08/16/2011
08/15/2011
What we will be missing . . .
Wake up call at 6:00 AM and hot coffee on the deck. Morning and afternoon game drives with brunch after the first one and tea before the second. Sundowners by the water hole with gin and tonics. Dinner around the fire in the boma with whole lamb roasting on the spit. Great South African wines. Returning to the room to find the fire roaring and the fleece-covered hot water bottles in the bed.
Charge the camera battery and repeat!
Hot water bottles and wool blankets for the morning game drive -- shorts by noon.
08/14/2011
Farewell Dinner
Last afternoon game drive and then a dinner in a Bedouin tent in the bush! Another fantastic culinary experience.
One more morning drive and then off to the airport.
A special thanks to all the fine staff at the Royal Malewane -- especially the great cusine of Nathan, the great wines by Lloyd.
Andrew's smile beams hospitality from the first encounter until the last wave goodbye.
Rangers Ryan, Craig and Jon went the extra mile, er kilometer, for some unforgetable experiences and images. All orchastrated with supreme finesse by Le Chef John Jackson!
We shall return!
Some other shots from yesterday.
08/13/2011
Susie
Is having a very good time on safari. She is singing. She is dancing. She has become a good photographer!
To wit:
Our last full day on safari
Yesterday was an interesting day -- slow in the morning drive as far as game was concerned, but we had a strong finish -- CHEETAH!
Along the way saw 5 bull buffalo interacting for dominance while a croc glided nearby eyeing his massive potential food supply. Both black and white rhino -- both hunted to extinction in this part of the world a few decades ago -- were observed up close and personal with their calves.
Even the rangers and trackers were amazed to see a baby hippo that could only be 24 hours old basking in the sun next to mom. A special sight for sure.
Then just before sundown, the word came on the radio that the elusive cheetah was perched on a termite mound and was receiving visitors for close viewing. We waiting our turn as the vehicles cycled into the best viewing spot for our 5 minutes of shots. Everyone is very cooperative -- not only our camp, but the other camps in the preserve, when to comes to allowing the guests to "get the shot"
Today is our last full day on the safari -- perhaps time for a quick game drive tomorrow morning before our flight back to Johannesburg and then on to Dulles.
Another cold morning -- time for my wakeup coffee!
08/12/2011
Morning game drive
Up at 6:00 AM, coffee and a muffin at 6:30 and into the cold bush by 7:00AM. Lot's of layers as it is in the mid-30s, but a nice morning that soon warms up quite nicely.
We were in search of cheetah -- which we haven't seen -- but they were not to be found anywhere. Sighted a dazzle of zebra, a white rhino calf and mom and a cute giraffe, but no big cats. Our tracker tracked a leopoard mother and cub on foot (no gun) but we still couldn't seem to find them.
At 10:30, we thought we were heading back to the lodge when we came upon a full brunch table set up seemingly in the middle of nowhere.
What a great surprise!
Arrival at the Royal Malewane and first game drive
After a two-hour drive through rolling hills cover with eucalyptus, macadamia nut, mango, avocado and banana trees we arrived at the Kruger National Park and a private reserve within the park where we found the beautiful and exotic Royal Malewane.
Jane and Larry had promised us a crescendo and the RM did not disappoint. After meeting the staff and a quick orientation, we unpacked in our beautiful and wonderfully appointed suite, and then dropped back to the main building for a sumptuous brunch. While we have eaten well throughout the trip, this is truly gourmet food and (South African) wines in the bush. insert staff After meeting Jonathan, our ranger and Jonas our tracker, we hit the bush and were treated to sightings of elephants, zebra, wildebeest, eagles, and the cutest baby giraffe one could hope to see.
But, wait there is more! We came across a pride of lions -- three females and one very laid back lion male. The lionesses were at a full attention looking very intently the same way into the bush. After a few minutes the lead lioness burst into action and then we heard a short, sharp squeal -- she had caught a young warthog. Not the biggest meal, but sufficient if she could avoid sharing it with the others. Our ranger as able to maneuver to another road where she emerged with the warthog -- still alive in her mouth. To put some distance between her and the pride, she was carrying the warthog away to dense brush.
We had witnessed our first chase , capture and (soon to be) kill. Next our ranger heard that female black rhino was spotted nearby and we blasted off to find the last of the Big Five on our list. Back in the days of hunting the Big Five was the ultimate trophy list: Lion, Leopard, Elephant, Cape Buffalo and Rhino. There was our rhino munching on a tree in the thicket, calm and collected as can be.
All the animals are incredibly well conditioned to the presence of man and machine and we are seen as being as benign as a tree, albeit a tree that moves and emits exhaust. Both the vehicles in our party met for sundowners and we all shared great stories and photos of our first day in the South African bush.
Jane Lee Winter, our hostess with the mostess and Susie
Trays of Cosmos awaited us back at the lodge and then we changed for drinks and dinner -- a real feast of tastes, textures and fine wines.
Rinse and repeat for two more days and then back to the wilds of Northern Virginia!
Our room
