6. The Hunt Continues

When I woke this morning in the dark, just before the alarm at 5am, I'd had very little sleep. Unlike Mrs Thatcher whom I think could manage on that every night of her life, I was tempted to roll over and miss the game drive just to catch up. But I have the rest of my life at home to snooze!

I am so, so glad I listened to my wiser self. But let's go back to yesterday afternoon.

This heron stood motionless for well over half an hour during brunch, at the edge of the waterhole below the dining terrace. I guess he was waiting for a fish, any fish! I hope he caught something after we left.

The land at Mashatu is fairly arid looking open veldt country with red or chocolate coloured soil and some very rocky areas where vehicles cannot go. Low thorny trees and bushes dot the undulating landscape, crossed by wide dry water channels. The open passenger vehicles are incredibly agile at going up and down very steep banks.

The open areas are largely devoid of tall trees or dark green foliage, so the mashatu trees growing along the bigger water courses are a joy to behold. They're home and food larder to many animals and they live for 300 to 600 years!

Elephants love to eat their leaves and berries. Baboons love them too.

Because Mashatu is just so rich in wild life, I'm ashamed to say we're becoming a little blasé about many of the animal species like giraffe, kudu and impala. We've seen very quiet warthog feeding inside the high stone walls of the the lodge in the garden. These were wandering along the river bank.

This one dramatic rock face is quite close to the lodge. See the lone baobab tree? And the tall tree-like euphorbia named after candelabra?

Nearly all of the larger tree types along the edges of the dry river beds are stunning. The nests in this tree belong I think to the red-backed shrike. Or perhaps the red-breasted starling as Radiance laughingly suggested. The list of birds at Mashatu takes up 8 pages of 11 in a book listing all the mammals, reptiles, birds and trees there.

Soon after we set off we came upon the mother cheetah and her three boys again, with a fresh kill. We were surprised they'd eat again after they'd had such a huge feed the day before. They're young males, said Eric, full of energy. They love to give chase.

We passed baboons, but my photo was taken from a long distance. Eric promised we'd be closer before our stay was over.

Eric screeched to a halt to show us the white-backed vultures high in a mashatu tree, their amazing nest suspended from a branch.

Kudu have discreet striping and pretty twirling horns.

We didn't know it but we were on our way to see the leopardess and her cub again. Her fresh kill was against the trunk of a tree, but she was taking a break from eating to groom her beautiful daughter.

By the time we'd seen her, it was time for sundowners out in the open plain again. Or more accurately one sundowner.

Goms poured our gin and tonics as we ate the most delicious fried spicy corn kernels prepared by the kitchen. I forgot to ask Annah for the recipe!

Later back at the lodge, Helen said to Lyf (pronounced LIFE), I don't know what you are putting in the gin here, but it seems to be causing Shelley and I to laugh uncontrollably like teenagers. Lyf looked very serious, and said yes, something very good.

Each evening the staff take it in turns to come to our table to tell us what is being served that evening. Not all are totally fluent in English. They're carefully rehearsed and speak beautifully. Last night the darling girl began 'Tonight we are having garden, and peas, and mint, and soup.' Did I tell you the food is sensational? They should have a cookbook available.

This morning we were on our way before dawn, Eric at the wheel. The sun rose as we drove along. It's very cold at that time - we had scarves around our ears and a blanket over our knees.

Doesn't he have the biggest shoulders you have ever seen?

Erica and Goms. They're both highly intelligent and immensely knowledgeable. Not to mention very loveable.

We drove up to a couple of jackals, eating someone else's kill or perhaps a natural death. They couldn't enjoy it because they were nervously looking around constantly, frightened that the owner would come back, or a predator would approach. I'm sure they would have had indigestion!

This was our first destination in the red light of dawn: a hyena hide. We gradually realised there were about 8 adult hyenas, sleek and fat.

They had as many cubs running around, popping up and down into the den.