tuesday, wednesday in tintswalo

tuesday morning

tues. afternoon

tues. night

i never saw a tree i couldn’t drive over!

today (tues,) we got up at 5:30 to go on the game drive...we were hunting lion and leopard....it’s hard to find these animals, they look for tracks and then listen for different noises...so we drove and drove around this morning...as we drove we saw impala, zebras, gnu (a dumb animal they told us), elephant, giraffes etc..when we saw tracks they would stop the car, fix the 4 wheel drive on the tires, and we would take off! off we would go carving our own road..driving over anything that’s in our way...we bend down to miss being swiped by trees, bushes and spiderwebs...they have huge at least 2 inch spiders in them..our tracker has his trusty branch that he swipes the webs with but, if he doesn’t we duck! we saw termite hills...they are at least 5 ft tall and take many years to build...it’s pretty cool so early in the morning but we are given blankets and hot water bottles to keep us warm...every once in a while we run across another car and the guides stop to chat...we didn’t see the lions or leopards...our guide is going out to look for more tracks...he thinks he know where a pride of about 15 lions might be...so hopefully we’ll see them this afternoon...in the meantime, we are going to a local village to see some of the tribal life...

on tuesday after our game drive we went to a nearby village to see what their lifestyle is like...it’s a little village built of brick type houses...the richest man in town has 19 donkeys...everyone rents them to do work since they don’t have cars...we went to the school...we went into every grade, visited with the children...they were all very nice...wanted to show us what they were working on...they don’t have much to work with, old books, magazines etc...but, they all can speak english...one girl did a dance, sort of a hiphop dance...some boys did a little tribal dance, using a chair as a drum...we then went to the youngest class...what dolls! they sang about 5 songs for us...so cute...afterwards we went to the chiefs house...he’s 87 had 2 wives but one died...the ladies of his family did some tribal dances...fun to watch...then our guide joined in and then they made each of us get up and dance with them....fun times...

this afternoon we went back out on the game drive...driving and driving, looking for lions...we drove to the far side of the park...we heard some lions and saw their tracks, but could not find them...then we drove to the other side of the park...it was dark and our guides were about to give up, when around a corner in the middle of the road was a pride of lions! about 7 lions...they were so cool to see...the guides told us as long as we sit still, don’t stand up in the car, the lions won’t do anything to us...at one point we were surrounded by them...sort of freaky...they can jump pretty high...one actually dove for a rabbit that headed towards our car...it was really neat...and worth all the driving around...so tomorrow, our last drive here...hopefully we’ll see a leopard...

this morning (wed) got up at 5:30 again, greeted by eric our guide..he had made hot chocolate for us with a bisquit...then off to the car with our hot water bottles...it was cold this morning...it’s rained every night, luckily not during the day except for some sprinkles today..we’re driving around and all of the sudden we stop...he’s noticed leopard tracks..2 of them, so we take off in the bush...we are ducking trees, spiders and webs...all of the sudden, we’re stuck! finally, we get out...we hear the leopard roar...so we’re off again...we’re stuck 2 more times...the third time we had just seen the leopard through the trees...at least kerry did...but, we got stuck on an old log...finally another guide brought his car over and pulled us out...we chased the leopard for awhile, but, never found it....after we lost it, eric started showing us different plants as we drove...a poisonous tree that has a latex type substance inside that will blind you...it’s branches can’t be used for fires, they are poisonous also...the bush that when you strip the bark and smash the branch down, it makes a toothbrush like thing...then we found wild mint, for brushing...it is also good for coughs, asthma...the tree branch that if you eat the leaves (nasty) it helps heartburn...and when you strip all the leaves away, you can twist it into a rope...very strong....also the good luck bush...it’s very soft leaves are used for baby’s beds...it is considered good luck to carry with you..it can also be use for toilet paper! we also saw more rhinos, zebras, gnu--eric thinks they are dumb and that they have the zebras stripes, the head of a buffalo, the legs of impala...put together with all the ‘left over’ parts, he says! we also saw alot of vultures...eagles...so, we’re leaving now to go to johannesburg or joburg as they call it...then onto zambia tomorrow morning...it’s been amazing here...

when i think about traveling, i love to see different places...to see how people live...i love to learn about different cultures...to hear different accents and different ways of doing things...the world is so amazing and different, but when it all comes down to it...everyone wants the same thing...we all want our families to be safe, healthy and happy...we all have the same issues in life...whether it is in california or south africa...we worry about our children and hope they’ll grow up into good adults...it’s fantastic to see that we are all very different, but so much the same...that's my little philosophy for the moment...well, tomorrow we leave for victoria falls...not sure if we'll have internet, hopefully!

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