Time For Our First Safari

[I will start the posts roughly in the order that they occurred during our trip]

Laying in our tent here at 9:00pm on a Friday night!  It is quite a strange feeling knowing how far from home we are and what a crazy adventure we have started.

Today was spent travelling from Johannesburg (known here locally as Jo-burg) to safari central: Kwa-Mbili Game Lodge.  Getting here has only required flying over 12.000 miles, (some of it in a very small plane) a rental car and the ability to drive on the wrong side of the road.  We arrived here at about 2:00pm and the fun started right away.

We enjoyed a light lunch and right after headed out to look for game.

Behold the modified Toyota Land Cruiser!

Note the "Spotters Chair" attached to the front bumper.

This man (Eddie) has the important job of reading the tracks (spoor) on the road and directing the driver to the wildlife.

Our first spotting.  A Warthog.  Eddie indicates that we are looking for Rhino.

The Southern Yellow-Bill Hornbill.

The drive is relaxing as we slowly traverse the dirt roads of the park.  The temperature is perfect and since we have chosen to visit in the winter, the trees are largely devoid of leaves.  This fact comes in handy when you are looking for animals who have perfected the art of blending in.

We found them, White Rhino!  We do not just stop a short distance away, we get up close and shut off the engine.  You can hear them breathing, the sound of the grass being pulled out by the roots and even the sound of the insects buzzing around them. Darius (the driver) explains that the animals are used to the vehicles, and as long as we stay seated and not break the profile of the rig we'll largely be ignored.

He is right.  There are three rhinos and they proceed to walk and eat their way right up to the side of the jeep.  Darius says he is going to start the vehicle because he feels they are going to get too close.  At that moment the lead grass munch-er, who is now about 5 feet from Deb, looks up and takes a few surprised steps back.  He was so focused on eating that he hadn't even noticed the vehicle!

Deb's view.

The sun is beginning to set as we leave the Rhinos to continue eating.

Now I have a tough choice as we have Zebra on the left and a killer African sunset on the right!

We continue to a watering hole to take a break and have our 'sundownder'... a drink while you watch the sun set!

We drive back to the lodge in the dark and spotted some eye-shine on the way.  We had a fantastic dinner and managed to stay awake until 8:30pm!

A shot toward the blind where lights let you watch the wildlife at night.

View of the night sky from our tent!

It was a good day.