An exciting morning in Kruger National Park….A favorite animal hidden in the bush…

This was the final photo I took of the leopard; although unclear, we were grateful to get it.

When I bolted out of bed this morning, feeling much better, after not coughing all night and getting adequate sleep, I said to Tom, “Let’s go to Kruger as soon as we’re ready to go out the door!”

In a matter of minutes, I was showered, dressed, and ready to go. Tom filled out the required entry form, grabbed the passports, filled our mugs with iced tea and ice while I grabbed a second-charged battery for the new camera, and we were out the door.

This was the first photo I took today of the leopard, obstructed by brush and vegetation. I was determined to get a better shot.

Knowing we have the interview at 4:00 pm, 1600 hrs, with the reporter from the newspaper in Minnesota, we knew going as early as we could be a must. Also, we wanted to leave ample time for me to prepare today’s post and hopefully upload a few photos from our self-drive safari.

Many visitors prefer to enter Kruger in the early morning as soon as they open at dawn. For us, we are less picky about the time we go since we’ve been fortunate (i.e.safari luck”) to see plenty of wildlife in the latter part of the morning and often during midday. One never knows when and where the animals will wander about the massive national park.

We were hoping for a good experience. But, as all of us know, getting great photos in Kruger is unpredictable. We always prepare ourselves for the possibility that time in the park can prove to be uneventful and disappointing. That wasn’t the case today! At times, inclement weather can be a deterrent, but today, the sun shines with only a few scattered clouds.

This was the blurry second photo I got of the leopard eating her kill.

No, we didn’t see the Big Five, as many strive to achieve. We saw two of the five; a leopard as shown in today’s photos and a few elephants, which will be shared in the next few days as we go through all of our photos. As mentioned in the past, for us, seeing the Big Five is not necessarily a goal. We achieved this many times in South Africa, Kenya, Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Zambia on prior visits.

These days, we don’t think in terms of the “Big Five.” We’re often looking for unique and unusual sightings, a lofty goal that is seldom achieved. But today, we had some thrills, especially our included photos of a leopard eating a kill near the Sabie River, not too far from Lower Sabie, where we always stop for a bathroom break or lunch at the Mugg & Bean Restaurant.

With my new camera in hand,  which I still need to learn more about, I had the basics down pat, sufficient to get a few good shots. But, the reality remains that wildlife is not always advantageous for amateur photographers, such as me.

After we were on our return drive toward the Crocodile Gate with no less than an hour until we’d reach the exit, we noticed about a half dozen cars poised on the side of the road with passengers holding cameras in hand in an attempt for a good shot. It was tricky. The leopard was deep in the bush, obstructed by vegetation and branches, and I didn’t feel hopeful for a shot.

This was the third photo I got of the leopard, hoping for a  better shot, the best of which is the main photo.

With Tom’s expert maneuvering around other vehicles and my sheer will and determination, we found ourselves in a prime position where we stayed only for a few minutes to allow others to take whatever photos they could get. But, even in this choice location, regardless of how steady I held my hand, getting these few photos were far beyond my expertise.

Subsequently, I am sharing all that I managed to eke out, however blurry that may be. There was no time to sit there and focus for better shots. The people behind us were impatient and also wanted to take a few photos. So, dear readers, here they are.

Over the next few days, we’ll share many exciting, albeit clearer, photos we managed to take along the way. Please check back for more over the next several days.

Have a fantastic and rewarding day!

Photo from one year ago today, August 11, 2020:

One year ago, this photo was posted in lockdown in Mumbai, India, on day #140. The Mona Lisa was encased in thick glass with lots of heads and cameras in the way of taking photos. If not impossible, it was challenging to manage a good photo through the glass or the crowd. We chose not to wait for a better opening. For more photos, please click here.

What???…A leopard sighting on the Crocodile River?…Giraffes stopping for a drink…

Giraffes are constantly on guard for predators, especially when it’s time to drink when they become vulnerable in a bending position.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

The convoluted photo is difficult to decipher at first.  Note the one kudu attempting to eat the seeds in the birdfeeder, which she eventually accomplished.

While Tom was taking a short nap while I stayed at the table on the veranda finishing the daily post, I took a peek at the Marloth Park River Sightings page on Facebook to see if anyone had posted information regarding exciting sightings.

Alas, a frequent FB poster mentioned a leopard had been sighted 90 minutes earlier at the end of Swartwitpens, where it meets the river road. Such a sighting may result in disappointment if too much time has passed and the animal has moved on.

Giraffes often head to the river to drink.

