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HI EJ. Missed you and glad you are back. Yes indeed we are there with you on the truck and also on your walks. Thanks again for always sharing and for doing a magnificent job as an HR.

The walk was good - stalked some giraffes but they saw us coming and disappeared. Ellies in the distance while we had our snack.

Was booked for a night drive tonight, but Raymond called and changed it to a sunset drive. Had full vehicle, and rather noisy group, but pleasant. Took tar road to Timfenene and then back on tar roads, and took it real slow after dark.

Ended up with big 5 night plus hyenas twice and impalas, scrub hares, nightjars, and side-striped jackal, plus lots of giraffes.

As I got to the tar after Timfenene we heard hyenas, and as I turned we saw them (already had 2 on the loop itself) and immediately saw a leopard in the road a little further on! It allowed a good sighting, but not good photos as it walked ahead of us and then into the grass next to us. A lone buffalo was further down the road.

Saw Peter on the night drive just after that and he asked for the lions (well I did call him to see them last night!) and I said they were gone. Got to the S114 junction and turned to the open area to check for hippos and found one male lion in the road asleep with his friend lying a bit further on in the grass! Alerted Peter who came and saw them too (he now owes me big time!).

Back at the s-bend before camp there were more lions in the road - this time 8 of them!!!!! They headed off into the grass almost immediately hunting, and Solly was just in time behind me to see them disappear. The jackal was just after that!!!!

Oh - and a special and unique sighting........a road-block with army folk, protection services, 2 helicopters, and sniffer dog checking cars!!!

Did get a clap when we got back to camp!

Now need to get some sleep before another walk in the morning.

That sounds like a super drive EJ!
Glad to see that the anti-poaching team are working so hard to keep out rhinos alive!

what a superb drive EJ, plus the anti-poching with sniffer dog

Inconsiderate campers near me kept banging car doors last night until very late......and I was tucked up in bed and it was too much of an upheaval to get dressed and go and tell them off, especially as each time might have meant they were settling down at last!

Then got to BnD this morning to find that Raymond had made other arrangements and I was not needed anyway But I did find the 2 male lions from last night walking towards BnD, and then the pride of 8 lions near the old bush braai turning also walking towards BnD. When I drove home again the pride had disappeared, and the males were just leaving the tar with Patrick watching them (with 2 guests from the gate going to join Raymond and BnD guests for the walk).

So now going to get back into bed and try to catch up on zzzzzzzzzzzzzz's. Busy weekend ahead.....

oups... awake early... for nothing
99 % of people don't know how to close the car doors... they need to banging... I don't know why

People have little awareness of what's beyond their perfume, let alone who the neighbours are, or even how to care for those around them. People who are bush babies know better.

Sorry to hear about the noisy neighbours - hope you can speak to them today, before any more noise.

Good to hear about the road-block!

Hope you have a good Easter weekend, without too many problems.

Had some sleep. See noisy folk will be here tonight as their little tent is still here. They will be told that not even a squeak must come from them after 2130 tonight! And also be reminded that they were given a permit which clearly stated 'conditions of entry' when they came in, and they are expected to read it and obey.

The noisy folk arrived back in camp about lunch time and then packed up and left!!!! Last night camp was not actually full - I suspect some of 'our' campers had decided to go elsewhere after checking in. Unfortunately not easy to police unless I am able to do a check, and then the missing folk are tracked down. It will happen one night and then some folk will get a nasty and expensive surprise when they reach next camp or gate or get home.......

A late sms last night from Raymond told me not to worry about the bush braai tonight, so I have been let off the hook - not too sorry as it will be an early start at the gate again tomorrow anyway. Today was busy to start with, then quietened down, but got busy again late morning.

Tomorrow I will have a sunset drive as well as morning gate duty - Isaac asked me on Wednesday if I would do the drive as they already had extra bookings.

Tonight had to call BnD maintenance folk over as someone alerted me to the fact that the bath hot water tap in the ladies' ablution block was not working. It had been leaking a bit, and was now jammed off. That left only one shower for the ladies, and a full camp - not a good idea!!!! It has been temporarily repaired, and will be replaced tomorrow when there is more time.

