Following our balloon ride, we meet up with the others. We are gutted to hear they have spent the morning frolicking with leopards. Ok – that might be a slight exaggeration but they have had a great time with a close up viewing of a mother and cub. We are very jealous – which is ridiculous since we have had a great morning – but a leopard and cub crossing the road in front of them? Come on! It’s the only one of the Big 5 that I have never seen, even on previous safaris.
We head back to the spot they were sighted and our luck is in. They are still there. Not as close but certainly visible and draped over the branches of a nearby tree. We feel a bit better now. Back at camp, we have a few free hours until our evening game drive. We wash some clothes and hang them out to dry in the hope that we wont see baboons wearing them later.
The rains begin again, later in the evening and it’s a very soggy night in the tent. Natalie and Shirlee are startled by hyenas when they risk a trip to the toilets after dark. There are a lot of animal noises close to our tent during the night but we stay put, as advised.
Next morning, we pack up soggy tents and head off for our last game drive.
Our last minute trip becomes a major highlight as we spot a male lion, posing on a Kopi (large rock) like a character from the lion king. He is so majestic, with a magnificent mane. He turns and shows us his profile for the cameras.
There is frantic clicking. He has a pal down below – also a young male lion – but this one is much more shy and retreats to the long grass, out of sight.
What a cracking time with the pussycats!
PS If anyone has noticed a marked improvement in the photography, it is down to the fact that I am now using my husbands’ photos rather than my own! The two at the top are mine and the rest are his! This reminds me of my mother’s version of marriage vows. “What’s mine is mine and what’s his is mine too!”
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