Gomo Gomo Days 2 & 3

Thursday - we were awake when HJ knocked on our door at 5:30 a.m.  We dressed in our chilly room and enjoyed coffee at the main lodge before leaving on the game drive.  The sun was just brightening the sky each day as we climbed in the Land Rover and as the sun rose the sky was flame colored.  We saw a variety of game this morning:  kudu, wildebeest, giraffe, zebra, rhino and saw vultures circling the lion kill.  But the lions were still there and the carcass odor was becoming more noticeable.
 

We had more delicious meals before the afternoon game drive and welcomed Neil and Lisa Vigars, honeymooners from the UK, to our vehicle.   Our first stop was a visit to the lion kill where the lions were still working on the diminished carcass.  We encountered a herd of elephants, saw hyena, a civet, giant eagle owl, and the ever present impala.  That night we heard lions roar and hyena laugh—the hyena were getting impatient for their turn at the kill.

Friday – In the early morning, while we were having coffee before the game drive we noticed something across the water hole in the dim light.  HJ told us it was the mother of the white lion cub.  She had a drink and then walked along the dam past Avery and Carol’s chalet.  We got in our Land Rover and followed her through the bush.  The second land rover was also following so we went a different direction so we wouldn’t spook her.  We saw a jackal, hyena and a tawny eagle.  We parked at the dam and watched a herd of elephants come down the bank to drink.  It was quite a large herd and we watched them until they turned around and left.  The lions were still at the kill and had dragged the remaining carcass, which was quite fragrant, around the tree where the vultures still waited.  A couple of jackals were prancing back and forth in the distance.

The white lion cub (center and its sibling (left)

Ewan radioed HJ that they had followed the mother lion to the den and had seen the white lion cub.  We raced to the sandy river bed and we too saw the tiny white lion and the tawny sibling staggering around the well hidden den.  Joe was only able to two two unfocused photos.  White lions are very rare in the wild and only occur naturally in this area of the Timbavati and Klaserie Reserves.  They are not albino but have blue eyes.  Joe and Jan saw a lion in 2001 that carried the recessive white lion gene and had read on the Gomo Gomo website that the cub had been born about four weeks ago.  HJ discovered it but the mother had moved the cubs and they hadn’t been seen again until that morning.  (Since then there were regular updates and pictures of the cubs on the Gomo Gomo website http://www.gomogomo.co.za.)

The monkey and steenbok and impala seemed so ordinary after that.  We were all chattering about the amazing white cub sighting sight when we returned to camp.  Michelle had decided to sleep in that morning so she missed seeing it. 

Michelle and Kevin went on the bush walk that morning.  Avery would have liked to go along but the minimum age for the walk was 12.  She had no trouble entertaining herself in camp with a book or swim or just watching the wildlife come to the water hole.  She took many photos with her camera every day.

On the afternoon drive we stopped first at the den in hopes of seeing the white lion cub again.  The mother was sleeping in the sandy river bed but the cubs must have been in the den as we did not see them.  We commented how fortunate we were to have seen it that morning.  Jeffrey left his seat on the fender and walked into the bush to track leopard again and somehow he found it, so we had another sighting.

We had seen four of the “big five,” lion, leopard, rhino, elephant, but so far had not encountered buffalo.  HJ and Jeffrey were on a mission to complete the list.  We drove through the bush and spotted a hyena, but we only paused for a few clicks of the shutter because HJ said he had a better sighting for us to see.  He told us to hold on and sped through the bush.  We bounced on the seats and ducked and swayed to avoid thorny trees and bushes.  We watched as another vehicle navigated a deep narrow ravine and then we followed.  The reward was a big herd of Cape Buffalo (estimated 400 +) coming to a water hole.  They stirred up the dust as they rushed to drink, bellowing and pushing the leaders further and further into the water.  In the fading light the animals continued to come out of the bush and bats flew overhead.

It was near dusk when we parked for “moon-uppers,” rather than sundowners.  The sky glowed with shades of pinks and purples as we chatted around the table and enjoyed cold drinks and snacks.  We stopped once again at the lion kill on the return to camp.  The lions had moved on and jackals and hyena were sharing the remains of the giraffe.  Hyenas have very strong jaws and feast on the bones.

