We drove five hours to Gomo gomo Game Lodge in Kruger (saw two giraffes and a lot of baboons on the way) This place is absolutely wonderful. It's somewhat expensive, but we get three meals, plenty of real coffee, and two separate 3.5 hour safaris. I'm staying in a little building made of brick and thatch with two other girls, basically out in the bush. Lions and elephants come right outside the buildings all the time and we can't walk in the dark without an armed ranger just in case. I hope to see elephants congregate at the watering hole outside my porch when we get up for a safari at 5:30 am. We took one safari this afternoon from about 3 to 6:30 and saw a giant herd of cape buffalo (incorrectly referred to as water buffalo, but those are only in Australia), two leopards (very rare), a lot of exotic birds, three male lions and a cub, and plenty of hoofed animals. We are legitimately out in the middle of the African bush, with no people anywhere except guides. The sky looks like someone spilled glitter on black paper. There is no light pollution at all since the only lights come from safari vehicles.
I asked the guide about tortoises and he said "Well it's winter now..." That explains it! I forgot that it's turtle "hibernation" now because it's egg-laying season in the states. So the empty leopard tortoise shell at the lodge will have to suffice.
The going to bed party is leaving, so more later!
Thank you Jessica! Sounds amazing! Hope that tortoise wasn't one of your three meals today. I love you :-)
ReplyDeleteEnjoying your journey. Water buffalo were introduced into Australia in the 19th century from south east Asia. They exist in pest proportions across northern Aus spreading brucellosis nd tuberculosis into the vast cattle herds of the NT. Eradication programs manage to reduce the plague only temporarily and numbers are soon thriving again.
ReplyDeleteGorgeous photos & exciting entry! Thanks for sharing :-)
ReplyDeleteBlessings, Myrna