Sept. 15 – Why can’t I say Skukusa?

We left Orpen early in the morning in hopes of catching some early morning wildlife action before arriving at Skukusa, the largest camp in Kruger and one I had so much trouble pronouncing that we started calling it Scooby Doo.

We were rewarded by seeing two lions sitting in the shade of a water tank after satiating themselves on a cape buffalo. Two lionesses were enjoying their turn at the meal.  We approached the nearby pond in time to see an elephant giving himself a mud bath.  An older elephant with huge tusks and a lumbering gait started walking by. He stopped several yards before he got to the first one and they just stared at each other. Then the first elephant turned at right angles so that his back end was facing where the old elephant was going to walk by. A sign of honor? Humility?

Meanwhile, several wildebeests and impalas came down to drink. Again I am impressed with the graceful movement of the lovely impala as they run and jump.

Arriving at Skukusa, we finally got to do laundry and (spoiler alert) I bought the customary souvenir  t-shirts for the family. A group of vervet monkeys welcomed us as we arrived at our rondavel, which had a lovely enclosed kitchen and dining area.