Motswari Day 2 afternoon.

Late morning gave us the chance to take a guided walk around the compound is we wanted, so several of us joined Andrew.  We got to learn characteristics of tracks of different animals and how to walk without disturbing the game.

Animals were scarce, but we saw tracks and lots of flora and fauna.  Most of the students headed for the pool to relax.  Then we got to visit the gift shop which outfitted many of us in safari hats. Then we just hung out until the 2 pm "talk" about the boundaries of Kruger Park and how the relationships were formed with the various reserves.  At 2:30 was another of those huge lunches followed by loading up for the next game drive.

We warmed up with a few Impala and then:

We found ourselves in the middle of what seemed like all the elephants in the world.

     










                                                         

We did have one bull give us a fake charge to test us, but he turned away quickly.  Andrew made sure we had an escape route available for our vehicle.  This was truly a special time that words cannot describe.  We stayed with them until they left.

Then we heard on the radio that there was a rhino in the area south of us, so we sped down south.  Sped is a relative word since you can't go too fast on these roads, so we just visualized being a part of the Baja road race.  The rhino was the last of the "big 5" that we lacked, but this was not to be our day.     We did find a Cape Buffalo that was just sitting by a lake.

Baboons were cavorting on the other side of the lake.

     We even managed to spot a Blue Wildebeest in the twilight.  These guys like to stay out in the open so they can see the lions coming.

After a stop for a late evening drink, we headed back with a long drive in front of us.  We had picked up a tracker from one of the other reserves.  He had been tracking the rhino, and walked up while we were stopped, so we took the time to get him re-united with his vehicle.  As the last vehicle back, we were surprised when we stopped for special cookout in the bush with all the participants.  We enjoyed barbecued ostrich as well as several other wonderful dishes.  The staff even managed to come up with some marshmallows for the students to roast to end Rachel's birthday.

What a long, great day.