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Day 10
Date: 25 March 2006
Location: Skukuza to Pretoriuskop and back (H1-1, S10, S7, S1 & S65). Afternoon went to Lake Panic.
Time Left: 08h30 am
Time Arrived: 14h45 am
Notes About Road:Excellent. S7 is corrugated and the grass is very very high!
Vegetation: Savannah, bush, high grass and rocky.
Temperature: 28 degrees celcius.
Sightings: Klipspringer, Banded Mongoose, Pygmy Kingfisher, Banded Goshawk, Waterbuck, kudu, giraffe, buffalo, white rhino, brown-snake eagle, water thicknee, pied kingfisher, impala, zebra, african jacana, black crake, marabou stork, elephant, bushbuck.






Other:
Decided to upgrade last 2 nights from Safari Tent to Bungalow (that aircon is a blessing in disguise). Had to quicly do something on the internet .. connection very slow. Tomorrow they move us to bungalow 195.

Day 11
Date: 26 March 2006
Location: Skukuza to Lugmag Dam to Tshokwane to Lower Sabie and back (H1-2, S83, S36, S34, H10 & H4-1)
Time Left: 05h35 am
Time Arrived: 14h30 am
Notes About Road:Excellent. Except for S36 .. Extremely corrugated .. unless you’ve lost your false teeth on S52 prepare yourself. Other roads excellent.
Vegetation: Savannah, bush and rocky hills.
Temperature: 31 degrees celcius.
Sightings: I knew today was going to be a very special day. Started with 2 Male lions (one looked injured when he walked away with a very sore leg),



Then we were greeted with these special scenery …




Then at 7h45 on the S36 we got this animal on the road. Could not get closer. The moment he saw us, he was in the bush and gone!! Our few seconds with a Caracal.


The rest of the day went on as usuall, baboons, impala, fish Eagle, Steenbuck, elephant, Zebra, Giraffe, Ostrich, Kudu, warthog, vultures & waterbuck.


Later we went on our night drive .. read more about it in other. Saw Puff Adder, Hyaena & Giant Eagle Owl and a very beatifull sunset





Other:
The night drive was a total dissappointment … Although Hyaena and myself just enjoyed whatever we saw, we were terribly dissappointed for the other guests. There was a couple from France who only had the one night in Kruger before they had to leave. The driver took the most “unproductive” road. Told us to remain silent while he and his buddies in the meantime talked away on the 2 way radio’s which made so much noise that you can hardly believe we saw anything. We are also sure he had a hearing problem, because whenever we saw something we would have to scream 3 – 4 times at the top off our lungs to stop … then he would reverse and by that time the animal is long gone. Unlike the other night drives we went on .. he did not assist in spotting or used his spot light. Why they talked on the 2way radio’s I have no idea because we never went to any of their sightings. He also drove way to fast and whenever we did see something (by the glowing of the eyes), he would ask us what we are seeing … (Like we would know duh!!!). Well, having said that KNP Spokesman introduced me to the Head of the Guides who is in charge of the nightdrives as well. He was not impressed from what he heard. I told him that it was not a big thing for us as we saw a lot already, but at one stage the other couple with the spotlight just gave up … Not a good impression to leave with our overseas guests. Guaranteed this was taken up with the specific driver. And hopefully things will change.

On a more positive note … The move to Unit 195 was excellent … will always ask for that one. Still no sable and Jeep Jockey’s especially Spurwing and Thomsons, watch out … You have no consideration for other users and they were speeding. Could not even get a photo at the speed your trucks were going … Next time I’ll make life very difficult for you on the road.

PS: We also saw another bird .. don’t know it’s name but have read about it before


And so end another day.

Day 12
Date: 27 March 2006
Location: Skukuza to Lower Sabie to Duke’s windmill to Crocodile Bridge and back (H1-2, H4-1, S28 and S137). Afternoon to Renosterkoppies dam and back (H1-1), S114, S112 & H3)
Time Left: 05h30 am
Time Arrived: 14h30 am
Notes About Road:Tar Roads Excellent, S28 has a lot of stones, so much that parts of the road is only covered with loose stones and pebbles. Also corrugated at a few places. But this road had a lot of game on it.
Vegetation: Savannah, bush and rocky hills.
Temperature: 34,5 degrees celcius.
Sightings: Brief encounter with a Leopard on the H4-1 (stuggled to get focus on him to take picture and he was gone), 3x Large Troops of baboons (they were very funny) … one tried to catch a ride, but after asking him the taxi fare he decided to walk … Fish Eagle, Giant Eagle Owl (How Hyaena saw that I have no idea!! ) … Hippo, Slender mongoose, Elephant, kudu, crocodile, warthog, giraffe, zebra, white rhino x6 , wildebeest, buffalo, impala, hyaena, water mongoose, very small terrapine, large snail .. think it’s called an African Snail.






Also saw a ellie battle and then the one ran his “arse” off after he saw he was going to get a whooping!


And also another big spider … !!!!


