So another excursion today - this time to a reptile park, monhololo animal rehab centre & the bottom of the blyde canon At the reptile park there was crocodiles, snakes, spiders & other creepy crawlies (as well as monkeys & parrots). As well as seeing all the things that could hide in our sleeping bags we also learnt the spider I'd seen in the kitchen last wk is actually really poisonous & we should have alerted the staff! Oh heck! It was then o...

This trip isnt all about animals - today its about scenery. The Panorama Route is a scenic drive through the drakensburg mountains alongside the Blyde river canyon. The Drakensburg mountains are 3000km long and run across south africa - they could even be longer as research suggests they might start in Antarctica. They were formed crack in the plates and molten magma formed granite mountains or something like that....They are 2000m above sea level, selati is...

As usual we were up at 5.30 for the morning drive.....and 2 & half hours later we were still playing uno out on the deck as Zoe & Ali were still out looking for rhinos! They returned around 8 and after an emotional goodbye to Zoe [who was off home today, our American friends left yesterday] we were finally on our way (and finally in sunshine!) The drive started as it usually did with sightings of giraffe & a great picture of kudu & impala & w...

After the disappointment last night we set off this morn hoping to see lions (& sunshine - is still 15-20oC & grey which makes driving round on the back of a truck for hours rather chilly) We first searched for acacia (mummy lion) & the cubs but they were still hidden away on the coppie. We then went to look for mbhurri (daddy lion) & Matumi (Aunty lion). We finally tracked them down to some rocks on the river bank. At first we didn't have a grea...

Sunday is rest day at LEO with no morning drive so we all got a lie in! Thats pretty much where my resting ended though as I was on brunch duty & had to cook bacon & eggs for 14 people (& veggie sausage for me). I then had to wash it all up!! Around 3.30 & despite the cold weather we left for the evening drive in search of acacia & her cubs! However we were to be disappointed as she was hiding from the cold & the wind in a coppie & w...