I deliberated if I should awaken Tom, but he never sleeps more than 20 minutes, so I waited until he exited the bedroom to mention the sighting. Within two minutes, we were in the little car and on our way.

Once we arrived at the location, we noticed only one other car, which could indicate the leopard was gone from view. Fortunately, we met a lovely couple from Nelspruit who lives part-time in Marloth Park, Estelle, and Johan.  

We’d never have been able to spot the leopard without their help. It’s funny how people try to explain where to look to spot the animal of interest at the moment.  

Giraffes adopt a variety of stances to gain access to the water.

Nature has provided the ideal camouflage for wildlife, often making it nearly impossible to see certain animals lying under trees or bushes from the distant fence at Marloth Park across to the opposite side of the Crocodile River.

Rarely, when there is any sighting, friendly observers often assist others in finding the animal’s location. It goes like this, “See the two green trees over there with a dry bush between them? The lion is lying at the base of the tree on the left.” This is usually what seems to be an accurate description.

There were four giraffes in this tower.

However, there are dozens of green trees and dry bushes across the river, and even if one points in the correct direction carefully, the animal is often challenging to see.

Both Tom and I have noticed a difference in the way men describe where the animal is located instead of women. When Tom and Lois were here, my Tom would provide a lengthy description explaining where the lion was found.  

On the other hand, when Lois described it, she did so with few words, and often, I was more easily able to comprehend the few words as opposed to the lengthy, detailed description.  

They were stopping to check their surroundings.

We’ve noticed this phenomenon on other occasions when asking for assistance; regardless of what many people want to believe about the sexes thinking alike, it’s natural for women and men to have different perceptions and responses.


We see this in nature by the erratic behaviors of female and male animals that stop by.  For example, the male bushbucks are shy and constantly on guard, whereby the females easily approach us without hesitation.

A lone hippo grazing by the river.

The male kudus with their big horns are bossy and determined, whereby the females are more docile and quick to approach us. I could go on and on regarding the erratic behaviors of the sexes of wildlife after we’ve spent the past nine months observing them every day.

It’s always a challenge, regardless of who is describing where the animal is located, to find it, focus the camera for such a long distance resulting in a good photo.

Yesterday, at the river, I couldn’t spot the leopard, but Tom did so in minutes after Johan described the location to him in several paragraphs. I was stymied.  Nonetheless, Tom was able to take the two very distant photos we’re sharing here today.  

Only the spots confirmed this was a leopard lounging under a tree a long distance from the fence between Marloth Park and Kruger.

We’re disappointed in the lack of clarity in the photo, but this leopard may easily have been a good kilometer from us. Our skill nor our cameras were capable of obtaining better shots.

The more explicit photos we’ve seen on Facebook of yesterday’s leopard sighting were acquired with long-range lenses, which are too heavy and we’ll never be able to carry throughout the world with us.  

We waited patiently while chatting with a lovely couple we met at the fence, Johan and Estelle, who said they’ve been reading our site.

It’s one thing to have such a camera set up at home and use it now and then for special shots.  It’s another thing to have the heavy beast everywhere we go…totally impractical.

This morning we headed to Komatipoort to shop for Saturday’s upcoming Thanksgiving dinner party.  On the way to Spar, we stopped for breakfast at Stoep Cafe for another fine breakfast and idle chatter.

Now back at the house, everything is put away, and we almost have everything we’ll need.  On Thursday, we’ll return to complete the shopping balance after our teeth cleaning and eye doctor appointments.

Have a spectacular day!

Photo from one year ago today, November 12, 2017:

Tom took another excellent distant shot of a bird we couldn’t identify online. Costa Rica neighbor and bird enthusiast Charlie identified this bird as a Clay-colored Thrush or Yigüirro in Spanish.  For more photos, please click here.

Wild & Free Wildlife Rehabilitation…Rescue and release…Last night’s dinner party for eight

Deidre feeding one of the tiny rescued genets at Wild & Free Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

This is the adorable bushbaby, named Doc which I fed by hand in June. See the links included here today from the prior posts to see me feeding him.

Several months ago, we wrote a two-part series on Wild & Free Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre in Hectorspruit, South Africa. Those stories may be found at this link for Part 1 and this link for Part 2

Wild ducks found a home at Wild & Free Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre.
With friends Lois and Tom here, we thought it would be a rewarding experience for them to visit the facility with us, meet director Deidre, and experience the wonders of the work done by Deidre and her staff of volunteers who are committed to working with her in her unfaltering dedication to “rescue and release.”
These two tiny genets, only a few months old, require Deidre to feed them every two hours around the clock to thrive.  

