Wildlife and Warriors

The weather in Ballito was not entirely what we hoped for and the idea of two days lazing in the sun on the beach didn't quite work out but, hey ho. The Zimabli Lodge was great and the food there almost, I said almost, as good as Hog Hollow. We did meet up again with Brian and Ann and had a really great evening with them. What lovely people: I think we laughed most of the evening. 

We made the short journey into Durban, got rid of the car and, after a little angst because of all the changes to the pick up time and place there have been, we successfully met up with our group for the next eight days. They seem a nice bunch - several of them have already been together for a week - and the guide is really excellent. He gave us a largely walking tour of Durban before taking us out to our very colonial-style hotel. 

Today, Tuesday, we had to be ready to leave at 6.45am so breakfast was at 6! We took a two and a half drive to an estuarine boat trip of two hours. A flat bottomed boat took us about six kilometres up stream where we saw loads of ....

and several.....

Amazing! I managed also to catch a Goliath Heron take flight. This thing stands almost as tall as Heather from feet to extended necked head.

We hadn't got a detailed itinerary really from Trailfinders for this tour and only just before we left home did we realise that we were going to make a game reserve drive not far from Sabi Sands where we go to after this tour. When we got the detailed itinerary yesterday, however, we discovered that there was to be one this afternoon, too. And the chances were apparently better on this of seeing rhino than in Kruger. And see them we did, by the score.

And loads of these, too...

Isn't he beautiful? It's quite hard to describe what it's like seeing all these stunning creatures in their genuinely natural habitat. It is simply amazing. What a day and we're pretty tired tonight and have decided to have a lazy morning here at Ghost Mountain Lodge before seeing a Zulu homestead tomorrow afternoon. I just had to share these pictures, though, and point out to the uninitiated that, given that we also saw loads of these .....

..... two of the Big Five are ticked already!