Before I start today’s blog let me tell you about yesterday’s afternoon drive.

Tuesday 17 November 2020 – Afternoon Drive

We leave Satara at 2 o’clock with the intention of returning at 4. Our destination is Sweni Hide which has twice provided us with entertaining sightings in the past week. We spot very few creatures on the H1-3 and H6. It’s as if the animals have packed up and left the country.

It is ten past three when we arrive at Sweni and having seen next to nothing on the drive we hope it’s because they’re all frolicking at the pool! No such luck. There is nothing besides two Egyptian Geese and a blacksmith lapwing. There is no sign of a crocodile, no stirring of a hippo.

My rule is wait five minutes before you leave a waterhole. We wait.

At ten to four we do not want to leave as even though the visitors are few, the scene is peaceful and we enjoy spending time observing one creature at a time. So our nothing turns out to produce over 10 different species – baboon, Egyptian goose, marsh sandpiper, three-banded plover, hippo, crocodile, nyala, impala green-backed heron, brown-hooded kingfisher and hadeda.

We have to drag ourselves away in order to get back to camp to prepare for Jim and Maureen who we have invited for supper.

On the way back we find that the creatures have returned. We see zebra, giraffe, warthogs, waterbuck and wildebeest that had not been there earlier!

Wednesday 18 November 2020

The Lockdown restrictions laid down by the King of the Beasts have been lifted. It seems that he was misinformed by his advisors and Covid does not affect the creatures of The Kruger National Park. The social distancing and limitation on large gatherings of over ten, it seems, were totally unnecessary and to make up for it the animals gather today not only in large numbers of their own species but they also intermingle with others not of their clan.

At first we are unaware of the liberation and are surprised to see a large herd of zebra and wildebeest making their way to N’wanetsi Dam on the Orpen Road. We go to the dam to wait for their arrival and find three buffalo in the water – not exactly a large herd but wait – a little later this changes!

We see a fish eagle overseeing proceedings and snap his portrait

The zebra and wildebeest decide to drink at a distant part of the dam so we move on. Two kilometers later we find a cat.

We go on a little further, see a hyaena attempt to catch an impala and then disappear so we turn back to the dam. What a difference!

After marvelling at this scene we go back to Satara briefly as I have forgotten my spare camera battery.

As we make our way to Gudzandani Dam View Point we continue to see an abundance of wildlife.

The last time we followed the S100 there was little to see. Today everybody is out to play. Somebody tells us that there are 10 lions at the waterhole we are approaching but they are gone when we get there. We don’t mind but it’s amazing that they too are in abundance today.

Today is our last day at Camp Satara. Tomorrow we will be making our way to Letaba.

Tuesday 17 November 2020

It is 4:35 am and we are driving through Satara Camp Gate. Our mission is to find those Hyaena puppies that we tore ourselves away from yesterday morning. If we want to see them, we must get to the den before the rush of tourists chase them back into hiding.

I know they’re called cubs and not puppies and I know a hyaena is more closely related to a cat than a dog – but kitten doesn’t do it for me. Hyaenas are in fact neither cat nor dog. They are a species all of their own. Members of the Hyaenidae family include spotted hyaena, brown hyaena and aardworf

The early morning really is the best part of the day. The camp gates open and close at different times depending on the season. The longest they stay open are in November, December and January – from 4:30 to 6:30 pm.

At 5:20 we arrive at the den and there are no other cars in sight. The puppies, however, are there to greet us.

Mom is lying on the road just ahead of the car. She is quite unconcerned that her children are talking to strangers.

When other cars arrive we drag ourselves away from the cuteness and concentrate on some birding.

We try to find the lions from yesterday but the water hole that they favoured is drying up and they must have gone off to seek another drinking spot.

We find two jackals at the muddy pond/

We turn around and make our way back toward Satara. I am sitting in the back so I can move from the left to the right window with ease. I am looking intently to the left seeking something special when the Earl says calmly, “What are these things running towards us? I turn to look forward and squeal in delight.