Visiting with Deidre and her precious little creatures, all of whom who’d never have survived without her care, love, and attention, proved to be more rewarding than we expected.

Lois, holding one of the baby genets while standing next to Linda, one of Deidre’s new volunteers.

As a repeat visit for Tom and me, we found ourselves reveling in the wonder of this extraordinary place, especially when we had an opportunity to share it with our friends.  

Several peacocks are residing at the property.  This particular bird was intent on making lots of noise and showing off. 

The following afternoon we headed to Lisa’s home in Marloth Park for a second visit to share the value and reward of rescuing the precious bushbabies with the same plan for eventual release into the wild once they are well and able to thrive on their own.

The peacock flew into a tree to make some serious noise to entice us with his majesty further. 

We shared some wine with Lisa and visited Deidre, who lives in Marloth Park, and heard wonderful stories about wildlife, rescues, and releases. It was, again for us, a significant and interesting visit.

Deidre is currently caring for six jackal pups which will eventually be released into Marloth Park to balance the ecosystem.

We encourage anyone who loves wildlife to consider donating, even the smallest amount, to help support this worthy cause by visiting Wild & Free Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre  Facebook page, where amazing photos and information may be found.

What a view of the Crocodile River at this location, with many opportunities for wildlife sightings.

From there, we began getting ready for Sunday night’s dinner party for eight, which included the four of us, Louise and Danie, and a couple to whom they’re renting the same house we rented five years ago, Rita and Gerhardt, who are from the USA and Germany.

There were two tortoises at the facility who’d also been rescued and rehabilitated.

Much to our delight, Rita and Gerhardt had found out about Marloth Park from our website, which they began reading a few years ago. When they saw our endless posts of how much we love it here, they decided to come for a three-week stay.

The next day we visited Lisa at her home in Marloth Park, where, as a volunteer with Wild & Free, she rescues and releases bushbabies. Such dedication.

They contacted Louise from references on our site and eventually rented the house we’d enjoy so many years ago. As we had at the time, they’re seeing plenty of visitors in the equally conducive environment.

It was fun talking to Rita and Gerhardt about their travel lifestyle through Europe with their vehicle, the equivalent of a very sophisticated motorhome. They have a home in the US in Oregon, where they often travel a lot as well.

The bushbabies live in a bushbaby villa in Lisa’s closet in her bedroom. Nocturnal, the bushbabies can now go out into the wild at night through her open bedroom window, and they experience life on their own.

The food worked out well when we’d made a pumpkin soup, low-carb chicken pot pie, broccoli salad, lettuce salad, and ice cream bars for dessert. Rita is also gluten and lactose-free, so the meal worked well for her.

Lois, holding a newborn bushbaby Lisa had recently rescued.  All the bushbabies will eventually be released except for one named “Special Needs,” who has brain damage from hitting his head on a ceiling fan when kept as a pet. Lisa’s cared for him for the past few years and will continue to do so when he isn’t able to make it on his own in the wild.

As soon as we’ve uploaded today’s post, we’re off for a drive in Marloth Park to hopefully spot more of Mother Nature’s wonders, ending with a stop at the local market for a few items for meals for the next few days.

Tonight, we’ll dine out at yet another local restaurant as we strive to provide Tom and Lois with a wide range of experiences in Marloth Park.

We’ll be back with more tomorrow.

Photo from one year ago today, October 22, 2017:

Close up of an iguana face at Zoo Ave in Costa Rica, a rescue facility. For more photos, please click here.

The wildlife drama continues..Lions, lions and more lions, including a cub and a croc!….Guest photographer’s rhino shots!…

This male stole the warthog kill from the females, eventually leaving the remains for the hungry females.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

Enormous crocodile at the Crocodile River.  It’s no wonder that humans and boats aren’t allowed on the river.

Yesterday around noon, Tom noticed a posting on Facebook on the Marloth Park River Viewing page stating lions had been sighted from the fence in the park into Kruger National Park.

Bloody-faced lions after eating their kill.
We wasted no time grabbing cameras, binoculars, and repellents and heading out in the little car to see what we could find. We weren’t disappointed. I must explain that simply knowing lions are located across the river is only a small portion of getting some decent shots.
Female lion on the hunt.

The scenery on the river banks along with the lion’s colors makes it nearly impossible to spot them, even though the viewfinder of a camera or the lens of binoculars.

Four female lions were lying on the rocks.

