Wild African Safari - July '13 - Day 1 in the bush..

First night at the lodge in the bush at Olifants River Private Game Reserve (part of the Greater Kruger Park) and we settle down for a whizzo and a glass of wine to celebrate the magnificent sunset from the deck overlooking the Olifants (Elephants) River, only for Alex to spot what looked like a lion's rear poking out of the bush below. 

Turns out two lioness' with cubs are living in the bush just 20 meters from our outside shower and open boma (outside fire and braai/bbq area). They later wandered up in the dark past the boma under our careful watch and lay in our driveway until deciding to move on in search of fair game for a kill, half an hour later. 

View from the deck - Note Alex with his constant accessory - until it popped on a thorn tree

The challenge now is, do we use the boma to braai our 18 week wet aged sirloin, fillet and springbok fillets (beautifully nurtured to tenderness by my old mate and restaurateur extraordinaire - Steve Maresch of The Local Grill fame), and my delectable osso buco pooitjie, marinated spatch cock chooks, etc., or do I get the old, seldom used Weber up onto the veranda deck for fear of us being taken as lion bait..? I'm thinking, a large roaring fire in the boma may suffice to keep the beasties at bay, but I can't be sure. One thing I do know, is that the rest of the family won't share my enthusiasm, so I may be there alone. Best I get my best Cuban out for hand to hand combat..