Africa.Jungle and veldt by Caravan and Sedan chair.

[JohnM]

You've shown a multitude of reasons why I love Africa...

 

[drron]

Coming into EBB-

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That is a Google VIP plane.A B767 that started life with QF.
So a bus from our caravan to arrivals.bags very quickly there.Up to the waiting lounge and I go off to the Protea to collect our bags.So $us10 in a taxi.Get our bags and ask if I can get a shuttle back.Sorry sir the shuttle is on the way to Kampala.Tip the fellow $2 and lo and behold I can get a car back to the airport.Whilst waiting for the bags I got a shot of the view from the Protea-

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So back to the waiting room.Unfortunately you are not allowed into the checkin area until 90 minutes before flight so 2 hours in a non air conditioned room with very high humidity.Note the most flights are from the UN-

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There is a duty free shop-

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Apparently we don't rate as Entitled Persons in Uganda.TDKWIA.Our SAA flight comes up as checkin just over 2 hours from departure so we go to the main security.The first fellow doesn't want to allow us in but a second waves us in.You also have to show your yellow fever card at security and again at checkin.Agent a bit slow at checkin but no lines at Immigration.Again very variable-mrsdrron had photo and fingerprints taken,me only photo.Immigration KWIA.
SAA J pax get Karibuni lounge access.Once again strange food,awful wines so I have a beer.A UN plane takes off-

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[drron]

I'm sure there are a few more highlights yet JohnM.
Preboarding was called an hour before flight so you go through more security and sit in a crowded gate area.Going through security this time they wanted your belt and shoes off.Wouldn't believe I was going to set of the alarm anyway.More of a worry was their insistence that mrsdrron take off her gold bracelet.She stood her ground saying it never comes off.I was in no doubt had she done so it would have disappeared.
An Emirates plane had come in and we were joined by a young pilot in uniform carrying a Dubai duty free bag.Interstingly the EK 777 had come in at an airbridge but people deplaned via stairs.

Once again a bus to our plane.Not a big load so it had been subbed with an A319.J was exactly the same as European domestic J.
SA 161. EBB-JNB. ETD-1520. Push back-1517. Take off-1523. Seats-2A,C.
ETA-1830. Landed-1814. At Bay-1821.
J is a 2-3 set up with 3-3 in Y.This time they collected our sparkling glasses before take-off.Good bye Uganda-

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Soon dinner was served.It was awful.Mrsdrron started with a salad-

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Notice the meat.It was probably on board for several flights.Went back virtually uneaten.I ordered the salmon terrine-

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A very thin sliver of salmon wrapped around a slab of butter.no kidding.Only the salmon was consumed.
Then mains.mrsdrron had a pasta with a tomato and cheese sauce.the tomato was burnt,the sauce congealed and the pasta so overcooked it was hard.

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I ordered the beef.Told sorry only 2 serves loaded.Only the chicken with plantain,peppers and rice left.The peppers burnt,never have liked plantain anfd the chicken had obviously died of exhaystion after being chased down the road.To say it was as tough as old boots would not do justice to old boots.Noted later that both pilots had the beef.

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Then dessert.Sounded wonderful.An amarula pudding.looked OK-

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But 2 rubbery slices of no particular flavour separated by sponge.Underwhelming.
Now the seat.Y type legroom and virtually no recline-

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Glad to get to JNB early.However then had to wait 10 minutes until a bus arrived to take us to Immigration.Last of the bus but fortunately nearly everyone on board was South African so very little queue.Once again you had to show your yellow fever certificate.When we arrived at the agent the woman at the next agent had taken an age.Turned out her yellow fever was out of date and they were waiting for a supervisor.She was finally allowed in.
Arrived at the carousel which was moving but no bags.Noticed 6 bags standing beside the carousel.They were the priority tagged bags so we were very quickly on the way to the IC JNB.

However an Army guy took our trolley and insisted on taking us to the IC.I wasn't going to argue with an armed soldier.He of course then demanded payment.gave him 10 zar which he said wasn't enough.Cost us 30 zar.

Checkin at the IC was fine.Directed to the Ambassador line and thanked for my IHG loyalty.Well it was my 3rd ever stay.However no upgrade and on the first floor,Still a nice room-

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[drron]

After unpacking and a bath we had dinner at the hotel restaurant Quills.Mrsdrron had carpaccio and classic crème brulee.I had duck with beetroot and bok choi.I asked for it medium rare but it was very well done.For dessert I had the pannacotta with mint and chocolate.

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The desserts were most unusual.The creme Brulee first-

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The view in the morning.Spectacular!