All too soon our final day at Gomo Gomo arrived.  Once again we left camp early Saturday for our last game drive.  We went to the white lion den but there was no sign of the mother or the cubs so HJ said she must have moved them.  But we saw rhino, a herd of about 20 kudu, monkeys, steenbok, impala, a squirrel and even a nocturnal bush baby in the daylight.  Jeffrey spotted a leopard in a distant tree, but it jumped down before we all saw it—a disappointment for Jan who has never seen a leopard in a tree.  We stopped for a long while to watch four hyena casually walking by.  HJ said they were leaving the giraffe kill, dinner over. 

After another hearty breakfast, we shared our Colorado Places photo book with our servers.  They were so curious about the snow and a red barn and asked, “Is that your house?”  Michelle passed out Colorado t-shirts to everyone who had served and cooked for us and Carol had gifts for them as well.  We finished packing and were once again transferred back to Hoedspruit by Barney Smith.  He took us to pick up our rental vehicle, an eight-seater Hyundai van.  The luggage snugly fitted into the cargo space but we each had a window.  Joe took the wheel and managed to drive on the left side of the road, although he switched on the windshield wipers when he meant to use the turn signals.  It took a while to adjust.  

Now we were looking forward to spending three days in the Kruger National Park.  The entire Gomo Gomo experience was fantastic.  Jan and I have been to southern Africa numerous times over the years but the game-viewing experience on this trip was about the best we have had. 

Back to Gomo Gomo - Day Two

White Rhino

Wednesday morning we had time for a quick cup of coffee or tea and rusks before we left the lodge on our game drive.  We were fortunate that we had the Land Rover to ourselves until later in the week.  We saw three white rhino first thing.  White rhino have a square mouth and are grazers, black rhino have pointed lips and are browsers; their coloring is the same.  There were nine lions at the kill when we returned there.  The tree above was filled with vultures patiently waiting their turn.  We noticed the four month old cub and he (or she) was so cute!

A Red-billed hornbill.   Bird life here, even in winter was amazing

We drove on and a majestic male giraffe was nibbling new growth from a thorny tree.  His coloring was very dark.  We dropped Jeffrey off alone in the bush, armed only with a radio, to track leopard and picked him up later.  When the sun was high, we took a break and H.J. served coffee and tea and fresh baked muffins.  Back on the road Jan spotted a honey badger scampering through the bush; not sure if anyone got a picture.  H.J. and Jeffrey both left the vehicle to follow leopard spoor (tracks) — never mind the tourists sitting in the vehicle in the middle of the road…  H.J. took his .458 cal. game rifle from the case resting on the flat windshield, not for shooting, but he is not allowed to leave it in the vehicle.  He said the rifle could bring down an elephant.  They had no luck spotting the leopard.

Four month-old lion cub at the kill

We returned to camp and had breakfast.  Cold cereals, yogurt and fruit juice was followed by a cooked breakfast of eggs, bacon and toast.  With full tummies, we had a choice of the morning game walk, enjoyed by Kevin and Carol, relaxing by the water hole, checking email or a nap, which was chosen by a couple of us.  It was wonderful to wander around the lodge, sit by the pool, read a book, write post cards or just watch the wildlife come out of the bush to drink at the water hole.  The sound of the drum gathered everyone for lunch around 2:00 p.m.  Lamb curry was served.  It was warm in the daytime but very cold for the game drives.  We purchased Gomo Gomo warm scarves and hats and wished we had brought heavier coats, so we layered all we had.

A "business" of Dwarf Mongoose

Rulani (the "calm") female leopard

The afternoon game drive rewarded us with truly amazing sightings.  A herd of kudu was our first opportunity to take photos of these majestic antelope.  The stately bulls’ horns spiral and their sides have vertical white stripes.  A “business” of dwarf mongoose was fun to watch and Henry the hippo peaked out of the pond at us.  But “Rulani” the leopard was tracked and we had a wild off-road ride through the bush to see her.  (Rulani is a Shangaan word meaning calm) She was posing in the fading sun on an old termite mound.  So gorgeous!  She got up and we followed her as she slowly walked through the bush.  She stopped and posed again between the two land rovers, turning one way and then the other and opened her mouth in a big yawn.  She walked on and we followed her a while longer with cameras clicking away.  Then we saw hyena. 

Sunset - time for the traditional "Sundowners."

Of course we had Sundowners and then followed a lion walking down the road toward the dam to drink.  We drove to the other side of dam and waited for her to appear, which she did.  We returned to the kill and were surprised to hear the cub “meow” between the snarling adult lions tearing and chewing on the carcass.

