Overnight flight from Joburg bang on time, arrived 10 mins early at 4.50 am. Coach to Exeter not until 9.30. Hung about in Cafe Nero in terminal 2 until 9.00. Coach on time and arrived Exeter at 13.10. Nick waiting to pick us up and arrived home at 14.00.
THE END
(Until next time)
Last day in SA. Irene and Cheryl did a little more shopping. I chilled with Jeff. Light lunch. Left for airport at 4pm. Over an hour to check in including security and passport control. Aspire Lounge to wait for 19.45 flight. Bye bye Africa.
Irene and Cheryl went shopping to Eastgate Mall. Bought some Wonkiware. I went off with Jeff to buy biltong and collect some timber for a bench he is making. Had a bourie roll on way back.
Ate out at Papachinos, nice tempura prawn sushi. It rained a bit.
Packed up camper for return to Joburg and to drop off the camper at Bushlore. Long drive of about five hours. Went the wrong route to begin with, lots of local housing so low speed limit and speed bumps. Then the National road had lots of coal trucks going back and forth to Mozambique. Arrived Bushlore at 3pm. Jeff and Cheryl waiting for us. 30 mins to check over camper and we were on our way back to Boksburg. Still warm. 4918Km’s
5* rooms at Blue Jay Lodge which is great after all our camping. Lovely egg and bacon breakfast etc. Went to the Saturday craft market in Hazyview on the suggestion of Phil and Margie the lodge owners. Bought a few pressies and a little something special for us in a very nice gallery. Decided to go to Graskop and Gods Window. Forgot what a climb it was to the lookout spot. Back to the lodge and chilled for the afternoon. On recommendations we went to a restaurant called G’s not far from the lodge. As it should be this was a multicultural establishment with a nice atmosphere outside under the atmospheric lights. Got chatting to our waitress with whom we gained some first hand knowledge of stuff. Irene had Kingclip and prawns and I had a very very tasty beef stroganoff. Beyerskloof Pinotage to wash it down. £10.00 a bottle. Crazy when I buy the same wine from CPW for about £9.00 a bottle. Whole bill including service was £30.00.
Now sitting on our terrace under the stars listening to the numerous sounds of the night in the warm evening air, this is why we are here and enjoy Africa so much. Back to Joburg tomorrow.
Up really early due to constitutional reasons. Our tums not too good at the moment. Skipped showers and breakfast and decided to get going in our last day in the park and game viewing. Not disappointed at all. On the road by 6.00. At last saw a pride of lion after about 30 mins. Great. Then we saw a male lion all alone about 15 mins later. To cap it all we stumbled across 3 cheetah walking along the gravel road. We stayed behind them for about 15 mins as they walked on ,not bothering about us at all. Eventually they went into the bush and that was that. A great day game viewing. Hippo, spotted hyenas, elephant, storks, vultures, eagles etc etc. Left the park about 14.00 and arrived Blue Jay Lodge at 14.30 Just as we remembered it 14 years ago and the same owners. Decanted all our clothes and “stuff”from the camper best we could. Went to Ocean Basket in Hazeyview for a very nice Sushi and fish dinner. Lacked in atmosphere but tasty food and made a change from meat.
Up at 5.30 am, so breakfasted, de camped and off by 7.30am. Travelling from Letaba Camp to Lower Sabie, 165km, took us 8 hours! We saw a variety of game, followed rivers, drove through savanna, but still no cats! We met a couple who had seen lions on each of the last three days. The luck of the draw, it’s not a zoo! Arrived in camp at 4pm and selected our site. A very crowded site by the standards we’ve been used to! Ate in the restaurant, so cooking over for the holiday! Fridge on the blink, so good job we’re not eating in anymore.
Hot sunny day 37degs. What a change from yesterday. Took the gravel road from Shingwedzi camp to Letaba camp. Kept to the Shingwedzi river. Mainly dry but some good pools. Saw hippo, crocs, elephants, Wilderbeest, buffalo, zebra, waterbuck, woodland kingfisher. Good days sightings. Arrived Letaba at 13.00 and chilled before our sunset drive at 16.15. Fridge not working on batteries so hooked it up to mains. Nice sunset drive. Much the same game but guide explained a lot about the the individual species and their habits etc. Ate in the restaurant on our return. Irene schnitzel and me a chicken pot pie washed down with Beyerskloof Pinotage.
