Bush Day 15

The last full day of the bush adventure has come to an end. Tonight I wrote in our visitors book and for the first time ever, I struggled to write. It was not out of emotion, lack of things to write or even writers block but rather for the fact that in the last 15 days I have seen so much and had so many experiences that I felt like I wanted to just edit my blog postings a bit to include certain things and sightings that I could not blog about and then just print the blog and paste the pages and pages into the book. But no, I had to do a summary that included loads of scratching out as I corrected my facts. This was definitely one of my most entertaining trips yet!

I just wish that my friends could have been here. (Being a public space, I will not use names.) I think that in each of your own ways, you would have loved to have been here this way and you were all missed.

That said, moms friends were quite something! I have spent a few days gaining insight about mom and her social life. It was quite fun to be around these ladies and when the elephants trumpeted, they definitely added humor! 

An interesting thing about leave is that in the first week you are still wired and stressed. Week 2 you start relaxing. I definitely found this. If my 2 adorable dogs were here, I could  handle another week here but, I miss them so am ready to return home to get cuddles from the kids. 

So today... This morning I had a slow wake up and only woke up at 6. I then dozed and pretended to sleep until 6:25 when I gave up and went to make coffee. I took my iPad and a book thinking I would have at least an hour before the others woke up but surprisingly, they all woke up within half an hour of me. (Do people not sleep late on holiday anymore? Or is making coffee at sunrise the new trend? Or... Did they just not want me to do housework...)

Anyway, the gals got carried away looking at photo albums and I snuck off to do my core exercises and then shower before the workers came to do the stuff we needed around the house. I was the wise one because when the guys came, I was showered and ready for the day and the others weren't! 

Once the guys had covered the umbrella, cleaned the braai and done some general work around the house, they left and the others could get ready for the day. Whilst they all got ready, I bonded with our outside table and landie and oiled the beautiful railway sleeper wood. 

As soon as everyone was ready we headed out on a drive with our first port of call being the office. Not far from the office we came across a few elephant in the road and knowing how grumpy the elephant have been lately, there was no way I was going to even try pass them!! So, we turned around and went the long way around, up Kudu Drive (where we found more elephant) and down Mica Road (which is just up the road from where we had been with the elephant earlier). We had a pleasant drive after that and only saw one more herd of elephant.

At home we had amazing eland burgers and relaxed before mom and I started the pack up process. 

This evening we headed out to North to meet up with friends and try see the lions. However, as we approached the spot we were meeting at, we found a tree in the middle of the road!! Unfortunately we didn't have any rope to pull the tree out the way and although there was a way around the tree, the one bit would have been tight and mom was not happy with me trying out the 4x4 capabilities of another one of her vehicles (in my defense, I am pretty good when it comes to 4x4 but she was concerned about a rock so I backed off). Fortunately our friends arrived on the other side of the tree and told us the view point was in walking distance so we grabbed our drinks and walked the last short bit.

We had a really nice time at the viewpoint and I got to meet a friend of moms who I have heard loads about (she is a Nikon fan) and I had her and another tannie tell me how much they have heard about me.... 

On our way home we had one vehicle warn us of elephant on our way back. Seriously!!??! For us, there were 2 ways home: the seriously long route or the route which they said we must not go. I opted for the route with elephant on it. Yes, getting revved is not fun but today the elephant were mellow and quite honestly, as cautious as I am, there elephant cannot keep dictating where I drive and where I don't drive.

The rest of the evening was mellow and for the first evening in a while, I am about to switch off my lights before 10! (It's not even 9:15!)

Once again, this was a special trip and I think mom and I needed the break before the next chapter begins for us. (Maybe next year we will need another long bush trip!)

I may blog tomorrow but, at this stage I have a few adventure ideas but the next 3 months are going to be busy helping pack up my childhood home so no adventures will happen unless they involve the dogs. On the cards for next year though, I am tossing up between a ride or 2 and a run. So let's see what happens. But for now, I am mellow in my bushveld dreams....

Ok, bushveld dreams did not last long because just after bedtime the bush exploded with the magnificent sounds of a roaring lion. There is nothing quite like that sound!! The rest of the night the bush was very awake with the sounds of hippo, lion and jackal and then in the early morning the fish eagles and birds a