A line of vehicles is following them but we see them head on and they run by on either side of the car.

“You’ve made my day!” I tell the Earl. All is forgiven for not giving in to my stop yells yesterday.

“I try to please,” he says sweetly.

The dogs run on and we continue birding. There is a bush that many of the species love.

We also enjoy the plains animals and the general beauty of the park. It is a clear sunny day. The temperature is still in the cool twenties but will rise to above thirty later today. We are making the most of the early sightings.

We arrive back at camp 8:00. They did not wash the car after the service yesterday their excuse being they did not want to risk it being infected with Covid. I don’t understand the logic but we are living in interesting times. So we unpack the car and Earl takes it to the service station where there is a car valet service. It costs R70 to have it cleaned inside and out. “Come back in an hour,” says the guy who is taking on the challenge of ridding our vehicle of three weeks of gruelling travel. We have been through weather, mud, puddles and dust. It is not a pretty sight.

While the car is having its bath, the Earl cooks us delicious scrambled eggs for breakfast. When he returns to fetch the car, it is not yet ready. It is so dirty it takes twice as long. The Earl gives the valet a generous tip and now we have a pristine vehicle! Let’s see how long it will last!

We spend the rest of the morning doing chores and resting and then go out later in the afternoon. I will blog about that tomorrow.

Monday 16 November 2020

Today we are awake before the sun. It is 3:45 am and I drag myself up and get ready for departure. We are going to Malelane. The Ford Everest needs to have its 15 000 kilometer service. It had too few kilometers on the clock before we left and will have too many when we get back.

We leave Satara at 4:30 am. Malelane Gate is 4 hours away. We could go out at Orpen Gate and take the R40. But the Earl says, “I don’t know the road.” He imagines it’s full of traffic, potholes, hijackers and other terrors lurking to get him.
“We’re not even stopping for leopards,” declares my over anxious spouse.

So the first thing we see – hyaena. There are lots of them including puppies. He drives around them and won’t stop. I tell him he’s being ridiculous and take a shot while the vehicle is moving.

The speed limit on the tar is 50 km per hour. The Earl wants to make it to Malelane by 8:30 otherwise he will be in a queue and his service will be delayed. I tell him a few minutes at a special sighing won’t make that much difference but he is afraid we won’t make it back to Satara by 6:30 this evening.

“Of course we will!” I insist but he has speed control on and he is not about to put his foot on the brake.

”Watch out, ” I yell. ”Road Block!”

The Earl is stunned. “What do I do now?”

I am laughing my head off and just can’t stop. Any other day and we’d be thrilled but just because we’re on a mission the rulers of the park have other ideas.

My poor husband is not amused.
Slowly and carefully he manoeuvres around and through them. One or two grumpily get out the way.

He breathes a sigh of relief only to get another surprise a few meters later – the rest of the pride also lying on the road!
Finally he makes it round them too.
I’m still laughing.

More members of the big five appear. First a rhinoceros! He stares right at us and then turns and runs the other way.

Cars are stopped up ahead and we are held up for an entire minute. I ask what they’ve seen. A leopard has just jumped down from a tree. The earl finds a way through the traffic jam and does not bother to look for it. We drive straight on😱

Next we see a huge herd of buffalo. Much to the Earl’s relief just a few dash across the road to join the gang who have already done so.

In spite of these tiny delays we make it to Malelane by 8:30 on the dot. The car is checked in and we get a lift to Wimpy where we have breakfast. After that we walk to a nearby mall and find a shoe shop. We each buy a pair of plakkies with soles that are resistant to thorns!

We then walk back to Ford and wait another hour until the car is ready. Before we drive back to Satara we do a quick shop at Spar. It is 12 noon when we start our return trip. The Earl is now a happy man. The onboard computer has been reset and he can now relax that he won’t upset his maintenance plan by being late to service. Our return trip is far more relaxed.

The temperature is now in the high thirties so of course the animals are hiding in the shade. But we still have some interesting sightings.

We stop at Tshokwane picnic site for coffee and cake.

