Nambiti Hills - safari

4:30am wake up call!  You must be kidding.  Oh no, we are not.  We pile into our Land Cruisers and leave at 5am with Kingsley at the wheel and Kel riding shotgun… literally.  Well, actually it is rifles that the guys load up at the beginning of each ride and have at the ready in their camouflage jackets.  

The sun is up.  The bush is waking up.  Stephanie had good foresight to sleep in.  It is not a productive drive — lots of driving, and plenty of small antelope species, birds, zebras and other game, but no biggies. Kel and Kingsley head out on foot at one point because they’re hoping to track the cheetah who had made a kill there recently, but no luck.

Breakfast after our return is a classic Chef’s breakfast (English / Irish breakfast with the works).  Paul is opting for tea these days — feeling colonial, perhaps?  There’s time in the afternoon between drives for relaxation and, mmmm, massages: in room with a luxurious nap to follow. NuNu, our massage therapist relaxes and then pounds the flesh, leaving it invigorated.  Around 11:00AM, Paul gets the back and neck special in the hopes that the stiff back that appeared the morning after the LETOFE festival (slumped leaning on the banner backstop for too long??) will be relieved.  Yes, this helps.  Annette opts for the full body version.  Paul hangs at the pool with the couple from Finland and Aada, the little girl who’s like a mini-Stephanie — circa 5 years old.

Afternoon game drive with Kel:  Our group is the first to spot the…Lioness!  ‘Phants – 4 in this small herd: a huge bull, two females and a baby. 

Lion brothers. 

Hippos frolicking in the dammed lake.

Afternoon high tea again, followed by another delicious dinner, this time with Stephanie joining.  Then off to another early evening to bed.