Game Drive #3, Day 2

On our 2nd day at Zulu Nyala we decided to go ahead and take a side excursion to a different game preserve as there are no lions and only 3 elephants at Zulu.  Phinda, pronounced PIN-da, was about a 45 minute drive away, but it was SOOOO worth it!  This preserve being as far away as it is, if you want to go, you've got to make up your mind when the lodge is going as you only can get in when they have time/room for other lodges.  They do everything in style...including get flat tires!  We had two while there, but never fear, a party is only a short thought away!

The Mr. and I hanging waiting for the back-up jeep to come get us.  It's all good...'cause Life IS good!

Bill holding a type of orange that grows in South Africa.  The baboons and the elephants really like them; us, not so much.  We both tried it, but it wasn't very ripe; meaning it wasn't very good, and kind of bitter.

Checking out a water hole.

The sun setting at Phinda.

The group waiting for our new jeep; back row, me; next L to R:  Katie and mom Louiza, next row L to R:  Julian, wife Luisa, Penny; first row:  guide Richard and Penny's husband Bill.

Elephants are AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!

A baby!

King of the Jungle!

The male lions had eaten the day before so were just hanging out.  It got dark to fast as I could have watch them for hours!

One of our top 4 moments of the trip:  A lioness on a fresh wildebeest kill!

I sooooo wish I had a picture of Bill's face when I told him we were going to see this!

I thought the cheetahs were muscular....look at this lady lion; she is built solid as a rock!

Yes...there are still more pictures to follow.  Three more days of game drives and then a week in Cape Town.  Tonight though, I'm brain dead from going through pictures.  Hope you are enjoying!

Game Drive #2, Day 2

After seeing so much our first night out, one could only imagine what the day had in store!

This little guy was about 6 months old.

Number 3 of the big 5.

Mean while, as I'm paying far more attention to the cape buffalo, this little shit decides to try to untie my shoe.  After getting him to forget about my shoe, he then decided my sunglasses on top of my head looked good.  He never got close up and personal with anybody else.  LOL

I'm pretty proud of this shot.  A reflection in a mud hole!  (Nyala doe)

Cheetah sighting number 2!  They had just eaten so were pretty docile.

Mama and baby.  A different set from what we'd seen the night before.

Zebra's are pretty cool animals!

Taking scenic pictures just does not show the expansion of the bush, but we tried.

Check back soon....there's LOTS more to come!

Game Drive #1 Highlights

After a short flight from Johannesburg, we arrived in Richard's Bay, South Africa where we were picked up with 2 other couples by the lodge.  After about a 2 hour drive into the bush, on the opposite side of the road that one SHOULD drive on, we arrived at Zulu Nyala in time to get settled into our room and have our first game drive!  A few high lights..................

We were on the grounds, but hadn't gotten to the lodge yet!

There were giraffe's everywhere!

Impala buck.

Wart hog!  Pretty tasty too!  We had it as stir-fry, although I think it would have been really good if it would have been slow roasted on a spit.  Flash frying it made it a bit on the tough side.

The first of the big 5.

And across the road was the 2nd of the big 5.

The first African sunset...........

You can make out 3 of the 5 cubs in this shot.  We were spot lighting them, so difficult to get a good shot.

I promised a pic of the Mr. petting Sofie!

There are more pictures on Facebook if you follow me on that sight.  Blogger only allows so many, so I really have to high grade what I put on here.  After I am done going through all the pictures, I'll put a movie together and send to anyone that would like it.  Check back soon........there's lots more to come!

South Africa Preview

When we left for our adventure to South Africa, I decided I wanted to come up with one word to describe it.  I cannot think of the perfect word; the closest I can come is "A-M-A-Z-I-N-G"!  There simply are not words to describe the experiences we had and the sights we saw.  I took thousands of pictures and as I've glanced through them, they simply do not capture the moment that we were in, but I/we did our best!

This post is just a sneak preview.......I've got so many pictures to go through and do some editing to, it's going to take me a while!  Please enjoy!

This was our introduction to Zulu Nyalla....Sofie (male, inappropriately named) is the lodge "mascot" that was hand raised by the owner of the Preserve.  He is dangerously tame, so he has been sold and will be leaving Zulu.  I'm glad we got there before he left!  A picture of Bill petting him is coming soon to a blog near you......

Welcome, our guide and my new husband!  (Heeheeheehee!!!!!!)

Elephants are awesome animals!  Extremely destructive, but breath taking to watch.

King of the Jungle.......What else is a person to say?

One of many sunset pictures taken.  This one didn't turn out near as well as I'd hoped, but I still like it!

This picture is out of order.  This is sunset from our "flat" in Gordon's Bay, Cape Town. 

Gordon's Bay is known for it's picturesque sunsets......easy to see why!

One of two male cheetah's at Zulu Nyalla.

Enjoying an evening at our flat in Gordon's Bay. 

Iron Creek Hike

Yesterday there was a mountain bike race here in the hills and EVERY where that Casey and I tried to go for a hike was full of race people.  Such is life!  We finally went up Spearfish Canyon and hiked up Iron Creek - we found the mountain bikers there also.  It cut the hike short, but at least we got a little in and Casey was happy - there was a creek for her to swim in!

The shadows were starting to come out as we started up the trail.

I'm really liking that I'm getting the settings figured out on the camera.

She heard something!

These two were in the back yard when we got home.

Then, look what came for breakfast this morning.........

All three of these have gotten all the velvet rubbed off so I don't believe the small or the large one are the same ones in earlier this week.  I've not seen the one on the far right in the yard before.

Visitors

Ever since this fawn has gotten big enough that I can actually see it through/over the grass I've been trying to get a picture of it with it's Mama.  I really should have had the larger lens on the camera to take this, but they never give me time to switch it out!  This is the best I've been able to do; it won't be long and the all the spots will be gone from the little one.

I tried to do some editing to this photo also.  Not sure just how good I did.  LOL

Then this morning..............

Just a nice basket shaped buck.  Sure are pretty when they are still in full velvet.

He brought his little brother along also.

The deer are finally figuring out that they can share the yard with Casey.  Casey has figured out she can share the yard with them.  She's real good about it, until they split, quick in a hurry......then Casey has to go to jail.  Jail's not her favorite spot.