South Africa am Sat 5 Dec '09

South africa am Sat 5 Dec '09
Up at 4am this morning for 4.45am start. Bushwalking!
Two South African tourists, me, and two guides drive into the middle of nowhere in the Kruger National Park. We get out and start walking, single file, no talking, both guides carry rifles.
The scrub is sparse and green due to the recent rains. Mostly Mopani bushes. Scattered about, usually in single plants, are some beautiful flowers. White, pink, yellow. purple, blue, mauve - striking colours sprouting out of the sandy soil. Community Spiders have nests in the bushes. One female with lots of males running around after her. They should check out the Shangaan system.

A Buffalo runs off through the bush, Impala watch us impassively, Weaver Birds fly up out of the shrub.
Then we spot a Chameleon, maybe 9 inches/200mm long. It is bright green, exactly the same colour as the surrounding leaves, and sitting on a branch. We pick it up and it puffs up in protest. I hope to email the photo later.

Then a huge male elephant, very close, aware of us. He is walking through the bush, We walk in parallel with him and get some great photos. Awe-inspiring.

More walking, apparently aimlessly, through the bush. Suddenly a guide spots a pair of giraffes peering at us over the trees and bushes. We stop to watch them and after a short face-off, they walk away. Good. now we can sit down and have our breakfast.

On the way back we encounter a bunch of zebras, about 8 including a foal with her mother. They are out in the clear close to a mound of rock. Delightful.

Lastly, a group of 6 giraffes, feeding nonchalantly and not at all bothered by us humans staring at them. They are fascinating to watch, ungainly but graceful at the same time.

10am back to Sunbird Lodge (my b&b) where a great morning continues with a second breakfast kept back for me by Samantha.
All the Best, John