Day 22 - Kruger National Park! S1 - Ep 562

[@mariusroos]

Day 22 andfinal day. Thanks for this one it was so nice in the morning rain - everything washed clean by nature. During the Kruger series you really planned every day so carefully to ensure good footage for us to view. We are thankful and will remember this series with passion in our hearts. Now we wait and see what will come up next. Whatever it is I will be there!

[@DustBugsTravel]

It wasn't the final day yet. We woke up in Kruger on Day 23, so you will see the final, final day on Monday. So don't miss out on that one. We hit the long road next week for our next series and we're super excited to bring that one to you when we return. We know you'll be waiting to be picked up for that one! 😁🚙

[@thewanderer58]

The Grand Finale. And a spectacular one at that! Thank you friends for a truly wonderful journey through our very special Kruger National Park once again. I'm going to sorely miss tuning-in for Day 23 of the trip of a lifetime. Nevertheless, you've assured us of your continued travels in January 2025 to other places and I look forward to jumping on board again. Safe travels ........

[@DustBugsTravel]

Not quite the Grand Finale yet. We'll share our Day 23 with you on Monday which I hope you'll enjoy just as much as all the days that came before. 😁🚙 We're hitting the long road again next week and are excited for you to join us for those episodes when we return home. Thank you for your company so far.

[@teresagillmer9464]

Im also sad that this trip is nearly over .Every episode was a real gift to watch.Thanks again

[@DustBugsTravel]

And we'll present you with our final Kruger 2024 gift, Day 23 on Monday! We hope you'll enjoy! 🚙🎁

[@teresagillmer9464]

Look forward to the 6th January .A very Happy 2025 .Look forward to new adventures 😊​@@DustBugsTravel

[@annawitter5161]

Ah, last day! All good things have to end. 😢 But let's make the best of the last day together. Aniseed rusk is my fave too, takes me back to childhood and Ouma se beskuitII find dead hippos a bit stomach turning, but isn't it wonderful how nothing gets wasted in nature ! Love the elephant family, the babies are so cute. Wonder how that elephants trunk got truncated. The lukewaan is magnificent, yes they actually smell with their tongues. how lucky to find a dung beetle. Those palm trees are very paintable. Those crazy birds and the bush? They make me think of cats with catnip, I wonder if that bush may be similar, a sort of Lekker bossie for the birds. They look crazy enough. Well, all the best for the journey home.

[@DustBugsTravel]

At least it wasn't our final, final day. We still woke up in our beloved Kruger on Day 23 and will share that video with you tomorrow. 🤩🚙 We were saddened by the dead hippo too, as much as we know it's part of the circle of life. 😥🦛 We thought that elephant's trunk most likely got bitten off by a croc, or it was a birth defect, but we'll never know for sure. 😍🐘 A lekker bossie for the birds, you say! 🤣 We've never seen behaviour like that either, but we did think it could perhaps be some kind of mating ritual.

[@terrimeyer3815]

Final full day. I must say the footage and camera shots have been stunning. Why i love coming along on the backseat. Everyday i feel like i had a long drive in nature which always leaves me calm and at peace. Thank you ❤🎉❤

[@DustBugsTravel]

Well. you did have a long drive in nature for 22 consecutive days. One final day, our 23rd, we'll share with you on Monday to give you your dose of calm and peace. We hope you enjoy that one too. 🚙🤩

[@kennethdshort]

Hi Curtis and Sonia. Bittersweet last full day in the park. The dung beetle amazes me. So industrous to roll the ball of dung around I would have thought they were more plentiful. Nice unusual viewing was the Rock monitor. Glad you caught that on video Sad about the hippo, but fortunately, there are more hippos around to care for the little one. . Loved Sonias endearing words wishing that little hippo good luck at that spot for the last time Ive enjoyed every second during this series of videos. Thanks for bringing them to our screens. It was so much appreciated.

[@DustBugsTravel]

We used to see so many dung beetles in Kruger and this time around we can count them on one hand. I hope that doesn't mean they're critically endangered. 😨🐞 They're so important in the ecosystem. We, especially Sonia, felt very sorry for the little hippo and both of us thought there was a very good chance that the dead one was its mother. So of course Sonia got emotionally involved and immediately formed a connection with the litlle one, which she still calls hers when we talk about it. 🥰🦛 We appreciate you hanging tight on our backseat for 22 days. We have one final day to bring to your screen on Monday and we hope that you will find that one just as enjoyable as the preceding 22. 😊🚙

[@maggiediedericks761]

Sadness for last day. Will.miss the awesome KNP THANK YOU FOR TAKING US THERE

[@DustBugsTravel]

Not quite our final day yet. That'll be Day 23, which we'll share on Monday. 🤩🚙

[@flodillon991]

