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And here we thought that all you did all day was drive up and down looking for aminals!!

You really are awfully busy. but what better place to be busy!

Hope the car gets sorted out...the last thing you would need would be car troubles in the middle of the park.

Love hearing about all your activities.

Monday was a busy day in the urban jungle - got the gears fixed on the car, but found out they need to upgrade the immobiliser as they did not fit the correct model, so have to go back there tomorrow. While wandering around waiting I stumbled into one of the shoe shops near Riverside mall and found a sale on - and ended up with top of the range Hi-tech hiking boots for under R400!!!!!!!

Tuesday and today have been busy office days.

But you have been cheated out of 2 game drive reports today...... Last night I was asked to do a morning drive today - but the group of 7 guests did not turn up. Then this evening I was asked to do a bush braai drive for BnD......and it was the same group of 7, and they did not turn up! They are staying outside the park, and apparently had cancelled the bookings, but only with 'head office' and nobody let the gate (for this morning) or the camp (for tonight) know.

Weather has been much cooler, even some rain. Saw a jackal on the way to the office this morning.

Wild dogs are back in the area too. Heard that yesterday morning about 6km from the gate they chased an impala into the road, it jumped straight into a passing car and smashed the windscreen. The dogs got the impala as it bounced off the car and gave good photo opportunities to folk on the road. Late this afternoon they were seen on the open area near the gate again.

Must have been quite an experience for the people in the car. Hope that the damage was not to serious.

Try explaining THAT to the rental company! Hope they had extra windscreen insurance.

What a waste of money to book (and hopefully pay) for game drives and bush braais and then not pitch, but it is their loss - they missed out on an awesome experience.

Could you keep the wild dogs there till June . . . .

Funny that, I have watched with frustration as 7 view bungalows became available for the next day in the late afternoon or evening at Lower Sabie, from Saturday or Sunday, again on mon, tues, wed and thurs, but sadly too late for anyone else to get.
What a waste of beautiful accommodation!
I was wondering who would let such a large booking go to waste?

EJ - I'm spending next Tuesday (1st May) night with you, so please keep the Wild Dogs there until then. They are my "best" carnivore and I keep missing them. Looking forward to a chat then.

Will try!

Long day today..... Should have been just a morning visit to Nelspruit to get the immobiliser on my 'new' car changed, but the gear box blew on the way, so it took all day to sort out (at least they did sort it out!). Got home to camp about 7.15pm - fortunately I have a key to the gate!

EJ I think you need a nice hot cuppa , hot shower and then bed .. worry about immobilisers and gears boxes tomorrow .

EJ
Your "new" car sure has given you lots of problems -- hope they are now all been fixed and after that lots of trouble free motoring

At least being so 'new' to me means they are obliged to fix everything with no charge. My only expense is in time, fuel, and toll fees.....

It has been a busy weekend at the gate. Friday was hectic with overnight folk arriving and it was 1pm before I eventually came home. Saturday and Sunday was day visitors, and the usual problem of queue jumpers etc. Monday a bit quieter, and Tuesday no real queue at all.

Then yesterday I had to go to Nelspruit to sort out the car again.....now I have the correct immobiliser fitted. They have tried a new speedo cluster to see if that solves the speed indicator problem - but the trip home only confirmed it was a bit better but not solved! There will be another trip to Nelspruit......and they will fit yet another gear box as 3rd gear is slipping out a lot.

While I was still in Nelspruit Raymond asked me to do bush braai security. I was back just in time to do it!

The bush braai turned into a big 5 affair! While we were waiting for the guests to arrive a mother rhino and calf came to the muddy waterhole at the site. They stayed a short while and left. Then the lions began roaring....so close the gurgling in their throats could be heard!

I let Raymond know so he could alert all the guides out.

Then Rastah approached with the guests and stopped down the road - viewing buffalo I learned when they arrived. He moved on and found the the lions, and followed them up the road, and into the bush braai site!!! He called me and asked me to drive forward to chase them out.....but when I reached them they just moved off and then behind my car. So I quickly turned and went back to the catering folk.

The lions stayed near the driveway, and we heard them intermittently during the evening - and at one point elephants came through and made a big noise when they found the lions. Fortunately the encounter was in the bush next to the open bush braai area and they did not worry us. Exciting listening to the interaction though.

Meanwhile a leopard could also be heard calling just as the guest arrived.....but we did not see it.

hot evening/braai

EJ, you must let me know when this will happen again. Will like to braai then.

Wish it was like that every time! Hyenas also did some whooping around us too.