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We had a light lunch at Lower Sabie.... and as always the hippos sunbathing



And after the food was served, suddenly small folk made their appearances.










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Always neatly dressed - in top stitched jacket!



And this one 'ha(i)rrassed' VVV - at the picnic place later the afternoon

After lunch, a stop at Sunset dam ... and across the dam everything looked very calm







But on the road side the "cold blooded" ones were active...
On the left side these monitors were on the move.






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We followed them when they aimed for the other side... but then there was already someone occupying that side. The one monitor got very close to the croc at a stage, but wisely back off.





Sunset dam now ticked - we were thinking of the time and that we still have to book in, unpack etc,
So ... no "long" stops please.

But someone BIG had other ideas... and interfered with our planning.



It was his time to "inspect" the road and there were many onlookers that he wanted to impress with his skill.
He swung his trunk over the dung balls, smelling and walking at a slow pace.
When the dung trail ended... he add HIS dung signature... and only then left the road.

So only a few stops now..... and only 'quick' photo taking were allowed.



But who can ignore a "hunk" like this?







Being about 30km away from Pretoriuskamp, a lonely car and a friendly driver informed us about a sighting....
and VVV sighed and said "murphy's law"!

At about 16:45 we had this experience...












Unfortunately, we had to leave... and we said good bye and hoped the mother will join them soon.



At five past five we were still on the road ...!

Hallo Hilda and Pumbaa

Pumbaa, you mentioned the Ellie in the road. I wish I had taken a video of the interaction in the car between Me Skarabee and her SO Me S was driving and when we saw the Ellie in the road, she stopped a safe distance away. Her SO told her to go nearer and that other cars will come in between us. She switched of the car, fold her arms and said an extremely firm NEE (No) A small blue car passed us and the Ellie moved to the middle of the road and they had to stop. Cars coming from the front, now had to reverse quite fast as the Ellie "took" over the road. After quite some time he decided to start moving away and we could pass

The 2 little Hyenas were of course one of our Holiday Highlights They were friendly and curious and tried their very best to "smell" who we were. Again the Numbi road delivers

Thanks Heksie Now I can post again

Are you still in the Park ?

September 7, when we leave for the Park, feels still very far

Here we go again
We left our bungalow in Pretoriuskop



And found this visitor looking for something to eat under our braai


As you can see, the bungalow has 2 “rooms” furnished with 3 beds, table and chairs and a cupboard in each. The one room has a fridge/freezer – and that became our “kitchen” (where all the food was stored) in which I (VVV) slept.
The bathroom is also huge…. you can almost dine in the bathroom, which is in the middle between the two rooms. Unfortunately the rooms are not connected with inside doors to the bathroom (Me Skarabee will tell you about my scare on the last night). She also wanted to rebuild the place. Make the bathroom smaller and add this space to the stoep, enclosed it, so that could serve as a dining area/kitchen.

Most of the morning was a bit “slow” regarding sightings. We thought it was due to the veldt fires. Wish this is not necessary. I can’t help thinking of how many of the small animals, eg chameleons etc are burned to death and the chain effect that it has. We saw our first Lizard Buzzard for the day (will post photo of the second sighting) and a Pipit and Steenbok



So I directed our driver (Me S) to Lake Panic – their first experience and it was packed with people. Although we did not stay long this time, they were properly hooked and we returned the next day and the next day…. .
I do not think I have to introduce you then to the place where these photos were taken:
Pygmy Kingfisher, Grey Heron, Goliath Heron and a Pied Kingfisher





Of course the big guns were also in their usual places. The hippos were very noisy and agitated and fighting with each other. They were nearly under the Hide and when one of them “barks” near us and lift himself “up” out of the water, poor Me S nearly throw her camera in the water!!!



We also saw a new “species” of terrapin…. The tree climbing sub specie


We drove on to Skukuza where we ate something and took photos of this colourful lizard


and decided to take the S114 – where we had our 2nd Lizard Buzzard sighting of the day



Whilst we were taking photos of this bird, my “agent” in Pretoria sends a sms and tells me to take ourselves to the S114 (where we already were) and pass Renosterkoppies towards Malelane. We will find a guy clinging with his tail to a branch in a tree on the left side of the road. We saw a few cars parking in the distance – and this is what we found:






Over to Me Skarabee

Thanks VVV - for turning the page. Wonder if it would help to write in bigger font?

Not to be mean, but meaning .... to turn the page.

Thanks Val and Heksie for popping in.

With the visitors (at my real home) away for a hospital visit, I will see what I can fit in.

Seeing that VVV stopped with the leopard photos. The last evening, the Thursday, when we returned to the camp, we spotted a big Mr Baboon roaming in the camp. So we were a bit apprehensive to be outside the bungalow. Later that evening, when me and VVV were still in the "kitchen" room, my SO came from the other room informing us about a "strange" sound coming from the back of the bungalow - he could not spot anything with the torch. And he thought, what if it was leopard. The entrance gate at the camp was in the process to be fixed - not real gate/wires etc in place to protect us and the morning the workers at the gate said that there was a leopard close to the camp.
So we were very alert every time when we had to leave a room and visit the bathroom.... so you can understand why I want to rebuild the place.
The next morning VVV said she also heard something..... we did some "spoor sny" (tracking) but no evidence.
And what did Me Skarabee thought... just to calm the nerves.... may be it was one of the impis that suffered a cold. We will never know - but will always wonder.....

