Friday, November 15, 2013

Hippo!!

Giraffe's, and the pesky zebra

More lions

Lion, they really are that close

Elephant with a zebra sneaking in

Zebra

Safari

The day begins at sunlight with a cacophony of bird calls. Beautifully, exotic but loud enough to wake even me. I have hot water and clean dry facilities. A luxury after Ghana. Breakfast too is a remarkable gift. We'll prepared eggs, and toast and sausage served on the patio overlooking the watering whole. The first morning we were visited by a band of 30 or more baboons. This morning it was antelope. Now there 4 water buffalo nervously drinking. It is all too wonderful. 
I meet my guide, Baraca at 8:30. I have been starting late because of jet lag. And we go off into the bush in our land rover. We ride slowly till lunch. We enjoy an elegant picnic lunch in the bush. Today, elephants, impala, zebra, wildebeest were al in plain site. And eagles circling over head. We have seen hippo, lions, leopards, cheeta, giraffes, baboons, monkeys, wild hunting dogs, impala, water buffalo,  the little dick-dick, wart hogs, fox, mongoose, and more. Two of which, the hippo and the wild dogs are very rare. Baraca has never seen the wild dogs, and his fellow rangers doubt the hippo siting. It is as if the bush opened up to show me most of what it had to offer. And aim so grateful. 
I return by 4:30 in time to take a quick dip in the pool, again overlooking the watering whole; which I am watching as I write. Three elephants have come and  displaced the impala. They stand in the water using their trunks to drink and wash themselves. It is impossible to tell you how quit they are. No one seems to hear a thing.
I will have dinner by 8:00. I leave tomorrow, and will sleep early. I am anxious to get home to Lynn and family and work, but magic is hard to leave behind.

Pictures