We also buy buffalo pies for dinner.

We stop at Mazithi Dam which is not as busy as the last time we were there.

It is 4:30 pm when we arrive back at Satara. We have been out for twelve hours!

So now I’m all caught up with my blogging. It’s early to bed tonight.

Sunday 15 November 2020

We wake to another bright sunshiny day and leave camp at about 6:00 am. As we turn onto the H1-4 I comment to the earl, “Wow – the wildebeest are in a frolicking mood this morning.”

One, in particular, is running backwards and forwards and grunting a greeting to the nearby zebra who are also trotting about nervously. And then I see them – two hyaenas.

Then an amazing thing happens. The wildebeest charge at the hyaenas and they dash across the road in terror!

The next interesting sighting is of a feathered kind

On the S90 we get a new bird for this year’s Kruger list

The Big Six birds to seek in Kruger are:- Pel’s Fishing Owl, Ground Hornbill, Lappet Faced Vulture, Kori Bustard, Saddle-billed Stork and Martial Eagle.

We are lucky to get four of them in quick succession.

High up in a tree I spot two lappet-faced vultures. They are on a nest and I see the baby briefly jump up and then disappear again.

After our breakfast stop at N’wanetsi picnic site, we once again visit Sweni Hide. On Friday it was absolutely awesome. Today it the scene is different but just as exciting. The elephants do not appear and the hippo are very quiet. But a crocodile lurks in the shallows and we watch to see what happens as the animals come down to drink.

We spend over an hour in the hide and then continue our game drive. We see more birds, the usual gang of plains animals and even some distant lion. But the hide is the highlight of our day.

Saturday 14 November 2020

There are days in Kruger when the sightings just keep coming and others when you wonder whether the king of the beasts has imposed a lockdown and they’re all hiding in their nests. lairs and dens.

Today was slow and yet it was awesome because whatever delights Kruger decides to show you the effort of seeking will have been worth it.

While sipping my brew I heard the familiar knock on wood of a certain bird that likes to peck. I went to investigate, saw him clearly, raised my camera to my eye and he stuck his tongue out at me and disappeared into the foliage. There were actually two of them and after a few minutes I managed to snap a photo.

So with coffee over and a picnic breakfast packed we set off on the H1-3. The biggest of the Southern African birds of prey made an appearance. We saw one a few days ago but he refused to pose. This one was more obliging

All the while we searched for interesting creatures to photograph we saw the usual gang of wildebeest, the elegant giraffe, the stripy zebras and a few wandering warthogs. And there are always elephants.

Near Kumana Dam we found a pride of lions. It was a big pride of more than 10. They were resting in the shade watching the water for unsuspecting prey. A giraffe in the distance decided to stand perfectly still and not risk a sip of water. The lions, though, were chilled and just lying around.

After spending a bit of time with the uncommunicative pride we took the S125 (N”waswitsonso loop)

I got the best sighing ever of a bird that is usually quite shy and flits off quickly if he sees you with a camera.

The Southern Ground Hornbill is vulnerable in South Africa. The biggest population of them resides in The Kruger National Park. I can’t remember ever not seeing them on a visit but this time we have seen them more than once a day. We joke that they are becoming as common as impala! Still, I can’t resist stopping and taking their portraits every time. I am trying to get interesting ones now. I was rather amused at seeing the warthog and the ground hornbill in the same frame. They have rather rude nicknames for each other.

We are starting to see impala lambs! Soon there will be enough to make a nursery herd.

There is a certain bird in the park that is absolutely everywhere. He is rather cute so when he starts singing from the top of a bush we stop before we realise we have hundreds of photos of him. His call is distinctive and we realise our mistake the minute he opens his beak!

At Shimangwaneni Dam we saw absolutely nothing and were about to leave when a whole bevy of beauties arrived for a paddle

From the central to northern part of KNP the picnic sites are more rustic. I love this about the north. A caretaker takes pride in his site and makes sure everything is pristine. He has a fridge stocked with cold drinks and water and there may be boiling water on tap or he will have an enormous kettle on a gas stove. So if your flask has gone cold – no problem – just remember to pack the coffee and cups. You can also hire a skottel to cook your bacon and eggs.

