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Heightened senses ... seeing the pic brings back vivid memories - even the aromas - of Nyalaland trail in 1992 and the warning shot that the ranger fired - fortunately the elephant stopped ... the tracker who would have had to fire the killing shot had a rifle jam ... the afternoon walk was terminated and we took sundowners on the banks of the Madzaringwe / Levuvhu confluence .

Wonderful experience.
We have been charged by elephants,the worst was on a night drive, I have it all on video, except for the smell that occurred on the night drive vehicle!!!!!!
We have also had a very close encounter when we were boxed in at a waterhole.
A mother and baby were about two meters in front of our vehicle and there was a bush behind us.
We could not move.
We sat in the car like statues, I was even too frightened to take pictures in case the flash went off.
The rest of the herd then decided that the bush behind us, was the best meal.
We were surrounded by the herd.
I am sure this is where my hair turned grey.
Needless to say, they were quite at ease but we were not. Respect them - definitely.
They are still my favourite animals. I love their family interaction. So human!!!!!

Does any one know Patrick?
He took us on a night drive and we hopped out as one guy could not hold his bladder any longer.
Patrick walked a couple of paces away and did a perfect imitation of a lion announcing his presence to the world. Needless to say we got the fright of our lives.
The scariest part was actually fifty meters up the road we saw a big male parking off in the grass on the side of the road. it could have been us standing there but hey, what else can you do other than laugh or cry (your preference).

About 3 years ago Patrick has us as part of a full truck doing a sunset drive.
It had started to drizzle so he was doing his best to spot and drive in the conditions.
We had the lights on and everybody was trying to spot the eye of a cat when Patrick slammed the brakes.
A White Rhino family had run across the beam of his headlights.
He slammed on the brakes and asked us to switch off our lights or hide them.
One of the adult Rhino's had stopped in the road and was making its way straight for the truck. OFF WITH YOUR LIGHTS, came another anxious call from Patrick there was still plenty of light around.
Still the lights shone.
Again Patrick nervously asked us to switch off our lights.
The Rhino now a few strides away from the truck. Patrick again: Oh it's my lights.
We had switched off all torched and also the lights within the cabin, but he had forgotten about the fixed lights on top of the truck.
The Rhino proceeded to bump and snort his way around the truck whilst nervous and wet passengers clung to each other. All of us including Patrick as quiet as a mouse.

After circling the truck twice the Rhino made his point, scared the living daylights out of us all and left.

Cue nervous laughter from all of us and not the least Patrick.
I saw Patrick in May of this year and reminded him of this and he still gave that same nervous laughter.

Boy O boy and that was the first drive my mom and sister ever went on.

My scary encounter happened a few years back, well was not quite a scary encounter but a scary thought of what could of happened

My dad and I were on the sun set drive from Sirheni, after a good drive and a good few drinks a few of us needed to empty the bladder.
The ranger stopped, we jumped off and did our thing behind the van. ....
Once all the main veins were drained one by one we jumped back on.
I swear to you, once the last person touched his bum down on the seat about 3m ahead of the van a pride of lions came out of the bush and started walking towards the van, including a huge male.
Everyone was

On 14 July this year, we were going out on a 5h30 morning drive with the famous Patrick @ Lower Sabie.
A queue of cars were already waiting for the gates to be flung open.

On our approach to the gate the ranger at the gate suddenly screamed "Leopard, Leopard!".
Patrick was of the opinion it could have been stalking impala along the camp fence and got into through a hole in the fence.

The cat looked fearful, trapped and confused by all the cars and humans as it couldn't find an escape route.
With all this unfolding some visitors got out of their cars looking to get a close photo of the cat.
That got Patrick to scream so vehemently telling them to get back into their cars.
Then, to raise anxiety even further, there was this one visitor who mindlessly walked from the back of the queue from behind our truck, and walked so hair-raisingly close to where the leopard was last spotted trying to take cover.
I think he wanted to inspect what the excitement was all about.

