DAY 8

KRUGER NATIONAL PARK
(AND A CLOSE ENCOUNTER OF THE LION KIND)

Today I was given an unexpected day off, well yesterday I was given it, today I had it. There are a couple of places I had pencilled in for when I had days off and the Kruger Game Reserve was one of them. I’m not to sure of the history of the park but I passed through the Paul Kruger gate and took pictures of the Kruger Memorial Stones (I think ‘stones’ is definitely selling them short. There’s about six, each as big as a house and stacked naturally on top of each other. Not directly on top of course but stacked). So I reckon the history is that Mr Kruger was an extremely rich man and a very big naturist.

The reserve is one of the biggest in the world, it is in fact as big as Israel. I read that fact somewhere, I’m not actually sure how big Israel is but the comparison makes the reserve sound big. The reserve I’m in, Sabie Sands is as big as Britain and I was told that Sabie fits into Kruger more than three times. That little tit bit should help a little more.

As I only had the day I stayed in the far south of the reserve and I only covered a smidgen of that. In the morning I packed lunch and headed off. This was the first time I’d headed out of Sabie on my own and I had to keep reassuring myself that I was going in the right direction. All the roads are dirt roads for the first one and half hours and they all look the same. Everything went to plan though and I was in Kruger not long after. As my time there was limited, I had from 9am until 1800, I had already preplanned a southern loop. This had me starting at Paul Kruger gate then driving North East for about 55k to Tshokwane, South to Lower Sabie and then North East back to Skukuza and then back to the gate. A nice big loop of 100 + k.

The scale of Kruger is overwhelming, at times when the road I was following climbed a few hundred metres the view was breathtaking. From the vantage point of Mlondoza the savannah stretches to the horizon and goes almost as wide. I was lucky enough to receive a gift of a very good pair of binoculars before I came out here (thanks Anne and Tony) and they really were well used today. I spent ages checking out the view and on all that flat land there was one lone buffalo. What the hell was he up to on his own out there, talk about a target. Cool as a cucumber though he just ambled along, occasionally diving onto his back (no not hiding) cleaning or scratching himself in the sand/dirt. It was really nice to watch and quite comical, my dog does it all the time back home.......but thats in sheep shit.

The amount of animals I saw was incredible and not just singular either, herds of hippo’s wallowing in the mud and water, big fat fellas on the land but like slightly plump mermaids in the water, up to twenty elephants with babies grazing together, wildebeest walking along in long lines and a huge rhino came out of the heavy scrub and trotted right in front of the car. A big boy. I was sneakily and covertly (in a big bright blue ford pick up) approaching a giraffe to get a close up photograph when he not surprisingly heard me. He stopped and his long neck straightened clearing the trees he was snacking on. As I lifted the camera to get the shot about ten more giraffes heads slowly materialised from behind the trees. The only thing missing from the scene was the background music to Jurassic Park. Great moment.

I also did a bit of ‘off roading’ on the dirt tracks and spent a bit of time in the souvenir shops, which were really good with loads of great gifts but I’ll be getting my gifts from the people of the road side so I know the money reaches the right pockets. I then stopped off at one of the designated stopping areas and had some dinner. Two waters (I only found out later I could have had beer in the park) some cheese and ham butties, a tomato and some crisps. After this I had a little more of a drive round and headed off. I had to put my foot down a little to reach the gates as they close six sharp and they don’t let you out, or so the sign said. Because of this I had to drive straight past a group of vultures ripping into a carcus, shame.


The ride back to Ulusaba was, erm, interesting. Other than today I’ve only been out of the place once and that was with Lindsay. So seen as I nearly got lost in the daylight leaving and it was now dark, I decided to enter the reserve by a different gate, miles from the one I should have used. It wasn’t to bad really (at first) as I was following the perimeter fence and I was actually really enjoying the experience. The windows were down, it was pitch black and all I could see were the headlights bouncing around the dirt road in front of me. I was travelling really slowly due to the road conditions when I heard some noise to my right. I stopped the car, cut the lights and turned to the noise. Jesus, Wholly Mary. About fifteen feet away from me were FOUR BIG RHINO’S. Each one as big as the car. I’m not sure if like dogs they could smell fear, I’d be surprised if they missed mine but as I slowly reached for my camera, my heart pounding, when the bloody great thing started running towards the car. Shit, I dropped the camera, dropped the accelerator, dropped several heart beats and got the hell out of dodge. My heart was racing, it was a complete thrill, though a little scary. I was on my own for the first time, in the dark and I was lucky enough to see the rhino’s up close. As in, up close.

Lindsay phoned me a couple of times on the drive (I think she was a little worried about the time or maybe her car. Definitely the time, I hope) to check if I was ok and one or two game drives with guests past me. I was loving it though, it felt great. I also saw a few jackals scurrying about and then it was all quiet again. Its never actually quiet, the animals are always making noises. But they were the only noise.

I was now on a road I’m familiar with as it leads to the gate I go through to work in the village. I had the windows down again and was daydreaming listening to the night. As I looked up, the road was blocked. In front of me and walking directly towards the car was a full pride of lions. My heart was absolutely racing, I couldn’t go round them, I had to wait for them to go around me. Out of the dark and into the headlight more appeared and as the lioness’s approached the car a big male came out of the dark. He really did look the part, big, broad and with a large full mane. They looked beautiful, slowly approaching, eyes shining in the lights, just staring right into the car at me. As a lioness got level with my door I remembered the windows, quickly putting them up I suddenly felt very vulnerable. I didn’t know how they would react or what they were going to do but I certainly started to feel my reaction and I knew exactly what my body was about to do. It was a mixture of excitement, fear and, well, fear actually. In all there were five lioness’s and a lion and all next to the car, I could have (if I was a complete plonker) put my hand down and touched them. I would then have brought my blooded stump into the car and drove away, regretting the decision of course. Instead I sat there watching, heart racing.

The lions past and I drove on.

The day has been fantastic. The drive home was a complete and utter adrenaline rush. The best ever, a complete privilege.