First Game Drive

A few days ago, we went on our first game drive. This is where we are driving through a game park in a van with a pop open roof for viewing the wildlife. We saw just about the whole cast of Lion King: a lions, hyenas, baboons, wart hogs, colorful birds, zebras, buffalo, monkeys, impalas, gazelles, flamingos, pelicans...but no Timon, yet.

It was so fun to see all the wild animals right in front of you. We saw bones of carnivores eating their way through the circle of life. We also came across a half eaten buffalo with vultures surrounding it. One vulture was in the buffalo through the buffalo's butt...let's just say I didn't use my zoom lens on that one.

The highlight of the day was when we stopped at this scenic hilltop, there was this baboon allowing us to get pretty close and take photos. After a while, we climbed back into our van. Leah, Gary and I were in the back bench of the van. Anna sits in a bucket seat right in front of the sliding van door and offers Leah a package of macadamia nuts. As soon as leah barely unrolls the packaging, there comes the crazy baboon running in the van, standing up on the bucket seat in front of Leah and is right in her face! They have a staring contest for a few seconds while leah was stunned, I'm sure. Then the baboon swats at her, scratches her and and grabs the bag of nuts and zooms out of the van. He's a a quick little one, on the way out he also effeciently grabbed a plastic bag. Who knows what was in that bag.

We all couldn't believe that happened! Good thing we were calm through it all and no on was hurt. No signs of Rabies in Leah yet. phew. Gary and I were stunned and are bad friends for not doing anything! :) what are you supposed to do though? I could hear the tour guide yelling in his african accent "GET OUT BAAABOOON!!!!" While the baboon was in the van, Gary and I both had our water bottles on our laps. For some reason I calmly whispered (like the baboon understood English) "Gary....put your water bottle down..." I got made fun of for that comment, but I my rationale was that I baboon could attack all of us thinking we had food also. not that I don't care about Leah's safetly and I need to save my water! But, it is pretty funny to see how you handle certain situations. I think we were calm, stunned, and still as statues with huge eyes I bet. On the drive back through the game park, we cursed all the baboons...boo, Rafiki!

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