Heat, hippos and rhino!

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  Campfire Safaris, South Africa
Tuesday, September 25, 2007

Well hello there! Here I am entering my 4th week of my experience. It's been pretty darned hot the last couple of days from about 37-39 degrees C -phew! It's been milder today and rain is forecast later on this week -I'm happy to have a break from the heat but the others are whingeing! We had a fabulous boat trip down the Blyde River Canyon, some amazing scenery and fabulous rock formations (the 3rd deepest canyon in the world) and from the boat spied a croc on the shore and also a number of hippo in the water - just their heads with their ears waggling. They look remarkably cute but nothing could be futher from the truth!
On a bush walk this evening we suddenly came upon a couple of bush pigs (not unlike warthogs) that had clearly been dozing; we startled them and they shot off , away from us fortunately -they're flippin big and wouldn't want them heading towards you!
Lectures during last week and this have included grasses, (which can provide really key info about the state of your habitat) taxonomy, game farm management, culling and hunting. Visited a cheetah breeding project last week and I  now know the how to tell the difference between a leopard and a cheetah which I didn't b4

Jessica smiling!

. Also had a fascinating few hours at the Moholoholo rehabilitation project where we saw a no. of different sorts of vulture and actually had one come and sit on my arm -they're heavy let me tell you.Tom, an 8 month old rhino was being cared for at the centre and he was so sweet . He wandered around amongst us but you had to watch out as he's a mischevious youngster and even tho young could do you some serious damage.En route from the cheetah project we came upon a rhino and soem Eland (the biggest antelope) it was fantastic to see a rhino in the bush, can't wait to see elephant and would love to see them on Campfire but might have to wait until Kruger.
I'm increasing my knowledge of bird identification and can actually recognise about half a dozen by their call alone. Red and Yellow hornbills are commonplace around here and I'm getting to used to their comical movement and antics I shall really quite miss them . I've seen a no. of stunning birds including sunbirds, kingfishers and finches and waxbills and one in particular called a Lilac Breasted Roller and there is a bird called a Grey Lourie which is called the "go away" bird because that is what he appears to be saying as his warning call!
Sunday and this morning at 6.30 we were at the dam again digging out the mud -we have to do as much of this work b4 the rains come -I was wielding a pickaxe this morning -does my back ache or wot?
I'm going to sign off here and get to bed. Into Hoedspruit to do the food shop tomorrow as some of the gang are doing their Kruger trip which I shall do later on in stay.Will let you know how our 24hr sleep out/ survival in the bush goes later on this week next time I write.....!! 
That's all for now.
Take care, love etc,
Africa Sal xx 

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Jessica+friend at the door!	Leopard at Kruger	Rentamob partying	Stunning impala

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