Having returned from the heat of Dubai the night before,
I was looking forward to cooler weather while in Sands Sands.
The sky was grey and overcast, boding well for more reasonable temperatures.
I was wrong as it turned out…
The skies remained clear and unseasonably warm during our visit.
We arrive after an easy drive from Johannesburg…
aside from my GPS directing us via roadworks
(we used a different route on our return and missed them altogether)
This is the reception area/shop…
and welcoming staff upon arrival.
I did pop in…but only to take a picture!
I like going to gym early in the morning…
so my choice was game drive or gym.
You will see from the photographs which won.
A quick shower before game drive…
A very quirky outdoor shower with a window!
The main lodge building…
This is where guests meet for breakfast and pre-game drive snacks.
There is a viewing deck on the property
that has a great view over the perennial Sand River
And off we go…
The lodge as seen from the causeway close by
Either my wife is VERY tall or the Cruiser is REALLY tiny…
Coffee time in the bush.
While we drank our coffee and
snacked on some delicious oatmeal cookies,
this Pied Kingfisher was looking for it’s own meal
The Hippo had no interest in food,
but did watch as we passed by.
A pod of these live in the river near the camp
and can often be found feeding on the lawns after dark.
Falling asleep…or being awoken by the grunts of Hippo can be
nerve wracking if you have never experienced it before.
But THIS is what keeps visitors coming back to Sabi Sands…
This is one of a two 15 month-old cubs
currently being raised by mother Thlangisa.
currently being raised by mother Thlangisa.
Is it a fruit?
Nope, just a spotted cat…
And well spotted by our ranger/tracker team of Keith and Roger.
If there are predators in an area,
Spotted Hyena are never far behind.
And always keeping an eye open for and easy meal…
or the “owners” of the aforementioned delight
One of four Lions on the property.
We only got to see two of those…
One of which eventually decided to sit up.
“Bush chicken”…or Helmeted Guinea Fowl…
could be a meal for something that has teeth and claws.
Nothing like an African Sunset…
And a meal served from cast iron pots cooked on an open flame.
Hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil…
and a photobomber.
Baboons watch us watching them
Butt that’s no all folks…
A White Rhino that decided NOT to pose for pictures.
A male leopard strides past the Inyati Lodge…
Just another day in paradise.
This posting is brought to you DESPITE
Eskom load-shedding…
Thank you to BP fuel and a home generator!
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