On the board posted at check out, I see that lions and leopards have been spotted along the loop road. It's in the other direction, but we set out anyway, hopeful that we can do it in enough time. We quickly realize, however, that it is not to be. There is a long line of cars and RVs also heading out and we don't know how long it will take us to get to the other gate so sadly, we turn around and go the other way.
It's another beautiful day and we meander along. There is a look out point at the top of a mountain bluff and Fred is excited to get up there because it means we can get out of the car. Yesterday, we came upon another lookout but when we arrived, it was so deserted that we decided to stay in the car. You really have to be respectful of these animals and where you are. They will eat you. Well, maybe not eat you, but kill you just the same.
This lookout, unlike the other one, is so high up that we can see a great distance. Nothing can sneak up on us here so we park and get out, and take some pictures. Another car comes up and the driver tells us that 10 minutes down the road, there are two male lions drinking at a waterhole. It's on our way, so we jump into our car and head down the road.
On the turn off, we see several cars and they are all coming towards us. I have a bad feeling about this. Why would you leave if there were lions around? Sure enough, when we come to the waterhole, the lions have just left. Curses! Foiled again!
We get back on the road, continuing our way out of the park. About ten minutes before we reached the gate, we see a car stopped by the side of the road. We look but see nothing.
They tell us that there is a leopard standing to the side of an old termite mound. Sure enough, we can see him, but just as we turn the car around, he stands up and lies on the top of the mound. He's much harder to see this way, and we try to take some pictures. We're really excited, though, as this is number five of the Big Five!
We're indebted to the other car, because I don't think we ever would have seen him ourselves. Fred is positive that we have missed as many animals as we've seen. I'm sure he's right about that. We spot some more eagles, though, and they are gorgeous.
We reach the gate and Fred wants to stop in and get a map for our drive to the airport. He pulls the car over and what is in front of us? Two bull elephants. Once again, a little close for me! But this time, even Fred can see the sense of not parking and exiting the car right in front of them, so he moves. I asked the gate keeper if he was ever afraid of the animals. He answered, "All the time."
Now, less than ten feet away from the elephants, another staff member is sitting at a picnic table with his head in his arms, trying to sleep. How you could sleep with elephants munching away feet away from you, I'll never know.
We hate to leave Kruger National Park but we need to begin our long journey home. It's interesting seeing the towns we drive through. We were told that poaching is a big problem in Kruger. But as our guide explained it, "When you have 70% of the population unemployed right outside the gates, what's one zebra compared to feeding your family?"
We reach our little airport, Nelspruit. We wrap our luggage in saran wrap. It was advised for us to do so due to theft. So, having done this, we waltz through security, as usual.
We meet up with Paul and Cindy, who have their own adventures to tell. They were with Frances, the lodge owner from Swaziland. They also saw all the Big Five and had a great time, too. Paul is flying to Cape Town for some more travel research there. Cindy and Fred and I are flying to Johannesburg.
This plane is so small, we have had to check our carry ons. I only have a bag containing all the gifts. If your carry-on doesn't fit when you go to board the plane, no problem. They simply chuck it under the plane.
We land in Johannesburg and collect our luggage for our international flight to Washington, D.C. We're in the new terminal, built for the World Cup happening in 2010. It's really nice. We have a moment when Fred mistakenly exchanged bags with another customer at the book store, but he quickly returns and they swap back.
We get to our gate and wait to board. But before we can, we are all told to stand up, form a line and we are searched. It's easy to tell we are flying to the United States.
Next: 30 hours of traveling, or "are we there yet?"
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