Joe took time to download his photos to the laptop before dinner was served.  We again chose our seats in the boma and began with sweet potato soup.  The menu included steak, Avery was delighted, chicken pie, squash, salad and lemon meringue pie served in a hollowed out lemon.  Delicious!

By now we felt right at home at Gomo Gomo.   We enjoyed visiting with the staff, knew the schedule for breakfast at about 10:00 a.m. after the game drive, lunch at 2:00 p.m. and dinner around 8:00 p.m.  Game drives left camp at 6:15 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.  We gave them our laundry which was returned neatly folded the same day.  H.J., our Ranger, entertained us with his stories, happily answered hundreds of questions and put up with our banter and silly “tree” riddles.  (Eg: What do you call a small tree? – an Infantry) He served us drinks at every meal.  Each night when we returned to our bungalow there was a delightful hand written and illustrated traditional story about a wild dog, hippo, warthog or rhino and sweets on our turned down bed.

Rulani kept us mesmerized for about 45 minutes

Back to Gomo Gomo - Day One

This is the first in a series of stories and recollections from our 25 day tour of South Africa starting in July 2012.

Since our visit to Gomo Gomo in March 2006 the lodge has changed locations from the Timbavati to the adjacent Klaserie Private Game Reserve.  The newly constructed lodge overlooks a good-size dam and the brick and thatched chalets spread out on either side of the main lodge giving visitors nice views of the game that visits constantly.

The main lodge at Gomo Gomo

We flew from Dulles International Airport in Washington DC on a South Africa Airways (SAA) flight to Johannesburg that took 17 hours, including a one-hour stop to refuel in Dakar, Senegal. Total distance, as the crow flies, is 13,200 kilometers (or 8,184 miles) Dakar is almost exactly halfway. This is a long time to be sitting on a plane but we had many movies and other video programs to keep us entertained. Our group of six checked in to the Holiday Inn Garden Court Hotel adjacent to the O.R. Tambo International Airport (formerly Jan Smuts) after a 5:30 p.m. arrival for a good night’s sleep. After a hearty breakfast we returned to the airport to board an SAA Express plane for the 45 minute flight to Hoedspruit’s Eastgate Airport. Eastgate is the arrival point for most of the Game Lodges in the Timbavati, Klaserie, area, adjoining the Kruger National Park.

Arriving in the “lowveld” is always a special feeling. You are surrounded by the African “bush” and the temperature is warmer at about 1,000 feet above sea level. The seasonally dry acacia and grassy vegetation has a smell and feel that is unique. Stepping off of the plane you find yourself in a different world. We were picked up by Barney Smith of Fun Time Tours (www.funtimetours.co.za) and set out on the 45 minute drive to the lodge. Barney regularly provides this shuttle service for Gomo Gomo and other lodges in the area. Although the road was paved for most of the way the speed limit was 50km/hr (30mph) and it is easy to see why as we began to see wildlife immediately, with impala, giraffe, wildebeest, warthog etc. along the roadside. Turning on to a dirt road we reached the lodge after another ten minutes.  As we pulled up, the staff directed us through the main building onto the expansive deck overlooking the dam.  There to greet us was a small herd of elephant drinking. What a way to start our four day visit to Gomo Gomo!

Elephants welcome us to the lodge

Arriving at about noon, we were greeted by Linda and Ewan, and shown to our respective chalets.  A delicious lunch soon followed (the meals were consistently excellent!) and we had a few hours to explore our surroundings before setting out on an afternoon game-drive at 4:30 p.m. We met H.J. (short for Hendrik Johannes Esterhuizen) who was to be our ranger for the week and Jeffrey, the most excellent tracker, who we had met six years ago. Both of these gentlemen are highly trained wildlife professionals and we would learn a lot from them. They were also experts in finding game for us to observe and photograph. In fact, we came away with the certainty that they are passionate about wildlife and dedicated to providing the best possible “bush experience” for their guests.

The main bedroom in our chalet.

Our chalet was a brick and thatch structure overlooking the dam with really first class facilities.  Full length sliding glass doors opened onto a spacious verandah. There were two bedrooms, one with a queen size bed and the other with twin beds.

The open Land Rover seats up to ten passengers.

