Camp just doesn't seem the right word for it. 
The tents are not so much tents as canvas hotel rooms. If scout camp had been anything like this, I would have loved it! I liked scout camp, but this place is great!
The tents are huge and on raised wooden platforms about three feet off the ground. Each is comprised of two rooms: a sleeping area big enough for two single beds, a cabinet and the other accoutrements you'd be likely to find in any hotel room; and the bathroom with a huge shower, lavatory and basin. Each tent also has a large covered entry area with outside seating. A thirty-foot raised deck that has a large kitchen tent with sink, cooker, and refrigerator joins the two tents. Of the kitchen is a deck with a picnic table. Just down the steps from this is a braai (barbecue grill).
Last night we returned later than we had planned and had to eat in the dark. There are lights in all three tents of the suite, but they do not shed much light on the dining deck. Oh, they also turn off all the power at 22:00.
Today we had another great day of spotting game. Angie and Terry really are good at this! They took us to some great places to spot game, birds, reptiles, everything. The weather continued to behave itself and we had a good day for spotting.
It has worked-out great too! Kevin has done most of the driving in the park with Angie navigating from the front seat. I've been allowed to sit in the middle with Terry in the back. I know that the back of the van is the least comfortable seat, but Terry keeps saying that the middle is better for shooting pictures. I have easy access to open windows on both sides of the van.
Speaking of photography, I think I am getting some good pictures. I hope so at least! I have filed three cards on my camera… I cannot wait to get back to civilization to see the shots on something larger than the 1.5" preview on the back of the camera!
An interesting shot that I got was of a baby rhinoceros nursing. I guess I knew that they suckled their young, but I have never seen it! The calf just lay down in the middle of the road and started feeding off its mother. What a cool sight!
The big adventures for today include seeing my first lion in the wild. We saw a female, a juvenile, and a cub cross the road in front of us. Unfortunately, I was not in a position to shoot because they were right in front of us. Kevin was looking off to the left trying to spot where they had gone in the underbrush when he happened to catch movement out of the corner of his eye.
This big female had hung back to watch that the family was safe before joining them.
A little ways on, we saw a family of rhinoceros ahead of us. They were crossing the road when we came upon them as they were crossing the road. They were already agitated because the stupid family ahead of us (family of humans) was hanging out the top of their vehicle to take pictures. Guys, here is a word of advice: Fight the urge! Don't leave your vehicle or break the line by standing up out of the sunroof, or hanging out the windows. It spooks the game and you will lose the chance to see whatever it is that you are trying to get a better view of.
So, spooked already, the group was watching us very closely as we inched past them on the road. The bull was off the road by about ten feet… really too close to get to a rhino! To our left was the thicket they were in, to the right a pretty sheer decline into the valley.
According to the reconstructions we all shared later here is what happened:
Kevin decided that it was safe to go because they were paying no attention to us. I was trying to move my camera from the right side to the left to get shots of the beast as we passed. We got just a little too close for the bull's comfort and he charged.
Kevin did lots of mental calculation. "We're going over the cliff unless I can keep it on the road. I turn the wheel to the left and gun it to keep it on the road… that kind of thing."
Angie was looking out the window and saw the beast come to within a foot of the side and so she rolled up the window and braced for impact.
Terry was trying to decide how to explain this to the rental car company: "you see, there was this rhino…" would start the explanation. Our tale would be met by eye rolling of the "Oh! Not that old story again" variety and we would lose the deposit on the van.
I pictured the side of the van collapsing as the main horn was headed straight for me. It came within inches of hitting the side of the van. I dropped the camera on the seat next to me, grabbed to the handholds and yelled "Oh, god! Oh, God! OH GOD!"
At the last second and with distance estimates varying from a couple to a few inches, the beast feinted and moved off… we were heading out of his personal space by that point had he was convinced he had scared us off. He had!
In the aftermath, we all laughed, caught or breaths and exchanged our views of what we had just been through.
Wherever you are today, I hope you've had an exciting day!