Got packed up early and ready to go to the Shack for breakfast, went to start the car and the battery was flat. Shit. Owners of the site had gone off early for the day so no help. Apart from us there was a German group and we managed to jump start from one of their cars. A life saver. No idea how we drained the battery. Left the car running whilst we had a delicious full English cooked by two delightful ladies from the village. R240.00(£10 for two) Entered Kruger Park by the most northerly Parfuri gate. It started to drizzle which seemed to attract tortoise’s on to the road. Saw a good selection of game on the trip to our next camp at Shingwedzi. Arrived at about 14.00 and it was still drizzling non stop and also a cold 23 degs. What a change. Re organised our game drive to tomorrow at Letaba camp. I think it may still be raining. It’s 21.30 and it’s still drizzling. Fillet steak and rice salad under the awning.
Very hot night last night. Chilled all day with a couple of swims and short walks. Bought a few items from the craft shop, all made by the villagers. Also had all our washing done by someone in-the village for which we paid her R100(£5). We had to supply her with soap powder and pegs. Bought logs for campfire. BBQ marinated chicken, rice salad and fruit. Reserved breakfast for tomorrow in the “Shack” a cute open sided restaurant, again run by the villagers and paid direct to them.
Skipped breakfast at Holiday Inn as we had a long journey to Nthakeni Camp in SA. Irene had the runs so hung about a bit in the hotel but still left at 07.30. The hotel supplied us with two complimentary goody packs of fruit and yogurt because they had run of stock of various dishes and wine the night before, a goodwill gesture. Irene had no further tummy problems on the way.Road conditions a lot better to the border at Beightbridge. Just a few stretches of potholes. Arrived at Beightbridge border at 12.30. About an hour to get through the chaotic bureaucracy of both Zim and Sa side. Another $20 for some reason to exit Zim +$9.00 to go over the bridge on which there is no alternative. Altogether to go into Zim by car and out cost $270. Arrived at Nthakeni camp which is about 6km’s off the main tar road. The most beautiful well kept site we have been to. The owners have carved this gem from nothing in 8 years. They are heavily involved in helping the local community with employment and skills. Currently they are the lead for a new crèche for the surrounding villages. Flowing river frontage to our individual camp with private ablutions. Lots of birds. Pasta for dinner. No electric but the supply of paraffin lamps giving a very nice effect around the camp
Long drive south today to Bulawayo about 300 km ‘s. Frustrating drive due the horrendous potholes all the way. Big trucks swerving around the worse ones and going off the road onto the verges. Really dangerous narrow road. This is the National route from Vic Falls to Bulawayo. Probably averaged no more than 60 Km’s an hour. Tomorrow we have further to go to the SA border. Ugh!
Holiday Inn tonight and eating in restaurant. Used the rest of US dollar cash getting diesel, petrol stations don’t accept cards, cash only.
Up at 06.00 to do our final drive through Hwange. Headed south to Ngweshla camp where the game is supposed to be good. No better than other roads through the park. First sighting was a fleeting glimpse of a Sable antelope, quite beautiful but quickly went into the bush. Then a trail of ants crossing the road on a mission. Looked like a snake. Spied some vultures at a waterhole and on closer inspection saw a hyena on a carcass with the vultures surrounding it. Also saw elephant, kudu, waterbuck and hippo. Arrived back at camp at 2.30. Beer and a swim.
Left Robins Camp at 8.00 to head south through the centre of Hwange NP to Gwango Camp. About 160 Km’s. Stopped at several water holes and saw lots of hippos but generally didn’t see that much. The odd giraffe, zebra but some different bird life. Arrived Gwango about 4.30 and went for a cooling swim. Hot outside. A little rain also.
Up early and took a drive to Detema Dam about 45 mins away. Good viewing of elephants, hippo, impala, birds, giraffes and for a real treat a load of crocodile. Back to camp for late breakfast. Did some clothes washing. Went to pool for a cool dip and chilled. Went off again for a drive at 3 pm. Went to Big Tom pool and Salt Pan. Briefly saw the buffalo herd again and giraffes and zebra. Had dinner at the restaurant.