Wild African Safari - July '13 - Day 3 in the Bush

Cape buffalo bull keeping an eye us

As much as an alarm clock may not appear to have any place in the bush and in nature in general, this morning it got us up to 5 o'clock coffee and rusks. After a little flask filling, for the essential second cup a little later, into the Landcruiser for our early morning drive. The boys, sitting up at the back of the open vehicle brandishing spotlights to lighten up the otherwise pitch black bush on either side of the dirt tracks, in search of yellow eyes (antelope and larger browsers and grazers), red eyes (nag apies - night 'apes') or orange eyes (feline creatures) as we head out in the cold early morn. I often find it difficult to explain to people unfamiliar with the wild African bush, how incredibly lucky and rewarding it is when one spots something of significance in the wild purely by accident. Sure one has to know where to and how to look, but in a wild area spanning 170kms East to West and 500kms North to South one can appreciate that this is no zoo. Stumbling across the big 5 is extremely rare (unless one is being shuttled about by game rangers in constant radio comms with their colleagues and breaking the silence with radio crackling sharing of sighting info amongst them. Even then there's no guarantee. So you can hopefully appreciate the significance of what I've been sharing with you to-date.

This early morning madness didn't go unrewarded either. After about an hour of driving through the bush we stumbled across a heard of approx 300 Cape buffalo, including some impressive bulls and even an albino calf only a few days old. Literally surrounded by the large herd, we eventually managed to head back to the house, only to stumble across 11 lion on an impala kill including cubs a kilometre down the road. Needless to say there wasn't much left of the small antelope by the time we got there, and with a hungry pride of that size there is no doubt that they will have to kill again tonight. Something to consider for our night drive..

A huge brunch of omelettes for those humans amongst us followed by an early afternoon zizz before heading out in the cool of the late afternoon for sundowners at another favourite water hole. As we headed East, a beaut, lone black rhino came trundling out of the long grass off for a drink at a nearby waterhole. All this while I am acutely aware of some serious poaching activity happening only a few kilometers further East as I type, with Anti-poaching teams and local rangers all in hot pursuit.

Black rhino with two ox-peckers on his shoulder

Our prerequisite drinks at a dam a little later although quiet, was still brilliant with prolific bird life abound and the sound of guinea-foul getting ready to roost. A cacophony of sound that only a bushwacker could appreciate. A sound for me that IS the bushveld in the evening, and something I dream about when I'm not here.

Back home, risotto, though not altogether a wild African bush meal, made with the same love and fresh ingredients it can be a little of my two loves in one. Italy in the African bushveld. Needless to say, I had prepared myself with a beaut Chianti Classico, which although not in the same large vain as the Aussie Wendouree Cab/Malbec 1991 of last night, was a softer and excellent, earthy accompaniment and fireside companion. It doesn't end there.. No sooner had we finished dinner around the fire, we were startled by a branch breaking behind us, only to shine our torches onto a large bull elephant munching to his heart's delight, not at all fussed by our presence. In the foreground a lone hippo grazing, with little notice of one another. Some of the family fled for safer heights up the stairs, but soon realised their foolish fears and returned to the fireside for more lingering chats, accompanied by a cigar and I hasten to add, a little schnapps (in lieu of grappa), Milky Way brightening up the sky as orange sparks sprung out of the cracking fire as if to join them. The hyena are going in the distance already. Lets hope the baboon get some peace tonight..