Despite the fact that reception told us there was no more space for a safari morning walk today, upon asking again the following day we were granted two spots on today's walk at the Lower Sabie Camp. Every previous walk had been booked at our various camps so we were quite excited it would happen on our last day in Kruger.
We met the rangers before sunrise and loaded in to the safari jeep. There were eight of us in total, including the two well-armed rangers. We had an exciting drive, as we were allowed to leave the camp before normal safari hours and we drove on all the dirt roads that are prohibited for regular visitors. Along the way we spotted elephants, an African fish eagle, rhinos, and a black-backed jackal.
Once we got to the walking trail, we all got out and were briefed on proper safari-walking etiquette. we had to walk in a tight line and always behind the guides. Silence was necessary, and we could only use noises and sign language to communicate unless the guide stopped us to mention particularly interesting wildlife facts.
We studied the tracks and markings of various animals and insects along the way, learning about everything from the behaviours of rhinos to community-led spiders.
During breakfast, one of the guides excitedly hushed us up and whispered that there were rhinoceroses nearby our rest place. It is an exciting thing to see a rhino from your car, but to be walking on the ground so close to them was a breathtaking experience. We silently and CAREFULLY followed the rhino family, taking plenty of photos and video along the way. They were peacefully enjoying some breakfast and because the wind was in our direction rather than towards the rhinos, they did not appear to hear or smell us. Sami was uber-excited and led the line directly behind the rangers.
After the walk, we left Kruger Park and headed to Swaziland. (Obviously) Saw a few animals along our way out, as well as a "sausage tree".
On the way, we managed to destroy our AC inverter that we had bought to be able to charge all of our electronic devices (phone, laptop, camera batteries, etc). Sami was devastated, and when we were unable to find a replacement unit, we managed to find a small electronics shop that was able to repair it. A gentleman behind the counter (who was NOT an electrician) fortunately had the right tools and some free time and decided to make the repair of the inverter his special project. He repaired the broken cable for 1 Rand (15 cents) and Sami refused to pay so little. After paying him the full original value of the inverter ($35), we happily went along our merry way, with Sami in high moods.
We passed the very sketchy border (where we are convinced we were asked for a wine bottle as a bribe to avoid the car tax). After driving through the beautiful landscapes and manic city of Manzini, we opted to stay the night in the capital, Mbabane. We got stuck in the fog again, and Lily chose this precise moment to fail us. We found our way to Mbabane but still had trouble locating our very sketchy-looking Anglican conference center/hotel.
There was no communal kitchen, so we enjoyed some more Nando's for dinner!
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