Sunday 21stSept. 2014
We packed up early and were ready to leave just after gate opening, but when we went to start the car there was
just a click
- no battery
Who left a light on, or a door open
After jump starting the car we were on our
way. The road was quiet until about halfway. Then about 5 meters from the road lying in some ash was a lone cheetah. He was beautiful and didn't run off at all. As was the norm the car was switched off, to make for better
photos
Photos were done and it was time to go. We all figured that the car had gone far enough to put some charge into the
battery - how wrong we were - just a click.
We were on a slight incline but with an off-road trailer in tow it was impossible to roll back and get enough speed up to start the car. There was nothing for it but to unhitch the trailer
My SO got out the car -we were all watching the cheetah. He didn't move just watched us. I also got out
to help with the trailer - but my eyes never left the cheetah
The car rolled back passed the trailer and started.
Only then did the cheetah run about 20 meters away. By this time 3 other cars had arrived. They just sat and
watched us too, the one car drove passed us and gave us such a black look. Certainly nothing to be proud of but we had
no alternative
Thankfully it was a cheetah and not a lion. That would have delayed us tremendously
Further on was a traffic jam with a big male lion lying in the road. As we arrived he got up and walked off - not looking our way at all (no switching off the car now!!)
He gave us one look through the bushes and was off again.
Lastly in the open area at the Mareola turn off was a very tired jackal.
Then it was out the Park until March 2015!!!
Thank you for following my TT and allowing me to relive the trip.
By the way, the battery never recovered, it had a dead cell and an emergency call out was made in Centurian for a
replacement battery before we hit the long road in the morning
