Saturday, October 2
We were picked up at 8:00 a.m. from Cathbert and transported to the Cape Town airport for our flight to Kruger. While in line for check-in, Rita spotted Ethne Cameron, who had planned our trip for us. (Rita recognized her from Face Book!) While we were to be with her in White River after our visit to Kruger National Park, it was fun running into her and getting acquainted earlier.
Our flight from Cape Town to Kruger Mpumalanga Airport was in a small commuter-type airplane. Our flight from Kruger to the private airstrip in Kruger was in a small single-engine 6-passenger (including the pilot and co-pilot) airplane. Who ever thought Rita would get in one of those? Our luggage was taken mainly by another airplane that was coming to the strip.
At the strip, we were met in a land rover by Richard, who we found out later was our tracker, and drove us 15 minutes or so to Inyati. On the way, we spotted our first wildlife – two giraffes grazing.
Inyati is a beautiful facility. Our rooms were not tents, but large air-conditioned spaces with all the amenities, other than TV. (The facility has one TV, and they said they don’t like to turn it on!) There is a swimming pool and exercise room, lounge/bar area, lounge, dining room, and a large covered patio for relaxing, eating and game-watching. The facility is not fenced in, so any animal can just wander through – which is why you are not to be out of your room after dark without an escort. The first day, we had springbok wandering through the facility, and could see giraffe and water buffalo from our patio. We were told to always keep our doors locked, to prevent baboons from entering!
Our first event was “high tea” which is served every afternoon at 3:30 p.m. I would call it more of a light snack, to tide you over until a late dinner. At 4:00, we headed out for our first game viewing. Our guide (actually, his title is “Senior Guide”) was Khimbini, and our tracker was Richard. They are brothers, but one goes by his African name, and the other by his English name. The evening game viewing generally lasts 3 hours, with a stop for refreshments and stretching along the way. Since it is dark early, the last portion of the viewing is conducted by searchlight.
Our first evening drive was incredible: Lions (including reproduction activities!), leopards, rhinos, elephants, etc. The amazing thing is that these animals don’t pay any attention to us. (Although our driver tells us that we must NOT stand up, as that will cause them to notice us, with possible adverse consequences!) I was taking photos of lions that were only 15 feet from me, with no bars in between!
Birds do it, bees do it...
Chuck, Rita, Richard, Sarah and Khimbini, at our eveing drive break.
Leopard mom and (below) cubs. The red around their mouth is from feeding on an impala
that mom had recently brought home for dinner.
There are always several Land Rovers out at the same time, both from Inyati and the other facilities within the private part of Kruger National Park. The rangers and trackers all work together, and keep in contact via radio to let other know of sightings. Rangers all have rifles in the vehicle, but ours said he has never had to use it. Good to know!
Following the viewing, we freshened up a little and then had dinner, which was served on the lawn by candlelight. This was my first taste of ostrich, ground into meatballs. Not bad, but now I feel like sticking my head in the sand. We sat next to a large extended family from Germany – all spoke perfect English – a mother, father, one daughter and her boyfriend, and one daughter and her girlfriend.
Tonight was an early turn-in, in preparation for tomorrow morning.
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