May 26, 2011
May 26, 2011
Safari Day Three
It has been a very long 29-hour day of traveling. I woke up at 5:00. Coffee at 6:15. Dawn game drive at 6:30. Back at 10:00. Scarfed down a croissant and cheese, checked out and on the road for the 90-minute drive to the Hoedspruit airport. Waited at the tiny airport for 2 hours before boarding my 60-minute flight to Johannesburg. Landed and had a 4-hour layover. Boarded for the 11-hour flight to London. Had another 4-hour layover before my 10-hour flight to DFW. 60 minutes in customs, 30 minutes to Lantana and now 5 minutes away from a long, hot shower!
Allow me to fill in a few details. After rising early to pack, I put on my morning “safari costume,” which consisted of a turtleneck, Haven’s Northface coat and windbreaker, Jennifer’s wool socks, and Ney’s safari vest and hat. I met my four new Australian friends for coffee and we were snuggled up in the Land Rover with our hot water bottles and blankets by daybreak.
Within minutes we were greeted by a handful of elephants. Apparently, one of them woke up on the wrong side of the road because he was very grumpy about us interrupting his breakfast. As we tried to pass, he kept trumpeting his trunk until we finally had to stop the Jeep, turn off the Jeep, and assure him by our stillness that we were not threatening him, his family, or his food. He eventually turned his back on us and we were able to resume our engine and our drive. I can still hear the sound of the trumpet blast. Just like on the Animal Channel only I could feel it vibrate throughout my body.
Next, Lazarus spotted a cheetah camouflaged in the bush. I don’t know how in the world he caught him out of his peripheral vision as we were chugging along down the road. I could barely see him once he pointed him out! We were able to take a quick picture before he jetted off back into the bush as fast as lightning.
Then, we came upon a family of baboons. Maybe it is just me, but they all had an expression on their faces that made me think they were up to no good. Seriously, they kept looking back over their shoulders at us to see if we were still watching. Rams did not stick around to find out what kind of trouble they were getting into; he was on a mission. As we passed by the usual zebras, wildebeests, warthogs and impalas, he informed the new arrivals that they would have many opportunities to photograph them later. He was determined that I would see all of the Big Five before I went home.
He and Lazarus spent the next two hours tracking down the water buffalo for me. It was absolutely fascinating to watch the two of them in action. Seriously, they did everything but sniff the wind and put their ears to the ground. Every bent piece of grass was a clue to which direction they were heading. Each lump of dung informed them how long ago they had been nearby. The tracks told them how many there were and even if they were male or female!
It was like searching for clues to hidden treasure. Admiring their commitment and obvious experience, the scripture came to my mind, “If you seek me, you will find me, if you seek me with all your heart.” I wondered how many clues the Lord leaves all around us to find Him if we will only take the time to pay attention. Their tenacity paid off, we eventually found two extraordinary water buffalo hidden behind tall grass and bushes. The female was lying on the ground and the male was rubbing his head back and forth on her back to scratch an itch. It was so sweet to witness this little glimpse of undomesticated domestic life.
Rams told us that we needed to head back to camp but he would take us by another watering hole in hopes of seeing a hippo before I had to leave. I was not disappointed. There was a whole family of hippos taking a morning bath. Rams told us that the hippos pose the most danger to the camp guests. Because they only eat grass, they come to the camp at night where the grass is plenty and is not cluttered by thorny bushes. They never attack for food but if a guest were to accidentally come upon a hungry, hungry hippo eating his vegetarian dinner, they could be “snapped in two” with one bite as a defense.
He told us a similar fact about the giraffes we watched as they ate the leaves from the trees. They would never attack man for food but, if they felt threatened, they could kill with one swift kick of their front legs. They can even kill a lion by a well-placed kick to the jawbone. I saw a giraffe kick out with his front legs like that when the Jeep got too close for his comfort.
Because of this morning’s extra-long drive, upon returning to camp, I had to rush to change clothes, eat on the run and check out so the driver could pick up some arriving guests at the airport. On the short, 15-minute drive from the camp to the main road, I had the sweetest kiss from the Lord. Just passed the camp sign, there was a herd of grazing impalas. Within seconds I saw a family of baboons. Then a yellow-billed hornbill (the African Flying Banana) landed on a bush right as we were passing by. Just around the next corner were two giraffes and a couple of zebra. I thought to myself, Wow. I’m seeing as much on this brief drive out as on a three-hour game drive. I said to the driver, “They’re all coming out to say goodbye to me.”
Just about the time I got the words out of my mouth, we saw a long, long line of wildebeests paralleling the road ahead. I thought, I can’t believe I packed my camera and I’m missing all of these perfect photo opportunities! I felt the Lord whisper to me, these moments are not to capture, they are simply to receive as my little gifts to you. I smiled out loud, and He still had a warthog and a jackal waiting for me before I got to the exit gate.
He wasn’t through “kissing” me, yet. While waiting in the tiny airport, I opened up my laptop to write about the morning events. The sun was shining through the window behind me, creating a glare on the screen and heating up the back of my neck. I thought about moving but decided to simply make a few quick notes and then write more details on the plane when it was cooler. I started jotting down an “African Blessing” I had found earlier in the airport gift shop. I couldn’t believe it as I began typing out the words…
“May the African sun always shine on you.
May the rhythm of its drums beat deeply in your heart.
May the vision of all its glory fill you with joy, and may the memory of Africa be with you, always.”
There are no words. But “yes” and “thank you” come the closest.
Posted by weblion at 09:48 PM
