front. We saw the usual numbers of Impala and some White Rhino but not much
else until we reached the Nsemani Dam near Satara rest camp. We spent a
while there watching three young Bull Elephants having a great time in the
water. They kept completely submerging themselves and then would emerge in a
flood of water to chastise each other. Every now and then one of them would
make like leaving the water but would turn and tussle with either of the
other two at the last moment before ploughing back in to go under again.
They enjoyed it, so did we! There was plenty of other activity too. Hippo,
Crocs, Storks and Herons to name but a few. We stopped off at Satara
(S24.39304 E31.77825) to have coffee and breakfast after making use of the
shop to top up on a few essentials, tonic water for the sundown Gin and
Tonics!!
Leaving Satara we headed north to Balule (S24.05328 E31.73388) on the S90
gravel road. Once again a very nice drive but not much to be seen anywhere.
We had checked in for Balule at Satara so we did not need to venture over to
Olifants rest camp first. Balule is another small camp split into two
sections. Camping on one side and basic huts on the other. It was baking hot
when we arrived at around midday. The choice spots are the ones along the
fence near the river with a bit more shade. We didn't think we could fit on
the only 2 free ones so we parked up elsewhere. After a brief stop in the
roasting sun we decided that we needed to get some more shade somehow. There
is no power at Balule, period. So we needed to get some sun on the solar
panel again. We managed to arrange ourselves in one of the free places with
some shade but also plenty of sun where it was required. Cold beer and feet
up time!
Our three nights there were great. You can not see the river from camp but
you can hear it, and its resident Hippos. We managed a good sight of them
during the nights as they came munching along the fence. One advantage of
being high up on Mufasa, we could see over the small bushes between us and
them. As for game drives. We ventured out to Olifants rest camp one morning,
not out of camp until after 08h30 as the tent was soaking with dew. The
skies were as clear as clear can be during the nights. Olifants has had a
lot of work done to it and they haven't finished yet. However as usual what
has been built is starting to look twenty years old already, not good
standards of construction. The high point of the rest camp is the view it
commands over the Olifants river below, fantastic! We were back in Balule
before midday, too bloody hot to be out and about!
We met two very nice chaps in camp during our stay. Peter from Namibia in
his 28 year old Jurgens motorhome that he had only had for a couple of
months and Trevor in his Land Rover Defender 130. Peter was only there our
first night, but Trevor was only leaving the day after us. We had two great
afternoons and evenings chatting, quaffing the odd cold beer, and dinners.
Trevor was tall and interesting chap, with many a story to be told to keep
us entertained! Sometimes it is not just the wildlife that makes for an
enjoyable stay, the interesting people you meet along the way are highlights
too. Leaving Trevor in camp to enjoy his last day in peace it was off to
Letaba rest camp (S23.85553 E31.57902) for us for just one night. Some of
you may guess why knowing Sue, yep washing machine time!!
We like Letaba but it is probably not our favourite of the bigger camps.
However it does have facilities that the little satellite camps just don't.
We were barely in camp 5 minutes and the washing was out of Mufasa and
getting itself clean. Thankfully the weather which was cloudy and cooler
perked up a bit and by the end of the afternoon all was dry, and Sue was a
happy bunny again.
Our next stop in the park would be at our favourite camp, Tsendze, the
satellite camp to Mopani rest camp. We just hoped that it was as good as we
had remembered!
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