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We were picked up at the IC and driven for 4 hours to Sanctuary Makanyane Safari lodge.Some pics on the way-

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Passed many mines.Gold or platinum usually.

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Stopped for a coffee and stretch the legs at the town of Sun City.A mobile post office was there-

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[drron]

Another mine.The last hour was on a fairly rough gravel road.Finally there-

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Initially they had us in the furthest room,mrsdrron wanted something closer.so had lunch first before going to the room.A cheeky visitor at lunch time-

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When we first entered the room this is what I first saw-

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But there was more.A female bushbuck.Dad was a little more reserved and checked us out from behind a tree.

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[love_the_life]

drron, were you staying at CP or IC Tambo Airport? As you seemed to walk over to the hotel and ate in Quills it sounds like the latter.

 

[mrs.dr.ron]

Intercontinental !

 

[love_the_life]

Intercontinental !

Thanks mrs.dr.ron, That's where we have stayed several times and I was a bit confused though wondered if the hotel had changed its branding since we were last there about 18 months ago. It's a very convenient location when flying in or out of JNB IMO.

 

[drron]

Sorry love_the_life.I blame my CRAFT disease.
But to our delightful room at Makanyane-

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You could shower outside with the animals or inside which we preferred-

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[drron]

After taking the photos of the room I noticed the third member of the bushbuck family,the offspring-

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The monkeys were still feeding-

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At 1630 it was time for afternoon tea.Then you went out on the second game drive of the day.You had sundowners on this drive and when you got back a drink and canapes.At 2030 dinner was served.But here we go on our first drive at Makanyane.We see a few wildebeest and impala.The roller gets our attention.

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Continuing on with the bird sightings-

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[love_the_life]

Sorry love_the_life.I blame my CRAFT disease.

Dare I enquire?

The room looks great - looking for a possible lodge for our next safari visit - last time was &Beyond in Timbavati and Sabi Sand, not sure where to next time though.Will be interested to hear of your experience here.

 

[mrs.dr.ron]

Dare I enquire?..........

C R A F T = Cant Remember A cough*ing Thing !! or if you are polite Flaming

 

[drron]

A couple of minor players-

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But then one of the big ones-

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A white rhino and 2 youngsters.

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It turned out there were 2 mothers

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[drron]

Lots of birds and then the next big one-

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Not too long and yet another of the 5-

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[love_the_life]

drron, at the lodge you are staying out, are the vehicles able to go off road when on safari drives so that you can get closer to the animals?

 

[drron]

drron, at the lodge you are staying out, are the vehicles able to go off road when on safari drives so that you can get closer to the animals?

Makanyane is situated on a private reserve so vehicles can go off road.there are only 16 guests maximum so there is no congestion.
It is situated right next to Madikwe Game reserve the 5th largest in South Africa and we did go into there.Much stricter rules re going off road.Allowed for rarer sightings such as Leopard,cheetah and wild dogs.Not at all for elephants or buffalo.lions and rhino if exceptional circumstances.

The Government bought out several cattle properties to form Madikwe.Then brought in 10000 mammals.it is 680 km2,750 counting the private lands.
Madikwe Game Reserve

The Sanctuary lodge is owned by a Melbourne couple and Sanctuary manages it.It is 1800 hectares.
Luxury Safari Lodge South Africa | Sanctuary Makanyane

 

[drron]

Time for an African sunset-

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[drron]

The first night we missed sundowners as it was known there was a lioness in the area and our guide Darren had seen fresh tracks.However no luck and no other animals so it was back to the lodge at 1930 for a pink gin and ostrich canapes.Back to the room to freshen up before back to the main lodge.Most of the other guests are young British couples on their honeymoon.All travelling separately but all off to Mauritius for their next stop.

For dinner it was pea soup to start,a choice of gravlax or nectarine and haloumi salad for starters and prawn risotto or beef fillet for main then finishing with one of those low calorie chocolate puddings.However at dinner I heard the news I feared-last night they had all seen a leopard.Resigned to missing a close up again.

Up at 0530 and you can have a light breakfast if you wish.We would just have a juice.Before setting off on the morning drive I see the sunrise,and Venus,from the deck-

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Off at 0610 and saw the rest of the sunrise-

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[drron]

The morning drive belonged to mrsdrron.She spotted first a warthog,black backed jackal,elephant and lanner falcon.

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But our guide was looking for lions.The lodge has a sleepout area a fair distance from the lodge proper.The couple who stayed there for the night saw a lioness walking past.So Darren knew they were here.We were driving down a rough track with lots of spiny acacia.Through a small break in the trees mrsdrron spotted this-

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Then mum appeared-

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[drron]

The youngster noticed something-

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The family were on the move-

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