Otters Den River Lodge Hoedspruit

... and Cyprus.

This is our second night at a camp in a private nature reserve just outside of Kruger National Park. We'll go into Kruger for game drives tomorrow, including a night drive. Yesterday was a long day of driving to get here, but we made several stops at lookout points along a gorgeous scenic route across the mountains.

... came home, and started planning our trip (to leave the next morning)!!

We needed to find a lodge (that was available and that we could afford) and a rental car. The family with whom we were staying, the Kernicks, told us about a couple of incredible websites: mtbeds.com and bushbreaks.co.za to find good deals on last minute safaris. We found what we thought would be our best option, the Jackalberry Lodge in the Thornybush Game Reserve, which borders the Kruger ...

... her every night and she's nearly the age where she can conceive. Tony the owner rejected National Geographic's offer to have exclusive rights to the footage of her giving birth. Tony wants to put it on his site so all of Jessica's fans can see it. Apparently Elton John came a month ago and is a member of her fan club. Why do I keep hearing about Elton John in Africa? I never knew he had such an interest...!

... week. It was absolutely pouring rain while we dug dirt and collected rocks. I was desperately seeking my happy place as my clothes were literally washed on my body. It was horrible. I was working slowly so I would see any scorpions under the rocks. Ironically, Gary, the scorpion finder, was stung as he pulled up a pile of rocks. His fingers were paralyzed for a day and he had numbness and throbbing up his arm for 3 days. He took it like a champ and only wished he had a ...

... the Makalali reserve, over bumpy roads and through a river. i never would have driven a minivan through the mighty Mahkutswi River but they are a bit more daring than i am in SA. we had rain for 3 days after our arrival and the river rose quickly. all the rain came down from the Drakensberg mountains and we were unable to cross the river for 2 days so we just stuck to the North part of the reserve for our drives. it was nice to get to the other side though ...

... Strike kill a vernomous Boomslang snake. I even chased hyaena, trying to steal our bins, out of camp! On our second week we all slept out in a near by (dried up) river bed. We cooked our own dinner and then had 2 students take it in turns to patrol around the mass of snoring sleeping bags the whole night.....just in case!! On our third week we spent the morning at a shooting range. We had to learn not just how to shoot a ...

... We hope to visit Kruger National Park again, we only saw a very small amount of it last time, and to see what else is in the area. That'll be for the next entry. The rains are not due until the end of October but we would love them to come early so that we can see the difference it will make to the area. Apparently it will feel like hell the 10 days before the rains arrive, temperatures in the 40's and no movement of air at all.

... to your imagination where the thermometer goes. I've also practiced injecting a horse. I never thought I would be able to do that. Another SNAKE - This time it was in the oven. I knew there was a reason I don't cook. Did some weapon handling today. Only shooting at targets but it was great fun. 1/11/07 - 19/11/05 Three new horses arriving. Got to settle them in. Great opportunity to study horse behaviour. Got a hang over this morning. Too many ...

... and at least 100 vultures follow the pick up, circling menacingly overhead. They get through 3 to 4 tons of meat a day here!! Another job we are in charge of in the night feeds for a young month and a half old rhino named Juliette... she aint small!! But she is absolutely amazing to work with. Weather is fantastic! Already getting a killer tan. There are 6 others here with me and they're all great. Our camp is close to luxury... beds ...

... we were simply awestruck, to be so close to a lion, in an open vehicle, in the middle of nature, we couldn't stop staring and snapping pictures. The lions walked for a couple minutes then start roaring, laid down, continued roaring and then passed out in the road. They just might be the laziest creatures, sleeping for 20 hours a day, no wonder it's so hard to spot them. We're about two feet from a humungous Hippo, one of the most dangerous animals, very fast runner, will trample ...