Day 30 and 31 Balule May 10 and 11

New Co-ordinates
24.05352 S
31.73396 E

Arrived at Balule at 11h30 set up a shade awning,
Temperature peaked at 40,5 C

Afternoon drive to Olifants camp for diesel and ice.
Highlight of the drive was 2 Black Rhino on the Ngotso weir road (S89) as well as a single lioness in very poor condition.
Braai in the evening with G&T sundowners
What a fantastic camp, we lit the Chinese lantern and the little oil lamp for light.
This is great compared to Skukuza, absolute silence and no light pollution.
Had Hyena and Hippo walk within a few meters of us, only the fence separating us.
At last we could hear the bush and its symphony of sound, the aerie cry of the Hyena, snorting of the Hippo in the nearby river. No lion roars yet, maybe tonight.
It is a moonless, cloudless night and it felt as if you could touch the Milky Way.

Astronomically during May there is a rare and striking planetary configuration. At 20hoo in the evening Mars will be overhead, a distinct orange-red object, Mars will be extremely bright because it will be on the same side of the sun as we are, it will be sitting in front of the paws of the constellation of Leo. Track right or east and you will find Saturn, trailing Leo’s hind paw. If you are battling to see Leo look between Mars and Saturn, for there the Lion lies. Remember that it is upside down in the southern hemisphere.

On the 16 May only, just after sunset, look for the crescent moon in the west, there you will find Venus in all its brilliance. You might even be able to see it during the day.


Day 31 11 May

Early morning drive to Bangu along the S90 to see if we could see the King of Bangu, there are photographs of him at Balule, no luck.
Afternoon drive to Olifants for ice, temperature a bit cooler peaking at 38 C
Another great evening in camp, at last we heard lion roaring in the distance.



Kim and Quintin this Golden Orb spider had its web on the fence next to the van.

Our camp site at Balule sunrise in background