Photos from South Africa

 Just the scenery -- with Drakensburg Mtns in the background

 Doesn't this cloud look like a lioness sticking her tongue out?

 This is some sort of owl -- I forgot what

 This is the marriage bird -- local tribal women weave a thread of the feathers and tie the bride and groom together -- if they can keep it tied for three or four days -- it is a good marriage...

 Cape buffalo -- one of the big five...but this one has an injury to his leg -- and the lion cubs are practicing their skills on him.

 Baby giraffe -- learning how to get to the trees

 Early morning tea break on the bush.

 A cheetah hiding in the bush.

 Daddy lion -- with scars on his face.

 More scenery

 Elephants  at our watering hole about 50 yards from our deck.

 These elephants were on the track this am. We encountered a "herd-let" of about 5 or 6 elephants tearing away at the trees for breakfast.

 It must be hard to get your vitals this way.

 This youngster decided to follow his Mom -- walking about 2 feet away from our tracker.

 I am coming to love these ugly little things. When they run, they look like prancing horses, with their spindly tail standing vertically.

 The sister and brother beginning to harass the buffalo.

 Note how close they get while at "school" learning to stalk and down a prey. When they are full grown, a male lion can down this buffalo, but the female must be really strong or have help.

 Here's Mom watching the kids as they practice.

 Here's the cheetah all stretched out. And I had a lot of trouble finding her in the viewfinder.

 This is a white rhino -- a grazer (eating from the grass) -- as opposed to a black rhino that is a browser (eating from the trees).  They look the same except for the mouth -- this one's mouth is square.

 Isn't this the cutest thing?  These lions were totally out -- completely asleep until the guy with us made a sudden movement -- then suddenly they were both awake!

 I was fascinated by these spider webs that showed up with the dew in the morning mist this am. Look at how intricate it is -- these webs were literally all over the place.

 The kids are practicing again...and the buffalo never got up...he was at best exhausted.

 You have a muffin in the field, then you come back and have starters for breakfast -- then a full breakfast.  Note the water hole in the background.  That's where the elephants came to yesterday -- we have great films of them drinking.

 Baby vulture in nest.

I wanted you all to know I CAN climb into a land rover -- if I am motivated enough...

Vaughn checking out the trees the elephants knocked down this am.

 Here's a wildebeest -- not the Miss America type...betweem them and the wart hogs -- they comprise two of the "big uglies" of African animals.

 Doesn't he look like he is saying "What are you looking at?!"

 This is a yellow billed hornbill -- and when they fly, they are beautiful -- but I am too slow to get them in flight -- so this will have to do.

 What do you mean you forgot the toilet tissue?  This is from the big elephant that knocked over the tree Vaughn is looking at...

White rhinos like grass...don't they look prehistoric?

And today -- on  the walk our driver/tracker almost stepped on a puff adder -- one of the most deadly on earth -- and a quick death I might add --but had the presence of mind to reach for my video and take a film of it...ya gotta love the service here!

Wish each and every one of you could be here with us -- tomorrow is the last day -- and like all of the other places we have visited, over much too soon.

Next stop -- hippo pond tomorrow am...