We assembled for the afternoon game drive at 4:15 p.m. The six of us, Jan, me, Carol, Kevin, Michelle and Avery (11), had a Land Rover to ourselves.  Ranger HJ drove, while tracker Jeffrey sat on the little seat over the front left headlight. We had been cautioned to dress warmly because; even though the days were warm the nights would be chilly, especially seating in the open vehicle with a breeze in our faces much of the time. Within about ten minutes we were parked beside the carcass of a full grown male giraffe that had been killed the day before. Nine lions were either feeding or resting next to the kill. We were to return to this site each day and watch the carcass shrink and other scavengers arrive to take their turns to feed. As the lions are accustomed to the vehicles, we were able to get very close without disturbing them.  As long as we remained seated, we would not be considered a threat or as a potential meal!

Lions feed on a giraffe kill

Jeffrey gets close to the wildlife

After spending half an hour watching the lion activities we drove on to search for other game and soon came across several elephant, the ever-present impala and the tiny steenbok antelope. As night fell we watched one of the lionesses from the kill come down to a water hole to drink. After refreshments we returned to the giraffe kill to watch the lions snarl and growl over their meal before eventually making our way back to the lodge at about 7:30 p.m.

A welcomed fire and dinner in the boma ends the day

Our first day in the bush would end with an enjoyable dinner served around a huge fire in the adjoining “boma,” an open air area enclosed by hand-cut wood poles lashed together to form a circular fence. We met and chatted with other guests about our day’s experiences.

Retiring for the night we thought it couldn’t get any better than this. Until day two.

Gomo Gomo and the white lions of Timbavati

The way to Gomo Gomo.

Gomo Gomo is one of seven privately operated game lodges in the Timbavati Nature Reserve, a 206 square mile unfenced area of the African bush adjacent to the Kruger National Park in South Africa. The Timbavati area and the surrounding region comprised of other private properties (Sabi Sands, Klaserie, Thornybush, etc.) were, until the 1950’s, privately owned and operated as cattle ranches or big game safari destinations.  A large group of conservation minded landowners came together to develop a plan for conservation and to protect the immense amount of wildlife species that thrived in this sometimes harsh environment. 

Since its formation in 1956, the Timbavati Association has increased its conservation minded landowners to 50 members. Over the years, this group has worked toward a common goal, to overcome degradation within this previously pristine area, redirect insensitive land use and reclaim it for the benefit of all.

In the 1990’s, in recognition of the importance of the area, the fences between Timbavati Reserve and the Kruger National Park were removed to encourage natural species migration. A vast stretch of wild land was opened up for the free movement of wildlife through what is now effectively, a single conservation area also known as the Greater Kruger Park.

This arrangement is beneficial for both wildlife and tourists. Wildlife has access to more resources in order to meet their permanent, seasonal, and episodic needs, and tourists are offered a wider range of eco-tourism facilities. Plans are in place to have the Timbavati Reserve declared as part of the Kruger National Park, which will secure its future as a valuable piece of South African heritage. These wildlife-rich lands are now an integral part of the Kruger Park system, and are managed in cooperation with the Kruger National Park itself.

___

Lions at Gomo Gomo - March 2006

March 2006 - Buffalo are plentiful in the Timbavati.

We first visited the area in August 2001, staying for three nights at Kings Camp, one of the more upscale, and expensive, private Game Lodges in the Timbavati. It was during this visit that, while viewing a small lion pride feeding on a full grown giraffe they had killed, the ranger leading us on an afternoon bush drive pointed out a powerful two year old male lion and told us that he carried the recessive “white lion” gene that was unique in the area and also in Africa. From time to time white lion cubs would be born to the prides here, we were told. In March 2006 we were fortunate to have several good lion sightings but we did not hear of any recent occurrences of white lions.

Search for “White Lions” on the internet and one will find a great deal of information. White lions are not a separate subspecies and they have been said to be indigenous to the Timbavati region of South Africa for centuries, although the earliest recorded sighting in this region was 1938. Regarded as divine by some locals, white lions first came to public attention in the 1970s in Chris McBride's book The White Lions of Timbavati. (1977). McBride’s father had become a landowner in the Timbavati area in 1948 and Chris was raised there. As a student at the University of California, Humboldt, he returned to the area to research his Masters thesis on lions. (See a YouTube video interview with Chris McBride here - http://www.youtube.com/v/TQYZbUW5Jw8)

In early 2011 we began to plan a visit to South Africa which would include a four-night stay at Gomo Gomo in July 2012. Several months in advance of our trip we began to follow Gomo Gomo’s interesting Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/pages/Gomo-Gomo-Game-Lodge/334330557799) where rangers frequently provided activity updates and photographs, described animal sightings and commented on local events.  

