What a welcome!

We were packed up, breakfasted and ready to depart for the airport by 8.30am this room - I even managed to get in a gym session early this morning. 

We flew directly from Cape Town to Hoedspruit, about a 2hr 20 minute flight, where on arrival at the tiny airport we met my niece Bianca and her husband Kevin who had flown up from Durban earlier. They were so excited to see the family again - and to be having a holiday with us in the bush. Their two young children were at home being looked after by my sister.

We were collected from the airport and taken to our safari lodge, Ngala Tented Camp. We had time for a welcome drink, were shown to our rooms - amazing luxury rooms which are actually tents but with solid side walls and a wonderful bathroom plus a private outdoor shower. We quickly unpacked and then after tea and cake set off for our first game drive. Within the first 10 m minutes we came across this leopard, a mother leopard resting in a tree, and her cub was on another branch in the same tree. Their kill had been dragged up to a higher branch. There was an ever hopeful hyena sleeping at the base of the tree waiting for falling scraps. 

We went on to see hippos, (first extra) and then a pair of lionesses who had very full tummies from a recent kill. On our way to the lodge we saw zebra, impala, nyala, elephant, and giraffe - we could not believe we saw so much today, what a welcome!

We stopped for sundowner drinks and snacks (venison kebabs) and then did the last section of the game drive in the dark trying to spot the nocturnal animals. We got back in time for dinner which was very good, and then we were escorted back to our rooms - we have to be escorted as the reserve is not fenced so any animal can wander around - we plan to have an early night as it is a 5.45am start tomorrow for the morning game drive.

Apologies for being so bad responding to journals but I have had no down time, we have been on the go all the time.