Tom makes every effort to provide me with landmarks that indicate where he sees the lions using his binoculars. But this is tricky. Everyone has a different way of explaining what they see through their own eyes, often different from what others see through theirs.

Two female lions were lying on the rocks.

After considerable effort and having no luck spotting them through the viewfinder in the camera, Lois stepped in and in a single sentence from her description, I was able to spot the lions. From there, magic happened.

Another view of four female lions on the rocks on the bank of the Crocodile River.

And, although the photos aren’t as perfect as I’d like based on the limitations of the only camera and my occasionally unsteady hand from such a distance, overall we were pleased with what we’re sharing today, not due to any skill on my part but based on the scene that unfolded before our eyes.

The four of us were thrilled to witness these magnificent scenes.

Nature?  Wow!  Remarkable! How did we get so lucky to witness such acceptable acts in heart? Undoubtedly, part of it is “safari luck,” which Tom and Lois certainly seem to possess, as well as we’ve been in awe over our sightings since they arrived ten days ago. The time is going so quickly.

Mom and baby.  

Not only has this tremendous experience reshaped their views on wildlife and nature, but it’s also provided us with an opportunity to see these fantastic scenes through their perspective, only enhancing the enthusiasm we’ve already experienced in these past eight months in Marloth Park.

The cub wanted to nurse, but mom was having none of it!
Although mom was turned away, we couldn’t resist posting this photo of the cub.

I couldn’t wait to return to my laptop to download the photos we’re sharing in today’s post. As often is the case, we deleted many of the lesser quality shots and saved the best for posting on our site.

The cub gave up the pursuit of suckling and settled down.

As for our guest photographer, Lisl, whom we met at Ngwenya Lodge and Restaurant on Thursday night, we’re grateful she took the time to send us her three photos we’re posting today.  

Lisl also took this excellent rhino photo to forward to me. Thanks again, Lisl.

I had made the mistake of bringing the destroyed camera to Ngwenya instead of the working camera and wasn’t able to take the precious and unusual shots. Our friend Tom only had an iPhone with him and it doesn’t have the capability of distant shots.

Lisl’s photo as darkness fell.

Subsequently, I approached Lisl as she sat on Ngwenya’s veranda with her son and husband, asking if she’d send me a few of her photos. What a kind person she is to have done so! Thanks, Lisl! It’s so appreciated!

Lisl, our guest photographer, took this rhino family.  Thanks, Lisl!

As for today, we’re staying in while we prepare an American-type dinner for guests Louise and Danie and a couple from the US we’ve never met, Gerhard and Rita. We’re looking forward to another beautiful evening in the bush with friends!

Be well.  Be happy!

Photo from one year ago today, October 21, 2017:

Basilica Nuestra Senora de las Piedades church in Naranjo, Costa Rica. For more photos, please click here. 

Part 9…Cape Buffalo Day!…If you think the Big Five is something…How about the “Ridiculous Nine!!!…Day spent in Kruger with friends!

A group of cape buffalo may be called an “obstinacy.”

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

This is an African Hawk-Eagle.

What a fantastic day we had yesterday! We spent the better part of the day in Kruger National Park, had lunch at the Mugg & Bean, and continued to the Sunset Dam for more spectacular sightings.  

“Buffalo herds can have a significant ecological impact on the veld. Being a bulk grazer, they are responsible for converting long grasslands into harsh grassy environments conducive to other browsers with more selective feeding habits.”

After finishing the day’s post utmost on my mind in the afternoon, we headed back to Marloth Park by 1400 hours (2:00 pm), arriving about an hour later. We planned to arrive at Lisa’s house in time for “sundowners” (happy hour) and to see her adorable rescued bushbabies. 

In the next week, we’ll be posting photos from our visit to both Wild & Free locations at the main facility in Hectorspruit with Deidre and Marloth Park at Lisa’s house. Both experiences were such a delight to share with Tom & Lois. 

“An inhabitant of woodland savannas, large herds of African Buffalo are encountered in the Kruger National Park, with smaller herds in Zululand and the Eastern Cape.”

By 1900 hours (7:00 pm), we were returned to the house, hustled around preparing great leftovers for dinner, and did the usual “night on the veranda” thing with many visitors arriving throughout the remainder of the evening.

“A large and powerful bovine, the African Buffalo reaches shoulder heights of up to 1.5 m and a mass of 750 kg. Both sexes have horns. Those of the bulls are characterized by a heavy boss and upward curved horns.”

