Hey all

Well ive reached the end of my final week in Swaziland! Im heading down to South Africa on Monday to begin my final project with the meerkats. This week has been pretty quiet i most admit. Ive spent the whole week down at Hlane royal park doing the marabou storks.

We tagged the last one and fittted another radio transmitter. The rest of the time has been tracking. We spent nearly two days hunting for two missing chicks only to discover they had been spotted sunning themselves in South Africa!

My only other bit of excitment was on an unexpected trip to the medical clinic on monday! On thursday last week i got bit by what we think was a spider. By the weekend it had become infected. I spent most of the weekend curled up in tent feeling rough. My whole right arm was begining to hurt and i could see the infection spreading up my arm.

I spent 2 hours in a que waiting for a doctor clearly the only white person in the place! I most admit i dont think much of the swazie bed side manner. I eventually got some antibiotics and painkillers. Then the nurse cleaned what was by now a huge red lump full of green gunk by wiping it and putting a plaster on it!

Knowing there was no way it would heal without being cleaned properly i downed some painkillers and did it myself. Lets just say it wasnt a pleasent sight. Im suprised i didnt have ful on blood poisoning!

I spent Friday night sleeping in tradional beehive hut at a game researve in the south. Can now say ive seen most of the country. I was down there to do a snake handling course. I should have got to hold the 6 deadlist snakes in Africa but it got cancelled. I was so gutted!!! How cool would it have been to hold a black mamba?!?

Well im heading out tonight so better go grab some food first Bye for now Dawn x;0)x

P.S Congtulations Dee & Kerry!!!!