Don Bergquist – 08 November 2007 – Mpila Camp, Imfolozi Game Reserve, South Africa
The tents are not so much tents as canvas hotel rooms. If scout camp had been anything like this, I would have loved it! I liked scout camp, but this place is great!The tents are huge and on raised wooden platforms about three feet off the ground. Each is comprised of two rooms: a sleeping area big enough for two single beds, a cabinet and the other accoutrements you'd be likely to find in any hotel room; and the bathroom with a huge shower, lavatory and basin. Each tent also has a large covered entry area with outside seating. A thirty-foot raised deck that has a large kitchen tent with sink, cooker, and refrigerator joins the two tents. Of the kitchen is a deck with a picnic table. Just down the steps from this is a braai (barbecue grill).
Last night we returned later than we had planned and had to eat in the dark. There are lights in all three tents of the suite, but they do not shed much light on the dining deck. Oh, they also turn off all the power at 22:00.
Today we had another great day of spotting game. Angie and Terry really are good at this! They took us to some great places to spot game, birds, reptiles, everything. The weather continued to behave itself and we had a good day for spotting.It has worked-out great too! Kevin has done most of the driving in the park with Angie navigating from the front seat. I've been allowed to sit in the middle with Terry in the back. I know that the back of the van is the least comfortable seat, but Terry keeps saying that the middle is better for shooting pictures. I have easy access to open windows on both sides of the van.
Speaking of photography, I think I am getting some good pictures. I hope so at least! I have filed three cards on my camera… I cannot wait to get back to civilization to see the shots on something larger than the 1.5" preview on the back of the camera!
An interesting shot that I got was of a baby rhinoceros nursing. I guess I knew that they suckled their young, but I have never seen it! The calf just lay down in the middle of the road and started feeding off its mother. What a cool sight!The big adventures for today include seeing my first lion in the wild. We saw a female, a juvenile, and a cub cross the road in front of us. Unfortunately, I was not in a position to shoot because they were right in front of us. Kevin was looking off to the left trying to spot where they had gone in the underbrush when he happened to catch movement out of the corner of his eye.
This big female had hung back to watch that the family was safe before joining them.A little ways on, we saw a family of rhinoceros ahead of us. They were crossing the road when we came upon them as they were crossing the road. They were already agitated because the stupid family ahead of us (family of humans) was hanging out the top of their vehicle to take pictures. Guys, here is a word of advice: Fight the urge! Don't leave your vehicle or break the line by standing up out of the sunroof, or hanging out the windows. It spooks the game and you will lose the chance to see whatever it is that you are trying to get a better view of.
So, spooked already, the group was watching us very closely as we inched past them on the road. The bull was off the road by about ten feet… really too close to get to a rhino! To our left was the thicket they were in, to the right a pretty sheer decline into the valley.
According to the reconstructions we all shared later here is what happened:
Kevin decided that it was safe to go because they were paying no attention to us. I was trying to move my camera from the right side to the left to get shots of the beast as we passed. We got just a little too close for the bull's comfort and he charged.
Kevin did lots of mental calculation. "We're going over the cliff unless I can keep it on the road. I turn the wheel to the left and gun it to keep it on the road… that kind of thing."
Angie was looking out the window and saw the beast come to within a foot of the side and so she rolled up the window and braced for impact.
Terry was trying to decide how to explain this to the rental car company: "you see, there was this rhino…" would start the explanation. Our tale would be met by eye rolling of the "Oh! Not that old story again" variety and we would lose the deposit on the van.
I pictured the side of the van collapsing as the main horn was headed straight for me. It came within inches of hitting the side of the van. I dropped the camera on the seat next to me, grabbed to the handholds and yelled "Oh, god! Oh, God! OH GOD!"
At the last second and with distance estimates varying from a couple to a few inches, the beast feinted and moved off… we were heading out of his personal space by that point had he was convinced he had scared us off. He had!
In the aftermath, we all laughed, caught or breaths and exchanged our views of what we had just been through.
Wherever you are today, I hope you've had an exciting day!
Don Bergquist – 08 November 2007 – Mpila Camp, Imfolozi Game Reserve, South Africa
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