This week we went to the home of the rhino. Probably the last animal you expect to see on a game drive, what with there only being about 10 left in the world. Well, if that's so then we saw all ten the other day. Having gone to the beach and finding it a little too much like a monsoon for sun-bathing we went for a drive in Hluhluwe National Park instead. Home of the big 5 indeed. We might not have seen any cats but saw pretty much everything else. Bonza. Our first spot (which we were very proud of) was a big bull black rhino (yes that's the rare one people) waaaay off in the distance. Bonza Banango. Then just round the corner we came upon these two critters. Just so you know, my camera has no zoom (that I can find anyway, bloody 'help'-manuals), they really were that close.
As the day went on we saw Wildebeest, Buffalo (probably the angriest animal you'll ever meet, no messin'), warhogs with their piglets, Keeeyooot. A slow-worm (a tiny blind snake like a flash of quicksilver, and my personal favourite), about a thousand raptors of all shapes and design, eagles, falcons, kites, the lot. A pair of Hornbills posing in a tree for us, a bunch of zebra chilling with some giraffes. Oh the list is endless.
Just as we were trying to leave the park, mapless and with no clue of how far it is to the gate that shuts PUNCTUALLY at 7pm we drove right into the middle of a herd of Elephants. These are not the gentle giants you're lead to believe, they're hugs and they know it, as cranky and unpredictable as you get. After a quick reverse manouver we stopped to watch. They weren't happy, and they let us know it. Now, having a twenty foot twenty toner walking towards you with a glint in her eye and purpose in her step stops you being quite so confident about your little ford Ikon that you hired for the week; you brick it. we were pushed out of the way like an inconsequential fly so that the herd could go exactly where they wanted. I'm afraid I was too scared to take many photos, but I did get this one.
Having been delayed about half an hour by the herd we now have less than half an hour to get out of the park. Now we may have been a little rattled after our close encounter with the ellie-mother but it seemed, as dusk descended on what had been a pleasantly picturesque national park, that we were driving through a wilderness jungle with hyenas whooping on every side and what looks just like a leopard tail dangling from ebery tree. Come on little Ikon, don't fail us now. This guy was just chilling by the road side waiting for it to get dark enough to go and terrorise some Impala. Note his ready to attack stance and evil glint.
We were ten minutes late for the gate closing and guess what? Was there someone waiting to give us a slap on the wrist? NO. there wasn't a soul, we were abandoned in the wilds of South Africa with the Lions coughing in the darkness. Just as we were seriously weighing the reality of sleeping in the carpark the last ranger to leave the park came by. Good timing guys, ten more minutes and we were at the mercy of the bush.