And as VVV said, not much happened in the morning, and I wanted to take photos!!! .....
so when Mr Impi presented himself it was an opportunity to take a portrait photo.

After the wonderful leopard sighting we had to take roads that took as west, with a pit stop at Afsaal.

On our way we caught them "out of their court" .... They "spun" literally around when they saw us.



And in a few seconds they were back at their base camp... s(h) afe on the rocks...







And at Afsaal.... the usual visitor...






And then more friends for dinner...! (will follow soon)

Thanks Sharifa.

Back to Afsaal and the "friends" ....

Some watch you from above, and others covered the ground.





Remember the hornbill posted earlier, the above was the rest of the "story". .. showing off like kids



And then my husband practised the "Do not disturb the animals"...




....'ouch' and who was disturbed now?







... and afterwards, well it did just what squirrels do...





... but others behave better.


.. And then we said good bye to Afsaal, after checking what the little stream offered



Then back to Base Camp... on our way we watched sunset grooming...














Back at the camp... and the last animals to see...(...us)



And this one was waiting for the night drive.

Welcome Mads and MM ( hope your cat did not go far ...)

Hilda (I am much better, thank you) and Phumba thanks for keeping up :-).

I just went through the photos of the "next day"..... and realise that it was a rather full day compared to the one that we had just posted... so I will continue tomorrow posting the photos.

The day ended with a highlight in the "low light" ....and after the experience (a first for me) we clocked in at the gate, I think a minute before gate closing time....or must I say when the gate was supposed to close. When we left on Friday it was not yet fixed.

It got DARK on our way back and VVV informed me casually that one was not allowed to drive with lights on... and me behind the wheel having a slight "night vision" problem ....

Day 4 (Thursday) ... and as promised...

The next morning we decided to get out the dry area, resulting from veldt fires. We decided to make a quick visit to Shithave and as soon as we turned off, VVV said she is convinced she saw a lion. Bionic eyes... we don't see nothing and we did not have binoculars with us and how do you focus with a camera on lion if couldn't even see it.
So we did the 'broad band" shot, zoomed in...



and another attempt... and this wass how good as it got.



We wanted to go to Leeupan and Orpen, but first we made a stop at Lake Panic (second time).

On our way this beauty was in the tree....




At lake Panic...

The usuals were there, but arranged differently...

Big mama... "loafing" in the water...the photos here were mostly captured by Pana and Sonic

If anyone decided to write a children's story book about birds,
This character must be in it... old fashioned and funky





So we said good bye to Lake Panic....





On our way to Leeupan we saw a number of elephant herds in the distance...






Here was a blue collar worker, watching the bush works...

Leeupan (for the non-Afrikaans speakers, loosely translated as "Lake Lion" )

Hilda... and here is the Leeupan episode.

We had some entertainment at Leeupan.
I approached the "entrance" very slowly, mindful of big ones that could block the entrance/exit.
There were a a few elephants but they were moving away from us,
We found a spot closer to the exit, and enjoyed the water folks...













The ducks were all relaxed and no action....
and as we decided to leave, some action appeared
across the "pan"....that familiar "shake-run" movement of the elephants when the approach water..





For some reason they did not stay long at the water and split into two small groups and moved on



It was only when I went through the photos on the PC screen that I noticed...
that there was a crocodile!



At this stage two young elephants came from the left and approached the herd.


The two groups (lead by the mother of the herd) and the young ones reached out towards each other
with their trunks and the young ones back ed off and the herd disappeared in the bushes.

Simultaneously an old buffalo also came for a drink...



And then the young ones full of mojo - (MM thanks for the word)
turned their attention to the buffalo.



Not sure whether it was Mo or Jo ... but watched what happened ...










(.. and that trunk signal... could it be some finger sign language? )

Hereafter we went to Orpen dam where we experienced a short "air battle".

Hallo again Radman, Hilda and Pumbaa,

Those of you and other silent readers will remember I told you about Me Skarabee and the Ellie in the middle of the road Well, at Leeupan my friend was very scared and extremely cautious when we approached the pan. On a previous visit they were scared by Ellies in this same place and we had to talk very patiently to convince our driver to go nearer the pan and that the Ellies were on the other side of the water. Then we could stop and the photos were taken that you can see here above. It was really entertaining when the young bulls bump heads and also when the one Ellie tried to get the buff out of the water......and he did not succeed

Something that we also noticed during this trip is the large number of tiny elephants all over the Park

We were really lucky again this trip with the wide variety of sightings. Our next stop was Orpen dam, and what a lovely surprise all this clear and "non-green" water was


VVV

The next stop was at Orpen Dam where we had lunch on the 'pavillion" watching the animals come and go.
There was this one having a sand bath....


And other dam visitors .....



Many elephants came for a drink and enjoy the greens







All very tranquil ... good for the digestion....

And then suddenly there was a LOUD scream in the air.
We had to move out under the roof
to see what happened. I tried to capture something on camera .
Thus, I do have some evidence of what happened, although not good shots.

THese two had a quick battle