Maroela — our favorite campsite!

I guess I’m glad I didn’t know this was a spitting cobra when I leaned out the window to take the pic

We’re at the Maroela camp in Kruger now. We stayed here in November and this camp remains one of our favorites— it’s small with about a dozen campers; it’s quiet, and it sits just above a dry riverbed frequented by elephants. We’re on the perimeter fence and have a great view of the ellies when they come through. And apparently an elephant did come through — straight through the electrified camp fence, which appears no longer electrified and no longer a fence. 

Given ellies can smell water underground, I imagine they smell all of our fruits and sweets, as do many of the other animals. We just saw monkeys taking off with the neighbors gummy bears earlier this morning. It appears another monkey got into their camper. The poor people! They’re out for a game drive and have no idea the potential destruction. The monkeys have been on their awning, sliding down the awning poles, on the table, overturning buckets… Richard chased them away with the monkey ax (a wonderful deterrent, though they ignore me when I wield it). They didn’t give up, but Richard did get a bag of gummies back.

We’ve done several long drives — five and six hours— to explore the park in this area. We usually go mid morning & afternoon, which partly impedes seeing animals (they are out more often than not in the early morning and and again after it starts to cool). We have an ulterior motive though—air conditioning! It is incredibly hot right now, just blazing some days. I’m lethargic, gross, and sweaty, but still loving the beauty of this place. However, for me, there was a slight hiccup in enjoying that beauty this morning as I sweated over laundry (literally, so do I need to wash it again?), got chased by a monkey, and then stung by a bee. Now though, I have a cup of cold white wine and my comfort food of crackers and cream cheese. My feet are up and I’m back to satisfied, if still sweaty.

As a side note, I’m trying not to mimic the go-away bird each time it cries “wah” like a two year old, then “wah, go ‘way.” I find it oddly relaxing, but I think Richard finds it rather annoying.

More pics!

Bob the hyena at the fence making his rounds:

You can’t see me behind this bush

Is that steak on the braai that I smell?

Our cozy campsite overlooking the riverbed:

Laundry day! Yes, this bucket & a clothesline for six months!

We’re those crackers I heard?

More soon!