, 2010 at 11:01 pm
Hey Martie! Hello to the bush!
I hope you enjoy a great evening and night at Tamboti!
You cannot imagine, how much i love your blog, the pics and your comments!! ..”Sorry, dont have the same smell of a buff”..Two ways to understand..
Take care & have e great sunday!
Madeleine
January 17th, 2010 at 9:32 am
Hi Martie,thx for all your blogs over the past months,i have introduced them to my brother & SO in Bahrain and they are regular readers hoping for their Kruger fix.
Glad to see that you are in Skukuza for the cricket weekend as i can finally meet you there.
All the best,
Ken
January 17th, 2010 at 5:37 pm
HI Martie, we are still reading every day and enjoying it so much. It will be great if you meet up with Lastpride (my sister Ali) my daughter Ellie will find that so strange! Keep on enjoying
Sue and Ellie UK
January 18th, 2010 at 9:23 am
Wow Martie…so many jackal…amazing!
Enjoy your time with Norms tonight and have an awesome day!
Cheers
Jenette