Honeymooning Day 10 Tuesday

Instead of the 5.30am call we opted for an all day safarai so got to breakfast at 7.45. Blinis and apple sauce for me, an eggless special for the Boy plus freshly made muffins. On the road by 8.30am for the great animal search, on the trail of a lioness almost immediately and eventually found and followed her as she called to find her pups. Incredible diaphragm use and nothing like any of the roaring we've head before.

 

Then, on the search for rhino, we happened upon a serval...somewhere between a leopard, cheetah and tiger with stripes and spots and incredibly rare.

Stop for elevenses and hot chocolate and brandy (the misty rain starting to seep into our very beings), coffee and rusks, then on the road again. The weather was getting worse and as our jeep is entirely open at the sides, the speeds of rain and the jeep made everyone soaking wet. We ploughed on in fetching poncho-stylee.

In searching still further for rhino we came across a family of giraffe: one cheeky bull giraffe, two babies and three females. The bull pranced around in front of us for 20 minutes at least, showing us his horns on nearby bushes and generally strutting his stuff.

Picnic lunch as the rain cleared to reveal the German couple on our jeep to be completely soaked through in the front seats. A final hunt for hippo fruitless and the driving rain returned us to the lodge for 3pm. Warm baths, hot chocolate and wine took us through to the evening buffet spread at dinner of salads, soups and meats galore. Traditional South African desserts were incredibly tasty and will definitely be trying them out at home.

Bed by 10pm, determined to be up for 5.30am morning drive. Bed turned down again for our return from dinner (bliss!). We kept the heater on to keep out the night chill from the tent.