LETSITELE

Yesterday was catch-up day on the computer. I spent most of the day in Nikki’s office, in a separate building, checking 88 e-mails and catching up on the blog. We went to Nikki’s parents home for tea and milk tart – yum…..then drinks outside waiting for hippo ripples and watching the paradise fly catcher. The new pool proceeds apace and the girls are dying to swim in it.

Last evening, we drove up to the dam for drinks, meeting Shayne and his parents up there. The sunset was incredible and we had the company of a hippo who moved closer and closer, especially as dusk set in. We were hogging his nighttime grazing grounds! At one point he reared up and gave us quite a show of his teeth, which are enormous…not used for eating, since hippos are herbivores, but for fighting. Ian has half a hippo tusk, which came from a hippo shot by a local in revenge (long story) and it is very heavy indeed.






Today, another day trip – to Hoedspruit where the Blyde river has its headwaters. (I visited the Blyde River Canyon in 1996.) We visited the Maholoholo Rehabilitation Center, which Jonathan and I visited in 1996…where he held a vulture on his arm and I cuddled a caracal. This time, we all petted a cheetah and had the opportunity to have a vulture on one’s arm while it was being fed. I declined only because I didn’t think my arm would be strong enough. It was all very interesting…but it was extremely hot – over 100F and there were way too many people. We saw honey badgers – stinky but very cute, wilk dogs, lions and eagles. The area is a stunning panorama of cliffs bordering Kruger Park. A few years ago, all the fences around Kruger and the neighboring private game reserves and between S. Africa and Mozambique were removed in order to allow the animals greater freedom and access to more foraging areas. Problems of poisoning and poaching remain, hence the need for rehab centers. Some animals can be returned to the wild; those that cannot serve to educate people.

We had lunch at a lovely resort, Maholoholo Ya Mati overlooking the river. On the way home, we encountered some elephants by the Makhutswe River - a lovely herd with two babies.











DeeAnn did not come with us – she was going to be the first in the pool at all costs. When we got back, the pool had about one foot of water…and DeeAnn…in it. It didn’t take long for Cayleigh to join her. Just before dinner, the skies opened up – huge storm – rain, hail and heavy winds - and it rained all night while the pool was filling.