SANParks.org Forums

Well, I am running out of excuses for delaying my trip report. I might as well halt my procrastination and say, "enter into my world".

This year, my cricket trip was touch and go at times. A number of unexpected events had meant that my focus had been very firmly on other matters. Consequently, the night before I was meant to leave, I was dead tired.. I had not packed a thing. I looked around at all that still had to be done..

this was a no brainer for me "more is nog n dag" I joined the family for supper..



and went to bed.

Consequently, next morning.. up early for work, see client, find camping gear, pack camping gear, throw in food, books, binos.. and oh yes, a few clothes...

I had a sinking feeling as I left home.. something important was missing.

Shi had very kindly donated some books for the silent auction, so after hastily hoisting everything into my car.. off I went, to collect the books and have a quick "chin wag"..

As I said good bye to Shi, her parting words were, "have a good time and take lots of pictures"

so that is what I left at home my camera.

Thank goodness for Shi

So, back home it was, camera in car and on the road

now at least I knew what I had left at home..

Little did I know

Billyf, Hugh, Salamanda thank you for following this rollicking report.

Rayk, Micheal, Sundowner.. the confession is yet to come

Dotty, something like that with a twist

Glen

Charming, Atlanta joe.. when I needed to find a pen at some point of my trip, (to write down Moose's phone number), I dived into my side pocket in the car.. aha found one out came a toothbrush.. and then another.. I failed to find a pen indeed, there is an absent mindedness that astounds even me.. as you will find out later.

Needless to say, I left G'teng with not too much leaway for mistakes, it would have to be pretty low flying. I entered in Phabeni Gate and did not even have a chance to use my camera. Even keeping just below the speed limit with few stops, I was a few minutes late Eveyone was very kind. Genuine apologies go a long way to preventing sour moments.

The booking in was smooth and much to my surprise, I seemed to be the only person needing help.

At this point, let me introduced our kind mod, Dinky Bird. I had phoned DB a few nights before and told her that I was looking forward to camping, but a bit concerned about putting up my tent on my own.

DB, generously offered Hawk. I love it when people are so generous with their SO's talents.

I did find DB, and Hawk did kindly help. DB, let me tell you is a "master" at offering advice and giving instructions. Without her, Hawk and I would never have managed

It was a time when I realised what else I had left at home.. my fan I had placed it neatly and tidily next to my front door, and no doubt it was still neatly and tidily lying next to my front door. If I tell you that it was hot and humid, I would be making an understatement. While erecting the tent, we had been soaked with perspiration, despite the falling darkness.

After supper, DB and Hawk went to bed.. not so MM.. it was far too hot and MM was on a roll.

I walked to a place I love to stroll at night. I so often see bushbabies, ellies on the banks of the river ... I love to listen to the sounds of night, the owls, the call of the nightjar.. the soft murmer of voices.

This is the place I visited in day light.











It was quiet, surprisingly quiet. I meandered around a while, trying to ignore the humid night, until.. I had to accept that it was time to find my way home to my tent..

next installment: MM gets waylaid.. and a late night confession.

Crested Barbet, Billyf, Micetta, Elsa, thank you for following this report

Petra, been missing you lately

Vonnie, we really do need some "eggs benedict" again

so back to MM's meanderings..

MM was watching the Sabie river.. when suddenly there was a terrible tiredness. I had been up since 4am, and it was rather a late hour.

MM wandered back to her tent... and yes, this time she had a fairly accurate radar to her tent. What she did not have at this point was much energy.
It had just gone.

MM passed the swimming pool.

She decided to go and see if there was any action.

It was dark and deserted.

Now, the one thing MM needed to do, but did not want to do.. was find all her paraphernalia stuff.. her bag with towels, soap, shampoo ....and the stuff that makes us acceptable...

MM was really, really tired, but she knew that after a hard day of travelling, without an air con...that is another story, pitching a tent in humid, horrible heat.. she was in a state to chase even the wild dog away..

so MM sat at the edge of the Skukuza pool. It was deserted and silent.

one by one, MM took her very laden and dirty clothes off... and sank into the water...

there was the few wonderful minutes of total immersion with nature.. the embracing energy of the water.. the immersion into the moment..

then, MM remembered this

Inyati's swimming partner.



eishhh, this was another reality.

MM jumped out, dressed.. found her tent and fell into a deep slumber.. but unbeknown to her.. there was a consequence to her late night freedom...

Elzet and Sprocky hijacked, my thread

Michel

thing is, I could not be happier to have these two very "present folk", take over..

why

maybe because they could have found my glasses the next day

in case you think this is dedication

fraid not



it is desparation.

Shi, Lockie, Atlanta Joe, Salamanda, SC, Micheal, jump on board

Bert, so you understand the implications of pitching a tent next to DB

Jenb, it was so lovely to see you again. So sorry that there was so little time for a chat.

Eagle Owl, not so sure its "guts", more something that goes AWOL in the head

Hugh there are a few family shenanigans. Elzet

Sanpfan, Mposthumus you know there is something strange when a visit to the optometrist leaves you elated.

