We slept deeply and soundly from around 8pm last night, awaking renewed before the sunrise, a splendid event just off to our right front and un-curtained, for the sky was completely clear and fringed on the bottom edge only by the African forest.
We're here for the wildlife, mainly, and boy did Kruger turn it on for us today. Instead of lining up at 5.30am at Skukuza gate (opens to outbound traffic at 6am) with the crowd in the know, Mary and I breakfasted on our deck, prepared a light packed lunch and left just before 8am for a drive to the NE.
Within 15 minutes we encountered a small herd of elephants which surrounded and passed by our parked car close enough for us to touch them had our windows been open...
Many more encounters with wildlife ensued. Except at certain specified locations, alighting from your car is forbidden and I didn't see anyone breaking the rules. Some pics follow of some of the other animals seen from the car in a slow 4 hour drive within about 30km of our base.
This Nile crocodile (estimated to be about 3.5m long) was a very long way from the Nile, on the banks of the stream which runs past our front door, and barely one km from it.
The sunset drive in an open vehicle tonight is the next event, finishing at 7.30pm after which we're heading off for dinner at one of the other restaurants in Skukuza. And at 0515 tomorrow, 1.5 hours before sunrise, I rendezvous with guide and possibly several other live baits for the 4 hour Morning Walk in the bush. Mary opted to hit the Shop tomorrow instead of the walk...
We're having a great time and the weather is perfect.
Technical: Transmitted from iPad via 3G link, which is available at Skukuza
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