November 15, 2021

 

Olifants Restaurant, 1400

 

Mid-afternoon lunch/dinner at Olifants, on a hazy, smoky hot day. Valentino is around somewhere.  I saw him scamming off bussed dishes. But he’s not around now and didn’t seem to take notice that he has a fan in the house.

 

Feeling flat today. Probably the weather.  Last night I went on a Park-organized night drive, just to do something different. I was joined by EIGHT 10-year-old French girls (as my friend Willie said, “Only 55 years too late.”) and three Brits, one of whom was the guy who just had to oversee shit. Probably a hospital department director in his other life. I did consider rescheduling but decided to proceed.  And, honestly, I found the girls to be kind of endearing, their full-on teen chittering appropriately subdued to soft burbling in the back of the vehicle. Actually, not unlike Valentino’s sweet whisperings. And at the end of the long and mostly unproductive drive, they found lions. Not the disorganized ranger and not the bossy Brit and not me. They called, “Stop!” and we backed up, with every adult skeptical, and there were freaking lions, in the dark, buried deep in the bush. The lions were on my side of the vehicle so one of the girls moved up to sit next to me. I quietly said, “Good job” and she whispered, “Thank you”, and I was won over.

 

Got a late start this morning and slowly drove up to Letaba camp and had breakfast there. So many memories associated with this camp. Overall, my favorite camp in the Park. Uneventful drive on a cool, overcast morning. Picked up a Roberts’ bird guide at the shop and slowly drove back, taking my time to enjoy the drive. Bumped into a breeding herd of elephants. Out of nowhere, a large cow stepped right in front of my vehicle. Full stop in enormous cloud of dust. She’s ten feet away. Jam into reverse and slowly back up about 40 yards. No fleeing - just deliberate intention to create space. Stop with engine running and vehicle still in reverse, in case I have to move farther back. But she just glanced at me and led a group of maybe ten elephants of all ages in single file across the road. No one looked at me, no head shake, even the teenaged bull just kept to the script. Then they were gone.  It went exactly how it should go. I apologized for the intrusion, gave her space and she paid me zero mind after that.

 

Sun came out, and it got hot. Lunch now and no plan for later. Some housekeeping things to do - copy cards, etc. Take a shower. Figure out the rest later. Tomorrow I move to Letaba for I think 3 nights and the cadence picks up from there as I work my way north.

I do wonder if all of the leopards have left.

 

Love to all.