My new multifocal lenses arrived two days ago, I was .. now that is worrying I was so happy until I looked at my portion to pay once the medical aid had paid their share the equivalent to 17 days camping, or a week at Tambotie

no more late night swims for me..

I woke up the next morning just before dawn. I heard the rumble of voices of fellow campers preparing for the day. One part of me said, "back to sleep, you're still tired"... another part said, "de la Porte, de la Porte, de la Porte".. eventually de la Porte won. I love to do the water hole in the early morning.

This is what had been seen on our last trip. Photos by Mads. Kamea and her prodgeny.





It was not to be.. the waterhole was silent.. but that did not spoil MM's enjoyment of the moment. It was a special place and a time to savour the bush and be grateful for the gift of just being there, just being present. These are moments I love.

On my way back, I saw a sad sight



I was not sure whether this little ellie had an infection, or if it was blind. Mom ellie stayed close and little one chomped away, hungry and contented... I hope.

Billyf, Salamanda, Shi, Charming, thank you for following the misadventures of Meandering Mouse

Terryc, Harrys, stick around, not finished with the doggies yet, watch this space

CB, there does seem to be an increase of Wilddog sightings. It is sooo thrilling to see them. Interesting what you say about the Spitting Cobra. I have seen a couple at Kruger and on two occasions we were threatened with an eye full of venom.

DB, it is amazing looking back and seeing how much the forum has "tempted" me to explore other areas of life. I am forever grateful.

After my early morning trip to de la Porte, it was time for a "proper shower" and a trip back to camp. DB and Hawk were very busy with preparations for the golf.. and reminded me that a certain "mystery guest" would be there. "It was someone I would not want to miss", they promised.

well there goes my cat nap but my curiosity had been soo aroused.

After a quick pop into the showers (it was already hot) and discovering and rescuing a little blind snake it was time to leave.

On my way to the golf, I stopped at Lake Panic. Always a place of peace for me.











What irony that such a tranquil place should have such a frenetic name

Micetta, I always find something to interest me, even if its the little terrapin. I once witnessed a stampede of about 30 paniced hippo. It was certainly "lake Panic" then. I do not think that I have ever heard so much noise and witnessed so much chaos. 30 stampeding hippo can make a mighty big splash

Anne Marie, P@m, Micheal, Foxy, Elzet, Shi thank you so much for your encouragement and support much appreciated.

Flutterby, Pumbaa, Salamanda a taste of things to come.



Prings
Elsa, Sundowner, Harrys, a picture of Prings trying to create havoc at Lake Panic. (Compliments of DB and Hawk.)



I made my way up to the golf course, to give my support. The mood was festive and there were jokes flying freely around. As you can see, I finaly had my curiosity satisfied and identified one of our high flying golfing mystery guests. It really was a wonderful suprise... until he tried to empty Lake Panic, that is

This is a photo "borrowed" from the Golf thread. Note Pardus's and MM's Bafana Bafana supporting T-shirts.



By now it was getting extremely hot, but worse than that, MM could still not find her specs . The world was looking very much like an impressionistic painting with one colour blending into another. Not much hope of Leopards on this trip

Still, it was hot and not a time to relax in a tent with no fan the one I had left at home. So it was off to N'waswitshaka waterhole on the S65. Try saying that one after a couple of beers







I so enjoyed the Rhino, he was doing exactly what I wished I could do.. and in such a picturesque setting.

Pumbaa, Shi, Elsa, Flutterby, Salamanda, Hugh, Anne Marie, Sparks thank you all for your kind comments.

Once I returned to camp, DB and Hawk were busy with visitors. I was delighted to see that it was Jaco and Reinette, really an unexpected and very pleasant surprise. A short chat, and then off for the final trip of the day.

I decided to do the dreaded "Elloff" street, taking a drive next to the Sabie river. There are times when I rerturn to my trip report and I get extremely irritated with myself. This is one of them. I had so much opportunity to take pictures of this beautifuly scenic road, but I did not There is no excuse.

I was now getting a little bit short of time and needed to get back in time for the friday braai. I could not resist the temptation of following my favourite Park pursuit.. just pulling in for a quiet moment under some trees.. listening.

This was the result of my moment of reflection.





By now, I was beginning to feel the result of my loss of specs.

I loved the friday braai, but left rather early, long before the shennanigans and a few other late night swimmers took over ... as I was informed of later. My eyes were feeling the strain of seeing through a haze.. and I needed my concentration the next day.

stick around, more to come

CB, LS, Micetta, Annelie.. thank you for your patience and kind words

Shi, not so patient always, but always kind words

Elzet

Flutterby I'm afraid not.. wait until you hear about my trip home... that's another story.

Well, I was up bright and early and ready for the cricket. I was keen to get to the nets early to see if I could get any action photos of the angels practi-sing. I also had to talk to Bigman and get ready for my responsibilities of the day.......... official scorer '''without any specs

Let me first set the scene. The day was overcast and hence, very pleasantly coolish..



