Kgalagadi. Zach getting the ultimate toe tickling

Kgalagadi. Black-maned lion. Part of a pride of six we watched for two hours. These photos record the two minutes he and the rest of them weren't asleep. 

Kgalagadi. Same fellow as above minutes before he stood up and went for a noisy lion ned!

Kgalagadi. Lioness in the foreground and three young lions watching another male that appeared from behind the fallen tree. One of the cubs went over to him where we heard them playing and 'purring'.

Kalagadi. Watching some Wildebeest walking/running the long way around the lions. They seemed to know the lions were near and gave them a very wide berth. All the lions immediately sat up and watched them even though they were never closer than 250m. The big sleeping lioness didn't stir at all.

Kgalagadi. The sleeping lioness.  We were very close to her, no more than 6-7 metres.

Young Cheetah from below group of four. 

For a while these four were watching a lone wildebeest. Apparantly they had a go not long after we left.

After watching the wildebeest for a while they lay down beside us on the side of the road.

Looks kind of ferocious, but was only having a yawn

Kgalagadi. Giant millipede. These fellows are everywhere and tickle quite a bit when crawling over you foot

Gemsbok in Kgalagadi

The rest of the yawn

What we can`t see here is my braai. I was having a little trouble with it that night. The blazing blaze behind me is my neighbors, who on seeing my fire came over, uninvited and planted 3 fire-lighters under my wood and then walked away.

Last morning in Hluhluwe. On a morning walk in the bush with  guides.

Having a break here over-looking the Black Umfolozi river. The black speck center is a buffalo, 11 o`clock from him is a black rhino bull. Earlier we were very near to a buffalo but spotted him first and gave him a very wide berth. 

We had two guides. She is armed and begged us should a situation  occur, to please do as they say and not make them shoot the animal. There is much emphasis on conservation in this reserve! This is the park that brought white rhino numbers to the somewhat healthy number that they are at today.

This is a white rhino bull`s toilet. Our guide is explaining  rhino bull toilet etiquette. It boils down to not poohing or peeing in another bull`s territory. But...if you really have to go, never never kick and spread your stuff around. 

A spider. The smallest thing I saw on the walk. 

And we`re....in Swaziland. Loads of stone houses nestled in the many many hills we drove over looking for the banana farm we were suposed to spend the night on.

We were on a road like this one and the above for 3 hours in total darkness. Did not know where banana farm was and eventually gave up and were heading for the nearest town.....but somehow we ended up driving right up to KBC Banana and Paw-paw farm. Bit of a miracle. It also turned out that Julie was ready to kill me as I was supposed to have all the directions and GPS coordinates etc.

KBC Banana Farm. Beautiful place in the light of day.

Still in Swaziland, no bananas yet!!

But look...all smiles here, making another breakfast in yet another kitchen. This is the guest house at KBC.

KBC farm Swaziland. Paw-paws!! Some say yum, some say yuch!

Hluhluwe, setting out on a night drive.

Hluhluwe. Is he tall or do giraffes create the optical illusion of tallness?

Hluhluwe. Impala in pretty flowers. We saw loads of these on our night drive and they look exactly the same......bricking it! Apparently they only sleep about 30 minutes a day, longer than that is considered in Impala circles to be recklessly suicidal.

All that cuteness; big eyes, long lashes, cool spotted coat, foot long blue tongue?????

Hluhluwe. White rhino.

White rhinos. 

Hluhluwe. Buffalo having a splash and the last 2 of an 80 stong herd of elephant that had just crossed the river. There were a few occasions when people said things like; oh you just missed the...... or if you'd stayed you would have seen the cheetah have a go at a wildebeest. Above is a  missed 80 elephant situation.

Hluhluwe. Does he have the look of a hyena who ate 3 steaks and 2 boerewors?

Hluhluwe. On the night drive. All my photos were terrible that night, even with spot-lights.  Somehow I got a decent night shot of this owl.

Hluhluwe. Blue wildebeest.

Kwazulu-Natal - Réserve de Hluhluwe-Umfolozi (prononcé schla-schlou-wé)

Kwazulu-Natal - March 6...Happy Birthday Zac

Kwazulu-Natal - Zac opening his birthday card from Granny and Grandad

Kwazulu-Natal - Zac smelling the money

Kwazulu-Natal - Birthday BBQ, everything is going well

Kwazulu-Natal - This hyena wanted to be part of the birthday dinner

Kwazulu-Natal - Uninvited and..... eating all the meat on the BBQ

Kwazulu-Natal - ...and flashing us with its highbeams for more

Kwazulu-Natal - This is hyena food

Kwazulu-Natal - We finally had potatoes and squash for Zac's B'day dinner