“Do you miss home” they ask.
How can I explain that the light of the African sun is always in my dreams.
That the bird song in the wide open sky is the lullaby that soothes my soul.
That the longing for that complicated beautiful country is always under my skin.
That my heart beats with an African drum.
“Sometimes” I reply, with a small smile.
~ Anon
A mongoose, pretending to be part of this rock formation…or were the rocks trying to look like mongoose?
I will never know, but suffice to say that this fellow kept me entertained as I sat and watched him in the fading light.
Mongoose are most inquisitive, and although they might run when approached either on foot or in a vehicle, they will often pop back up to see who/what has intruded into their space.
Always an exciting moment when these grey giants appear out of the foliage.
There is a small waterhole in front of the camp, and the elephants visit there several times a day to either quench their thirst, or to play and wallow in the shallow water. A great sighting for guests, who do not even have to leave camp.
Put you best foot forward!
A good pedicure would not go amiss.
Did you know?
Their feet are flat because of a large pad of gristle under each heel which acts as a shock absorber and helps them walk quietly. As a result of this pad, elephants are basically walking on tip-toe. Their legs are much straighter than those of other animals and thus their weight is evenly distributed.
This is how close they get. Luckily there is an electric fence to keep them out of the camp site.
FYI:
The trunk of an African elephant can contain up to 40,000 muscles, while a human has only 600 muscles in their entire body. Elephants use their trunks to help them suck up water for drinking, pick up or touch objects, trumpet warnings, and greet one another
Time for a face pack. There are humans who will pay large amounts of money to have mud slapped on their faces. The elephants get to do it on a daily basis and all it costs them is the time it takes to trundle from wherever they are feeding to the waterhole.
The long eyelashes, although coveted by certain humans, actually serve a function. They are designed to keep thorns and branches out of their eyes, thus limiting eye injuries.
The much underrated Kudu with a magnificent set of horns.
For those who are wondering how kudu get through the bush without getting their horns stuck, the answer is quite simple. They are able to lie their horns flat on their back, hence not getting stuck.
Talk about getting stuck, when bulls fight, and they do, due to the spiral design of their horns, these will occasionally become intertwined and in such cases both animals will die.
A female Steenbok looking for her mate?
Left behind by a passing snake, this skin is what remains behind when a snake moults.
Part of a dystopian landscape from somewhere in the future?
Not really. This is the harsh reality of what happens to the bush while it awaits the first rains of the season.
One of the most feared animals on the African continent. The Buffalo can, and often is, grumpy for no apparent reason.
This young Klipspringer is the offspring of the pair that live inside the camp.
To find out more about the camp and what it offers, click on the logo above to visit their website.
Chacma Bush Camp belongs to this group. Find out more about other Sun Destination Lodges by clicking on their logo.
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