May 25, 2011
May 25, 2011
Safari Day Two
It was rise and shine early this morning with a 6:00 wake up call and 20 minutes to meet for tea and coffee before our dawn game drive. I was so excited, I was there at 15 after. The coffee was surprisingly delicious and piping hot. I filled my tumbler, grabbed a biscotti and headed straight out for the Land Cruiser so I could get the best seat behind the driver. I was greeted by a delightful surprise, a hot water bottle on my seat. And, believe me, it was much needed and appreciated. It was very cold for the first two hours of the drive. The Americans went home so it was just me and the German couple who don’t speak English. Perfect. I loved taking in the still of the morning.
Rams showed us the paw prints within yards of my hut at the camp. He also told us that the sounds we’d been hearing all night were lions. (I truly thought it was a honeymoon couple in the next hut over. It sounded the same.) So, we set out tracking the lions. Along the way we saw wildebeests, giraffes, zebras, elephants, impalas and an iguana, but no lions. I didn’t mind. Simply the drive in the bush as the sun rose was more than enough for me. Just as the chill was breaking, we stopped at a beautiful opening in a plain and had hot chocolate. It was a magical moment.
Immediately, upon returning, we had breakfast and then I headed to the gift shop where I bought some more souvenirs. I was especially excited to find the little “Mandisa” figurine I saw in Joburg that was sold out. Next, I was met in my cabana on my deck by Constance, for a massage. (By the way, the names of the staff here are wonderful. So far, I’ve met Rams, Lazarus, Bishop, Wise, Surprise and his brother, Computer, Shunamite, and January.)
Surprise set up the table outside and I had the most amazing massage. It was so ironic, you know how most massage therapists play a “New Age” CD with waves crashing and birds singing and crickets chirping? I had the real thing! There is a rushing river just below my hut, the birds were singing, the bush insects were chattering and the leaves were rustling. It was a three-dimensional experience of sound, smell and touch. The best ever.
The best best part was when she was finished and I didn’t have to get up right away. She told me to lie there as long as I wished and she and Surprise would come back later to fetch the table. I stayed there for almost an hour, dozing and being. Then I got up and took a shower outside. Yep, you read correctly. The shower is outside, overlooking the bush, in front of God and everybody. Well, nobody can actually see, thankfully, but the monkeys sure got an eyeful.
I forgot to tell you about the Velvet monkeys. When I got back from the gift shop, they were hanging out all around my hut and in the trees. Surprise assured me that he would clean up any mess they made since I didn’t know any better and I left my “walls” open while I was away. I also passed a Water Buck on the path back to my hut.
After lunch, I sat under my cabana and listened to my Drum lesson CD and played the little drum I packed. I felt so tribal and native (although, I did have clothes on!) It was indescribably relaxing. At one point, I was playing a simple beat and I looked past my toes and saw a male and female impala eating the leaves mere yards from me.
Another funny thing happened. I was learning how to play the beat that is called “Playful” and I noticed a constant clicking sound. I thought it was on the CD but it didn’t seem to be keeping tempo. I stopped playing and the sound stopped. I resumed and it resumed. It wasn’t on the CD. Some kind of insect was singing along with my drum beat!
At afternoon tea, I met four women from Germany who were traveling together. They reminded me so much of Mary, Luci, Ney and Marilyn. They were having a jolly old time. It was now time for the evening game drive. Again, Rams was intent on tracking and seeing the lions. Along the way, we passed all the usual: elephants, giraffes, zebras, impalas, kudus, plus a mongoose and a jackal. But no lion. So, we stopped at sunset and had wine and snacks. I must have had less snacks than wine because, although, I threw out half the glass, my head was spinning. Thankfully, we were heading back to camp.
Trust me, I sobered up very quickly about fifteen minutes later. We stumbled upon two lionesses (one of them was pregnant) walking in the middle of the road. We stopped and they doubled back behind us and then walked right beside us. One of them was less than six feet from me. But, it gets even better. Further down the road we came upon another female AND a male! It was dark by now. As I was busy snapping photographs of the lion on the side of the road, Rams whispered to me, “Don’t make any sudden moves. Another lioness has come up from behind the truck and she is right beside you.” I slowly slid down off of my seat and into the floorboard of the Jeep. I kept hearing her low, gutteral purr. (I could also hear my heartbeat pulsing in my ear.)
The evening dinner was so entertaining. There were people from Germany, Switzerland, Australia and Africa. They were all world travelers and the whole meal was spent sharing our most dangerous and exciting adventures. The general manager of the camp sat across the table from me and he shared some stories of being stampeded by elephants and stalked by a pride of lions and rescuing foolish tourists from their stupidity. It was a once-in-a-lifetime meal.
I’m now in my bed, surrounded my beautiful mosquito drape, the fire is dying and I can hear a cold front blowing in. I can’t believe I have to leave tomorrow. Thankfully, I have one more dawn drive. I’ve seen four of the Big Five: lions, rhinos, elephants, and a leopard. I’m only missing the Water Buffalo. But there’s always tomorrow…
Posted by weblion at 09:45 PM
