Day 12 30/6/2010 Ab Aeterno

• The first day since the World Cup where no games are being played. Sniff.
• Why is it that when the alarm goes off at 5am, I am the only one who wakes up? So I go back to sleep and at 7 when the others wake up from the sun, I am blamed for not waking them up? But I thought they needed the sleep!
• So our plans to get our real early are dashed, but we do our best. Our plan today is to drive to Crook's Corner, the north-eastern confluence of the Limpopo and Luvuvhu Rivers where South Africa, Zimbabwe and Mozambique meet. Along the way, we see beautiful birds and stop off at potential waterholes, but see nothing of the big five.
• On the way to Crook's Corner we reach the Limpopo River and spot crocodiles on the far and near river banks. I stop the car, jump out, and peg a rock at the water in front of two crocodiles, mouths wide open. It hits the water and BANG! The crododiles dive into the water immediately, so fast and quick, I jump about a metre into the air and scream around the car back into the driver's seat! Down river we see hippos for the first time.
• Crook's Corner is named for the spot where criminals used to jump the border and thus evade capture. The area is fenced and we are allowed to get out - at our own risk. Chris, Roy and I jump the fence to get closer to the river bank and get closer to the grunts; ten or so hippos all lined up and rolling over each other. Could run across their backs from South Africa to Zimbabwe. Look east and there's Mozambique.
• Scotch a plan to cross the border into Mozambique and get another stamp in passport when I am only one to leave passport back at lodge. Pity. But on the way back we encounter Africa's ugliest bird, the Skeksis lookalike from the Dark Crystal, the Southern Ground-Hornbill.
• A late afternoon drive through the back part of Punda Maria leads us to some wonderful giraffes and elephants, one passing in front of our car, another mother elephant protecting her calf from us on the other side of the river, flapping her ears and pretending to charge.
• Sun sets behind us as we gaze over the African horizon, at Kruger spread before us, it starts to get a little cooler. As we head back to meet our 530 deadline and not get locked out, we meet our red-haired mate in the back of the car who alerts us to the fact that on the way to Punda Maria gate this morning, he saw lions. For the second day in a row. Thanks mate, I reply dryly.

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