Today we stopped at Muzandzeni where Loderic is in charge. There are no flush loos but the long drops are pristine. Loderic has proudly taken care of this site for twelve years. It amazes me that so much can be wrong with the facilities in Kruger but here one man manages to ensure that we’re all well looked after and happy when we visit.

I asked Loderic’s permission to take photographs for my blog. He did not know what a blog was but after I gave him a brief explanation he smiled broadly and was happy to pose.

Friday 13 November 2020

Some people won’t even get out of bed on Friday 13th for fear of some dread thing befalling them. Or if they do they blame the date if anything goes wrong! I am not that superstitious but I couldn’t help wondering when I woke up this morning whether the date would have an effect on our sighitings.

I need not have worried. We made a late start today and only left Satara at 9:00 am. Our friends, Jim and Maureen had left much earlier. Just as we were leaving my cell rang. It was Maureen asking where we were and telling us that they would be following the S100.

This road is famous for producing very good sightings so we decided to catch them up and follow them to N’wanetsi Picnic Site for breakfast.

As always we kept a keen eye out for birds and as luck would have it we soon caught up to Jim and Maureen. Maureen had spotted a ‘yellow bird’ Jim knew exactly what it was!

They moved on while we stayed a little longer to get our photographs. Then we caught up at another interesting sighting they had.

As we continued I spotted a familiar shape and yelled for the Earl to stop. The bird was trying hard to hide behind a mesh of twigs and leaves but eventually I managed to get a half decent photograph

Before heading to N’wanetsi for breakfast we visited a Gudzani dam viewpoint and found yellow-billed stork, open bills, blacksmith lapwings and some crocodiles. We then went to have a picnic breakfast at N’wanetsi Picnic Site. This is an unfenced site and is neatly kept by an attendant. The loos are clean and you can get boiling water on tap. It was 12 o’clock when we made our way to Sweni Hide. It was warm today but the hide was pleasantly cool and we were the only people there for over an hour. This turned out to be one of the best experiences we have had this trip. We did not see the Big Five but what we did see was amazing.

There were a few elephants at one end of the dam and hippos right in front of the hide. The scene kept changing. First one troop of elephants came down to drink, shower and swim then others kept arriving until one lot came right up to the hide and we could hear them munching behind us. We realised some were at the car park and when my camera battery went flat I was too scared to go to the car to fetch my spare. Other people arrived and I asked, “Were the elephants there?”

“Yes,” replied a nervous looking woman.
“And you got out of the car?”

“Yes,” she replied. “Much against my better judgement but they ignored us.”

I would not have been so brave! I would not leave the hide until I was sure there was a safe distance between me and them.

The hippos were also very entertaining today. We took hundreds of photographs and none do justice to the experinece we had watching them in real life.

There was so much to see from the hide that we did not know where to look and what to photograph. I took over 200 pictures. Different groups of animals kept coming and going. First impala, then waterbuck then zebra and kudu. It was awesome to watch the interaction.

The birds were also awesome to watch

Once the hide began to fill and it became hotter we decided as one that it was time to leave and make our way back to camp for a rest.

In the evening we had Jim, Maureen and the friends, Har and Chris whom we met at Skukuza, over for a braai.

Blogging in the African Bush can at times be a challenge. In the Kruger National Park rest camps internet connection is usually fine but at times it’s a bit erratic. Here at Satara we have had a few problems but that is not the only reason I have been missing in action.