With just two weeks to go before we left the United States to visit South Africa several photos of a new white lion cub was posted to the Facebook page. As excited as we have been at the prospect of returning to the Timbavati Reserve, the arrival of a new white lion cub to coincide with our visit has offered us a unique opportunity to see a truly rare and special animal. Our eleven year-old granddaughter and her parents will be traveling with us and there is no doubt that they will long remember this, their first, trip to Africa and their remarkable good fortune to be able to see a rare white lion. 

July 2, 2012 - a new white cub is found.
Photo from Gomo Gomo Facebook Page

White lions are not albinos.  They have a genetic condition called leucism – a glitch in the genetic coding for color which causes either a reduction in or complete lack of pigmentation cells thanks to a recessive allele. Leucism does not produce the typical pink or reddish eyes associated with albinos. In fact, eye colour is hardly affected with leucism. And in the case of the white lions, their eyes are a startling blue. 

We’ll see. 

The words "Gomo Gomo" mean "little hills."

Sources: Gomo Gomo Facebook page.  White Lions in the Timbavati by Sharon van Wyk, Jan. 13, 2011 (Global White Lion Protection Trust) Kruger National Park (Sanparks) website.

Visiting Timbavati Private Game Reserve

On August 26, 2001 we left the USA on South African Airways out of Atlanta for an overnight flight to Johannesburg. We were traveling with Jerry and Joni Lund from Crested Butte, Colorado, who had never been to Africa before. Arriving in the morning, we rented a car and drove to Pretoria, visiting old friends for tea and then doing a leisurely walk in the gardens in front of the Union Buildings, where Nelson Mandela’s office was located. From there we headed east to Lydenburg where we had booked accommodations at the very nice B&B, the “Manor Guest House.” (Note: We will be staying there again this coming July and highly recommend it to anyone traveling in this area of South Africa.)

After a restful night’s sleep and a hardy breakfast we took the beautiful scenic route to Hoedspruit down the Abel Erasmus Pass, stopping, on the way, to see the Bourke’s Luck Potholes and to admire the incredible scenic overlooks across the Blyde River Canyon.  Soon after passing through the town of Hoedspruit we turned to enter the gravel road to the Timbavati Private Game Reserve.

Our drive continued through quaint villages and as we neared Kings Camp we saw monkeys, baboons, eland and giraffe through the game fence along the gravel road.  Kings Camp, aptly named because the guests are treated like kings, is situated in the Timbavati Private Nature Reserve, part of the extended greater Kruger National Park. It is one of the upscale and fairly expensive  game lodges in the area. Arriving just before the  afternoon game drive was beginning we immediately began our game viewing adventure in the heart of the bush just 20 minutes later. Our luggage was whisked into the luxurious air-conditioned chalets and we boarded an open land rover for the drive. So, a mere 48 hours after leaving the US we were in the middle of the African bush – what a change!

Kings Camp friendly & expert Rangers & trackers

Patrick was our ranger-guide and Paul, the tracker, rode on a seat on the front fender.  Soon after we left camp we drove to a site overlooking a river and saw a herd of buffalo numbering over 100.  We encountered a breeding herd of elephant including tiny babies that stayed close to their mothers.  While driving through the bush we came upon a mature male lion lying by the road.  He sat up to give us a look but soon continued his rest. 

We stopped for sundowners by a dam and enjoyed cheese and biscuits, biltong sausage rolls and peanuts with raisins along with our drinks.  The hostess included extra food since we told her we had missed lunch.  In the failing light of the setting red sun we made our way to see five lions feeding on a mature female giraffe they had taken earlier that day.  In the bright light of three land rovers we saw and heard the gnawing on flesh and tearing of skin.  All the while Joni was exclaiming her disbelief at what she was seeing.  We put on our jackets and huddled under blankets for the chilly drive back to camp.

Jan in front of the Kings Camp luxury chalets

We had time to explore our roomy accommodations and shower before dinner.  The sleigh bed was canopied with a dramatic mosquito net. Turn down service provided chocolate mints on the pillows and switched on the electric heating pads in the beds.  There was a sofa, coffee table covered with books and a side chair as well as a desk.  A lovely arrangement of flowers stood tall in a corner vase.  Luxurious terry robes were provided and the bathroom had a tub, 2 sinks and 2 showers—one glassed indoors and one in a walled garden outdoors.  Of course there was bubble bath, shampoo and moisturizer provided too, as well as coffee/tea service, a stocked refrigerator and hair dryer.

