A Night Away

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Geo: -24.7435, 26.2573

At around lunch time Paul told me to pack my bag as he has organised a night away for me to celebrate our two year anniversary. I was very excited and curious - where were we going? We drove past Vlei Pan - we stopped here for a few minutes to watch elephants and giraffes who were eating and drinking. We drove through the game reserve and then out Derdepoort Gate. Soon after we entered the park again through a different gate. Paul had organised us a night at Tau Game Lodge.

This lodge is situated in the western side of the park. Each of the rooms have a view of the waterhole - hopefully we get a chance to see some animals from our room. Our room was very nice and we could see impala and wildebeest from the deck.

We got into our swimwear and headed to the pool. It was a very nice swim. Back at the room I enjoyed an outdoor shower and then we got ready for the afternoon game drive. The main lodge is quite large, they also have a pool table at the bar and a TV room. At afternoon tea we met our guide Marie-Lize. We were on a vehicle with two other couples.

Our first stop was the lodge's waterhole, here we saw a crocodile swimming about the water plants. We also saw the same impalas and wildebeests that I could see earlier on from our room. Further down the road we saw a herd of kudus. Our guide wanted to take us to a very sad sight.

A few days ago there was a white rhino poached in the area. The park rangers had cut into the corpse to make it easier for the predators to eat it. It was a sad sight for us, but not for the hyena. There was a spotted hyena who was really enjoying the dead rhino. He was rubbing himself into the rotting animal. It really stank.

We drove to a nice place to stop for drinks and snacks as we enjoyed a nice sunset. Back at the lodge it was a boma dinner (barbecue style). Even though I am a vegetarian, there was so much food for me to eat. It was a really nice meal.

After dinner Paul and I went back to the room and enjoyed our second bottle of sparkling wine.

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Photos

01 Vlei Pan
One of the most popular waterholes in the game reserve.

02 Busy
This waterhole was busy with elephants and giraffes.

03 Giraffe
A giraffe close to my car window.

04 Awkward
The giraffe looks quite awkward as it bends down to eat.

05 Hitchhikers
On the giraffe's back there are a few ox-peckers hitching a ride and eating the ticks from its fur.

06 Close Up
A close up of the Red Billed Oxpeckers on the giraffe's neck.

07 In the Mud
A large elephant wading through the mud.

08 Our Room
Paul in our room at Tau Lodge.

09 Bed
The 'welcome' message on our bed- written with grass.

10 View
The view from our deck.

11 Impalas
Impalas as seen from our deck.

12 Camoflage
A very well camouflaged Tree Agama.

13 Crocodile
A crocodile floating in Tau Lodge's waterhole.

14 Chalets
The lodge's chalets as seen from our game drive.

15 Ours
Our chalet is in the middle of these ones.

16 General Game
General game near the lodge's waterhole - an impala and a wildebeest with its back to us.

17 Kudu
A female kudu.

18 Very Sad Sight
A poached white rhino that is about to be eaten by this Spotted Hyena.

19 Injured
The hyena seems to have an injury under its right ear.

20 Posing
The hyena posing with its dinner.

21 Chewing
Chewing on a bone.

22 Sitting
The hyena sitting next to the poor rhino.

23 Spotty
The photo shows why this hyena is called the Spotted Hyena.

24 Sunset
A beautiful African sunset.

25 Sunset
A beautiful African sunset.