In Struisbaai I have an amazing team who are helping me to publish my recently completed book, “A Judge Decided” by Helen Fenwick. (A bit of advertising here!) Ina, my editor, Chantal, artwork and layout and Eloise my publishing manager have done an awesome job of getting it all together. They would have liked me to have had the final proof in my hands before leaving for our road trip but the gremlins got to work and it was just not possible. Plan B was to courier it to the park. Big Joke. Nobody at Sanparks could help make this happen. If they could not get it to me it would hold up the publishing by a month. But then a miracle. Eloise called me to say her husband would be in Hoedspruit for three days on business. He could meet us there either on Monday when he arrived or on Wednesday before he left. This fitted in perfectly with our itinerary as we would arrive at Satara, the nearest camp to Hoedspruit, on that Monday. We therefore arranged to meet him at 11:30 am on Wednesday. It’s a two hour drive through the park and out at Orpen Gate to get to the town. We also needed to do a few things in town. The Earl wanted two new shirts, his phone charging lead was broken, we needed more of my favourite wine, Springfield Life from Stone, and a call in at the pharmacy would be useful. We had breakfast and got all our chores done with perfect timing. Thanks to Renier for being the courier!

Then, of course, I had to spend some time going through the proof, making sure I was happy with the final product! I spent that afternoon and half the Wednesday morning doing just that and so we had a bit of a rest from game driving!

It wasn’t all work though and on the way to and from Orpen Gate we enjoyed a bit of game viewing. Then on Thursday we did a short drive once I’d done my homework.

We also did a night drive on yesterday thanks to a charming young man whom we met at the Honorary Ranger’s Birding weekend in February. Joey, from Germany, could not use the prize he won so he gifted it to us! Thanks, Joey – it was awesome.

Here are the highlights from the last two days.

On Wednesday it started off at a chilly 19 degrees C but rose to about 24 degrees C in the afternoon. It was overcast and we had a spit and a spot of rain.

It was clear and warm on Thursday evening but we took jackets as it can get chilly on a moving vehicle at night.

I don’t like using a flash when photographing animals so had to rely on what I could get from the searchlight.

There were eight of us on the vehicle and of course we were all South Africans. Our guide, Patrick, was really good and tried his best to get us some interesting sightings. It is so different riding in the park at night. It is very dark and the stars are incredible. Just that made it an exciting excursion.

The first nocturnal creatures we saw was a small spotted genet. We also saw a serville but I did not get it’s protrait.

We heard the roar from a lion and eventually found her when we turned off to see an elephant. It is difficult to see the creatures in the dark but I saw her first and was able to tell Patrick where. He took us as close as was polite.

Our last and most exciting spot was an owl next to the vehicle sitting still on the road. I did not recognise it as I’d never seen this owl before. I am glad that Patrick knows his birds!

Thanks again for joining me. More to follow soon.

Thank you for joining us on today’s game drive and a special welcome to our fellow Gecko owners who appreciate the joy of camping in Kruger as much as we do.

The weather today is much cooler than we have had in the past week so do bring your fleece. But don’t be fooled by the overcast sky. It’s still going to get quite hot later on.

Geez Louise, where is your mask? We’re travelling in the time of Covid you know, so rush back and get it right now! You won’t have to wear it in the vehicle but when we go into the hides and visit a picnic site you must remember to stay safe. Wear your mask and sanitise!

It’s 6 am and we are taking the H-3. What’s that you say? Oh the wildebeest are very frisky in the early morning. They’re running off their excess energy, taking their daily exercise. And look the zebra are so excited they’re running to the water hole to quench their thirst. They’re too quick for the camera – don’t bother to get a blurry shot. We shall see some more a little later.

Now we’re taking the S100 – It never disappoints. There is always something to see. Do you hear that click and whistle? It’s the male black-backed puffback advertising that this is his territory. Look at the top of that tree. Sometimes he puffs up his back feathers into a snowball to attract a mate – hence his name. He is not doing that now but what a handsome fellow he is.

Wow, what a lot of waterbuck we’re seeing. We should change the name of the S100 to Water Buck Highway

“Why are we not seeing nursery herds of impala lambs?” you ask. “Well, the females all drop their lambs around about the same time and that should be any time soon. Oh look – there’s a baby now! He is full of the joys of spring, gambolling after his mother. Soon he will have lots of little impie friends to play with.

