The Safari

Hi all sorry about the delay in updating the blog but it is a bit of a challenge finding internet cafes here. We are also having technical difficulties uploading photos so we will post photos soon.

We arrived at Hoedspruit airport and were met by our guide Haanu. We were whisked away to Drifters Lodge (minus Deidre’s suitcase which would turn up later in the day) to stay in our luxury tent.

Drifters Lodge was a quintessential private game lodge with thatched roof, big verandah, leather couches and chairs and quiet attentive service. Our luxury tent (double walled for added protection and safety) had full ensuite with a private tiled outside shower and views of the waterhole. On the first afternoon we saw giraffe, warthog and dyker.

Our daily routine at the lodge consisted of;
• an early rise at 5:00hrs (the early morning drive was not compulsory).
• a cuppa followed by a 3 hour game drive
• brunch at 09:30hrs (cereal, fruit and a full cooked breakfast)
• from after brunch until 15:00hrs we got to nap, read and generally relax
• we then had drinks on the verandah and afternoon tea
• 16:00 another 3 hr game drive with a stop to watch the sunset in the middle (of course the stop was accompanied by drinks and snacks
• 20:00 dinner (4 course meal serve outside around a fire in a tribal structure called a boomar)
• Then bed!!!!!!!!!!

All and all a very hard life!

On Saturday we got up at 04:00 and spent the whole day touring the southern part of the Kruger National Park. There was no walking here as we had no gun!

We only toured the southern part because Kruger is so big, 4 million ha or about the size of Belgium (and probably Southland and part of Otago)