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I will then start practicing with my next 2 trips
Now when will I get the privilege to go with an expert? My mum calls the kori bustard a midi volstruisie Is scips an expert? Eish I don't want to be helped from the ' wal tot in die sloot' don't know the translation

Bush translation: From the seat into the long drop!

The last stretch... which does take longer than we expect

So after buying ice cold refreshments we take on the last stretch of our journey towards Croc Bridge. Well before that we decide to drive over the low water bridge to check out what the Sabie River has to offer.
We see hippsters on both sides of the river, one chilling in the sun and the other one cooling down in the river.




Also terry climbs out of the water to come and greet us


We make a quick u-turn and then just before we get off the bridge this birdie stops us so that his kiekie can be taken. Can anybody help with his ID? I do think it is a pied wagtail but I can be wrong...


So back on the H4-2 and we drive all chilled out while a lot of cars pass us
We got to see a Fish Eagle


as well as a burchells coucal


Then I see in the road another car that is taking kiekies of something next to the road, I crawl closer and I start getting very exciting and jump up and down in the car because there is a black bellied bustard next to the road plonking for us all-or that is what he sounds like


I go crazy taking kiekies not caring what is going on around me exchanging cameras just every now and then. But then the unspeakable happens...
I hear the words HEKSIE now that can only mean that in the other car there is a forumite and who else than Mr. Leachyness. We have a lekker chat, I tell him about the mini meet the next day and then he says cheers and he leaves me. Now what was that about I wonder, I thought we were kuiering lekker over here? Why the sudden goodbye? and then as I look back to see him off I see that there is about 10 cars behind me waiting for us to finish our conversation and move on so they can get to the gate Well we let them all pass and then start driving in our pace again. My mum then suddenly says stop and again she spots an amazing and first sighting for us a scrubhare hidden away in the grass

People just drove past us not caring what we looked at. What a special sighting they missed. Was our first hare in the park.

Then on we went seeing the following on our way to the camp:
Zebs


our first vrakkie for the trip, which was very strange


and one tooth ellie


We got to the camp at last and booked in. I especially made mum phone to get us safari tent no7 in front of the fence as WendyA said it is one of the best spots at CB. We bought some wood at the Parkshop (which I will never do again because we actually got 5 trees in the bag) and as I forgot to buy Savanna aka KPA's in Pretoors just a few for the night. We unpacked and then I started the fire with the 5 trees. Yes I'm not exaggerating as the pieces of wood was as big as my thigh...
I did get after a bit of sweat the fire burning and then waited for it to get just right for our Skaap chops mum was busy making a greensalad, getting the potato salad from the fridge and some pickled beetroot. THe whole time we saw thunderclouds coming closer and the lightning. With that baba hyena visited us. I left my camera in the car as I wanted to chill the moment I got at the tent so I enjoyed the sighting while sipping on my KPA. Just as I took the meat off the fire it started to rain, yes we were very lucky and we ate like kings that night. We kuiered a bit while mum bbm'd all the family stating that they wouldn't believe how many km's we drove in 12 hours... 181 km then as I finished my last KPA we moved into the tent to get ready to go to bed. It was raining lekker and just so peaceful. I was sitting on the bed when mum asked: 'Heks what is on the roof?'
Heks: 'a bug mum'
Heks mum: 'Its a scorpion'
heks: 'no mum....' heks stand on bed 'get the plakkie its a scorpion'
So I take a pot to try to get him from the roof to the floor so mum can get rid of this yellow mean motherbug.
After two tries to get him from the roof I succeed just to find that we don't know where he fell ya lekker blonde I know. And then after searching for a few minutes we decide to leave him be. And then go to sleep.

Well I can say was that it wasn't such a lekker peaceful sleep, as I had scorpimares... I actually woke up and told my mum that its on the wall-imagining the scorpion...

tbc

what 2 "things" go ......

"pooh - tiddley - pooh - tiddley - pooh"

when they are calling ??????

hey anrheksie........

i remember seeing you jumping up and down in your vehicle

when you saw that korhaan (which i think is a crested one )

the sighting of the hare is, indeed, a special one



and i also think that other nyoni is a waggy...

Hi "H".

Back in the bus. Lots of beautiful birdie sightings . Thanks for sharing

Thanks for another entertaining episode Heksie! Your pictures are awesome!

That definitely is a African Pied Wagtail (Bontkwikkie), and what a beautiful little bird!

The Scrub Hare is a super sighting! We have never seen one in daylight!

Your supper sounds delicious!

Great to have bumped into Mr Leachyness

Love your Coucal and I know just how a hippo feels on a Sunday afternoon.

Wonderful and special sightings with great all round

Just love them all .....the scrub hare sighting was extra special....so cute ..blommetjie (flower) and berry in pic too.

Very entertaining episode ..... then the night visitors

Great sightings..........love the scrub hare!!!

Jaaaa!!
The hippsters of the sabi lekker vet!

Never seen a scrub hare in the daylight What a sighting!!

5 trees for the fire ... good job!
You have mos read attack of the scorpions by Spargs! CB loves its scorpsies

Pied wagtail indeed!

Scorpions in tent 7 at CB.

I have been there many times barefoot.......

If I need to catch one off my tent, guesss who I won't call.

Like my BIL in Kgalagai. First he leaves the tent open and the Red Roman comes to visit. Then he 'loses' it somewhere in his bedding...

Fab episode Heksie. Really Enjoyed it.

I must admit that your mum's got some fab eye's , Loved all the pics.

Scorp's at night , Thank God I have never seen one on my trips otherwise I would have slept in the car, nothing scares me more than Spiders and Scorpions.

Really looking forward to more.

Heksie! I FINALLY caught up!

Can’t believe there were buff crossing the R536!!! Love the kiekie of the impie chewing – looks like she’s talking to you! Cute baby zebbie; great steenbok kiekie; gorgeous pics of the lions on the road to Transport Dam; then doggies – awesome! What a treat for you and your Mum! Lovely shots of your ex-fling from March – love the one where he is tossing the beetle in the air ready to swallow it! What lovely pics of the lion cubs with their Mum, and also the ones of the babas alone! Very cute Mum & baby vervet photos! Great shot of the crocarock with his mouth open; lovely unmentionable ones as well; love the shot of the hippo chilling in the sand by the Sabie River; so glad you got to see the korhaan! Your Mum really did have eagle-eyes on that trip – brilliant that she found the scrub hare!

Yep, safari tents 7 and 8 are the best ones at CB … such a pity that you and your Mum didn’t have one and me and my Mum the other on the same weekend! Actually I think that after hearing about the scorpion in tent 7, tent number 8 is the way to go from now on! (Eish, glad Mum and I didn’t see it the week before!)

The black bellied bustards do always have to tell something - Great capture, Heksie

and well spotted the scrub hare

For me a scorpion is a rare guest but for sure to have one on the roof of your room sounds not that good