Cheetah

Snakes

Following the game drive I had my first official tour of the reptile enclosure ... Melina was first up for snake-holding. Truly a miracle and she was a pro!

Carolyn seemed to lure the snake ...

And everyone watched closely ...

I was happy to have it wiggle on up and away ...

Then Abri got out the snake with attitude and thankfully didn't get bitten this time!

This is the large, fat non-tooth-pick-like snake ...

Animals ...

We had two game drives and saw a host of animals. And learned a lot thanks to our guide - Abri. Abri and I go way back where he was our "bar man" when I visited with Kiera and Mindy. His guiding skills are definitely as good, if not better, than his bar skills - though both were enjoyed! He also had to deal with 3 outgoing, loud and hysterically laughing girls in his vehicle ... not to mention some never-before-asked questions! Thanks Abri!

Melina making good use of her binoculars ...

Carolyn

It was a beautiful day, and a stunning setting!

The Male Rhino ... (I think they call him Tank)

Mama and baby Rhino (the 45kg bundle of joy - at birth!)

There has been a long standing animosity between the rhinos and elephants at the game lodge (hence the fence) and just as our game drive began the rhino was runnning into the electic fence trying to get to the elephants. Thankfully the elephant handlers sent out a lion to split up the rammy ... or was it a golden retriever? Hard to tell with binoculars!

The lions at dusk looked amazing in the light ...

In the morning the lionness shortly before she chased us! The male lion didn't seem too bothered!

The previous twice that I'd been they couldn't find the buffalo ... but here they are standing in height order for photos!

The morning drive the rhino were out together and got very close to the buffalo ... we tried to work out which way the territory is marked ...

The elephants were up to some hanky-panky (or attempted hanky panky) during our visit ... (those photos are censored)

We stopped for morning coffee with our new friends from the drive!!

Melina kept look out ... except when she asked about the crea-tor ... (is that a rhino approaching? Sorry!!)

How to work out the height of the animals at the game lodge ... (from the tree)

I LOVE this giraffe picture! The giraffe lady had been pregnanty during 3 of my visits and finally had her baby during the World Cup - they called the baby Vuvuzela.

A very important part of the rest of the trip was our introduction to the concept of "pronking" where in times of danger the springbok start to jump up and down on the spot. The idea is that by jumping high and gloriously they are telling the danger that there is a worse-off, smaller, less able candidate to be attacked first. Goes against the whole theme of looking after one another but it seems to work for the Springbok. The ones that can jump highest, at least!

Binoculars

We stayed overnight at the Garden Route Game Lodge located near Albertinia on the N2. If you wish to visit there, don't tell anyone that you know us. For posterity sake some of our trip must be shared and put to memory, other parts must remain unreported!!

Melina had been given these binoculars for her birthday for her trip to South Africa. We loved the binoculars.

Carolyn here demonstrating correct body position for seeing things with the binoculars. Pay special attention to the people behind Carolyn who are enthusiastically getting involved. Ashley, minus hippo-suite, and we’re not even sure of the other enthusiastic person! Someone thankful not to be on the same animal viewing vehicle as us! Worth a mention here that Ashley introduced us to the lodge and shared the wit and wisdom with us over our 24 hours at the Game Lodge! Thanks Ashley. The binoculars were quickly used to see some stripey horses which we deduced by the naked eye to be zebra, and standing beside the zebra was a rhino – perhaps undetectable with binoculars.

Wellington and beyond ...

It was a very scenic drive towards and past Wellington and the cross-country route to the N2 ("if in doubt take the road that isn't a dirt road" seemed to work well for navigational purposes).