Monday June 18
A rather restless night with all the night sounds. Since the animals roam freely (like just feet from the tent), we hear lots and lots of calls, swishes and thunks in the night. The hippos are probably the most vocal--they actually grunt more than honk, I guess. What I noticed was that the GRUNT grunt-grunt-grunt-grunt-grunt-grunt GRUNT was answered by GRUNT grunt-grunt-grunt-grunt-grunt-grunt GRUNT. The cadence was answered in the same fashion. James says the dominant male announces and the rest respond in like kind. grunt grunt (hippo). Hoowhee? (hyenga) purring snore (Jane).
After an early morning knock on the door by our guy Martin, we had a light breakfast of tea, coffee, yogurt, cereal, juice. Then off to our activities. Here it's like camp--you choose an "activity": one in the a.m. and one in the p.m. Jane went on a game drive and I chose to do a bush walk this morning. This afternoon I think we'll both fish for Tiger fish. Those on the bush walk took a boat about 5 min. down the river to the park where we picked up a guy with a rifle to accompany us and checked out the "smaller" critters--saw soldier ants (a platoon of them) on their way to find termites. The tall termite hills and the harvest termite teepees dot the landscape. We came across recent elephant, leopard and hippo footprints--even a hippo's resting place for the night. One could see its hide's wrinkles still imprinted in the sand. Interesting fact: the male hippo spews his scat, sort of like a manure spreader. The female is much more discrete and just plops.
We also found a Baobab tree that's more a succulent than a tree. HUGE thick guy. This one's about 1000 years old. Then naturally we saw the Umbrella Thorn tree, the symbol of Africa.
Close up of the bark:
Above is the Umbrella Thorn tree
Treated to brunch at 11--then we'll have tea at 4, dinner at 7:30. Rather spoiled here. Think Downton Abbey on safari.
Lodge photos (all in the open air):
Tent photos:
Later: We fish for Tiger fish (good fighters) but first have to catch our bait. That doesn't prove to be an easy task. Our guide hooks worms to lines and we fish close to shore, but only get three small tiger fish for bait, not what he was looking for, but it will suffice, I guess. We motor out into the current and Jane and I each have a line out with a 2x4 inch piece of bait and a rather large hook. But...we drift, tangle lines, drift, Jane hooks a hippo and her line breaks (those guys were close to the boat and the guide thinks one stepped on her line--only in Africa).
Jane's rather impatient and I catch her reading and fishing at the same time. After a fruitless 90 minutes, we head back to the landing in the violet dusk to the welcome of that glass of sherry waiting for us on the dock. We're getting very used to being spoiled.
After a shower, we join others at the firepit and enjoy a late dinner under the Southern Cross and scorpio, which nearly all of us can now find in the southern sky.
Lights out around 10--we're both pooped!
After an early morning knock on the door by our guy Martin, we had a light breakfast of tea, coffee, yogurt, cereal, juice. Then off to our activities. Here it's like camp--you choose an "activity": one in the a.m. and one in the p.m. Jane went on a game drive and I chose to do a bush walk this morning. This afternoon I think we'll both fish for Tiger fish. Those on the bush walk took a boat about 5 min. down the river to the park where we picked up a guy with a rifle to accompany us and checked out the "smaller" critters--saw soldier ants (a platoon of them) on their way to find termites. The tall termite hills and the harvest termite teepees dot the landscape. We came across recent elephant, leopard and hippo footprints--even a hippo's resting place for the night. One could see its hide's wrinkles still imprinted in the sand. Interesting fact: the male hippo spews his scat, sort of like a manure spreader. The female is much more discrete and just plops.
Below is a small mound made by the Harvester Termite--notice the little "chimneys" on the top
Treated to brunch at 11--then we'll have tea at 4, dinner at 7:30. Rather spoiled here. Think Downton Abbey on safari.
Lodge photos (all in the open air):
Later: We fish for Tiger fish (good fighters) but first have to catch our bait. That doesn't prove to be an easy task. Our guide hooks worms to lines and we fish close to shore, but only get three small tiger fish for bait, not what he was looking for, but it will suffice, I guess. We motor out into the current and Jane and I each have a line out with a 2x4 inch piece of bait and a rather large hook. But...we drift, tangle lines, drift, Jane hooks a hippo and her line breaks (those guys were close to the boat and the guide thinks one stepped on her line--only in Africa).
Jane's rather impatient and I catch her reading and fishing at the same time. After a fruitless 90 minutes, we head back to the landing in the violet dusk to the welcome of that glass of sherry waiting for us on the dock. We're getting very used to being spoiled.
After a shower, we join others at the firepit and enjoy a late dinner under the Southern Cross and scorpio, which nearly all of us can now find in the southern sky.
Lights out around 10--we're both pooped!