24th June, 2023

Under the African Sky

Monday, May 15, 2023

10:30 am – It poured again last night which made for very muddy roads. We didn’t see many animals on this morning’s drive. It is winter here and they were hiding in the bush to keep warm. The ride was bumpy with the truck slipping one way and then the other. Because of the conditions of the roads and where the elephants were headed, I’m afraid we won’t see our beloved elephants again.

It is our last full day here at Thula Thula. The weather is moody. Rain clouds hover above. From time to time, the sun fights its way through. But only for a moment. The wind comes in strong gusts bringing with it cold air. I am looking out from our tent over the bush where I can see the hills in the distance. So much wildlife wanders out there. We have seen nyalas, impalas, kudus, wildebeests, baboons, giraffes, zebras, rhinos, hippos, warthogs, buffalo, hyenas, and, of course, the elephants. We screamed and laughed at the monkeys. We even saw lions, though not at Thula Thula. And there was so much more. We were given lessons on the foliage and saw several dozen different species of birds and insects. The golden orb spider is one I will remember. He spins a web that looks like gold when the sun shines through it. So beautiful. Each bush drive was different, and the thrill was never knowing what we mind find around the corner.

8:00 pm – We are back in our tent for our last night. This evening drive we saw several animals we haven’t seen before: a chameleon, a bush baby, a jackal, and four waterbucks. Siya drove us down to the dam where we found the hippos close to where we stop. We had our sundowner cocktails while Siya mimicked hippo sounds. In return, they called back that laughing sound intermixed with some yawns. It was quite the show. At one point, we didn’t know which way to look. Hippos performing on our right and to our left, a new species for us, the waterbucks.

It was a beautiful sky with the sun setting over dark clouds and reflecting on the water. And it was so quiet. Peaceful. Breathtaking.

For eight wonderful days we immersed ourselves in the natural world. No news. No social media. We were truly living in the moment.

In the silence we heard the cheerful songs of birds, the powerful rutting of impalas, and the cries of hyenas. We heard the deafening sound of rain as we watched the storms come in. We awoke to footsteps on the roof of our tent.

We got to know our new Zulu friends and their culture. We shared stories with the other guests. And we ate way too much. I will miss Thula Thula and the people we met. But most of all, I will miss the elephants.