Drinks were served in the lounge before dinner.  The linen and crystal service on the tables enhanced the cuisine of tomato soup starter, Thai chicken, vegetables and potatoes and a pastry topped with whipped cream for dessert.  Patrick joined us at our table and willingly answered all the questions we had and said he would be sure we had a wake-up call at “dark-thirty” (5:30 a.m.) the next morning for our game drive. 

Wednesday, August 29

Everyone gathered for coffee and rusks before we again boarded the Land Rovers.  The couple that had been with us the night before was leaving that day so we had the Land Rover all to ourselves. Shortly after the gorgeous sunrise Paul set out on foot in the bush to track a leopard that was in the area.  Patrick drove us back to the lion kill and it was even more amazing in the daylight.  The 3 female and 2 male lions had eaten quite a bit during the night and some were sleeping while others continued to pull and chew on the carcass.  We saw the hyena we had heard in the night stalking at a distance and noticed the vultures gathering in the treetops waiting their turn.  Butterflies floated through the bush; after all it was springtime.  We saw the buffalo herd again, hippo, elephants, impala - lots of impala, and the tiny antelope called a steenbok.  We never knew what we would see around the next turn.  Paul found fresh spoor (footprints) of the leopard and her cub but we didn’t see them.

We returned to camp for a full breakfast buffet of fruit, yogurt, cheese, pancakes, sausage, bacon, eggs, potatoes, mushrooms, eggplant, tomatoes and baked beans.  We then had time to explore our surroundings, test the cool water in the swimming pool, shop in the gift shop, write post cards and rest before high tea was served early afternoon.  It was a warm sunny day, just perfect for an outdoor shower.  Joe took advantage of the workout room and ran on the treadmill for a while.

 As we began the afternoon drive Paul continued to track Java, the leopard.  We returned to the lion kill, which was beginning to smell.  The lions were still feeding, although two walked away for a drink nearby and then returned and others were content and napping.  We saw a small herd of young bachelor elephants that waved their ears and eyed us suspiciously.  We interrupted the game drive for the traditional “sundowners” and enjoyed drinks and snacks.  Other game to check off our list was the small spotted genet, civet, and a duiker.  All the while Patrick was keeping in touch with Paul by radio as he tracked the leopard.  She was spotted near camp and the three vehicles converged in the area.  We had given up and almost returned to camp when one land rover caught her in its light walking in the wide sandy riverbed.  The baboons in the trees were barking, they had seen the leopard, too.  Patrick turned around and we headed that way.  It was worth the wait to see her.  She was so beautiful and majestic as she walked right past us, so close we could have touched her.  What a thrill!

Leopard in the headlights

There was lively conversation at dinner that night which was served under the stars in a boma (a roughly enclosed area around a blazing fire).  We were served typical African fare on warmed plates: impala, sausage, curried vegetables, corn on the cob, potatoes and more vegetables.  Joni loved the impala filet.  She said, “Yum yum!”  Thereafter whenever we saw impala she repeated, “Yum yum!”  It really is delicious and frequently served.  Thrilled with the day’s sightings we didn’t tarry around the fire in the welcoming chairs knowing that we had another early morning drive ahead.  We were pleased to find our clean laundry waiting in our rooms.

Thursday, August 30

During the night we heard buffalo walk through camp between the bungalows and were told 2 male lions followed them. We again had a 5:30 AM wake up call and coffee before we began our final drive.  Fresh rhino spoor was found and we drove through the bush looking for them but had no luck.  That sight would have completed the “Big Five” since we had already seen lion, leopard, buffalo and elephant.  We didn’t see much game except impala and mongoose.  Paul noticed fresh leopard footprints, too.  Then he noticed the Land Rover had a flat tire, so we watched as they changed it and then we returned to camp. 

A stop for petrol along the road to Kruger Park

We had breakfast, then packed our car and left for our next adventure.  We returned to the town (Hoedspruit) to change more money into Rand.  While Joe and Jerry were in the bank, Joni walked around and talked with the people.  We then made the three hour drive to Satara Camp in Kruger National Park.