After that had a chat with some campers about the animal night life around camp as we watched the bushbabies tight-rope walking on the telephone wires and beginning to chase insects at the light at the camp gate.

Oh dear.....posted briefly in the GGG thread about the drive, but now cannot remember much about it! Sorry....

Sunday morning at the gate was initially busy but then quietened and I was able to get to church (nice as we had a brunch afterwards!). Then home for a short snooze, and packed to go to one of our concessions to help out for the night. It was luxurious.....! Mating lions, side-striped jackal, ellies, zebs, wildebeest........etc on the drives.

Back on Monday, then Tuesday and Wednesday in the office again. Thursday I went to Nelspruit to collect my 'new' car, and a brief bit of office work again on Friday. Yesterday was a catch-up day, and today too (did not sleep well last night) but did bush braai security tonight.

Couple of nights ago there were ellies around the camp, and as I was typing now I heard ellies again..... At least there were none about when I drove in a while ago!!!

Tomorrow I need to go to Nelspruit to get a few things sorted on the car (insurance want an immobiliser fitted, and I want the dealership to find my 5th gear which is AWOL, and persuade the speedometer that I can travel at speeds other than 60km/hr!).

Long day in the city yesterday......at least the car now has an immobiliser, and a leak in the gear box was fixed. Still have problems with 5th gear, but at least sometimes it can be found now. That and the speedometer will be fixed next Monday. Time ran away yesterday. The dealership are being very good and have even offered to pay for the extra fuel I am using to go back to Nelspruit for repairs, and told me I can use one of their offices if I like while waiting for the car! And they will run me around if necessary too. Fortunately the service garage they use is across the road so it is all fairly handy.

Office work today.....and more tomorrow, then shooting assessment on Thursday (not me!).

Ellie herds are visiting camp at the moment - well the bush around camp anyway! Lots of branches breaking and munching and rumbling last night. But no trees pushed over fortunately.

So glad you've had some success with the car repairs; great service from your dealership, obviously one of the rare Customer Care-oriented firms.

Yes - I was concerned, but they have been very good. So different from the folk I had to deal with over my last car, who could not care less.

Last few days not quite as planned!

Wednesday was busy in the office....but ended up being different work than expected, and I was asked to go to Sand River Bush Camp next day (Thursday) to help with the Earth Sciences course. I hasten to add not teaching!!!! or cooking!!!!! but as rifle-bearer for safety while out in the bush on the practical days, and helping sort out any hitches along the way.

So Wednesday evening I was trying to pack for 4 days away without really knowing what I would need, as I had not seen the programme or instructions to those attending. Thursday morning I had to leave very early to be on the shooting range ready to start assessment by 8am, and of course had to drive via the high level bridge too as the Sand River causeway is still out of action. Got there just in time!

We finished with just time to get back to Skukuza to have a quick bite to eat (boerie roll!), collect the 2nd vehicle we needed from Vuswa, and then meet the folk coming for the course and head out to the Bush Camp. I left my car at Skukuza and drove the 2nd 10-seater - with my passengers all SANparks guides!!!! You can imagine the teasing.......

A short introduction on Thursday evening, and then a long day in the lecture room at Vet Capture offices on Friday (we had thought to stay at Bush Camp but for some reason the generator was missing so we had to move to use the data projector and laptop). We intended to do some astronomy that night but were too late.

Saturday we went out for practical work, and then did the astronomy that evening lying on the high level bridge! With 2 vehicles as the safety barriers, and me walking up and down with the rifle.....

This morning more practical work, and then home again, totally exhausted!

Sightings for the days in the bush???? Granite, gabbro, gneiss, basalt, dolorite, etc.......faults, inclusions, intrusions, dykes, etc.......vegetation changes, catenas, etc.........Southern Cross, Jewel Box, Virgo, Jupiter, etc.......and a few impalas, giraffes, steenbok, bushbuck, waterbuck, ellies, rhinos, zebras, wildebeest, etc thrown in at times!

Tomorrow morning back to Nelspruit for more car repair work - not sure how long it will take, but I have resigned myself to waiting the whole day.

Wonder what the rest of the week will bring....