We finally landed at the lodge at 3pm...greeted at the entrance by a group of giraffes- not the deadliest animal we will see but nice to ease into the introduction to wildlife world! There was a decent pool at the lodge where we were told we could cool off. Cool off?? The water was bloody boiling...I felt like dropping a few tea bags into it and drinking it, it was that hot!

After applying a layer of suncream followed by another layer of mozzie repellent, (I felt like I was a trifle..)it was time for my first game drive in a blistering 39oC! Ten minutes in we had to take a U-turn back to buy some caps- I was getting absolutely baked and luckily I wasn't the only one. Pierre's head was about to explode! Driving around in an open top game vehicle spotting wildlife such as hippos, warthogs, rhinos, impalas etc was class . It was all going to plan until in the space of a few minutes the grey clouds arrived and....we managed to get a flat tyre...right in the middle of the park! Even the guide looked a little worried, which was not very reassuring...we had to wait by the jeep until another vehicle arrived to 'rescue' us...mother of god...once again why am I here??

Forty five minutes and five cigarettes later, we were good to go again...hiding in the bushes from the lions and lightning was not my typical Monday afternoon 'activity'! That's lucky escape number one...One of the French dudes ( Jean lets call him) came out with this classic, ''If I get eaten by zii Lyuun, maa wiiife will kill me''. Well Jean my old buddy, I don't think she will have to....

After gawking at a few hippos, jackals, impalas, water bucks and wild buffaloes we headed back to the lodge where Dana had a lamb stew( aka Irish stew)waiting! The lightning seemed to be getting closer by the minute again but we were content to keep eating the stew outside (in our apparent secure enclosure). Is there a happier way to die than a belly full of homemade goodness? Well anyways the lightning never reached us and the day seemed to be winding down nicely (to be continued later...)

One final bit of good news to finish off the day( or so I thought)...when I told the crew about my chronic snoring, I was given a room upgrade to the head rangers bedroom as he was away for the day- thank you nose! Pretty cool real life zebra skinned mat in his room and a fridge full of whiskey, water and beer- must have some highs and lows running this place!

One final incident that topped off a very eventful day-as we ate our stew in peace a cheetah decided to walk into our enclosure and join us... my city slicker knowledge had me thinking we were about to be eaten...luckily, just a quick sniff of my dinner, (as I sat there almost s***eing myself) and she wasn't a big fan of it so just decided to plonk down beside us while we ate. Think she was on the prowl for a tin of Whiskas! Pretty insane how she just lay there like....a big cat....while we ate- we haven't even reached Kruger Park yet, may need a few more pairs of underpants...

That's all for today, off to sleep now after spraying myself and everything around me with half a can of 'odorless' mozzie repellent- Odorless my arse- I'm choking here from the smell...oh Mondays...good night!