Kruger in the Summer

I normally don't write a blog in Kruger but since I am not here with my family and they want to know all about it here it is. At 03:20 yesterday morning I gave up trying to sleep and got up to get ready for the trip to Kruger. A quick shower and kettle boiled and we were on our way a few minutes after 4am. The N2 north was fairly quiet and we got to the Total garage at Hluhluwe for our breakfast stop in good time. Going through the SA border into Swaziland was an absolute breeze but the going through Swaziland was very slow. The potholes on the road from Big Bend to Siteki were big enough to swallow my car! They were bad last year and since nothing has been done about them they are even worse this time around. The border post from Swaziland back into SA was also pretty much a breeze but we did not get a little slip to present at the Customs inspection but with some persuasion we were allowed to go through without having to go back and get one.

By this time the petrol in the car was getting low but with only 60km to go to Komatipoort I figured that I could make it without filling up. That is until we were diverted off the main road in a long loop to avoid some road works. We got back onto the main road and I was so happy to see a filling station that I promptly stopped and filled the tank. We probably could have made it to Komatipoort but after that diversion I wasn't taking any chances.  In Komatipoort we stopped at the local SPAR to get supplies and for once I was very disappointed. We had to make several changes to our planned menu as the store either didn't have what we wanted or it was on the shelf rotting.

With the shopping done finally we were on the last stretch into the park. There is a new bridge over the Crocodile River and the river was full - all quite exciting.

There is also a new gate at Crocodile Bridge where we queued up and presented all our details. The new gate looks very sterile but hopefully that is only because it is new and soon it will be given some character. It took some time for the people ahead of us to get in but we were fairly quick and in we went.

The drive to Skukuza was good and we saw loads of animals starting with the usual suspects, impala. We saw zebra, wildebeest and plenty of elephants. At one of the water holes a saddle-billed stork was preening itself.

It was great to see the sunset dam so full and to see all the long green grass and leafy trees. It was, however, very hot at 35 degrees and I will admit to leaving the windows up and the air con on. By that time I was exhausted and the heat really would have knocked me over. By the time we reached Skukuza, I had been driving for just under 11 hours and was finished. The check in process was easy and quick and we got the key to the bungalow and high-tailed it over there. The bungalow is very nice and decidedly different from the camping experience.

Our bungalow is at the end of the row and we have a view onto some bushes so essentially we feel quite on our own which is nice. There were people around yesterday evening but the camp has cleared out and the next people are really quite far away.

The gates open at 4:30 in the morning so this morning we were up at 4am to get ourselves ready to go as soon as the gates were open. This really is my favourite time in Kruger. It is still dark when leaving the camp but gradually it gets lighter and then a magnificent dawn arrives. In the animal department we were lucky again seeing lots. We even saw 4 hyenas lying on the road trying to wake themselves up and move off for the day.

After the morning drive we returned to the camp for breakfast and then decided that since it was already so hot, a swim would be good. we went up to the pool and got in the lovely warm water and paddle across to the other side. There, floating and slowly dissolving, was, to put it politely, a long brown piece of human faeces! How unbelievably disgusting!!!!!! Fortunately we saw this before actually reaching it and also the pool was reeking of chlorine but we both got out as quickly as possible and rushed to the shower for a good scrub. The pool is no longer on my list of places to visit no matter how hot it gets.

For lunch we made up some rolls with cheese and tomato and meat and went off to find a shady spot. I wanted to go over the low bridge near Skukuza and then find a view over the river but the road it closed presumably because of the recent flooding.  We ended up going over the high bridge and finding some huge trees to park under. It was lovely sitting in the bush munching on our rolls and listening to the birds.

We came back to camp after lunch and napped a bit and read until 4pm when it was a bit cooler. We took the road down towards Lower Sabie and encountered some buffalo, lots of baboons and some elephants.

We also came across some elephants and Charles can now also say he has been charged by an elephant although it was just a teenager being a bit naughty. The elephant was on the side of the road munching on a bush and I decided to give it a wide berth and go on the other side of the road passed it. It took offence at this and charged the side of the car but I put my foot on the accelerator and sped passed and carried on going but not in too much of a hurry. I looked in the review mirror and discovered that the little elephant was still running after the car! It was quite funny afterwards but not something I would like to repeat.

Now it is time for sleep. It is raining tonight but hopefully will clear up tomorrow. We are planning on going to Tshokwane for breakfast which will not be good if it is raining.

Sleep well everyone!