We’ve spent this morning on the veranda, with fewer visitors than usual due to weekend holidaymakers and the drizzling rain. Once we upload today’s post, we’ll be heading out for a drive along the Crocodile River to see what we can find.

This morning Tom and I went to Daisy’s Den to pick up more handmade placemats and linen napkins for tomorrow night’s exciting dinner party with Louise and Danie coming and a special couple we’ll tell you more about after the party. It’s quite a fantastic story we look forward to sharing next week with considerable enthusiasm.

“Buffalo are inherent carriers of viruses fatal to domestic stock, and for this reason, disease-free Buffalo are specifically bred in areas such as the Eastern Cape in South Africa and fetch very high prices.” 

After I typed the above paragraph, Tom noticed a posting in Marloth Park Sighting Page on Facebook that a pride of lions had been sighted at the Crocodile River.

We all drop what we were doing and took off for the river within minutes. Following where all the cars were driving and eventually parked near the “Two Trees” location, it didn’t take more than a few minutes to spot the lions.

“Mainly preyed upon by lions. When a herd member is attacked, others will rush to its defense. Collectively several buffalo are more than capable of staving off an attack by an entire pride of lions. A wounded buffalo bull is regarded as most dangerous by hunters and is one of the reasons why this animal is included in the so-called ‘big five. This trait is the origin of many hunting adventures, myths, and legends.”

We were all enthralled by the sighting, taking as many photos as possible. Our one camera can’t zoom to the distant locations of the sightings, but as always, we did the best we could.

We’ve decided to wrap up the “Ridiculous Nine” sightings from last Friday with today’s post. We haven’t included elephants, but after many stories and information on elephants over these past months, we’ll surely bring up elephants shortly.  

“Mating occurs between March and May. The gestation period is 330 days. Single calves are born between January and April, with a distinct peak in February. African Buffalo are strongly gregarious. Stable herds of up to several hundred are often observed, but which fragment into smaller herds in times of drought.”

Tomorrow, we’ll be sharing today’s photos of the stunning sightings on the Crocodile River, including a lion cub that took our breath away. Please check back then.

Enjoy your day and evening!

Photo from one year ago today, October 20, 2017:

This pair of Inca Doves returned for another visit at the villa in Costa Rica. For more photos, please click here.

Part 8…Leopard Day!…If you think the Big Five is something…How about the “Ridiculous Nine!!!…Day spent in Kruger with friends!

“Leopards are capable of carrying animals heavier than themselves and will often drag their prey into the fork of a tree several meters off the ground. This tree “lardering” protects the carcass against scavengers and allows a few days of undisturbed feeding.”

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

Southern ground hornbill on a walk in Kruger. “The southern ground hornbill is characterized by black coloration and vivid red patches of bare skin on the face and throat (yellow in juvenile birds), which are generally believed to keep dust out of the bird’s eyes while they forage during the dry season. The white tips of the wings (primary feathers) seen in flight are another diagnostic characteristic. The beak is black and straight and presents a casque, more developed in males. Female southern ground hornbills are smaller and have violet-blue skin on their throats. Juveniles to six years old lack the prominent red pouch but have a duller patch of grey in its place.”

Most of today’s photo captions were acquired from this site.
It’s 1500 hours (3:00 pm), and we just returned from Kruger National Park for our self-drive for the four of us.  We piled in the little car and headed to the park with reasonably low expectations after our “Ridiculous Nine” adventure a week ago today.

I’m rushing to get done to leave in a little over an hour to go to Lisa’s (from Wild and Free Rehabilitation) property here in Marloth Park, where we’ll have sundowners with Lisa and Deidre (whom we visited with yesterday at the rehab center in Hectorspuit) and see the rescued bushbabies.  

“These big cats eat a variety of food, from wildebeest to fish, but most of their diet comes in the form of antelope. Baboons and leopards appear to be ancient enemies. Leopards will often stalk baboons sleeping in the trees at night and carry off one of the troop. There has been a case recorded in which a leopard that tried to attack a baboon in broad daylight was torn to pieces by the rest of the troop, which quickly came to the shrieking primate’s defense.”

This will be more exciting for Tom and Lois, who revel in one fascinating outing after another. Of course, we love every moment as well. Our day is Kruger was excellent as we’ll be adding to our bursting inventory of photos we’ve yet to post.

The days and nights have been more action-packed than our usual schedule, but we’ve thoroughly enjoyed all the activity and look forward to more during our guest’s remaining 12 days until they depart to return to the USA.

