Kruger NP

The journey into South Africa starts shakily; the truck doesn’t have the right permit so we go back and forth between the border and the customs office to pay fines! Gift’s passport has been held so we can’t do a runner.

Once in though, the landscape changes again. Very good infrastructure, lots of cultivation, towns very much like the US - low rise, malls and block system, and homes very much like home with cultivated gardens ( most with lovely fruit trees - mangos, papaya, sweet corn, lemons etc). The flatness of Botswana also gives way to lot of ridges and “mountains”. We’re heading for the Blyde (pronounced blidder) River Canyon, and climb through the mountains, along the edge of the Canyon which has 3 rondavels - stunning views.

The site itself is a huge commercial site filled with families on their holidays. Lots of caravans decked out with fairy lights and Xmas trees, tv’s etc (the baboons have a field day at night nicking stuff). It also has a big pool - heaven. It’s great to use the muscles after so many days without much exercise.

Christmas Eve is spent with a leisurely drive to Kruger, stopping at Canyon viewpoints for a walk, Gods Window - a ridge so called because you can see for miles (supposed to be what heaven looks like but the person who named it obviously hadn’t been to Nepal), and then Bourkes Luck Potholes - beautiful waterfalls and potholes made by water erosion. Soak our feet in the water and enjoy the craft markets; lots of colourful batiks and carved masks etc.

Lunch is at a town called Graskop - very attractive and famous for locally produced silk. Also cashews and macadamia nuts and biltong. We have the most amazing pancakes for lunch at the Silver Spoon cafe - peri peri chicken then fresh fruit and ice cream with lime squeezed on top. Delish!

Our camp is actually in Kruger - they assure us that the 5 bits of electrical wire strung around the perimeter will keep us safe. Lions won’t jump through the gaps! We have fixed tents here with proper beds in - luxury.

We head off for a night game drive in jeeps. Amazing what terrain they can cope with. We see quite a few birds, a tiny chameleon, a beautiful view of the moon rising and lots of evidence of animals. But not much else until we’re almost back at camp when the torches pick up the eyes of a type of antelope that’s quite rare and then a leopard right next to the jeep! She’s beautiful and really hard to see in the long grass as she moves.

For supper Gift has cooked a local speciality - stew and pap (like ugali) - eaten with fingers and very good.

We sleep amazingly well - the fence does work it seems! And it’s Christmas Day. Whoo whoo! ( as Louise would say). We open our lovely cards from Sarah & Louise then head off for a full days game drive - a 5.30 am start!
Kruger is packed with families enjoying a game drive for Xmas day, and coaches of sightseers! Glad we can go off road! We have a good day’s game viewing: hippo’s fighting, giraffe right next to the road, elephant in the distance, masses of impala and some kudu and buck, tortoise and terrapin, baboons and vervet monkeys, warthogs and 5 white rhino! One of which is very close and walks just in front of the jeep. They’re huge!!

There are lots of Park facilities - picnic areas and shops so a very different experience to the Maasai and Serengeti. We have lunch - chicken and salad, special for Christmas Day.

At 6.30 we all get together for pre dinner drinks and secret Santa (Dumi takes the lead as Santa). C gets a South Africa cap ( which Michael has adopted) and he gets a card and poker set - useful for long journeys. Make calls to S&L and also to Mum and Romi - it’s great to speak to them after all this time. Then it’s Xmas dinner - candles, crackers, hats and roast beef and lamb. All washed down with a couple of good bottles of wine. Fabulous. C very drunk apparently!!! Hey ho.

Our last night camping! Have really enjoyed it - will definitely do more in future. And the end of the first stage of our adventure. Tomorrow we hit Jo’burg via the Jane Goodall chimpanzee sanctuary.

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