Those roads remind me of my 57 years in East and Southern Africa. Bumpy, yes, but I miss them, and the cold mornings changing into warm to hot days. "You can take the man out of Africa, but you can't take Africa out of the man" Anon.
I and my sister 4 and 5, with mum and dad landed in Dar in 1951, we left Enttebbe in 1967, basically my childhood was growing up in Tanganyika and Uganda, love watching travellers on U tube passing through these countries and seeing how they have changed and remembering our safari’s in the Serengeti and the Queen Elizabeth game parks, wonderful, a long time ago but not forgotten.
I love your trip..I live in and love SA. Did you get to Cape Town or the Garden Route where I live? I would like to see more of the inside of your van and what kind of van is it? I am new to your channel. Thanks a lot for sharing
Glad you enjoyed our country’s finest park. You very very lucky to have had two leopard sightings in one day. Just for interest, the large bird you saw is a Kori Bustard and the antelopes in the South are Impala, not Springbuck. The monkeys on the bridge are Chacma baboons from the old world monkey family.
I grew up in Kruger and watching you drive the familiar roads and seeing home through your innocence and glee gave a whole new perspective for me, and I realised how blasé me and my fellow Park inhabitants are. Thank you for that...
@@heloisepotgieter7342hi Heloise , it's Koenie . Remember me , my brother had his arm taken off by a crocodile while we were fishing in Sand River. Your dad rushed us to Phalaborwa hospital . I'll never forget that battle that day. We had just started high school. Anyway I loved you all, hope life has been kind.
I have to say that you guys were extremely lucky with animal sightings. I've lived in South Africa all my life and visited Kruger numerous times and I've never experienced sightings like that in two days. Wow, wow, wow. The leopard is the most elusive animal and you had 2 sightings. Lion, OMW we travelled for 4 days through Kruger and didn't sight one. You saw everything except a Cheetah. Vultures at a kill site and a hyena with carcass. You guys were truly blessed with this trip. There are so many rest camps in Kruger with Curio shops that you could have gotten a sticker from? It's wild but the camp sites are very commercialised. I'm thoroughly enjoying seeing my country through your eyes. Thank you. ❤
Marianne and Chris, Thank you! My lovely wife Claire was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimers in September of 2020 and we've been following you since then. Claire can no longer follow a movie or TV show plot but she (and I) love watching your adventures. She lights up every Sunday when I invite her into my office to watch your latest update. We are living vicariously through you. Many Thanks!
Thank you so much for sharing your story and we appreciate that you come with us every week - there will be more adventures until we cross paths with you one day, until then we have some travelling to do together 😉🌺🌷🚐💛 kind regards and hugs to you both xxx
Hats off to all those people who had to build those bridges and miles of roads where lions and (no Tigers) but other dangerous wild animals Rome freely ❤
Oh the widlife wouldn't have been interested in the contruction going on in their midst. I expect they kept well clear of the noise and dust associated with it all.
There are NO Tigers on the African continent!! Lions, leopards, cheetahs, Caracals, African Wild Cats, Servals and many smaller species of wild cats are to be found in Africa.
It’s awesome how excited you guys get when you see the animals. They are beautiful. We live on a game reserve ourselves, the animals come right to the house, South Africa is majestic
You have no idea how lucky you are to see a leopard like that in broad daylight and so close! I have been to national parks so many times and only saw leopard briefly at night. You have just won the game spotters jackpot!🙂
The trees are Mopani trees and their leaves change colour in the Spring. Interesting facts about Mopani trees:- Mopane twigs have been traditionally used as tooth brushes, the bark to make twine and for tanning leather, and the leaves for healing wounds. The wood is also used to make charcoal and for braai wood. The tree is a major food source for the mopane worm, the caterpillar of the moth Gonimbrasia belina. The scent is rom the Sagebrush plants alongside the road. What is African sage used for? Salvia africana | PlantZAfrica A remedy made by mixing S. africana tea with Epsom salts and lemon juice was used by the early settlers in South Africa to treat stomach troubles, including colic, diarrhoea, flatulence, heartburn, gripes and indigestion. It was also given to cows after calving to help in the expulsion of the placenta. Also those ''monkeys'' on the bridge are Chacma Baboons.
Gosh I was watching and I just started crying when I saw all the animals and the leopard really gave me such a sense of nostalgia.. there is no place like home
You were SO blessed to have a leopard - one of the most elusive animals in the bush - walk right past your van on your first day in Kruger!! Being out of Blighty you have no idea how blessed you were.
Always lovely to see my country through the eyes of people not from here. Thank you. Winter is a popular time to visit the Kruger. During our summer holiday everyone goes to the coastal towns and cities. A few minutes away from where I live in Pretoria we have a hiking trial in the middle of a suburb where we see some buck/deer and zebras every time we go for a hike there. No fences between the walking trial winding up and down over the stream and under the trees and the animals. No dangerous animals though.
@@karenmcghee6424 Oh dear!! Well I know how you feel as I've lived in UK 74 years but regularly travelled throughout Europe where the skies were always clear blue. Even Switzerland in the depths of winter the mountains will be surrounded by blue skies.
@@axiom1509Crocafellas- it closed down quite a while ago. It's offices of one of the local farms now. We use to love Crocafelllas, it is very sad that they closed down.
