Wildebeest with mountains in the background |
We arrived late Wednesday afternoon, ate a quick lunch, and planed for an abbreviated afternoon game drive. Within minutes of arriving, we had giraffes wandering through camp. As we left for our game drive, a herd of zebras were right outside the gate. We didn't have a lot of time, but we managed to see a couple of jackals, as well as get our first up-close glimpse of a wildebeest. The jackals look like medium sized dogs. Wildebeest look like a mix of buffalo, zebra and cattle.
Wildebeest |
Jackal |
We had yet another delicious diner, and were awakened the next morning at 6 AM for our morning game drive. This time, we found a pride of lions snacking on a recently fallen wildebeest, and we parked maybe 20 feet away as the male pulled it apart and snacked on the intestines. A little later, we encountered a white rhino, lumbering down the road at his own pace. We parked ahead of him, and he strolled slowly by, just ignoring us. He was massive and elegant.
Later in the day, Ann - our trip leader - arranged a paintball event for us. 16 of us went, including all of the boys, and we played three games amongst the African bush. We played three games: the adults against the kids in a "shoot as many people on the other team" game, then a capture the flag style game. The final game was "survivor" -- every man for himself. Bryce and I formed an alliance from watching countless episodes of Survivor, but he got pegged quickly, and in spite of my lying prone on the ground to be a tough target, I got hit in the arm moments later. It was the first time playing paintball for Bryce and I, and we both enjoyed it.
In the afternoon, while the kids went on a game drive, the adults got treated to a bush walk. Sue and I, along with four others, had a guide named Aubrey take us outside our encampment. Aubrey carried a rifle in case of any trouble, and had us walk single file. I got nominated to be the last in line. I'm not sure why, but probably because I was the tallest of the bunch. Being last made me feel like I was the most likely to get eaten, but as you guessed that didn't happen.
Aubrey showed us a variety of cool things about the brush. He grew up living in the bush, and had a lot of great stories for us. As kids, they would send messages by writing on a piece of bark with a guinea hen quill and ink made from a plant, and seal it with glue from the sap of a tree. Young boys would run from village to village, and look under a specific rock for mail for their village, and also deposit mail from their village. Aubrey also taught me how to make a snare. We even smoked elephant dung - elephants eat all the medicinal plants (since they are so smart), and as such by lighting some dung on fire and inhaling it, we are administered the essence of all those plants. The bush tour was one of the highlights of our trip so far.
Smoking elephant dung |
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