5 AM – Awake and in the shower! Each morning, we meet in the lodge at 6 AM for coffee, tea and bisquit (dry cake-like squares). I watch the wilderness come alive as birds awake and a tree full of baboons start their morning gymnastics.
At 6:15 we are in the Land Rover and ready to go!
We watched an elephant herd for a while. Amazing to see them destroy the trees and trample everything in its way. I can see why they are concerned if the elephant population grows too quickly. They decimate an area in a matter of minutes. One of the young bulls is in musk and the other males are aggressive to it. He is a bit cranky and spends time letting us know that he would like us to leave. Finally he keeps his ears out and starts advancing towards the Land Rover. It is time for us to promptly leave the area. Elephants can move very quickly, gaining on a vehicle in an amazing short amount of time. Iwan is sensitive to the animals and to our safety, so we exit the area.
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| A happy calf! |
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| Destroying trees, branch by branch |
I am discovering the challenges of photography in this setting. First, the lighting is what it is and that includes having the sun in front of you at times. Second, the animals are not always where you ideally would like them to be. Third, the Land Rover is not always in the ideal spot. So I take many pictures and am hopeful that some will turn out the way I hope! By the end of the week, I am known as “paparazzi” because I keep my settings on continuous shoot and take so many pictures!
Next we are tracking the lions and find them off in the distance. We stop the vehicle on a dirt road and watch the lionesses walking towards us. They walk in single file and cross directly in front of the Land Rover. Seven lionesses and then four cubs followed by one more lionesses. An amazing parade! They could have crossed the road at any point, but are comfortable enough to do it within close proximity of the vehicle. Quite incredible!
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| Not a great picture, but it gives you an idea how close they are. |
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| Three of the cubs with last lioness bringing up the rear. |
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| One five month old and one eight month old. |
The two male lions are not far away, very full and lazy. Their bellies are swaying back and forth as they walk. Two cape buffalos were killed last night and the pride are all satisfied for the time being.
At around 7:30 we stop out in the wild for a break. Table is set up. Coffee, tea, hot chocolate, muffins with jam. A time for stretching your legs, using the bush bathroom (private tree, if you are lucky) and conversing with new friends.
We see the elephants again briefly before heading back to camp for breakfast.Many other animals are about the bush. You quickly become accustomed to herds of impala running by and other small animals scurrying about.
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| Our not so friendly elephant. |
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| Impala |
Some of the locals call impalas “McDonalds”. They are on every corner and if you look at them from the rear (which is most of the time, as they run away from you), they have a M in black painted on their behinds.
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