Our new life

Hi all, After being quiet for such a long time, it actually feels a bit strange to start again. A lot has happened in-between, but i won't dwell on that. Hubby Toff, myself and the 3 fur-kids, have now got a new place to call home. We live and work at Muchenje Safari Lodge, which is situated in the Chobe National Park in Botswana. Its not too far away from where we used to stay, but here its peaceful, beautiful, quiet, with lots of animals and birds to watch during the day and even some nights. Sometimes we have elephants blocking the way to the Lodge-chalets and our guests have to wait patiently, before they can go to their beds for the night. Lions have passed through, Heyenas, Baboons, Monkeys and the resident leopard can be heard grunting sometimes. We live in Eden, of that i am convinced. Very lucky we are, indeed.

Photos : Makgadikgadi National Park

Granny does Central Kalahari

Well, hi everyone. After a long absence, i will now tell you about an absolutely fantastic safari we have just done.
There were five of us on this trip plus Dandy, our cook. Remko and Elza from the Netherlands, Gary, who lives in Botswana and Toff and me(granny !! haha)
So, after sorting out some last minute problems with fridges (don't ask)we set off to the little town of Pandamatenga, where we spent our first night at Touch of Africa. The next morning, after breakfast, we get on the road to get to our campsite in Makgadikgadi National Park.
Not too much shade, but a nice spot anyway. Impala around the camp-site and the Boteti river, full of water, in view. we will be here for the next 4 days. The next page will be Photo's only. Enjoy.

Dinner after a good day out

Hi all,
When we have been out on a game drive, especially a successful one, like seeing that magnificent leopard. It was hot, sweaty, but we got our photos and the feeling of being so close to one of those beautiful animals,makes you go away with a feeling of euphoria. At first we could not stop talking about it, almost as if there was so much adrenaline, that we had to get rid of it by talking....but after coming back to the camp, there was a quiet feeling, taking stock of what was seen.Firstly, a beautiful sunset, puts you in the mood for a sundowner drink...normally a cool, refreshing Gin and Tonic, while stretching our legs for a bit.
Sure, after the mosquitos found us, that quietness got broken by the sound of slapping and the spray bottle being used...horrible little critters, those.
As always, Dandy made sure that we had a good dinner and with enough wine to go with it, it always turns out to be the favourite time of the day. It's cool, with a little fire burning, the sounds of the Hippo's just behind us in the water (or out) the stars above...The African peace, like you don't find just anywhere.

Cats are cats are cats

well hi there again,
it took me a while to get back to this site, but i just had to get back to show you some more pics of our beautiful Leopard. i am bragging of course.
On this last safari, Toff put his extraordinary sense of finding the big cats, to good use. He found this leopard and stuck to it....even when it dissapeared, he drove to where he thought it was going to re-appear and....voila, it did!! Niels and Dennis where over the moon with this sighting, because that is what they were there for. We had enough time to take all the pictures we wanted.
The leopard got so relaxed that it was just laying there, grooming itself, just like a house-cat, except much bigger and very dangerous. Somehow, you still get the feeling, the urge, to get closer and stroke it's fur and maybe get it to purr.

leopard behaving like a normal cat

well, hi there again,

things have been a bit hectic here and i have fallen a bit behind.

To come back to the last safari and cats.

Seeing this beautiful leopard, so calm and relaxed, acting so much like any old house-cat, you feel that you could just go "here kitty, kitty" and want to stroke him just to feel him purr-purr-purr. We had enough time to sit and choose the shots we wanted.

This safari was a good time for me to get back into nature as she was intended. It was hot and dry and animals were few but, it was one of the best trips i have made.

Nature is intended to be enjoyed as it comes. It could be hot or cold, dry or wet, stark or lush...its the best feeling ever. This is life.

Going Dutch

Hi all,
Well, all the post-safari duties have been done. Kit cleaned and packed away, sore muscles have been taken care of, outstanding e-mails have been caught up and some relaxing time has been had.
We had a great safari through the major National Parks of Botswana and fun was had by all. Our two Dutch friends enjoyed themselves, even though we did not manage to see the quantity of predators they were hoping to see. Maybe it had something to do with the name they gave their safari...."Botswana Predator Tour" (LOL)
Niels and Dennis, being no big fans of "chickens" (any and every bird was called a chicken) buckled a(teeny)bit under the double pressure that Toff and i put them under in our efforts to get them to like bird-watching and there were some great photos taken of some birds, that just did not want to go away, including the Lilac-breasted roller.
The first part of the early morning drives were spent looking for the ever-elusive Leopards and after a cuppa with biscuits, the search changed to Lions. The afternoon drives were vice versa. I think that all of us can honestly get a degree on spotting the perfect leopard-tree from any distance away...just a pity that the cats did not agree with us.
We had several good sightings of the big cats and even saw two young cubs, all by themselves, on the first day out.That was followed by seeing two big male lions on the second day and we had leopard sightings enough to be able to get some great pics. We even witnessed (in sound, not quite a clear sight) a leopard catching and killing a baboon.
in the next few days, i will add and comment on some great views we had.
Have fun and be careful.

Another try

Well, i've done it again...
I must have pushed a wrong button somewhere and deleted my first try, so i will do it again and hope for the best. This happens a lot to me when i play around with things i've never done before...and being blonde also does not help.
The poem i had on the previous post, came straight from my head and was not written down, so i will try and get that feeling back, so here goes...

Heat-waves shimmering in the air,
The sky almost white in it's intensity,
The blazing hot sun straight overhead,
The air, searing hot to your lungs.

Great trees without leaves,
Their branches dry and brittle,
The sand too hot to the touch,
Dry dust-clouds everywhere.

Birds, animals and humans,
frantic in their search for deliverance,
from the heat, the dryness, the grey-ness,
the feeling of hopelesness....
of this season...just waiting for the rain

Magnificent sunsets, reds, purples, orange and gold,
make up for tempers frayed,
We become cloud-watchers,
Looking for the signs from above.

Pula, Pula, Pula
and patiently, we wait.

Well, Hallo to you.

After giving up my other blog-site, because it was quite a pain to work on and after that going through a long pro-castrination period, i have now got my act together and opened this blog. On this page i will firstly post photographs of what makes me tick, but also keep all of you up-dated on great (and not so great) safari-sightings and anecdotes.
I am going to start with a poem. (my way)

The sky is almost white in its intensity,
The sun blazing its heat from right overhead,
Great trees without leaves, branches dry and brittle,
Heat-waves dancing from the sand,
Everything covered in a film of dust.

Great sunsets, red in colour, purple and gold,
Animals at the water's edge, in their droves,
quenching their thirst, while it's cool,
But what about the land?
Dry, Grey, Dead, Bleak and deadly,
All are waiting for the rain.

Pula, Pula, Pula!!
We wait.