Another beauty

We left at 6.15 with driver Herbert, in an open 9 seater. (The other driver was for the birders). We saw some elephants quickly then not much else for ages. The rain and wind meant we got cold despite raincoats and puffy jackets. Herbert had neglected to tell us he had ponchos we could put on - we saw the birders wearing them in their vehicle - and that helped.

We saw giraffes and a very wet hyena before going to a lookout spot about 8 am, then had a horrible breakfast in a Baron King or Steak Baron on something. It was a huge place with lodges, petrol etc and hundreds os cars. Turns out it was near the road.

After that we saw an eagle, vultures and kudu then stopped by a very flooded river and saw some hippos in the distance. We also saw a few of the 150000 impala that are in the park. Saw vervet monkeys and a large troupe of bedraggled baboons heading up the road with babies getting carried.

We saw a Lilac breasted roller at croc pool and big croc facing the wrong way. Mr C saw an African wattled lapwing there and a woodland kingfisher nearby.

Next we saw by the road 2 Dwarf mongooses and more giraffes, and two red-billed oxpeckers pecking an impala.

Then we had lunch at a golf club near where we had breakfast - Skukuza. We had a salad as there wasn’t much else apart from burgers.

Later we saw more kudu and zebra, blue wildebeest, assorted vultures and eagles. And finally - 3 female lions, 2 lying down in the distance but one started to walk towards us. ( Many vehicles were juggling for position but eventually got a view. The lion didn’t seem stressed though we didn’t feel comfortable with so many vehicles.

My Camera was very frustrating as it kept saying ‘system error zoom’ and turning off. It’s only 2 years old. Two other also have Panasonic LUMIX and their zooms won’t work. It could be very small bits of fine dust.

Warren made a supper of a strange combination of cheesy pasta to accompany a spicy stir fry with potato in it. Still we can get nice wine, if not the cuisine to accompany it!