In the Kruger and at Satara.

We left Sanbonani real early this morning. We were on the road by 8, which is VERY early for us. We came into the Park at the Paul Kruger Gate and then worked our way to Satara where we are staying tonight.

The drive through the park is lovely and the scenery and the vegetation changes all the time. We saw lots and lots of game and stopped many a time to identify a bird or to confirm that we have in fact seen it a dozen times before. Dick is actually very good, however I am a bit of a slow learner.  We identified at least 5 new birds today for this holiday. We have a “Randall Identification System”. This means that we have to spot a bird, both see it and then identify it and both agree. Once we have gone through this process we tick it off on our holiday list. This includes all birds, never mind if we have identified them a dozen times somewhere else. So far we have survived the process and identified over a two hundred birds. It is a hell of a lot more difficult to identify a Crested Francolin than an Elephant.

So we arrived at Satara camp at about 3pm. Yet again I was reminded about how pre-conceived ideas can differ from reality. I thought we would arrive and as booking in time is only at 14h00 we would be able to get a camping site easily and who the heck camps this time of the year in any way, other than people like us, as in pensioners!!Well, surprise, surprise, the camp is full and we nearly had a little uncomfortable moment, because we could not see an available site, with electricity and a braai goodie. We got through that one as well!!I found power, got a braai and we are now well settled, the fire is burning and the meat is about to go on.

Public camp sites are very entertaining. In this one there are lots of caravan campers, with all the accessories needed for comfortable camping, including the chest deep freeze. Clearly this is not a “one night stand” affair here. The guys are here for a substantial period of time and this means the TV is here and the radio and the microwave and, I presume, the kitchen sink. Across the path from us, is a family, clearly from Gauteng, or probably Pretoria, as they are passionately listening to the SupeRugby game between the Bulls and who knows who. There is lively comment flowing and the more wine the lady has, the more advice is presented. She has also a head full of curlers to enhance her appearance. I did not even know that people still using curlers! The husband silently braais away. The daughter obviously came along on the holiday, but clearly without the boyfriend, who sounds like he is firstly not a Bulls supporter and secondly not inclined to pay his way. Some serious silence now in that family, in fact the daughter had reclined inside the caravan, probably texting the “not so popular” boyfriend.

Tomorrow we head off to Letaba and the joys of another campsite and more open skies and fresh air. The days are fantastic here. Short and T-shirts all the way. The nights call for tracksuits and red wine.