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Published: September 22nd 2019
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Apparently "Cape Town is crying, because we are leaving"! This just means that it was raining and cold as we headed to Cape Town Airport for our flight to Eastgate Airport near Hoedspruit, the closest to Thornybush Game Reserve, our home for the next three nights. (It does have it's own airstrip, but only for tiny planes.)
We appeared to land in the middle of nowhere in the African bush, and 36° was a little warmer than Cape Town. Three mini buses ferried our group (of 26) to the Thornybush Game Lodge, with a giraffe and elephants spotted on the way. Wow, and we hadn't even been on a game drive yet.
We were met in the outdoor reception area with cold towels, and cold drinks. Very nice! Then lunch, and a briefing of what to expect over the next few days, and things we need to know about the lodge (like the fact that we have to be escorted to and from our rooms after dark!) And that there are two activity types, game drives and eating. (And the game drives also include eating!!)
Then off to our room, a beautiful, small, self contained cabin, a short (?)
distance away from the main area (second furthest!). A quick change into our "safari" gear and we had to meet back at the main area for afternoon tea, then set off on our game drive with our driver Jaques, and our tracker July (yep, that's his name) in a rather fancy jeep. We drove past the local airstrip, and turned onto a track that went by their "soccer field" with one goal that had been knocked over by the elephants and standing in the middle was a wildebeest. We hadn't gone too much further when Trina (yep, not July) spotted a giraffe hiding in the trees, a little hard to see even though it was close to the track. Amazing how well camoulaged the animals are. Luckily there was another a bit further on, not so hidden. Then we came across two lions, brothers, who were initially quite well hidden in the grass, but decided to walk between our jeep and another, and then lie down quite close to us. Absolutely amazing, the jeeps full of people just sit there, and it's like the lions don't even notice.
Saw lots of deer like animals, not sure what they all are,
and they don't seem to stop for those.
The sun started to set so it was time to find a clearing for "Sundowners" - drinks out in the bush watching the beautiful African sunset (and the 70+ year old lady behind asked if there was Wifi!!) Then it was animal spotting in the dark (with a spotlight). Not all that successful till we came across a herd of elephants at a water hole. Too dark for photos so we all sat there listening to them drink and talk to each other. Fascinating.
Back at the lodge, it was time for dinner. Lovely three course meal, but all we seem to do is eat ?.
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