Later on when all had settled and were on the drive, we got scared at the thought of what if we had come eye to eye with the leopard while walking from our Bungalow to the Morning Drive meeting place .

When we got back from the drive a huge contingent of rangers were wielding lethal artillery ,
but no leopard in sight.
We have no idea what became of the cat as we left LS after the drive.

Phew!!

I mean there were lot of Stories in different National Parks.
My scariest experiences were in a well known Park at the sea (wasn't Sanparks therefore I avoid the name).
I was a teenager during that time, I really hate to unpack the car so I decided to go to the Loo.
When I arrived at the Loo I opened the door, now the Story began.
From the door a Snake (It was green, I still don't know what kind of Snake it was it could be a great Water snake, Boomslang, Green Mamba well I can only speculate) fall on my head.
First it hits my head then my shoulder and last my feet.
I pushed up to the right and the Snake pushed up to the left. I assume the snake was as scared as was.
But I was screaming like hell, I were shocked.

A second story happens in Kalahari.
We drove the Trans kalahari from RSA to Namibia (shortest way through Botswana).
We camped wild.
During the night we were collecting fire wood (my sister and I).
We didn't think about danger and so on.
We were naive.
The next morning when we packed our stuff we drove back to the main Road.
My Dad was wondering as he saw tracks from an animals which were huge, so we got out and checked.
On the tyre track (we used the same road because we did nor have a 4X4).
A Leopard sneaked around our camp.
After that I was really shocked easily
Me or my sister could have been a victim of the Leopard.
I really did not think about the danger.

Well, my scariest experience happened about 15 minutes ago...........................

On my way to Satara (from Phalaborwa), and had the most amazing sightings!!!

And this all ahappened in a radius of (xxxkm) from Satara.


1. White Rhino
2. Buffalo & Ellie together
3. Male Lion at his Buffalo Carcass

AND THEN...

Afternoon drive vehicle abrublty stopped, and I swear I saw a Large Leopard


So I parked just behind the vehicle, and started searching for where I last saw the Leopard. I saw his catch, but not him, and the next moment I just heard these rumbling growls behind my back that gave me a chilled spine like you can't believe it! He was actually 2meters away from my right hand side!!!

I had to sit very still afterwards, in order for my underwear to maintain their cool and calm!

2 quick stories and both have to do with Land Rovers.
In my days of elephant research I was watching a herd I'd been following for days (by the way this was in the then Rhodesia), parked on the bank of a river.
The herd was drinking and I was trying to identify individuals through binocs.
Suddenly the Landy bakkie lurched to the right and there was a loud noise.
A hippo had come out of the reeds and decided I was in his way and he attacked the Landy leaving a 2 inch hole right through the top of the left front fender.
Next was a time I convinced my SO to come with me for a few days tracking a herd of ellies.
The old Land Rover (same one with the hole in the fender) just died.
I had my head buried under the bonnet trying to get things going again while SO was sitting on a big rock enjoying the great outdoors.
She had taken a little picnic basket with her to get a few sarmies for me if this repair was going to take some time.
Next thing a baboon (troupe leader) ran at her from behind, slapped her across the back leaving huge scratch marks on her shoulder and ran off with my sarmies.
He nearly knocked her off the rock.
That was the last time she did a "working" trip with me.

My scariest moment happened this July at Lower Sabie.
A friend and had booked into one of the tents.
After showing my friend how cool the tents at LS are as she had never stayed in one before, I needed to use the loo.... as I was about to sit I looked up and was face to face with the biggest snake I had ever seen (that is one that was not behind a glass)....
I immediately screamed and in trying to figure out where to go (as the snake was perched above the light switch, which I may add I had turned on when entering the bathroom. and next to the door)
I retreated to the shower, where I watched the snake do a double take and slither between the wall and the tent tarpaulin.
At this stage I had decided that it looked like a black mamba.....

