Final South African Postcard

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Well our South African adventure has come to an end all too quickly. We have had a terrific time and have seen so much.

Our 4 days at Kirkmans Kamp, Sabi Sands Reserve was worth every expensive cent. Each day we had both a morning and evening safari drives of 3 or so hours. To get so close to lions, leopards, elephants and buffalo was an experience we will never forget. The policy is to allow only 2 vehicles at a sighting at any one time we never felt "just part of a crowd".

The homestead and accomodation grounds of Kirkmans Kamp are not fenced off from the reserve nor Kruger National Park and as a safety precaution guests are escourted to their accomodation during the hours from dusk to dawn. We really thought that this was all part of the "show" until dinner on the 3rd night when a lioness and her 2 18 month old lions sauntered past only 50 metres from where we sat.

During our 3 week adventure we have explored 3 distinct regions of South Africa -
- the Cape area and western coast with its varied bird life due to the rich sea currents,
- the Karoo, a fantastic semi arid part of SA that reminds us of the gibber plains of far western Queensland and
- the bushveld of Kruger

We have seen so many wonderful birds and animals and have loved every minute.

I'll forever remember the hour that we spent with a female leopard - watching her groom, watching her stealthily walk through her territory and looking into her wonderful eyes so full of knowledge and superiority - and there was only her and our vehicle (we were so luckly that any other vehicles were more interested in a large pride of lions which we had spent time with the day before).

Bob's special moment is when a huge male buffalo told him off in no uncertain terms - with a stare to match all stares - turn that B****Y camera onto silent mode!



(Scroll down for more photos)

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