April 21st
Me and my big mouth. I wanted a thunderstorm and that's what we got, but at 1 am we both could have wished it further! And the rain...torrential, extremely loud on the motorhome roof and the most annoying drip right by where my head lay in the bed! I can't stand a ticking clock in the bedroom, so this was torture to me. Needless to say, the lack of sleep is becoming a problem. Thankfully, Ian, who needs it most because of the driving, managed to get a good few hours more than me. No doubt one day I'll get a good night, such a shame it wasn't last night because no early start was on the cards.
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| 2 of the 14 vans. We were scattered all over the site |
So we didn't leave the site until 8 am, the first port of call was to go back to a lookout we had seen on the drive back yesterday. It was going south, but we knew it was only about 10 km from the campsite. I was a little apprehensive because all that rain had made conditions sticky on the dirt roads, but this motorhome made the climb easily.
North was where we had to go, so back the way we came, we started the journey north, only to have a WhatsApp group message to say the road we wanted through Kruger Park was closed. This meant a long detour heading South again before we could join a road heading north. Nearly an hour later, we found the road we wanted. Time was now of the essence because we knew we had to vacate the park by 4 pm, and I still wanted to stop and take photos when we saw something new.
The speed limit in all of Kruger Park was 50km, so to do 200 plus km would take an age. Our progress was slow, too many vehicles stopping to photograph animals, and at one place we queued because a leopard had been seen in a tree. When it was our turn to view it, could I find it? It was definitely in the tree somewhere, but I just couldn't see it. I was told afterwards that it was near impossible to see because it was in the shade and blended in with its surroundings, but why then did several of our other motorhomers see it and photograph it! This was Andy's photo
Hour upon hour of 50km was making Ian weary. We stopped at a rest area where a very late lunch was had. Suitably refreshed, we continued on our way and finally exited 5 minutes after the allotted time. It was here that we found the park didn't actually close until 6 pm, so all that stress of driving slowly and wondering if we would make it was for nothing.
Our campsite had all the amenities as well as free...yes, free....use of the washing machines. All 14 vans arrived within an hour of each other, and all 14 vans plugged in and put the AC on. Guess what???? All the site electrics went off again, and this was just as I put the wet clothes into the tumble dryer. I was very relieved when the power was restored after 30 minutes. Where would I have dried all the clothes if it hadn't? I really don't think South African camping grounds are set up for this number of motorhomes all arriving at once and using their electricity!
Tomorrow, another early start. We head off for 2 hours towards Moholoholo, an animal rescue centre and the place 30 years ago our daughter Christine went as part of her work experience to become a veterinary nurse. Me thinks my photos of it may well not be as she remembers it!
And today's contribution