My friend on the other hand was so inquisitive that she was standing on the other side of the door wishing she could also see the snake.... the more I said she should not come in as the snake was at the door the more she wanted to come in!!!
After a while I decided that the snake had retreated and that I can make a run for it, I requested that my friend slide the door open so that I can run.
As she slid the door open a HUGE black thing went crawling across the floor........ I nearly wet myself again, and screamed spider.
With that I heard the tent door slam shut and foot steps across the deck... (It turns out my friend is petrified of spiders.

I eventually got the guts to get the heck out for there only to see that the spider was in fact a bat!!

When Martie and co arrived to help us out with our visitor I conveyed the whole story and she smiled and said that it must be a spitting cobra...
I told her that it was a very large one at that and she smiled again (I think she thought I was exaggerating)
When Martie found our visitor she very colourfully stated that our friend was indeed very big.....

After much effort in trying to capture the snake the rangers said that they are going to give it a break for a while and come back later..... with that they left us with our snake........ Not to mention I still needed the loo....

My friend and I then decided that we would have a beer (needed it for the shock )
I did one more check inside and no snake then sat down on the deck just enjoying my beer... when my friend stated that the snake was behind me (Shock no 3 for the day)

We called the rangers back this time there were 3.
After about 30mins and Martie being spat in the mouth they called another ranger to help, a further 30min later they had caught our friend. 1.5m Spitting Cobra!

Needless to say we did not sleep that well that night.....

@BB, I managed to relieve myself while my friend stood guard (at a distance I must add).... both of us sporting a pair of sunglasses as suggested by Martie.... lol
I felt bad for our neighbour who's wife was insisting he find alternative accommodation for the night.... don't think she was much of a bush person.

I had to make space for the beer there was no question about it!!!

Must say looking back on it now I have a good laugh, can just imagine what people must have thought when they heard me screaming like a little girl.
But that said I do not want to go through it again!!!

Some very incredible stories here

The only wild creature I have serious issues with are snakes! (at the same time I have a very twisted fascination with them)
Thankfully I have never been confronted by one and although we do have snakes in our garden here in JHB, they seem to respect that they are not welcome near the house and I respect that they can just have that corner of the garden.

Due to the above, I have a firm agreement with my SO: if it doesn't have appendages, it's his problem, if it has eight appendages it mine. (He is petrified of arachnids of any type)

We were staying with family at a family holiday home near KNP, had just eaten dinner and were relaxing inside enjoying our Cape Velvets when my sister-in-law went into shock mode pointing and making funny little noises in the direction of the kitchen.
On the wall sat the hugest spider I have ever seen.
And no, not anything as normal as a rain spider, it was a pinkish white hairy thing about the size of a side plate.
While everyone clambered over the couches seeking the point furtherest from the intruder, I dutifully grabbed a bucket and dishcloth (hopefully looking braver than I felt) intending to do a simple catch and release manoeuvre and come out as the reigning hero.

As I got to it, it moved, and boy did it move. Lightning fast. It was at this time that I found a greater fear than snakes... things I can't find!
It took us hours of very carefully moving over the furniture and poking things with sticks.
Everytime we found it it moved again.
Eventually we found it tangled in one of our clothing bags and evicted it along with the bag to the point furtherest from the house. (Haven't the heart to kill a creature of the bush)

Needless to say, it took a whole lot of alcohol to lull us to sleep that night and for the rest of our stay we found ourselves avoiding contact with the floor and walls whenever possible.

Incidentally we did try to find out what type of spider it is, and to date I have not found anything that resembles it, although my SO thinks that it may have been a sun spider.

How about having this big oke charging toward you?

This photo was taken near Sunset Dam recently, when two large hippos were having the fight of the century.
We stumbled upon him by chance, and I managed to get this shot beofe Dungie put our little car into reverse, and then did a quick U turn!!!!

Scary stuff!!




Have you got any scary photos to share?

Oh wow, but a brilliant photo.

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