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The little vervet is so cute, Dream Weaver

Super Mongoose - Thank you!

Philip1 - Really cute, yes. Even when they are being naughty.

Sharifa - Thank you. Good to have you back.

hilda - Thank you. You are welcome!

Trrp-trrrrrrrr - Thank you. Wonderful how instinct told that bub just what do!

noel – Thank you for the welcome. No need for anybody to kiss that little frog then!

Pumbaa – So cute. I agree.

Kanniedood Dam was a sad sight. Empty and dry, with a carpet of dark brown sand, scattered with weeds, stretching to the far bank; it had defied its name.



We drove into Shingwedzi through the old gate. I remembered when it had been the only entrance to the camp and how the conference and linen rooms had once been the dining room and the shop.

Now, we sat on the terrace outside the restaurant under the high, wide, thatched roof and ordered a pot of tea. It was quickly brought and solicitously set before us. Steaming hot and fragrant; it was deliciously refreshing.

So sad that Kanniedood Dam was empty!

hilda - it was not the lively scene we had anticipated.

After we had drunk the tea we wandered towards the shop, past the museum display in the reception window. I felt oddly comforted to see that it was the same as it has been for many years. The snake skin and the elephant dung were both still there.

In the shop we looked for bottled asparagus. I thought it might help to reduce my flight induced swollen ankles. Finding no asparagus on the shelves, we settled on a jar of beetroot instead. Its contents were vegetable, sliced, and it had a screw top. These factors were in its favour, seeing as we had eaten only rusks and biltong that day, and also, we had no knife or can opener with us. Remember, we had set off from Mopani that morning intending just to go as far as Shibavantsengele Lookout and back.

We wanted to get two coffee mugs as well, for keeping in the car, and we had a choice of souvenir china or stainless steel. Bearing in mind the words of Farah Aden in Out of Africa when he said, “Yes, Sabu. China: It can break.” we opted for the stainless steel ones.

Back in the car and just outside the main gate, we stopped to watch a troop of baboons whose leader’s interest was firmly focused on the seeds he was finding on the ground.

Sad to think how many hours we used to spend there with wonderful sightings, coming and going

......well!! everything is made in "China" nowadays

Philip1 – Let us hope that the future holds many more hours of wonderful sightings and comings and goings there.

Travelling along the dirt roads earlier that day, I had been caught out a few times, day dreaming and being slow to respond to all the many friendly hand waves from other drivers.

I resolved to remedy this by being the first to raise my hand in greeting to each and every approaching vehicle from then on.



Now, travelling down the tarred H1-6, I counted the number of waves I received in response.

All the way, from Shingwedzi to Mopani, only four drivers returned my greeting.

Can this mean that people who travel on dirt roads are friendlier folk?

Dream Weaver, I love your style of writing and enjoy your photographs.

I am so pleased to see you posting again.

Meandering Mouse - Thank you so much. I really appreciate your comments.

Driving down the H1-6 that afternoon we came across some real, live animals of the sort that tend to lurk inside boardrooms and living rooms (and, no doubt, bedrooms too) the world over. When they do that, there are all sorts of reasons why nobody wants to acknowledge that one of them is there, in the room. Happily, the ones we saw were not this idiomatic, unmentionable sort. They were out in the open where they belong and where we can talk freely about them.

This one was browsing quietly alone next to the road



Close up of one eye and a badly chipped tusk



His other profile



This one had an impressive pair of tusks



So did his companion



Could these two friends be on their way to fame as great tuskers?

Lovely Ellie sightings and pictures Dream Weaver! The close-up of the one's eye and broken tusk is very well done! Although they scare me to death when close by, I love them and have the world's respect for them!

It is really strange to see Kanniedood that empty .

Great ellie pic's . Love the close-up .

Thanks for sharing .

Really awesome ellie shots, Dream Weaver