Kruger park: my heart! Love, love, love Kruger! Have such fond memories of being there and your drive took me back to a memory of having a flat tire between olifants and Satara. We had to sit in the car till we were rescued. I am not South African and have been twice to the country because I fell in love with Africa. I plan to go back someday. I could just sit on a park bench outside of skukuza and listen to the hippos. So happy you went
@markyeadon7271 I came back to the UK last year after +40 years living in SA.. and I am disillusioned. Obviously, things change, but we remember how it was then, and it has been an eye-opener. Where is Nirvana in any case?
Eswatini, Eswatini. I WILL train my mind to remember the name of this country. Alas the capitals, I will leave to the pub quiz fanatics! Travel is such a rich classroom. Thanks.
If you do decide to fill your bucket list, plan to spend at least a week in the Kruger National Park and bring a South African animal reference book as well as a birding book. Don't forget your binoculars and camera.
Wow! Epic! There are not enough superlatives to describe this vlog!! The drive through the Kruger National Park was incredible and it was a pleasure to virtually travel with you both. We're both still new to Van life and have found your travels inspiring to say the least. Sadly we are unable to join you in Telford but we're hoping to catch you at the NEC in October. Stay safe. Sid and Nicola, Rugby UK
You were very lucky to see a leopard like that! They are the most elusive of the Big 5. Some people go on multiple safaris and never see one. And if they do, it's usually not a clear, close up experience like you had. They are generally solitary, and cautious, and are seldom encountered.. And you just came upon one lying in the road! That incredible -almost unheard of.
Going to be in Kruger for August this year with my Dad. We try to go once a year for a week. So glad you got to see leopard. We hardly ever see leopard except for far off in a tree.
I look forward to your videos every week! Started following you from the Bluff when you arrived in SA. Love your positivity and enthusiasm as your venture through Southern Africa! I am so envious that you had 2 leopard sightings on your first day in Kruger! You were so lucky!! Proudly South African 🇿🇦
I'm sitting here, on a wet & dreary day in Ireland, looking at your video of the country I used to call home... I won't lie; it's bringing a lump to my throat. I'm so glad you love Africa; she really is special.
Oh My!!! Lion King, Elephants on Parade, Hungry Hippo and a Laughing Hyena (just pulled someone's leg)!!! Not to mention Hog-Warts(?) Cheeky Monkeys and best of all a Zebra Crossing!!! Sensory Overload. Amazing!!!
What an amazing trip, you have both made such a magical series of travel vlogs, how awe-inspiring... but for me the moment at 33:00 when you back up to let the elephant cross with her baby and she acknowledges your kindness, that brought me to tears. Thank you for bringing us such joy.
Seeing a leopard on your first trip to Kruger is mental. I've been going to the bush for 20 years every weekend and have only seen about 8 leopards in that time.
As a South African I've loved how you've taken us with along this part of your journey. Piggs Peak is the most beautiful part of such a lovely country - eSwatini. And - just past the border on the way to Malelane is Shongwe Hospital. I worked there for a year in the late 80s. It is a stretch of land dear to my heart. In the old days we'd drive into Swaziland to go shopping and buy petrol - Malelane only had one small store and the fuel and meat was a lot cheaper in Swaziland. Now - you go to the massive Spar in Malelane. Hope you enjoyed the Avos!
Waaauuuuwww. That's a great sighting of the leopard. I've been into the Kruger more than 100x in my life and I don't think I've ever seen something like that. You more likely see bits of them hidden amongst the branches of trees, or moving in the distance - but slowly walking past your car window is a very rare treat!
Greetings from Kuala Lumpur Chris. Thanks for sharing these great moments at the park. The reaction of the guard on the places you have traveled with Trudy is priceless. I wish you and Marianne a safe journey to the homecoming party.
Hey Pat - so glad you enjoyed this one, it is one of our favourite experiences of ALL times !! Sending love to you both in Wales (PS Kruger NP is the same size as Wales ?!?!) speak soon M xx
Omg to see the animals in their rightful habitat, this has to rate as number 1 on your world trip! Edge of the seat stuff just "Epic" looking forward to next week's episode! Stay safe both of you! 🦒 🐘 🦏
I live 50Km from Kruger & even when I lived nuch further we ofren visit. Pity you didn't spot a kudu ram - they are so majestic! On every visit we saw something surprising or specracular - it's the luck of the draw unfortunately. So glad you're enjoying your stay.
You had some great sightings, but that is because you really pay attention to your surroundings. Many people visit the park for years without seeing a leopard and you had two! The "secretary bird" was a kori bustard, the world's biggest flying bird. Really enjoyed seeing Kruger through your eyes.
So so happy for you both to see Kruger NP at its very best whilst looking after Trudy on sealed roads . You lucky things seeing that majestic leopard ❤
Animals like lions use the roads. In winter tbey seek the black top roads at night. The previous days sun will havw warmed them. Animals in Kruger are acclimatised to cars, they consider them part of the environment.
It’s so good seeing Kruger through first time tourists eyes . We spend 3-4 months in Kruger each year and it’s just such a gem . Thanks for sharing 👏👏. That big bird btw, is a Kori Bustard 😂🙌
Hi Chris and Marion, such a fantastic video, I almost felt as I was there, I've never had a great passion visiting Africa but now I am a little confused🤔thank you
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