This day was just as good as all the others with lots of wildlife to see so majestic. Thank you for this episode. ❤

[@DustBugsTravel]

I'm glad you came along and enjoyed. 😁🚙

[@ilsejoubert5948]

I really love your signature tune!! Love you too - looking forward to 2025 Kruger videos 💞💞

[@DustBugsTravel]

Thank you. 😊🎶 We'll most definitely be back to Kruger this year, but we're itching to explore some of the other forgotten beauties of our home country, so that's first on the agenda now. 😍🇿🇦 Our final day, the 23rd, is coming up on Monday though, so you'll still have that one from 2024 to enjoy, 🚙🤩

[@davesteyn]

Wattled starling. The bird with the yellow face

[@DustBugsTravel]

Yes, I seem to recall that from a previous episode. Thanks. 🐦

[@thesetter]

12:12 White-fronted Bee-eater. That Hippo / Croc. footage was fascinating. Nature 💚. Thank you so much for this series of videos.

[@DustBugsTravel]

Nature is indeed fascinating. Our final, final day is coming up on Monday, which will mark the end of our Kruger 2024 series. I'm glad you enjoyed so far. 🚙😁

[@lebogangmamome2839]

Once again first view, like and comment.

[@DustBugsTravel]

The trifecta! Welcome back on board! 😁🚙

[@ChristaGodley]

Ag nee julle nou is my hart seer die laaste dag . Gelukkig het dit met die lekker ligte reen gekom . My trane was baie naby oor daai seekoei ek setm saam dit was dalk haar kind wat kom groet het. Maar anders was dit weer n wonderlike dag. Dit is vir my so wonderlik om na julle te kyk so rusrig en verdaagsaam. Baie dankie vir als wat julle vir ons mense doen . Mooi loop en wees veilig

[@DustBugsTravel]

Don't be too sad about our last day. We still woke up in the Park on Day 23 and we'll share our final, final day with you on Monday. 🤩🚙 We were also very sad about the young hippo seemingly coming to say goodbye to the older one. 😥🦛

[@samsonkjoseph6087]

Baie dankie vriende.

[@DustBugsTravel]

Okay! 😁🚙

[@davidwakefield4140]

HI CURTIS & SONIA, LOVE ALL YOUR VIDEOS, THANKYOU SO MUCH FROM ENGLAND / MISSING THE KRUGER PARK

[@ingeborgvanderveer789]

De laatste hele dag in Kruger Park en wat een geweldig afscheid, althans qua deze reis 😊. Zo mooi de kleine dieren die letterlijk jullie pad kruisten. De slang en die grote hagedis zijn een soort grafische vormgeving der natuur, hoe ze zich sierlijk voortbewegen en zeker ook qua ‘kleur schema’. De mestkever die onvermoeid balletjes rolt die groter worden dan het dier zelf, is echt meesterlijk om te zien. Het kleine nijlpaardje dat aan zijn dode soortgenoot likte was soort van ontroerend, als een laatste groet? De olifanten steelden voor mij de show op dag 22, geweldig al die jeugdige olifantjes als een soort kleuterklas dichtbij en achter de ouders aan 🐘🐘🐘.

[@DustBugsTravel]

You describe many things on Day 22 so beautifully. I'm so glad you also appreciate the small, and big, things in nature. We definitely though the young hippo was saying goodbye in a way and we found it very touching, but also quite sad. 😢🦛 Kruger remains for us the most special.place on earth. 🥰🚙 We look forward to sharing our final day our 23rd, with you later today. 🤩

[@deonzar]

Luckily you have seen quite a bit on your last day. Somewhere in Namibia somebody in our trip told us very interesting facts about the dung beetles. When you were busy there in the skottelbraai, when I saw those viennas I was just wondering why we do not get Spekenam Viennas in Brine in cans anymore...I rather enjoyed them in my younger days.

[@DustBugsTravel]

Dung beetles are indeed interesting creatures and play such an important role in the ecosystem. 🐞 I loved those viennas in cans too, even the ones with baked beans and spaghetti and the meatballs. You've taken me far back today! 😁

[@deonzar]

@@DustBugsTravel And the chicken breyani as well as the pickle fish 😄

[@frederikbrits9559]

Believe the barbel and terrapin will also feed on the hippo

[@DustBugsTravel]

Interesting, I never gave anything else in the water another thought as far as that goes. 🐟🐢 They would've had serious competition from the crocs though! 😨🐊

[@aislingbooks]

Is that a monitor lizard? 28:40 So cool This is fun ... wattled starling at your 35:15 😁

[@DustBugsTravel]

It looks like a rock monitor to me, which I think is the larger version. 🦎 We've figured out the wattled starling in a previous episode, but had forgotten its name already when Day 22 rolled around. 😁🐦

[@aislingbooks]

Must've been sad to have it be your last day there too. I've really been enjoying this sequence of yours, feeling that you'd swiftly become part of the woodwork, I mean park. ☺️ And what a fun place to be.

