I have arrived back into the United States filled full and fulfilled with my annual dose of Africa. The trip was exhilarating and I am so glad some of you chose to take it with me. Next year I hope to return to the Masai Mara in Kenya to witness the annual migration of the Wildebeest and hope to be bringing some of you with me. Stay tuned for more information about that. In the meantime I leave you with the mandate to find what fills your soul with pleasure. To find what touches you in a primal and authentic way — and then make it your intention to experience that during your lifetime. I am happy to report that after leaving Bush Baby Haven, Banjo the Bush Baby had twins, and Tanya witnessed two monitor lizards in her back yard having a tryst. Nature is truly a wonderful thing.

Until next time I am over and out for now.
Love, love and more love, Denise

The Lion King gave the hyena such a bad reputation but they are really quite beautiful, curious and entertaining…. I wasn’t sure I would have more to share on our last night out but clearly these are destined to be shared.  We are back at our Airbnb chillin — excited about our South African Brie and Spa Day…. Doing our Covid tests in the morning… again!

Today is Thursday the 23rd and our final full day at Shindzela Game Preserve. We finally had a rather warm day yesterday with some sunshine — so YOU get a proper sunset. All is well here. An encounter with a sassy baby Ellie and some lions. Preparing to head back to Bush Baby Haven tomorrow for a final weekend which includes a Brie (South African for Barbecue) and a spa day at the Kapama Lodge which means massage, facial and lunch! Maybe one or two more posts, depending on anything exciting going on.

I will see most of you in person very soon and I am almost fully in the ‘I’m coming home” mode anxious to reunite with my family, my tribe and my stuff!! It has been a blast!

Happy Monday from Hoedspruit South Africa. If you are a fan of “Chopped”, I say — today I have for you a beautiful Africa moon, a young vulture in its nest, and a beautiful picture of some giraffe.

We are laying low today resting and basking in a warm African day. We go out tomorrow for our 3rd and final 3 night excursion to a camp called Shindzela. Looking for a plethora of hippo and leopard. I am also going to get some beautiful photos of the African landscape for you.

This time next week we will begin our journey home. We take an Airlink Flight from Hoedspruit to Johannesburg, hang out for several hours and then board a 15-hour non-stop United flight from Johannesburg to Newark. I have a little anticipation of the homework journey beginning to bubble up!

By the way, Covid is kind of low-key here. People are being vaccinated and mask wearing is required in stores but never while on the reserves!

Prev

1of6

Next

We finally saw our first leopard — at night but nonetheless! Today is Saturday, September 20th and we are still at the Tree Camp and still pretty darn cold! Our game drives start quite early and we get quite bundled up! We are here for 1 more night then back to Bush Baby Haven and then our third and final 3 nights at a camp called Shindzela…. One week from today we will be packing to return to the United States. Can’t wait to see you all!

Prev

1of6

Next

We have bid adieu to our Chacma guides Henry, Nadine and Collins. Such a wonderful time spent with them in the bush. We are back at Bush Baby Haven enjoying the porch on this very hot day at Bush Baby Haven. 91 degrees to day and 100 degrees tomorrow. May be time to enjoy the swimming pool. Today I offer you a few photos of this gorgeous bird of prey who is enjoying a Hornbill – a relatively large bird. Notice the legs on this thing! We are here until Thursday morning and then off to our tree-house experience.

Prev

1of6

Next

A very exciting day indeed! The endangered wild dog. Four of them eating breakfast consisting of a tasty impala (as you can see).. Also some wonderful birds and a few more lions. We are in search of a leopard tonight as this is our final evening game drive at Chacma. We go back to Bush Baby Haven tomorrow for a couple of days of doing laundry and bubble baths and then off to bush again for 3-nights someplace new. I hope you have enjoyed some of our sightings as much as we have.

Prev

1of9

Next

Blessings everyone,

Finally got a bit of wi-fi to let you know how it is going out here in the African Bush. We are currently at the Chacma Game Reserve which is about an hour from our home base at Bush Baby Haven. It is a rustic camp with lots of local elephants and it is just the three of us so is quite fun. We left camp this morning at 7am for a 3 hour game drive and ran across a pride of lions — 10 of them. It is quite unusual to see lions up and about since they hunt at night and mostly sleep all day. So it was fun to see them drinking water and moving about. The lions were sprinkled in with some buffalo, a giraffe and a few beautiful birds.

Every day is pretty much the same on safari. You wake early, have coffee, go for a 3-hour drive come back and have breakfast. Then until the 2nd drive at 3pm we sit around the pool, have lunch and take naps. Hard life right?

For our afternoon game drive, we will be heading out to a river about 90 minutes from here. We are hoping to see hippo and more elephant of course. We all have a crazy dream to see Wild Dogs so keep your fingers crossed.

Today is September 12th — we left the states on September 3rd so have been here 9-days. It feels quite far from home and I feel as if I have been away from home for a very long time. A little homesickness is creeping in but way too soon since still 2-weeks and 16 game drives to go —

I hope it is cooling off for you and that everyone is having a good time in the community. I miss you all.

Love,
Denise

Prev

1of7

Next