As usual we had an early start. A cup of coffee arrived at 5:45 and we met up with Mohamed 30 minutes later. Today’s objective find the rhinos in the rhinoceros sanctuary at the other end of the park.
We sat off as usual looking out for whatever sat by the roadside and then entered the sanctuary. We passed the huts where the wardens who protect the rhinos stay. Almost immediately afterwards a mother and baby rhino walked away from us. Wow, so easy to find rhino here.
We motored on and had gone for another 10 or 15 minutes when we received a message on the radio from a truck behind us who said they had found a lion.
Mohamed turn our truck around and said hang on tight as he raced along the dirt ads to where the others photographed the young male lion. When the other truck departed Mohamed drove our truck off road to within 1 metre of the lion. The lion didn’t seem to mind and took our presence as normal. We stayed for another 10 minutes and the left to explore the rest of the rhino sanctuary.
As we passed the ranger’s huts one shouted that he wanted a lift. He jumped in the truck with his automatic rifle. We continued our journey. He jumped off the truck and headed into the bush. What a way to earn a living protecting rhinos from poachers. As a warden you are allowed to kill the poachers. I am sure the bad guys would just as easily kill the wardens.
Shortly thereafter we found a pair of rhinos directly in front of us; mother and youngster.
Next stop, breakfast off the beaten track. A nice cup of coffee, sandwich, apple and plain yogurt all went down a treat. I suggested to
We made a slow way home looking out for animals and birds as we went.
After another lovely lunch we had a sleep in our chalet. Maggi complained that I had 3 glasses of scotch which she said was too much. She was probably right. Anyway I enjoyed an hour or so snooze before we set off again. I wasn’t particularly bothered about seeing any more creatures. The chances of seeing a leopard are remote and so that didn’t seem likely. Instead I suggested to Mohamed that we wander in a part of the park he didn’t normally visit.
We didn’t see any new wildlife except a couple of birds, but our game drive passed in a very relaxed atmosphere and ended our drive under a Tamarind tree. The tree supplies fruit and roots for medicine and food. Naturally we had our sundowner under this large tamarind tree which was littered with baboon shit all around.
We wandered back to Elsa Kopje, prepared for the evening meal and received our usual escort to the restaurant. Another very enjoyable supper topped at the end with a line of the staff singing a local song and then reverting to a verse of Happy Birthday. All this accompanied by a birthday cake for yours truly. Lovely end of the day.