Last day in Marloth Park

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Our last night before returning to Jo'burg was to be spent in Marloth Park.

If our last drive in Kruger was uneventful then our drive through Marloth Park was a different story.

After leaving the caravan at the B & B we had booked into we had a drive around the park. All was going well until we reversed the hired Kombi into a hidden tree branch which shattered the rear screen, well OK there was also a little bump on the tailgate. A call to the renter and they assured us that we could collect a replacement (with towbar) from the airport in the morning as it would be driven down from Jo'burg that night.

We had sundowners at the view point and saw elephants, hippo, buffalo and giraffe in the river and the bank opposite which was in Kruger Park.

If we thought Fort Augustus closed early for food then we were wrong. Arriving at the local restaurant at 8pm we were told that we were too late as the kitchens had just closed. Luckily we found another one that was still open.

The B & B was very luxurious, so much so that I had to check the booking form to make sure the price quoted had been in rand and not dollars or pounds! Having aircon and our own bathroom en-suite was a real luxury, a definite improvement on the portaloo. It was a 4 bedroomed luxury house with upstairs viewing patio, hot tub, swimming pool and even a 3 storey high viewing platform to see into Kruger. Way underpriced.

Early morning we drove to the airport to pick up the replacement vehicle. Unfortunately this was wasted time as the Kombi that had been delivered had no towbar (surprise, surprise!) so we had to drive back with a shattered screen. Eventually the screen fell out. Fortunately there was no rain so everything stayed safe and dry.

Oh and due to an incorrectly fitting jockey wheel shaft which had gradually slipped down below the normal level, the speed bumps near to Aaron's house managed to bend it into a new and interesting shape.

Obviously the normal flat tyres that we are famous for was far too mundane for this trip so we had to have a few more exciting dramas than that. All I can say is thank goodness for insurance with zero excess!

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Photos

Marloth Park Mansion
Definitely more upmarket than we are used to.

Kudu came to visit
The nice thing about Marloth is that a lot of game comes so close to the house

Warthog Family
Presumably so many young because there aren't many predators in the Park

African Airconditioning
No, the Kombi definitely came without a rear screen.