My goodness we’re seeing a lot of African Hoopoes. What striking birds they are. They like to eat insects.

Stop! Look over there toward those trees. Can you see a neck of giraffe? And right nearby their friends the zebra. They often keep company with each other. There is no competition for food as giraffe are browsers and zebra grazers.

I wonder why those cars are stopped up ahead. What can they have spotted? I see a large camera lens pointing upward into a tree. Maybe it’s a leopard.

No, you say – it’s a big and very strange looking bird! Ah – a ground hornbill! She is probably looking for a suitable crevice in the tree to make her nest.

Yes the S100 has been full of interesting animals and birds. We will be turning off soon but first take a look over there – Wally Warthog, all on his own. I wonder where his friends are.

We are now on the S41. We’re crossing a low water bridge and look over there. Three pied kingfishers are hovering and diving for their breakfast.

That was fun to watch. Now let’s just take a detour to Sweni Hide.

Look across the water to the opposite bank. Are you sure that’s a log you see? Take a closer look.

Well, I hope you all have an appetite because it’s time for breakfast. We’re off to N’wanetsi Picnic Site. We have packed breakfast, coffee and a flask but if we need more boiling water they do have it on tap. It’s an unfenced site so please take care and stay within the demarcated area

It is now nine o’clock and already we have seen so much. Let’s get going now and see what we can find on the H6. Don’t drive too fast, Earl. Look who’s trying to win a race!

But now we turn onto the S126 and come upon a lovely scene of giraffe and zebra.

Oh look what’s here at Sweni waterhole.

Did someone say stop? Where? What do you see? Oh right over there in the distance.

Let’s move on. Listen to that tuneful call, wip-wheedle-tyeoo-weet-weet. There down in the river bed.

Has everybody seen him? Right let’s move on. Oh look – another pretty bird. This one is quite a show-off and loves to pose for photographs.

Who is that inquisitive creature staring at us. I just love these little antelope. They’re usually quite shy but sometimes they surprise us by standing perfectly still and then dart off into the bush.

On we go and don’t worry if we don’t see too much for a while. That’s the way it goes in a game reserve. You will get dizzy from seeing a number of different creatures at regular intervals and then for miles won’t even see an impala. ‘

We are now on the S36 and it is almost eleven o’clock. The temperature has risen to 25 degrees C. It’s warm but not too hot. Oh look – two cars parked up ahead. What have they seen? Well a hyaena is coming into view and there are a couple of zebra and a wildebeest,

Are those stones under the tree?

Have you all seen enough? It’s time to move on. It is half past 11. Let’s see what the H7 has to offer. No – that’s not a lilac-breasted roller but it is quite similar.

And we all know what that big bird striding over there is. There is no other quite like him in the world.

Next we look down on Nsemani Dam. It’s midday which is when the elephants like to come for a drink, a shower and a swim.

I know you would all love to stay and watch the elephants but it’s time to make our way home.

We’re almost back at Satara now. What can you spot before the drive ends.

Stop Earl – Just look at that!

Have you ever seen this before? Walter Warthog fraternising with Kara Kudu.

Thank you for riding along with us. We hope to see you again tomorrow.

9 Novemner 2020 – Moving Day

The dawn chorus did not wake me this morning and it was 5:30 am when I woke with a start as my phone alarm rang out. I did not set it but it must have had Monday 5:30 in its memory. Anyway, I dashed off to ablute and then returned to get the Earl up and ready for departure. We had everything ready by 7:00 am. The temperature was already 27 degrees C!

When we move from camp to camp in a game reserve we stick to tar roads and try to get to our destination as quickly as possible. “I am not stopping for impala!” declared the Earl. That was fine but when he refused to stop for klipspringer I was a tad annoyed.

We stopped at Tshokane for a loo and snack break at 8 am. I had not packed anything for breakfast and hoped to grab a croissant at the shop but they did not have any so we both ordered buffalo pies, cappuccino and black Americano from the kiosk. Omiword – what a good choice that turned out to be. I only had the slightest twinge of guilt for eating ‘lion kill.’ It was delicious. The pie was full of deliciously tender buffalo meat with no other additives. Yum does not describe it! I will definitely be abandoning the Banting Diet in favour of one of those pies again in the future.

