After packing our stuff and loading the luggage back in our beloved truck with Takalani, we made our way to the Orpen Gate into the Kruger National Park. On the way there we stopped for some souvenirs and I found an adorable little baby hippo postcard.
Then we arrived at Orpen Gate and had to fill out the form with our passport details. A ticket into Kruger is valid for 24hrs, so that we'd have to be outside of the park tomorrow by 6pm again. Until then, we could enjoy the Kruger.
We were welcomed by some Zebras and found our way to the Maroela Campsite easily. It's named after the Maroela tree which has some kind of nuts that you can use for making Amarula, a sweet Bayleys like liquor. The bark of the Maroela tree looks as if someone has played golf and hit the bark too many times (a metaphor of Given).
Takalani parked the truck and showed us how to set up the tents for the night, using mine and Tatjanas tent as an example (much to our liking). But it was actually really easy so that we then helped the others build up their tents. After everyone was set, we prepared dinner. Better said, Takalani cooked and we lit up a campfire. When dinner was ready, I was yet again in disbelief how a man can cook such delicious food out of a truck kitchen. The system and the whole truck really are amazing.
As we all sat around the fire, I suddenly heard a rustling noise behind me. I turned around and found a hyena right behind the fence of the camp site. The others saw her too and we all burst out in nervous laughter. Takalani said: "They are looking for scrubs. Usually we don't have a fence between us and the animals. We do wild camping."
The camping we did tonight wasn't in the normal itinerary for the Kruger NP Tour from Drifters. They had booked the camping site so that we could experience a night of camping. However, usually Drifters would camp wild, i.e. there would be no fence, usually no other people around but the Trucks' people and obviously wild animals. When I thought about Hyenas or Lions coming as close to us as the Hyena right now but without a fence, my heartbeat exhilarated. I couldn't decide whether the feeling was more in the nervous or excitement site of the coin.
"They don't get near the camp as long as we sit outside. Once we're in the tents, they'd search for food. So whilst wild camping without any fences, you won't be able to use the toilet in the night. If you do, use a bucket.", Takalani explained to us. Oh dear, I think on a wild camping trip with Drifters my best friend would easily become the bucket.
After the campfire was out and our eyes were already closing sleepily, we put our scrubs and everything away and went to bed. The tent gave me a feeling of security and privacy, however I heard all three snorers of our group around the campsite. I fell asleep with the noise of light rain on the roof of our tent. But in the middle of the night, I needed to pee and I remembered Gary saying that there could be animals like Honeybadgers around. I was discussing with myself until I heard some Flip-flops making their way to the toilet. I listened hard, trying to hear any screams from a frightened person, but nothing. After a while, the same flip-flops came back. If they've survived, I'll survive too!Read more
Traveler Elle a l’air vraiment impressionnée …..et avec raison.
Traveler Pleins de beaux souvenirs , génial
Traveler WoW mon Theo, tu es rendu un champion pour faire un feu . Bravo xx