And what a handsome Martial he is too! but then I'm biased!
Ok think this bus has stood still for so long now, it has cobwebs on the seats and windows, so lets dust them off, get loaded and get this trip on the road!
Thanks so much to everyone who has commented thus far, I do appreciate the support and hope you all enjoy our Feb trip of Fun and friendship in our beloved Kruger.
I think all those following Val's report will have a good idea of what we saw when with them so some of that part might be a little de-ja vu but often 2 pics and interpretations can be very different from different angles, so lets see!
Feb 6th Wednesday - Day 1
After the long drive all the way up from Ballito and after stopping off in Komatipoort for something for supper we finally arrived at the Croc Bridge gates at 3pm, truly a wonderful sight for sore yes and tired travellers!
but as we drive through the tiredness seems to vanish and we are checked in quickly and efficiently and given Bungalow # 4 which had been nicely refurbished and even had a little microwave.
The view over the river was soothing with the water flowing strongly over the weir and also gave us our first inkling of what had transpired a few weeks before in the form of the floods that ravaged the park.
We poured ourselves something cool to drink and sat on one of the benches next to the fence and just drank it all in as we felt the tranquility soaking through ones body.
The camp was very quiet as is normal in February and only a handful of bungalows seemed to be occupied.
By 4.30 we decided we couldn't possibly not go for a little drive into the park so set off just a little way up the H4-2 and parked off at the
Gazantfombi Dam a very full one I might add and even overflowing down into the little stream below the wall.
Large
LargePlenty of Hippos down at one end making their presence felt by plenty of grunting and blowing off of steam.
On the way back we spied this
Lappet-faced Vulture sitting atop a tree.
LargePlenty of beautiful flowers abounded as well as is the case in Summer.
Large
Large
LargeArrived back just before the gates slammed shut at 6.30pm promptly and settled down for our first night in the park.
Klystron made his first fire of the trip and it was a simple supper of boerie rolls which tasted so good.
Martial & Tawny gave us a bottle of Amarula in a lantern tin as a gift last year, so we decided to make good use of it this trip.
Large (With the flash.)
and a not very good pic of it as a light with a little candle inside (without the flash.)
but I can assure you its most beautiful.
LargeThen it was off to bed as we had a long drive the next day all the way up through the park to Phalaborwa gate for our stay with Val and Dungie.