[@charlietreston4035]

Hi guys nice it cooled down for you great to see the story unfolding of the hippo carcass feeding crocs it definitely felt like the little hippos mother to me but again it's the circle of life. Details of the snake crossing the road and the dung beetle love it. Curtis you have many talents that breakfast looked stunning. So sad that someone is poisoning the wildlife I can't understand it .the elephants nursery with the big ones protecting them awesome and like you I hope short trunk survives.!!! New one on me the hornbills attacking the Bush. We've seen monkeys before but I know what we used to call them blue ball monkeys lol .sad for you both it's the last full day as th lady said back to reality. Enjoyed every minute. Thanks for taking me along cheerio till the next one.

[@DustBugsTravel]

Yes, we also thought it's the dead hippo's child that came to greet her. We were quite saddened by that. 😥🦛 We saw quite a lot of interesting animal behaviour on this day and I was super chuffed about the snake. We don't often see them alive in Kruger, so that was great to see! 😍🐍 It wasn't quite back to reality just yet, we'll share our final, final Day 23 with you on Monday and we look forward to that. 😊🚙

[@Chasing_Sunrise_Adventures]

Epic video 🎉❤

[@DustBugsTravel]

Thanks. 😊

[@altheaherbst4226]

The elephant sometimes loses end of trunk could have been drinking and croc got. But they manage to eat.

[@DustBugsTravel]

We thought crocs might be the most frequent cause, in addition to possible birth defects I would imagine. 😥🐘

[@monicaalberts8130]

How great.....live crock went to say good buy to a dear friend.....😥

[@DustBugsTravel]

It was sad to think the young one could've been a child. 😢🦛

[@durandtpieterse5499]

Very strange behaviour of the Ground Hornbills taking on the Mopani branches. Thought there was some snake or small insect in the branches but then another one did it to a different tree. It looks like the Shingwedzi area got some much needed rain after your visit. That wil do the area good. What do you plan for this year? Same time of year and length, or maybe a month in the winter?

[@DustBugsTravel]

It was indeed very odd behaviour from the ground hornbills and something we've never seen before. One thought which did cross our minds when we saw that it wasn't just one specific tree or bush they were after was that it could possibly be a mating ritual, but we're really not sure. 🤔🦆 I don't think we can stay away from Kruger for such a long time again. We're contemplating several shorter trips throughout the year, in between our visits to other places in our beautiful country which we're yet to visit and explore. Kruger will always be at the very, very top of our list though! 🥰🇿🇦

[@neilblunt1926]

Another great day in the park was had by one and all. I was often forgetting how to pronounce the wattled starling and ended up saying "startled wattling". Two 1st's today. Seeing the ground hornbill having a fight with a tree and a small hippo paying it's respect to an older dead hippo. It looked as if the croc's backed off for a few moments. Question. You come from Cape Town in a Durban registered car? At first I wondered if you hired it then when I saw the gas bottle and cast-iron pot, I said there is no way you flew to Kruger. Can you remove my curiosity please? Looking forward to the next one.

[@DustBugsTravel]

We were quite saddened by the younger hippo and couldn't help but think the dead hippo might've been its mother. 😥🦛 It was indeed a beautiful moment and proof that animals know much more than we give them credit for. The ground hornbills displayed interesting behaviour there, we've never seen that before either. We have always rented a vehicle for our trips and they almost always come with license plates from different provinces than our home province. This was our 28th rental Renault Kwid and we drove all the way from Strand up to Kruger and back again. We carry way too much stuff for a three-week trip to fly. 😁🚙 Now you know!

[@neilblunt1926]

@@DustBugsTravel Thanks for the car info.

[@loksterization]

I am also surprised and somewhat shocked to see that carcasses remain uneaten in parts of Kruger.. surely this does not seem right. There should be more scavengers, predators.

[@DustBugsTravel]

Something definitely felt out of place in the north to us, as far as the half-eaten carcasses and lack of scavengers go. We just hope they can get to the bottom of the problem and eradicate it. 😨

[@JB-kk7xj]

We also found old uneaten carcasses in the north when we visited in September. The mass poisoning of vultures event near Punda may be a reason? This series of videos has been fantastic. Thank you so much.

[@frederikbrits9559]

The stats this morning on E-NCA news, 70 rhino's was poached in Kruger 2024......mentioned also poison, heart broken

[@DustBugsTravel]

Heartbreaking indeed. I have no words. 😢🦏