Day 6... Kruger...Day 6... Kruger...

Timbavati is known for it's White Lions, as its the only place where they have been naturally born for 30 years or so. White Lion-ness is a recessive gene like red-headedness, but unlike the red-headedness thing, it is actually prized. It is totally different from albino lions too. So, I was hoping to see some of these white lions at some point.

Arrive at Johannesburg airport at about 9:30 ready for our 10:30 flight and get to the South African Express airline counter. Two guys walked over and started to help take the bags to the scale, which was in the line area and away from the check-in counter. They started talking to and I realised they were just looking for some cash. I hadn't asked for their help and they hadn't really done anything that I couldn't do for myself, so I told them I had no money. This seemed to work, and the girl at the check-in counter confirmed my suspicions and told them to take a hike in their language.

Arrive at Hoedspruit airport and the chaperone Tommy is there for the drive to Simbavati, that's the name of the lodge. The drive was uneventful except that white rhinos, zebra, giraffes, and a stack of other animals were visible on the drive in.

Had a chat to Tommy on the way in, and spoke about the tradition in Black South African families of men taking multiple wives. Jacob Zuma, the current president for example, has three. Tommy agreed with myself that outside the obvious benefits of more nookie etc. There was little benefit in this system. I was glad there was a consensus on this.

Arrived at Simbavati... Wow! Fucking wow!

The place was expensive when it was booked, but that didn't adequately prepare me for how lush this place is... Absolute lushness...

Arrived and a lady greeted us with a smile and we were told not to carry our bags any further as someone would be sent to grab them for us. Left the bags in the middle of the dusty path knowing that they would arrive in a timely fashion without us ever handling them again. Eliane (not a typo) sat us down, we enjoyed a welcome beverage, and she explained the rules of the place, pretty standard, food was all covered in the price, but the bar was not (beers are expensive compared to South African standards too, about A$2.50 a beer) , the daily schedule of game drives, etc. Oh, and the possibility of being eaten by lions or leopards, or being crushed to death by elephant, buffalo, hippo, or rhino if one ventured out of one's room at night... The usual stuff... Everyone has to sign an indemnity form (absolving the lodge of any responsibility in the likely and expected case of one's demise at the hands of the millions of beasts in the area), and you are led to your room. And, what a room... Anyone expecting a shack and/or roughing it would be sorely mistaken here.

The beds are absolutely lovely, although they had leaves and shit all over them... It was supposed to be decorative and admittedly, the next time I saw them, they were clean again. Someone says, “have a look over here, there are some elephants!” So, I have a look, and sure enough there were some elephants in the river just behind the kitchen area. That was pretty awesome... As I stood in my room, I realized that they were waking up the river, so I spot them walking right past the window. I had been in the safari lodge for about 20 minutes at this point. Just one of those moments when you stop to think about where you are...

An hour or so after arriving, we had lunch, and went on our first game drive. The vehicles that they use are open-topped Land Rovers with seating capacity for 12 including a driver/guide (Adam) and a tracker (Daniel). A tracker sits on the very front of the vehicle and looks for animal tracks, footprints, and/or any indication that there are animals in the area.
The first game drive was supposed to have 7 guests on it, but the party of 4 that were coming the same day were unable to make it. So there were 3 of us with Adam and Daniel. While the sun was still up, it was still pretty hot, but as soon as the sun set, it became cooler... Much cooler... Unexpectedly cool...

On the drive we saw a troop of baboons coming down the road towards us, a giraffe, a couple of crocodiles, a fish hawk (which was something recommended by the friends in Johannesburg), a squirrel in a tree, as well as plenty of impala. Enough animals for anyone really. Oh, I forgot the leopard that was feasting on an impala that it had killed the previous day. Fucken sweet! Seriously, anyone who likes Nat Geo, or Animal planet, needs to get there arses to Africa to do this... After the game drive, there was dinner, where we met the party of four that should have been on the same drive (they were actually 3 young Americans, Kim, Katherine and Geoff, Grant pulled out last minute) a couple of 2 buck beers and an early night.