ON OUR WAY TO MALELANE .When Faaiz Oz is around me there is never a dull moment.Oz mentioned to me about going on a tour with Awesome Kruger Tours who is also family into the Kruger Bush.Tiny Loonat was to lead the expedition of about 7 guys in an Open Safari Vehicle, stay in a tented camp in the Bush, communal showers and toilets in the bush and of course 3 days of Solid Adventure.At first I was reluctant because of time etc.Faaiz convinced me along with Azee Hansrod from Benoni.That was it.I was in and we began counting down the days.We were to leave on Wednesday.On Tuesday night I met Faiz at the Caltex in Glenhove.We finalised all the details.Our money was paid to Awesome Kruger Tours which meant that all we had to do was get to Malelane.From that point on every inch of the Safari was sorted.On Wednesday morning we headed off to pick our mentor, ranger and guide and owner of Awesome Kruger Tours, Tiny and Naeem up and we loaded the vehicle with the essential groceries, spare tyres, and the gear we would need to make the trip In order to survive you need to make sure you travel well and with plenty of food and essential supplies."Dan tun tun tun Dan"-The Oz Safari Survival Chronicles (in the voice of Bear Grills).All loaded we set of to Malalane with the vehicle loaded.Azee and Nelson were to meet us there after midnight, Myseld, Faaiz, Tiny and Naeem set off to Malalane which is an hour or so from Nelspruit.We were excited and made a pact to not discuss Kruger on the way lol.All stories were to be saved for the fire.As we reached Malalane and the Mpumelanga province we were greeted by overcast weather and drizzle.Malalane is about an hour away from Nelspruit.Quite a picturesque town surrounded by Mountains and just two km from Malalane gate and the Kruger National Park.The notorious Leopard Creek is also next to the gate.We met Frank, Tinys Game Ranger, collected the Safari Vehicle, did a cross check and our excitement was building.We finally were going to get to see the Kruger National Park from an open Safari Vehicle.We packed out and sorted the supplies.Food, Meat, Torches, equipment, cameras, utensils, drinks, cooler boxes and other essential items needed for a Safari specified by Tiny.We checked into overnight accommodation in Malalane and relaxed and had a few smokes.We were getting there.We put the Safari vehicle to the test and headed of to Chicken Licken in downtown cbd.The cool wind bellowing on me and Oz in the back.Oh we couldnt wait for Thursday morning.Everybody was excited.The Benoni boys introduced us to Wings, I grabbed a Chicwich sandwich.We had a good supper and headed back.En route my Cap and Oakleys flew off lol, retrieved though by Naeem Abdul who was going to experience the Kruger Park for the very first time.We got back to our lodge, headed off outside, sat with some smokes and experienced the famous Enrista Coffee for the first time.Now Im a Coffee con nosier but lemme tell you this coffee was something else.Legend has it that this specific coffee tastes this way only in the Kruger.There was more to come.The chaps wound down and talked a few stories and heard the birds and the frogs in the peaceful Malalane air.It was then that Tiny said."You have no idea whats in store for you guys in terms of the sounds of the Wild.OUR ENCOUNTER WITH BUSHMAN BOBBY .While we were messing about in the lodge a rather strange character dressed in a Safari Suit and armed with a rifle and a big beard approached us for a cigarette.Who was this man.He introduced himself as Bushman Bobby, a man who claims to know the Bush better than anybody.Who is Tiny.Tiny is small compared to this guy.As he smoked and heard our stories he always retaliated with a story that was better.We chatted about Scorpions, he recalled of an incident where they were surrounded by large Scorpions and they made a circle and read the Manzil to drive the scorpions away.We spoke of snakes he reckon that he once encountered a Mozambican spitting Cobra and he spat in the Cobras eyes before it could spit at him.This man was remarkable.He counter acted Tiny in every way.He also mentioned that he seen an Impala kill a Lioness at the Kruger Park once.He even out laughed a Hyena, has a bigger trunk than an elephant and his said his beard was once bigger that the Bergandal King.We talked about Mosquitoes and he said that in Zambia once he seen Mosquitoes the size of a dragon fly like in the movie JUMANJI.His one cigarette turned into ten, he took a pack from us and left.The okes were just shocked.Were we going to see the last of Bushman Bobby.When he left we hit the sack, In the process Azee and Nelson arrived and it was an early morning on Thursday.We were set to wake up at four.The excitement was unbearable and the day approached.KRUGER PARK DIARY DAY 2 .We awoke on Day 2 full of excitement.15 minutes away from Malelane gate.We got up, got ready, loaded the Safari Vehicle.Put our gear into black plastic packets and placed it on the back of the Safari Vehicle.We were good to go.Azee, Myself, Faaiz Oz, Nelson, Naeem & Tiny.That was the crew.We drove by car toward Malelane and we were to meet our guide Tiny at the gate.Once we reached Malelani gate we seen the picturesque Leopard Creek Resort as Dawn broke.It was early.5.30 am.And rainy.Tiny briefed us again on some rules and regulations of the Park and we went through the gate.The smell of the air and the sounds of the Wild was so welcoming.Peace and mystical sounds of the early birds in the Kruger National Park.Just too good.We drove to Berg-en-Dal Camp seeing a few elephants and Giraffes along