“The leopard’s hunting technique is to either ambush its prey or to stalk it. In either instance, it tries to get as close as possible to its target. It then makes a brief and explosive charge (up to 60km/h), pouncing on its prey and dispatching it with a bite to the neck. Leopards do not have the aptitude for chasing their quarry over any distance and will give up if the initial element of surprise is lost and the intended victim gets away.”

Last night we made a repeat dinner at Ngwenya Lodge and Restaurant but ran into a major snafu on my part. I must explain how this all came to pass by backtracking to last Saturday night.

Lately, I’ve been drinking low-alcohol wine, which is readily available in South Africa by a few well-respected vineyards. Both the very dry red and white wines appeal to me, but several restaurants in the area don’t regularly have these on their menus.

“The leopard is a graceful animal with an elongated body, relatively short legs, and a long tail. After the lion, it is the next-biggest African cat with an average body mass of between 60kg and 70kg, standing about two-thirds of a meter tall at the shoulder. Leopards in the wild may live up to 15 years. Unlike the lion, the leopard is a silent creature, only occasionally emitting a cough-like call.”

As a result, I asked to pay a corkage fee and bring the low-alcohol wine for my consumption bringing home whatever is left in the bottle after my few glasses.This has been well received by the restaurants.  

Generally, the corkage fee has been around ZAR 30 (US $2.09), not per glass but per evening. Since I don’t drink soda and don’t care to drink plain water, this choice of wine, although not very strong in alcohol content, makes me feel like I’m joining in the “sundowner” festivities.

Last Saturday night, with the four of us out to dinner at Jabula, I brought along an unopened bottle of Four Cousins Skinny Dry Red, my favorite. Once we were all seated at the bar, Lyn, our hostess explained they now were carrying this same wine. I was thrilled.  

We’d keep the bottle I’d brought along in my cloth grocery bag where I had the camera and a few odds and ends, never giving it another thought. When it was time to pay our bill and end the evening, I accidentally placed the bag on the floor with a little too much vigor. The wine bottle broke.

“Leopards are the least social – and perhaps the most beautiful – of the African big cats. They usually keep to themselves, lurking in the dense riverine bush or around rocky koppies, emerging to hunt late in the afternoon or at night.”

If that’s all that had transpired I wouldn’t have given it much of a thought. But, alas, the camera was in the bag and was destroyed by the red wine. It was undoubtedly damaged beyond repair.

We had two identical cameras. The one I destroyed was the older of the two. We need two cameras since Tom has become more and more proficient at taking photos and we are often in situations where we’re both taking shots simultaneously.

I left the destroyed camera on the table in the living room with both the data card and batteries out to at least ensure those weren’t ruined. I never gave it another thought other than to wonder how and when we’d replace the camera. It’s not as if there are many camera stores within any decent distance.  

Our friends, Lois and Tom from New Jersey, USA, whom we met two years ago on the 33-night cruise that circumvented the continent of Australia.

The closest camera store is a five-hour car ride to Johannesburg, and neither of us is interested in such a long-distance drive.

We’ll figure something out and report what we’ve decided at a later date.

So, last night, as we prepared to go to Ngwenya for another evening of river viewing, I grabbed the camera, and off we went. Little did I realize that I’d accidentally picked up the “dead” camera.  

Nor did we expect or know that there would be four rhinos in plain sight at the river from the veranda at Ngwenya. I was heartsick. Rhinos are hard to spot, and there I was without a working camera. Tom and Lois used an iPhone for photos, and it doesn’t have the long-distance capacity for these distant shots.

I asked a lovely woman at a table with her family next to ours if she’d send me a few of her photos. I gave her our business card, and she kindly complied. She even went as far as handing her camera over to me to take a few shots myself.

Tom and I with friends Lois and Tom at Aamazing River View restaurant, overlooking the Crocodile River.

Hopefully, it will work out for her to send me the photos to post them soon. In the interim, I put away the defunct camera out of plain sight and rely upon the camera we have left until we come up with a solution.

Oh, well, so it goes. It’s pointless for us to complain when we’ve had nothing but one great experience after another. We’re very grateful. We’ll live with it.

It’s time to get ready to go to Lisa’s home to see the bushbabies and share some sundowners with her and Deidre, who’ll also join us. We’ll be back with posts regarding our experiences with Wild and Free at both of these rescue locations.

Have a fantastic evening!

Photo from one year ago today, October 19, 2017:

Although this Flame Tree appears to be sprouting bananas, these yellow pods are actually the flower before blooming. It’s a favorite spot for birds that stop for a visit, including another variety of the popular flycatcher. For more photos, please click here.