Roadtrip, Camping and Endless Horizons



2024 Jan - Mpumalanga



Jan 3rd. With my dad now safe and comfortable in his routine, and his caregivers back from their holidays, Nishan and I set off on a road trip to see Blyde River Canyon.
I planned our route and areas we wanted to visit, but booked nothing ahead so we could travel with no fixed timeline.



Ithala Game Reserve

It took almost 5hrs to get here...

Reception is an hour away from the bush camp...



We decided to have lunch at the lodge, before we headed for the bush. (The vegan option was healthy and delicious!)


Testing our ability to pitch a tent and camp overnight for the very first time, without any humans watching.



Coffee in a glass
(with a note to pack mugs next time)



No camp is complete without a fire
(even on a hot summers night)





I initially found our spot for the night, but my camp director did not approve.
(Only much later did we read the notice in the kitchen about the river's resident crocodile.)



Still to come: A whole night of heavy rain.
Our midnight visit to the bathroom in the rain, the unexpected deer residents, and toilets with no doors :-().
Luckily the resident crocodile stuck to the river, just 10m behind us.
Sleeping at a slight slant, with damp bedding and no en-suite is a challenge.



The view and sounds inside the tent reminded Nishan of iSinembe

The route from reception to the camp site included a 30min 4x4 track.
(Trying to avoiding this track the next morning on our way out, took us on an hour long drive back to the campsite.)







Blyde River Canyon Nature Reserve

Finally. Thank you, Nishan!



It was raining when we arrived at the resort, so we opted for a pre-erected resort tent. (We'll need to be more prepared for rain on our next trip).
Hearing every word spoken at site next to ours ... :-( ... a resort caravan park is not for us. We'll stick to remote bush camps.





Acrophobia



Bourkes Luck Potholes





God's Window, Blyde River Canyon Nature Reserve (take 4)

The Graskop Hotel more than made up for the day lost to mist. Hoping God will open the curtains tomorrow and let us in on the view. 108.. 107..106 ..



3..2..1..0 Due respect paid for getting us here.



Luckily we were allowed to enter the park before sunrise and left before the park opened.





Only 2 of us and absolute tranquility

Olifants Rest Camp, Kruger National Park



This stop was not in our original plan, and due to their IT system failure we could not stay the night here.



Conquering Nkumbe Hill, Kruger National Park (take 2)





Thank you Sudha for the Vegan Lindt!



Nishan thought he finally spotted a giraffe



Lower Sabie, Kruger National Park



Jozini Dam, Pongola Game Reserve



Sodwana Bay, iSimangaliso Wetland Park

Our plan was to drive through Maputo on our return and visit a client on our way. When these plans changed, Nishan drove directly to Mkondo for a sleepover, and then to Sodwana.



Kosi Bay Nature Reserve



I cooked! And happy to do it again :-)



Thanks to the amazing generosity of a neighbouring camper, we were treated to an evening cruise through the lakes and channels!



We can spend our twilight years like this.







Sunrise



Somerset Park

We took breaks at Cape Vidal (iSimangaliso Wetland Park), Richards Bay (to see Cad) and Umlalazi Nature Reserve on our way home.

Pitstop to plan the next drive.

We returned in time to celebrate Dad's 86th birthday on the 11th of Jan with cake and ice-cream which he ordered via Indran the week before.