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I miss the days when it was not as crowded and was less commercialised .

Satara once had a special of impala steak.
Ele biltong.
Cans of braised buff steak.

That stuff was great, we used to take lots of tins home
Suppose finding TB in buffs stopped that

The pies were great still today when we go to the park we talk about the pies everytime we eat lunch.

The one thing I miss is the old Skukuza shop and Cafeteria it just had that old Kruger feel to it.

Pretty much all the changes in the last 20 years have been for the worse, except for the introduction of the night drives, bush braais and bush walks.

Im not talking of changes and confusing the issue with old fond memories - the green soaps (the smell still fresh in my memory), the buffalo/impala pies, biltong in the plastic bags with the green writing on them during the culling season (buffalo definitely the best!).
These aren't bad changes, they're sadly just the evolution of the KNP.

The bad changes, to name a few: (bear with me)

*The general behaviour of many visitors (such behaviour goes without punishment - "zero tolerance" - wake up!), speeding, etiquette, litter, general bad attitudes.

*The staff. Since various outsourcing of shops/suppliers etc, the once friendly staff attitude has disappeared. Sure there are exceptions, but on a whole, you cant compare it to how it was.
I'm sure we would agree that the food has improved in the KNP over the years (i haven't eaten at a restaurant in KNP for the last 10 years or so, but I've been told its improved), but slightly dodgy restaurant/cafeteria food was all a part of the Kruger experience.

*the traffic on the roads (rangers, deliveries etc) before gate opening in the mornings was almost unheard of in the past.
Nowadays, you make the effort to wake up extra early, get to the gate ASAP, and have to watch 4 or 5 parks board vehicles, trucks zooming past the road from behind the closed fence.
I understand that rangers/staff have places to go, but this wasn't happening 15 years ago?
Its a common fact that, especially in winter, the (tar)road acts like a heater during the night, and if you were fortunate enough to be on the road first, you were almost guaranteed to get some great action.

*Locks on the doors.
Sad state of affairs when this had to be introduced. not really a bad change, just a sad sign of the times..

I remember having to write requests for accomodation, by post.

We were granted... max 5 nights . We had little control. We were allowed to give our preferances.... and we just had to wait.

I remember very stern folk at the gate, it was another era.

If anyone could counteract my first comment about booking and availability, I would be grateful.

I do remember being granted 2 nights in Berg n Dal in 1992. It was seen as a new and revolutionary camp.

There were no foreign accents, we were the maggots of the world.

Do I love change?

Actually I do.

I love listening to the chirping of excitement of foreign tourists.. I love their joy, their curiosity.
Thing is, I have heard the silence of fear. I often hear it on the forum.

Do I want those days of fear back?
No never...

Yes, they do as far as I know, certainly B & D, Skukuza and Satara anyway.

Letaba also.

Also Pretoriuskop and Skukuza.
Besides increased bad manners which is a worldwide problem, change has been slow but constant.
When I think of how my Dad describes the way some camps used to look in the earlier years, not to mention change that I myself have witnessed since my earliest memories of about 1977 as a 5 year old(being going since 1972).
Back then with excitement we welcomed the new modernised camps like Berg-en-Dal in 1984, the first time we stayed there.
Traffic jams were always there as far as I can remember, in the early 80's you just needed someone with a CB radio to stop at a sighting and within minutes you couldn't move ( manners seemed to be better though).
MM I also remember my Dad writing for accommodation back then and sometimes having to just take what you got given.
Some change is good, some like has been mentioned, detracts from that old Kruger magic.

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