Kruger, South Africa
Trip Start
Mar 30, 2008
1
133
144
Trip End
Mar 31, 2009
Kruger National Park,
South Africa
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Thursday 19th February - Day 1 J'Burg to Bushmans (450km), evening drive in private game park.
We met properly now the people on the trip and could tell immediately that we would get on well with Franchesca and Chris Heart, Sarah Cooper and Sarah Reid. We hadnt had a good night sleep due to a roller bouncer in the dorm that kept us awake as well as all those in the dorm beneath him. We were really glad to get out of the 'Shitz' backpacker and to be on the road now. We had heard a few bad reports about our tour guide Fiona, but so far she was doing OK.
The first few hours on the road were taken with introductions and getting to know each other. Franchesca was very embarrassed when she felt ill and had to throw up in a crisp packet, which unfortunately still had crisps in it! Eventually after a long hot afternoon on the road we arrived at Bushmans Camp. Dagmar the owner delighted in touring us around what was a beautiful camp with a very personal touch. There were hammocks, chill out rooms, a jeep in the bar! And a large open fire around which people could gather to eat.
We were soon picked up for our first activity here which was an evening sunset game drive in a nearby private game reserve called, Thornybush. It was a nice drive, we had great fun and saw huge amounts of buffalo. They are thought to be the most dangerous animal in Africa, mainly as they are so strong and when filled with adrenaline after being shot will fight right to the end taking however they can with them and protecting their young with their life. We were also extremely privileged to watch upon a female Cheetah relaxing with her cubs in the shade. Along with this we went off road when we found a White Rhino pair to get a closer look.
When we returned to Bushmans Dagmar's husband assisted by her had created an absolutely superb meal and we went to be in our tents with full tummies.
Friday 20th February - Day 2 Bushmans, Full day Kruger game drive, dancing locals and 1 year birthday girl
At 5am we were up and at 6am on the road with our new guide for the day. Vusi turned out to be an excellent guide. On the way to the Orpen Gate entry we were entertained by Baboons sunning themselves on the highway and experienced a fly face lift due to the lack of windscreen on our landrover. Lunch was mince, bread, veg and apples, memorable as the other guide 'Junior' who had been trying to impress our largely female contingent spilt ice cream all over Dean. Later though he got his own back with a water attack on their vehicle.
We saw lots of animals and plants during the day, but unfortunately no Lions. There was Cheetah by a water hole and Vusi was very good at finding animals and gaining their attention for photographs by posing as a Lion with his simulated hunting calls.
In the evening before supper we were treated to a performance of traditional dancing by local school children. They were excellent and loved it so much they wouldnt stop until one lady ran away with the drums! One of the lady's children had her first birthday tomorrow so Dagma had made a cake and bought her a plastic ride on quad bike. We all sang happy birthday to her and were not surprised to learn that her name was Dagma too!
Saturday 21st February - Day 3 Bushmans via Polokwane and Martins Drift Border to Botswana (440km), glad were not hostages shame about the psycho!
So I'll began with a story from last night, to explain. Around 11.30 pm last night when we already in our tent a car pulled up with music blearing. We couldn't see the car, it was dark and we were a couple of hundred metres away. The people inside were obviously drunk or on drugs or both. Bushmans is few minutes drive down a dirt track from the main road. They began blowing the horn, shouting and clapping. We assumed that the owner may know these people and be able to do something about this, but it went on for a few minutes before anyone else appeared on the scene.
We decided to stay out of this and soon began to hear people talking, but it sounded aggressive. We thought we could hear, Dion and his wife Dagmar talking to these people. A car then left and headed back to the main road, it appeared to park at the entrance with the music still turned up high. Clearly there were also people still in the camp and things began to sound very heated and uncomfortable, our minds began to wonder from this point. Money being owed and Acacia, the tour operator, were mentioned lots of noise also. We didn't feel comfortable leaving our tent as we were afraid for our safety. We then thought that perhaps these guys, who sounded pretty mean were robbing the truck. Again, although our belongings were on there we didn't want to chance an encounter with any firearms unless it was really necessary, they were welcome to it.
Why was it taking so long though? Where they robbing the truck and the house? References were made to Dion's wife and he appeared to be denying any relationship to her? Why? Perhaps because they were afraid they would torture her to get at him. This was all sounding very nasty now. The car with the music still was at the end of the drive, we thought to stop anyone entering and finding this situation. We dare not risk going to investigate, this is South Africa after all! Guns are common place and so are armed robberies, along with murders!
This had gone on long enough and two Canadian girls, both called Sarah, were obviously very afraid to. We had all reached the conclusion that the owners must have been taken hostage! They tried to call the Police, but after calling 4 Police stations found that noone wanted to know because they didn't know exactly where we were. In desperation one of the girls called their mother in Canada who called the Canadian government who alerted the Mounted Police. We were sure that soon these guys were gonna start on us and we needed a plan.
The silence was then broken by a blood curdling scream, followed by another. We needed to be ready we were sure that Dions wife had been hurt or seen something terrible. We couldn't let this go on much longer. Everything went quiet now. What was happening and why hadn't these people left yet? As we were just thinking about whether to run or go forward to investigate, Fiona appeared with Dagmar. We were so glad to see that Dagmar was OK, but what had been happening?
As they started to explain the facts came out and how wrong we were. The intruders were a neighbour and his brother and all the arguing was due to a neighbourly dispute. The scream was when Dagmar had phoned the Police to report this threatening behaviour, they also would not send an officer out and she had screamed in frustration! We were so happy there was no hostages or armed robbers! We were feeling a little silly though at having over reacted. Dagmar had received a call from Acacia, who had been alerted about a possible hostage situation by the Canadian Government! It was good to see how quickly they reacted, which is a lot more than can be said about the South African Police, who were abysmal! We were told that they were on there way now and we could give statements.
From here what should have been simple became very complicated. Basically their neighbour is know locally and indeed internationally as the 'Lion Man'. He was imprisoned for feeding human remains to the Lions in the game park on an adjacent property. He was accused of the murder of this person and charged. From what we understand his story was that a worker came to him saying they had killed someone and he helped them dispose of the body only. The courts didn't believe him and he was sentenced to life in prison for the murder. His family being wealthy put together an appeal and after only a few years he was released as it was decided that no one could prove whether the person was dead before or after being fed to the Lions. Presumably if that s the case then they also couldn't determine an actual cause of death either. The 'Lion Man' was free to terrorise his neighbours. Which it appears he has been doing since then by turning off their water and creating as much disturbance as possible. He wants Dion and his wife to leave and has offered to buy their business for a fraction of its estimated cost which of course they cannot accept.
Dion is not coping well with this feud and I hope that he and his wife can find a way of keeping him at arms length for the sake of their business. Thinks again when you think your neighbours are bad! Thank God for our wonderful neighbours, I am sure Pete and Pam would never feed us to the Lions!
This situation took most of the night to sort out especially as Dion did not want to cooperate with the Police. In the morning after an hours sleep Dagmar was very afraid what Dion might do to this man. This wasn't our problem, but we wished her well an she hopes to get support for him. We were just glad to get out of this camp as the Lion Man was not the only person who was prepared to use deadly force!