the way.At Berg-en-Dal we left Azees car, took a stroll around the camp, boarded our Safari vehicle and set off on the journey to our camp Tamboti.About 100 kms to the North at 50 kmph.We estimated arrival at about 4pm.We hopped on the Safari Vehicle and experienced the magic of an open Safari Vehicle in the wild.It was a bit chilly early in the morning with the drizzle but the sight and sounds experienced from above, purely fantastic.It was about 7.am and our first stop was majulu dam.A watering hall near the bridge where a Ranger was once killed by a leopard as he answered the call of nature under the bridge.So picture this, Enrista coffee which was now becoming the best coffee Ive ever tasted with Choc Chip cookies overlooking the bush and listening to the sounds of the Kruger including a woodpecker along side us.It was the first time I actually ever took notice of the birds of the Kruger in all its color and splendour.And the coffee went down like you cant believe.As we drove on Tint stopped the vehicle and picked a leaf.He sent each one of us one and told us to split it.We pondered why.Once split and inserted in water you can actually make tea with these.Amazing "To survive in the wild after a big meal you need tea.And if you need tea you know where to look".Dan Dan Dan din Dan-Oz Survivor Safari chronicles.We drove on toward a camp near Lugmag dam where we were set to have lunch.En route we seen lots of birds, Elephants again, buffalo, some Kudu and a lazy croc on the banks.And always kept our eyes peeled with the Binoculars.It was fantastic to view game in the open air.We pit stopped for a break at the famous Skukuza camp which has now developed into a yown over the years.Its always tradition to stop over at Skukuza.You just have to take a stroll to the river and enjoy the view A little later we got a beautiful site of some Black Rhinos and an elephant that gave us a show by uprooting trees and having a feast.He was really up close and personal.As we approached Lugmag dam Nelson made the ominous mistake by pronouncing it a s LUGG MEGG.The lads tore into him.Tiny then used his experienced and we seen our first group of Lions.Resting on the dirt near the river a km away from where we supposed to have lunch.Its always an amazing feeling of success when you spot Lions in the Kruger Park.Sometimes you could go on for days and not see a thing.We said wed return after lunch as the lions looked like they were not going anyway.We braced on a dirt road and to our joy about 50 m in was a gorgeous leopard resting on a tree.Lions and Leopard in the space of an hour.We were lucky.The boys were excited.We sighted a Leopard.What a beautiful creature which was Tinys favourite hence the logo of Awesome Kruger Tours.Amazing.Truly Amazing We reached our Lunch destination.And guess what we were surrounded by about 200 buffalo.Lunch was at a camp where you enter at your own risk.Its not fenced off but fairly safe as there is a lot of movement.But burgers on a skottle braai with 200 buffalo? Can you ask for more? Beautiful site.And the burgers with a Steers rave sauce and nandos peri peri was awesome.We drove back to LUGG MEGG dam and parked off.Switched off and listened and watched.A hippo and her baby were wallowing in the shallows and our Lions by now made their way nearer to us on the bank.They lazed and we watched.Awesome.We had to push on as we needed to be at Camp before sunset as we still had to pack and we were staying in tented camps in the Bush.We pressed on en seen the rare Sable and then a beautiful sighting.A male and female Ostrich and their chicks.First time Ive ever seen Ostrich babies.And watching the mother scurry over and safeguard them as they straddled away was remarkable.At about 5pm we reached our camp Tamboti.My first here.Normally camps like Skukuza and Satara etc are built up and are like towns.Tamboti was different.It was luxury tents surrounded by Bush and well the toilets and showers were communal and 100meters away from our two tents.We faced the fence which was like 20 meters away.We off loaded our gear and food and Tiny briefed us about Tamboti and its surroundings.There was a resident Leopard that was spotted in the camp regularly so we were told not to go walk about at night.The gates of the camp stay open.Scary though LOL.Be careful what you step on and check the corners of the tent.This was mamba and puff adder territory.And check your shoes for Scorpions.All said and done we loaded our gear, checked in and started an early fire.Now this is the Kruger in all its splendour.The sounds of the night, the eerie Hyena shriek, the Owls and the rustling near the fence.As we sat near the burning fire we shone our spotlight against the fence.We had a visitor.A Hyena stared at us as we waited to place our massive Dinosaur steak and Wors on the Braai.A braai in the wild is tradition and goes down ever so well.We were stuffed.Had some smokes and our Enrista coffee which was now compulsory.Then Tiny introduced us to a magical ritual.We lined our chairs up, stared at the fence with our coffee and no one was to utter a word for fifteen minutes.That was the rule."In order to survive you need food.And if you need food you need protein.Steak has plenty of protein.Dan Dan Dan din Dan"-The Oz Safari Survivor chronicles.There was no better insight into the sounds of the Kruger National park at night.With that feeling we went to bed.Myself, Oz and Naeem laid down on our pillows and simply passed out.We were to wake up at 5am on Friday Morning for a morning Drive.
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