Catching up with Friends

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Geo: -24.7705, 26.2917

It was a good drive back to work, no goats or children were in the way of my driving. As we drove through the park we saw a few impala and wildebeest. Mukesh got excited and I explained that we don't stop for impala and that we had to get back so Paul could take us for a game drive. We drove to Tree Lodge and Mukesh checked in to his room. Tony and Nicola Park had arrived a few hours earlier and it was good to see them again. Paul and I met them a few years ago in Kruger Park and we will be meeting up with them in the next few weeks on our trip to Zimbabwe. It was good to be back and to hand the driving over to Paul! We had some afternoon tea while Paul packed us a cooler box for the game drive.

Off we went. We drove towards Vlei Pan. On the way we saw a tower of giraffe eating leaves from the top of trees while watching us. We continued driving and saw the last few elephants from a breeding herd cross over in front of us. Paul knew of a pride of lions that were seen earlier on near Vlei Pan.

We drove around and around but could not see any lions. Then Lotta noticed the male lion lying down in the grass. It was now easy to see how we missed it! We sat there for a while and watched him. We were so close to the lion, but he wasn't bothered by our presence. Twice he put his head up, looked around and then lay down again. He was not very interesting to watch but it was quite a feeling to be so close to a large, dangerous predator.

Tonight's drive was quite short as there had been something special planned for dinner. A few minutes from the pan, Burgers in the Bush had been set up. It is a relaxed, casual dinner of burgers, salads and dessert in the middle of the bush. We hoped that no predators would smell the meat and want to check it out. We enjoyed a great dinner and then had a night drive back to the lodge. On the way back we saw black backed jackals and a chameleon.

Once we returned to the lodge we sat on the balcony of Tony and Nicola's room and had a few drinks under the stars.

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Photos

01 Ready to Go
We are all sitting in the Cruiser waiting for our guide - Paul.

02 This is the Life!
Lotta enjoying a cold one as we drive around looking for animals.

03 Giraffe
A giraffe eating leaves.

04 Elephants
A mother and her calf.

05 Peeing
A young male elephant having a pee.

06 Laying Down
A male lion laying down on the grass- we nearly drove right past him!

07 Close
I am close to the lion.

08 Head Up
The lion put his head up.

09 Contact Calling
He made a contact call to other lions.

10 Mane
The bigger the mane, the older the lion.

11 Looking
The lion looking at us.

12 Sunset
Another beautiful Madikwe sunset.

13 Burgers in the Bush
The scene as we arrived for drinks and dinner.

14 Us
Lotta and I at our dinner location.

15 Happy People!
Mukesh, Paul and I at our dinner location in the middle of the bush.