There were people arriving, ready to set up the speaker systems. They said..
take me to your leader





I immediately looked for DB.. she was the only one who I could think of to become "the leader" and tell everyone what to do. I wish I could post some pictures of getting the tables ect ready.. but once DB arrived, she wasted no time in "telling us what to do".. I was too busy pushing and carrying tables

Take note of another leader, showing the banner carriers the way.



Just so that you know who I mean. Double trouble



and then, a most important leader in all sports, reminding spectators and players alike where their inspiration might be found.. the silent, but ever present leader of the Charles Glass society

Micetta, Shi, Anne-Marie, Micheal, LS, thank you I am sure that the next "episode" will give you something to smile about.

This year's cricket held one disappointment, I could not be wicket keeper. I had so enjoyed it the previous year, allowing both my arms and my mouth a lot of exercise. My offer to help with cricket scoring was one way to remain involved. I never anticipated having to do it without specs though. hence the heavy binoculars.

I could not stay away from the practice nets though. I really needed to pick up some adrenaline for the coming game.. and offer some advice.

Keep your eye on the ball



Keep your most loyal supporter happy



Strategise, strategise, strategise and when in doubt, rest.



advace with caution



Bowl with intent.

Anne Marie, LS, Micheal, Flutterby, Micetta.. thank you for following this delayed cricket commentry.

Maybe I should call this:
Life lessons from cricket

I love to work with people who are enthusiastic and willing to strive to reach their potential. This is my first lesson for today.

Honour the young



and the young at heart



I can be very absent minded.. duh I can also struggle to finish what I have started. I have learnt through many mistakes..

when the going gets tough, the tough get going



There are times when challenges can leave us feeling insecure and anxious. It is times like this that

encouragement creates heros



and then, to refresh your memories.. when times are tough, mistakes are made, vision is lacking and all seems unclear..

seek clarity of vision, a far sighted view

Micetta, Anne Marie, Lockie, Shi, Flutterby, Pumbaa.. thank you all very much, good to see you in the client's seat

Once the cricket started, my day of relaxation ended. I am very sorry if I offended anyone by appearing off, or distant I know that sometimes someone wanted to have a word or two. I just needed to keep staring and counting.

I am always amazed at how easy it is to loose focus without knowing it. Every so often Bigman would ask, "who just scored that run?", or "how did so and so get out".. and on occasion it would be a



Unfortunately, my camera lay idle for much of the time. There was just no chance to click away. I did manage a couple of paltry shots of the mens team though.

First rule of cricket and life:
Keep your eye on the ball

Second rule of cricket and life:
Keep your eye on the ball

Third rule of cricket and life:
Keep your eye on the bloody ball



It is always good to seek win/win situations... except sport The challenge then is how to win or loose. Our self esteem is so linked to performance. For this reason it is a challenge not to fall into arrogance, or defeat. Learning to be fully human and fully mature, learning to see defeat as a new challenge, is the core of any sport.

It is our attitude, not our score that determines our ultimate score in life



In life and in many sports there is a tendancy to attack the man and not the ball. You see it most clearly in politics when politicians deflect criticism by attacking the person questioning their actions. In sport, it is often called "foul play". It is for this reason that so much time is spent on defining rules and regulations.

The umpire plays an important role. He is the one who guards against foul play. In life, we are often left to our own devices. There is not always an umpire available. This is when the internalised umpire needs to come into action, determining whether we are fair and just, or just plain nasty.

We are all umpires in our own life.



Sport teaches us that we are part of a team. Our performance influences every team member and determines his/her task. Sometimes solo players, no matter how talented, can cause the team to loose.. they do not want to let go of the ball and the limelight.

Knowing when to shine, when to hold centre stage and accepting with humility when to let go is the determining factor in anyone's value in a team.

We never act alone, every action has consequences to the whole

The umpire was "the man in black". He is the judge, the jury and a central part of the game. In this case we were short of an umpire and the players had to take turns in filling the position. Quite an interesting situation, as the umpire should be completely neutral.

The man running is actually a member of the "Skukuza team" who had to take the position of umpire.

Hugh, cricket is indeed a bug. I will try to work out how to connect to last year's cricket report where there were some very sober cricket discussions

Once the cricket was over, it was off to get ready for the evening prize giving and supper. It was then that I realised that I had nothing suitable to wear I had carefully packed a top, but not a "bottom" to match... It was off to the Skukuza shop.

I had to smile at the number of mites in a similar position. I saw Joekin, for one, stocking up on a pair of socks. Amazing what we leave behind.

I could not help stopping at Lake Panic on my way to the supper. Aboon and SO had the same idea and I was priveledged to share the quitening evening sunset with two very special mites.









Due to my Lake Panic stop over, I was one of the last to arrive.

I looked around at the magnificently laid out tables and saw only one empty chair. I could not have been happier to see my supper companions.. it was Moose, Click Click and Click Click's mother.