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After yet another awesome trip to KNP I realised how blessed we are to be so close (although not as close as I would like to be) to it. We had the pleasure of meeting Melph and Magigauri as well as a few other overseas visitors and it was brought home to me how much they enjoy following the travel tales as it is a way of bringing them back to the place they love to visit albeit only every 3rd or more years. Since my last TR in 2010 we have had the pleasure to visit the parks 8 times for myself and 7 for my SO. We have had such special sightings along the way that I feel I must make the time to share it with you. I will be sharing the special sightings as well some scenery pics to give you a look at the changing face of KNP at different times of the year. It also gives me great pleasure to tell you that for those of you who know "Fritz" our not so trusty microbus has been put out to pasture and a caravelle has replaced it and has turned out to be a dream no more breakdowns on our Kruger adventures Yahhhhh.

I am going to start with my favourite, I am always chasing the sunrises and sunsets and this one to me is one of my "WOW' pics hope you agree have not done anything to it any suggestions?

Thank you guys for comments and thank you for coming on board "San" as we have named the caravelle. I am busy compiling and uploading my pics internet so slooooow. I was asked by a colleque the other day don't I get bored just looking at animals all the time once you have seen something then that is it. I know it is different strokes for blaaah blaah...... my answer was no the bush will NEVER lose its appeal to me I have thousands of pics each and every one different such as some more of these.

Thank you all for comments @ magic guarri and melph68 likewise it was great to meet you too always good to meet people who share our passion.

now what could melph be referring to. Watch this space to find out any guesses what we saw at the water hole?

Now to continue we never get bored of watching these guys getting up to there tricks always something to entertain us.

not sure if he was just playing with the water or trying to touch the "other" guy.





As for him well he had a dental and tonsils check up.
Say aaahhh

Now this one reminds me of my eldest daughter.
Can you guess why?

I am back so sorry for being absent was "threatened" with this post being removed and as we were back in "paradise" 30th May-2nd June and once again had an amazing sighting I realised I must get to it real quick. Sometimes being sick in bed has its advantages managed to get some uploading done. As is I am sure often the case prior to entering the park the banter is always ok what is the 1st animal we will see and in this case we did not come up with him. Spent quite a while watching him getting up to some interesting behavior.

2011 was a good year in the park and the ultimate was in the last week we saw wild dog twice,hyena, leopard 3 times, lion twice and then what a way to start 2012 once again leopard and lion. One early morning on the way to transport dam we came acroos a hyena family.





You can almost be sure to find waterbuck at the dam






Some more random waterbuck pics

Always trying for that good reflection shot

Am feeling better thank you it is so cooooooooold today was lousy being ill but would have been good to have stayed in bed today



Noel welcome on board (am still playing catch up on your awesome TR) there are quite a few of us crazy ones around but then there are those who look at us as though we are "mashugar" As for in the car the convesation goes something like this...... stop stop that will be a good one no no no too far no no back a bit no no that tree is no good ok forward there thats it ok maybe a bit forward, turn a bit, etc etc etc etc

After finding our hyena den we made sure we returned there the next morning and just sat around waiting the next thing we were rewarded with mom coming home with a leg of ...........



There was great excitement and hyena's appeared from the den but mom was bringing it in for only one and she kept circling coming in and then going back out no way was anyone else getting this prize.

This was the lucky recipient of the bone unfortunately not a good pic though..



I always make a point on looking around when at a sighting because you never know what could be crossing the road behind you I could not believe what I saw wild dog approaching.



It looked like a confrontation was about to take place the excitement in the car was tangible, as the doggies got closer the hyena's must have got their
scent they ran out into the road, the leader of the doggie pack gave 2 barks and they all took off into the bush like lightning. (Cowards)



I omitted to tell you that this was New Years day what a way to start 2012 and it has only got better.

Hi all thank you for your comments and apologies for the this TR being dragged out so. We currently have 13 trainee honorary rangers at our home doing a course and it once again brings home to me how great it is to be amongst people who have the same love for nature and conservation to all of you.

Now back to my sightings on old years eve we had a lion and leopard on the road towards Paul Kruger and you can be sure they caused everyone to be late for the gate. On News years day the same leopard was there doing it again.This landed up being quite a joke as we were doing gate duty and looking at the way this guy is lying you could easily be lead to believe it was "fake" more of that to follow....









These 2 became guilty of holding up traffic 3 nights in a row!!

[quote="Mellory"]. On News years day the same leopard was there doing it again.This landed up being quite a joke as we were doing gate duty and looking at the way this guy is lying you could easily be lead to believe it was "fake" more of that to follow....



On this particular day there was a mad rush for the gate and the traffic cop positioned himself at the leopard sighting. On seeing the cars out SO asked some tourists if they had seen our leopard yes said the lady in the back of the car, the one with the collar asks SO,lady replies yes, did you see the cop she said yes, well mame says SO that is our remote controlled leopard to help us get funds in on all the fines we collect for the late exiters. Her eyes went as big a saucers and fell for it. The next day the same 2 couples called SO over and told him that he had made their day and they had a big laugh at the expense of their friend/wife.

I am so behind on my TR and really want to get to my biggest highlight of the year (amongst many) so I am going to jump to March our annual trip to KNP for our anniversary. When in the area we always make a point of visiting the S130 1km from the H4-2closest to Lower Sabie where there is a small water hole (no name) as it has produced a HUGE herd of bufallo wallowing there the previous year, and it did not disappoint this time either. Coming around the corner what did we see this.. It was amazing I was so thrilled we were watching all by ourselves and then Melphs dad arrived ( without Melphs) and shared this awesome sighting with us. The video is quite long (battled to edit) but the best part and really funny starts 4.30mins into video, and 6 mins in mom tries to entice the youngster who really did NOT want to get wet to get into the water. She runs out of patience grabs him by the ear and oooops.....


<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/qMBHUSm0FZs" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

[quote="Mellory"]. On News years day the same leopard was there doing it again.This landed up being quite a joke as we were doing gate duty and looking at the way this guy is lying you could easily be lead to believe it was "fake" more of that to follow....



On this particular day there was a mad rush for the gate and the traffic cop positioned himself at the leopard sighting. On seeing the cars out SO asked some tourists if they had seen our leopard yes said the lady in the back of the car, the one with the collar asks SO,lady replies yes, did you see the cop she said yes, well mame says SO that is our remote controlled leopard to help us get funds in on all the fines we collect for the late exiters. Her eyes went as big a saucers and fell for it. The next day the same 2 couples called SO over and told him that he had made their day and they had a big laugh at the expense of their friend/wife.

Not sure why I had a duplication sorry for that. Going to try the video again.

http://youtu.be/qMBHUSm0FZs?t=4m

For those of you who cannot see video.



Such a poser!

Thank you for the comments and pleased MM, Sparrow and Melp68 that you were able to view the video.



Sparrow I was very suprised at what we were seeing and EXCITED

Another sighting highlight for 2012

And mark his territory he did too with a long ritual right before our eyes as can be seen in this short video unfortunately battery went flat but as you can hear lots of pics were taken by me.

http://youtu.be/VXIA1tdYgVw