Give the big kitty a cuddle

Tuna

Saturday 19 August 2023

Wake up, have coffee, get dressed, walk down those 132 steps (which are of varying heights and depths) to be ready be 6am for the morning safari, go Team Jafari. Jafari is our driver guide for each of our safari trips. We are teamed up with another couple, who are gorgeous, Rebecca and James. She’s Irish living in the UK and he’s a pom and they are on their honeymoon. Love them to bits and they are great company during the safaris and at meal time.

Morning safari was a drive around and around, not sure exactly the route, but apparently, we did about 45km during the 3.5hours. The morning was cold and we have finally used the big puffer-jacket-type-jacket we both bought before leaving home. We were dubious if we were actually going to need them as it really hasn’t been cold in South Africa. Temps seems to be around 6-12 C over night and then 20-28C during the day. Glad we packed all those cold weather clothes.

Anywho ……. We had a really good morning. Watched the sun rise, again, and saw lots of animals. We were extremely lucky today as we say a lioness. She was going for a stroll and calling out to the rest of her pack. As it was the weekend, there were more vehicles around than yesterday, and we were all swamping her. But it was really cool and soooooo exciting and one of animals that we wanted to see.

We saw lots of other animals too. White Rhino, orange hornbill, giraffes, hippos, hundreds of wilderbeests and impala, herds of elephants, zebras, kudu, gembok, steenbok and lots of other animals and birds.

Back to the lodge for ‘brunch’ at 10am, which is really breakfast. First you can choose from croissants, cold meats, cheese, smoked salmon, fresh fruit and cereal. Once you finish that you then have the cooked breakfast which is a choice of some/all of eggs (any way you want), small pork sausages, cubed roast potatoes, bacon, mushrooms and tomato.

After brunch it was time for a shower or a bath. I chose the to have a bubble bath, although it had been years (probably decades) since my last one but the view was great. I remember now why I don’t like having baths, waste of water, sliding around and generally uncomfortable. So, after a lot of sniggering by The Albatross I gave up and had a shower to get rid of the sliminess of the bubbles.

It was a really warm day with a very strong hot wind. We watched an elephant wander down off the hill onto the plain below our room, they were heading for the waterhole. So, we headed to the main big balcony to watch their progress. After about 15mins I bailed as the wind was too hot and too strong, it was better on our own private balcony.

So we chilled for the rest to the afternoon until it was time for ‘lunch’ at 3pm and then for the late afternoon safari at 3.30pm. Down those bloody stairs again. By this time were counting off the number of times we had to either go up or down them.

Unfortunately, the afternoon safari was disappointing as we didn’t see too many animals nor more lions or a leopard. The leopard is our last animal we want to see to be able to tick off the list. However, despite not seeing a leopard we did see more impala and other antelope-y things, rhinos (nearly as common and pigeons now!!), giraffes and zebras. There is a dead elephant in the park and they have left it where it died, a while ago as it is really stinky. We have to go past it on each safari. However tonight there was a hyena in the elephant having dinner.

Time to head home for dinner which is at 8pm. I did think it was a bit odd that we seemed to go down another track at just after 7pm, whereas last night we were back at the lodge by 7pm. Eventually we got on to our road to the lodge, but then drove straight past it and headed up another hill. The lodge had put on a huge braai, a massive grill. There were nine guests in total at the lodge tonight and we all ended up on the hill top to a lovely dinner outside with a great open fire. A great evening. The staff kept wandering around the outside and shining their torches into the undergrowth and trees. Not sure what they were looking for or doing. But we let out imaginations make suggestion.

Walking up those bloody stairs is soooo much worse with a huge belly full of food.