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Can someone recall the big old poster that used to be in the Skukuza Cafeteria. There were some cubs drinking water.

I reckon about 4 or more meters by 1.5 or so.

Wonder what happened to it?

We just recently moved (downscaled) into a smaller home now that the kids have left. We discovered during the clean up operation, a KNP invoice for a 2 week holiday over easter school holiday for my parents and myself and sister. The total bill was R1.65. Is this possible. Ok, they date was 1961. What on earth is happening to our money??!!

You obviously don't stay at Tam...oops I am giving the game away here
Yes, sigh, I was the ONLY car at the gate at 4h30 on New Year's Day back in 2008, but I suppose that doesn't happen any more. I was rewarded with a civet, 3 lion, a rhino and a wild dog sighting

A number of roads have gone since 2000 floods. My favourite was along the Luvuvhu to the west of the bridge. It went right down to the river again. Shame they haven't redone it.

My biggest regret - SANParks privatising the restaurants and shops. Sad to say, things have never been the same since. And this is NOT a complaint about the staff who work there. Its the organisation (or lack of it) at the top.

Absolutely agree about the stupid number of vehicles allowed out of the camp even before the gates open. Sightings close to the gates are way down. And you have to go to the central and northern parts to get away from people nowadays!

And my favourite bit of trivia; the notice in each of the huts warning about, and telling you what to do, in the event of 'insurrection'. Never really knew what that would be - but it never happened anyway!

There are some excellent books about the early days, describing when roads were built, then when bridges were opened, and tarred roads finished. 1962 summer visiting started. During 70's most of the current Park was open though I think it was as late as 1982 before you could drive on tarred roads and high level bridges from the south to the far north.

Surprising how recent some of that is!

Richard

I still remember that there were a "fliek" (film) each night, and everybody gathered to watch. I think it still happens some evenings at a few camps, but it is no longer inherently part of the character of going to the park.

Also, everyone greeted each other when driving past. I still do ... which causes some interesting reactions!

We all complain about the number of vehicles at a cat sighting these days. But I remember being the 1st car to spot a pride of lion on the Lower Sabie road in about 1968. It took us almost 3 hours to get out of the traffic jam! and I remember this because I was in desperate need of the loo! The big difference was no 4X4's
(my SO drives one now) and no rude jeep jockeys. Most people were polite and friendly. Thinking about it I think there were an awful lot of people in the south of the park in the summer months as north of the Sabie was closed to the public.

For us the main event in the evening as kids was the movie. We could not wait for 8PM for the movie to start.

It was great stuff.

Can you guys remember the old Skukuza Shop layout and reception.

Where the post office was to the left there used to be pictures of animals against the wall that was made of small pieces of tiles if I am correct. Then the reception to the left and then the shop.

I can remember the train when it went through the park. It used to make a hellova noise.

Up to the late 80's you could still see some of the tracks on the Skukuza/Pretoriuskop road.

Skukuza reception was roughly where the right hand side of the shop is , and to the right of it Volkskas bank was housed in 2 rondawels . (circa 1984)

I think am starting to feel old......

I dont actually remember this but....my mom always talks about how in the old kruger animals frequently came into the camp!!!!

Also how there was no electricity they used pariffin lamps and gas ones aswel....those must have been the best times to be in kruger....almost at one with nature!

There was nothing like the hiss of the parrifin lamp.

I loved to watch the golden colour as it lit up and the excitement of the approaching dark.

Animals STILL come into camps Mike, in the last few years, we have seen civet & genet in Biyamiti, bushbuck in Letaba, impala in Pkop, AWC in Tamboti (where there is also honey badger - and in Satara - and an elephant got in and had to me chased out), BBJ in Nossob & Twee Rivieren (where a lioness thought the forecourt of the garage was a nice place to sun herself), and a year or so a leopard was shot in Letaba.

One of my family stories from the mid 60's:
we were travelling along the crocodile river road from malelane to CB and not seein very much. We came across a lady with kids in the car and they had a flat tyre. They were too scared to get out of the car. So thay all piled into our car. I think we were 9 people in my dads car. We all sat and watched while my "brave" Dad cahneged the tyre for her. We were all laughuing and joking but no one was being too watchful. We had not seen anythong for a long way and assumed there was nothong there. We were all primary school age kids so resposibilty was not high on our agenda. The tyre was changed without incident and we went on our way. Too our horror, around the corner about 100m up the road, were a family or 5 cheetah! Since then I have always made a point of being super observant at road side emergencies in KNP!

I see ther are lots of 'oldies' on this site! Does ANYONE remember a resort called SHLARALUMI. what happened to it? I seem to think it was near the Orpen camp area. i have many happy memories as a child especially of the night time concerts in the lapa there.

I stand to be corrected on this , I think it became Motswari Mbali .