August 26 continued... again.

Afternoon game drive is fun. I am enjoying the company of the other lodge guests. Our Land Rover has a great group. Lots of laughs and fun! Two women from US have joined us. Tricia is from Anapolis, MD. Her niece, Alexis, has been living in Mozambique for the past two years. She is a special education teacher connected with an American school there. The two of them are spending time vacationing in South Africa and will be at the lodge for a couple of nights. Phil and Ingrid’s daughter will return to UK tomorrow. They will stay at Gomo Gomo until Monday, then visit another camp for four nights, then return to Gomo Gomo for four more nights. The two of them have fallen in love with the area. This is their 18^th trip to Gomo Gomo in six years. I am finding that many guests return again and again. I can see why… and hope to be among that group.

Tonight we see the lionesses and cubs. All are very full and lazy. It is so peaceful to sit and watch the interaction within the pride. I take many pictures, but also enjoy just being still and watching. It is an extraordinary feeling to be a part of all of this. Very humbling.

One of my personal favorites.

We see the herd of buffalo at sunset. Nice to watch them, but not quite as peaceful of an experience. There is a lot of energy within a herd of 400 buffalo. We see one lone giraffe. This is a first for me on game drive. There are not many giraffes in this particular area. Pictures at sunset are marvelous!

A female steenbok (dwarf antelope family)
Shoulder height of 18 to 24 inches.

Beautiful to watch!

Each night, just at sunset, we stop for a break. Stretch the legs and have something to drink. Some have water (including me), others have wine or cocktails. Tomsa prepares a light snack for us. It varies, but has included ostrich meatballs, mini croissants with sausage, fried potato cakes. Food is kept warm on top of the engine of the Land Rover.

The night part of the drive is very different. We travel miles over small dirt roads with Kenneth, our tracker, shining a light into the trees and on the ground. He is looking for animals including leopard. They are quite elusive due to the low numbers in the area and also their excellent hiding skills. Tonight we saw a bushbaby in a tree and a number of impala. It is not an eventful time of the drive in respect to sightings, but very peaceful and enjoyable. Watching the sky darken and the stars come out is marvelous!

The fresh air tires me out quickly! It is so peaceful and restful here, yet all senses are on alert from hearing and seeing the various wildlife. For the first time in many, many years I have a clear head and am not thinking about anything! It is amazing! Refreshing!

Dinner is served outside again tonight. The menu is potato soup with cheese and chives, fresh bread, chicken in some type of sauce, venison, rice, broccoli with cheese sauce, sweet potato tart followed by a warm lemon pudding for dessert. I won’t be losing any weight this week! All was most appetizing!

10:30 PM and I lie in bed listening to the lions roar. They are close by, just on the other side of watering hole. I have been sleeping with my sliding door open and just the screen closed. Wonderful to hear the sounds of the night. Mosquitoes at this time of year (end of winter) are not a problem. I have had one bite since arriving. I have been told that during the summer rainy season insect repellent is absolutely necessary. I have not used any yet.

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