All the way to Satara it was a matter of speed spotting. We didn’t even stop long at the wonderful elephant, bird and lion sightings. The photos I am posting were taken at super-speed after yelling at the Earl to ‘Stop for goodness sake.” I understand the need to be early enough to get a good, shady camping site and to set up camp before the temperature climbs to over 40 degrees, but how can we resist greeting our wild friends along the way.

We arrived at Satara at around half-past nine and I rushed to book in. There were no queues but the camp was already full. Our friends Maureen and Jim had left Tzendze very early and were already set up on their shady site. We found one not too far away but had to use the long lead to get to an electrical point. Still, it’s a lovely private site and I will post photos of it tomorrow.

We did not go out again today but instead got settled in and I did the necessary housekeeping and laundry. We spent a couple of hours at the pool too.

The internet connection is weak here so I might have trouble posting timeously. I will do my best but if I am unsuccessful I will post once I get a stronger connection.

7 November 2020 – A Rest Day

We left Skukuza at quarter to six this morning. The temperature was already 23 degrees C and by midday it was 47 degrees C. Hot does not describe it.

We drove to the bridge that crosses the Sabie River, did the Maroela Loop and then returned to Skukuza for breakfast. After that we went to Lake Panic. In the afternoon we went to the wonderful AM Spa and had a couple’s massage. One hour later and all the past, present and future knots were thoroughly worked out, hopefully never to return!

Here are the highlights of our drive.

Lake Panic was not at all busy with people today and even though it was quiet at first, things improved and we had some interesting sightings.

8 November 2020 Skukuza to Kumana Dam and Back

Once again it was very hot today. We did not leave until quarter to seven when the temperature was already 27 degrees C. By 10:30 it had risen to 43 degrees C.

Our drive today produced more animals and birds than we expected. There wasn’t a dull moment. Our bird list is now up to 103!

A warthog and a rattling cisticola were also up and about but we didn’t bother them with our cameras.

The H4-1 turned out to be very busy today.

We stopped at Tshokwane for a picnic breakfast as they are still not offering full service yet. We did, however, order their wonderful coffee. I chatted to someone who told me they had seen lions under a tree next to a dam 20km further north. The Earl was not keen on doing the extra kilometers. They could easily be gone by the time we got there. But I thought there was a good chance they would be settling down there for the day so persuaded him to skip Orpen on our way back in favour of it. After all, up until now the H1-2 had produced good sightings. It might just continue on the H1-3. So he agreed and off we went.

Just a kilometer or two from Tshokwane there is a loop that takes you closer to the river. We spotted a camper van parked along it and decided to check what he’d seen. We took the path a little lower to the one he was on and looked down into the river where there were some elephants.

“He’s not looking at elephants,” I said. “There is nobody in the driver’s seat. They’re all in the van looking through the back window.”

We needed to drive past him or turn around to get back on the main road and were about to do the turn around when the driver came back to his seat and indicated for us to wait. Then when he drove level with us he told the Earl what they’d seen. The Earl did not catch what he said and assumed he’d spotted the wildebeest across the road. But from the excitement on the faces of the children in the vehicle, I thought there must be something else.

Then as we drove by we saw exactly what the dear man had been trying to communicate.

Well, even if we miss the lions further along at least we’d seen this one! The sightings continued to be interesting and we saw lots of zebra, giraffe, impala, warthogs, wildebeest, buffalo and of course elephants

We then came to a dam. No lions but interesting nevertheless.

This dam was 10 km from Tshokwane. “I think there’s another one further on,” I said So we continued and found Kumana Dam! We were indeed in luck. There were only a few cars parked on the side of the road overlooking the water. There were a variety of creatures to be seen.

We also popped off to see the southern most Baobab tree.

Our return trip was just as exciting.