Travelling in the Time of Covid – Kruger National Park – Niks, Nada, Nothing

We are both awake before four o’clock this morning.  I step out of the caravan and is a surprise to find that it is overcast and cool.  Last night the wind disturbed our sleep but this morning it is calm.  There is a spit and a spot of rain.  I head to the ablutions and have a leisurely shower and then return to make our morning brew before we head out on a game drive.

After yesterday’s temperature high of 41 degrees C it is lovely to have a cool start to the day.  For Kruger temperatures in the mid-twenties are considered ‘cool’ and we enjoy the relief from the extreme heat.

The King of the Beasts’ message about all lockdown restrictions being lifted has not reached Letaba.   We drive all over the place and see niks, nada, nothing!   The creatures are hiding in their nests, dens and lairs. Even the bad days are good when you are travelling in Kruger.  Here are the photos of the ‘nothing’ that we see.

A lone saddle-billed stork is social distancing even from his wife.

Right from the start the impala knew those isolation rules were nonsense. The still don’t understand where the other creatures are.

Mrs Double-banded Sandgrouse is tired of quarantining and is out to see the sights

Mr Sandgrouse agrees that it is all a load of nonsense

“Lockdown? What lockdown?” asks Sebastian Sabota Lark

Haven’t you heard? The king of the beasts has lifted all restrictions sings Wendy White-browed Scrub Robin

“I’m just taking my daily exercise,” says Emma Emerald Wood-dove before disappearing back into the bush

At a quarter past nine, we arrive at Olifants where we meet Jim and Maureen for breakfast.  Yesterday they had to go to Hoedspruit for car repairs and while they were there they got us a new step for the caravan.   It is cool so we sit indoors and enjoy a lovely meal together. 

We leave after eleven o’clock.   The sightings on the way home are somewhat better.

Hello Geraldine – what are you doing in the road!

Karl Kudu is curious. “Lockdown over? What good news!”

What’s all the fuss about – Hubert Grey Heron just wants to go fishing

So does Jeremy Giant Kingfisher

And he opens his mouth to strongly express his opinion

You mean we can neck again – Oh goodie

May I have friends over to play?

At camp our neighbour shows me the Scops Owl and the Barred Owlet has returned to our tree.  Yesterday I miss identified him as a Pearl Spotted – Apologies for that.   The Pearl Spotted is similar and more commonly seen and I did not properly check to see which one it was.

I’m a barred owlet, silly!

Stevie Scops Owl just wants to sleep

The cicadas were very noisy yesterday but today we hardly hear them.  They start up this evening as if someone has flipped an on-switch 

They are quite harmless but scary when they fly into you.  And when they find themselves trapped in the caravan and you sweep them out with a broom they scream like babies.   This evening very few of them bother us as we braai before it gets dark and don’t switch on any lights to attract them.