Other:
Had another beautifull sunrise:


Afternoon drive got us another naughty ellephant. I scolded at him … begged him .. gave him the “eye” .. promised him amarula, but he refused to budge, then he started chasing cars … NOT FUNNY!! .. He was clearly in musth and very irretated. So we switched engine off and waited. Lady infront thought he is slow. So she floored it passed him. With cm’s to spare she made it. I thought on the other hand, bigger vehicle, already now alert ellie … Nah .. took out a beer and waited. Finally after 25 minutes we could get pass him. Had to rush (read 40km/h) to make the gate. Thought to myself how anyone could see anything at this speed. 1km from gate with 3 minutes to spare, found another Hyaena (this time in the day … I think you call that “Murphy’s Law”) …made the gate with 1 minute to spare.


Also had a crazy wildebeest at Renosterkoppies Dam. He just started springting like he was under attack from a lion. The impala’s just checked him out and tuned him “What’z up dude!?!”


Went to Selati that night with KNP Spokesman and SO, was truly excellent. … Huge electrical storm, then had power failure in camp … boy .. is it dark in the KNP at night!

Day 13
Date: 28 March 2006
Location: Skukuza to Numbi Gate (H1-1)
Time Left: 05h30 am
Time Arrived: 8h15 am
Notes About Road:Excellent
Vegetation: Savannah, bush and very high grass
Temperature: 16,5 degrees celcius.
Sightings: 3x White Rhino, Buffalo and Impala
Other: Woke up and it was raining like you won’t believe. It was freakin cold and also could not take pics due to rain. Stopped at Pretoriuskop for a coffee and was suddenly hungry. You must try their bacon and cheese burgers … yum yum yum … Finally exited at Numbi Gate with a very very sad heart. Also … WIMPY coffees are the best. Had lots of Mist on Schoemans kloof.

Note .. 2 toll gates if you go home via Jhb and skip Pta – Cost: R72,00 .. via PTA = R99,00

So … total we did 2830 km’s .. of which 1800 km’s was in the Park.

Would I do it again .. anytime … but in the winter .. the summer is special yes .. but I just love Cinderella in the winter …

PS: This is not allowed in the Park … Punda charger R5,53 per liter of diesel, while Satara and Pretoriuskop charged R5,46 and R5,42 respectively .. Report this as they have to charge a fixed fee through out the Park.

W&H, love your job
Cant keep up with your great reports

Should rename them
The game pie search...

You have sent in excelent photo's

And you are much braver the i am on the spiderside
LMHO

Don't worry Bert ... I know of a Ranger who also has a phobia fro spiders .. so we are not alone

LMGA

Wonderful sightings and great pics, W@H. Thanks for taking so much time to write the reports. Little gems of information.

W@H, I think your posts should come with a warning:
"DO NOT READ IF YOU DO NOT WANT TO FEEL ENVIOUS AND DEPRESSED" :evil::evil:

Awesome stuff!!!! Glad you had a great time.

Great reports W@H! It would seem that you got to be a better friend with your lens than I initially thought.

(Psst, in day 11 and 12 there are 1 non-working pic each.)

Thanks a lot for the detailed reports and the wonderful pictures!
Love the spider pic.

Glad you all enjoy it ... and thank you for the compliments.

DQ's ... seems imageshack is stuffing up the database. They are busy with maintanence on the database and I see that 2 images have been deleted. Will reload them tomorrow when they are finished.

Excellent detailed report W@H. Had to take the rest of the day off to finish reading and watching your pictures.
Great spider story.
Like the sceneries and sunset/rise pictures.
We were in the same area as you on the last days of our trip (Shingwedzi/Punda 16-19 march) but unfortunately missed the cheetahs . Met Frank as well on the day after you did. Was indeed very busy showing birds to all of us. And if they weren't there he just 'called' them (like the grey-headed bush shrike)
The big bug on your picture looks like a Large Brown Longhorn (Macrotoma palmata), a nocturnal insect. Longhorn beetles, as the name suggests, have characteristically very long antennae.

W@H
It sure sounds like you had a wonderful well rounded Kruger experience, apart from fantastic sightings, you had hot days and cold, rain and dry weather, not such a great game drive, no meat pies and then some meat pies. and a lot of other wonderful and scary moments.
But I guess, that is what makes it so irresistible and keeps us coming back time and time again.
Thanks for your lengthy and heartfelt reports and of course all the pics that make it even more special.

W@H, thank you so much for all your reports and pics. It sounds like you had an amazing time and enjoyed yourselves thoroughly. I think other Forumites will benefit a lot from the road condition information you included.

I absolutely love your Shingwedzi Sunrise. Beautiful pic.

Great reports and even greater pics!! They certainly bring back the Kruger feeling! Thanks for sharing!
I love them all, but apart from (of course) the tusker a few other extra special favourites are: the two impala rams walking the thin golden line, simply gorgeous! The chameleon, no matter what angle you look at them, they'll be looking at you
The saddle-billed stork on day 5, would make a great 5,000 pcs jigsaw puzzle! And then the re-birth of the river... wow!

And...and...and... But I'd better save the other favs for my 5000th post!

Good thing I'm on broadband though