We woke at 5am the next morning and were on the road by 5.45am heading the Addo Elephant National Park. We were in the park by 9am, very excited about the hoards of cavorting elephants that awaited us. We set off, full of hope, binoculars and cameras at the ready. We saw some fantastic scrub and some fascinating rocks.
I'm not wholly convinced that the sedentary life of safari is for me.
The hours pass. A car stops a little away ahead and we catch up to peer into the bushes to see what they have seen. Oh, it's just some old trout who's dropped her kit-kat on the floor of the car. Mike screeches to a halt - "what's that over there?". "I think it's a goat Mike". "It can't be a goat, they don't have goats in here. Quick get the guide book and see if we can identify it. It's got four legs and it's beige. I think I can see horns". I squint through the binoculars. It might be a lion, then again it might be a rock. "I'm bored, can we go now?". "No, I've paid my money and I'm not leaving until we see a lion". We drive on. Suddenly we round a bend and there's no mistaking it - two elephants munch away in the bushes. We watch for a while and drive on and a fantastic sight unfolds in front of us. At a watering hole four or five zebras drink, twitching and keeping watch for predators. The two elephants we had spied in the bushes plod slowly across an open plain before they too reach the watering hole. The zebras give way to their larger placid friends. In the rear view mirror a perfectly choreographed ballet unfolds - three warthogs trot out in a perfect line, tails aloft. They head for watering hole and the elephants wait until they are about to take their first mouthful before they spray them and scare them away. Just for fun it seemed. It was amazing to watch. We celebrated with our backpackers lunch of choice - ryvita, peanut butter and an apple.
The afternoon brought thin pickings but the highlight for Mike was a buffalo carcass being pulled apart by jackals. The head was intact and the giant beast looked as though it was peacefully asleep. Alas, no lions but it was an interesting introduction to safari.
I'm not wholly convinced that the sedentary life of safari is for me.
The hours pass. A car stops a little away ahead and we catch up to peer into the bushes to see what they have seen. Oh, it's just some old trout who's dropped her kit-kat on the floor of the car. Mike screeches to a halt - "what's that over there?". "I think it's a goat Mike". "It can't be a goat, they don't have goats in here. Quick get the guide book and see if we can identify it. It's got four legs and it's beige. I think I can see horns". I squint through the binoculars. It might be a lion, then again it might be a rock. "I'm bored, can we go now?". "No, I've paid my money and I'm not leaving until we see a lion". We drive on. Suddenly we round a bend and there's no mistaking it - two elephants munch away in the bushes. We watch for a while and drive on and a fantastic sight unfolds in front of us. At a watering hole four or five zebras drink, twitching and keeping watch for predators. The two elephants we had spied in the bushes plod slowly across an open plain before they too reach the watering hole. The zebras give way to their larger placid friends. In the rear view mirror a perfectly choreographed ballet unfolds - three warthogs trot out in a perfect line, tails aloft. They head for watering hole and the elephants wait until they are about to take their first mouthful before they spray them and scare them away. Just for fun it seemed. It was amazing to watch. We celebrated with our backpackers lunch of choice - ryvita, peanut butter and an apple.
The afternoon brought thin pickings but the highlight for Mike was a buffalo carcass being pulled apart by jackals. The head was intact and the giant beast looked as though it was peacefully asleep. Alas, no lions but it was an interesting introduction to safari.
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