TIA: This Is Africa, Weekend Scenes and an open letter to France.

 
The folks and I took a drive up to Richards Bay over the weekend to go and visit the brother in his new "bachelor pad" - within four minutes of arriving, the parents were cleaning. On Friday eve the brother took us out for dinner to one of the local Richard's Bay restaurants.

Two things are amazing about this:
1. The brother taking us out: high five for little brother's having money to burn aka "first real job".
2. Local restaurants of Richard's Bay: It's spelled "Richard's Bay" but really it should be spelled "Richaaards Baaai". For those of you who are not familiar with Richard's Bay or South Africa in general - let me give you a quick catch up: Richaaaard's Baaai: land of Afrikaans tannies (aunties) wearing gold and pearls with crocheted shawls and plastic-leather wedge shoes. However, it appears that shoes are indeed optional. Restaurant menus spell words such "omellets" and malls declare that there will be absolutely "NO SCATE BOARDS". And there you have it.

 

On Saturday we took a drive into Hluhluwe-iMfolozi where we had booked a night to stay. We used to live near the Hluhluwe-iMfolozi reserve when I was younger - so it was a great reminiscing trip! There is something so magical about being in the African bush. (For our honeymoon, Warr took us to Exeter Game lodge near Sabi Sands - it was INCREDIBLE! I have never seen game like I did on that trip!)




We stopped off at a Game Hide and spent ages watching all the birds, leguaans and terrapins  interacting and then a rhino came down for a drink -



I only had my 50mm lens with me (which is the very dumb thing to do when you are visiting a game reserve - but it was a surprise trip for me and I left our zoom lens in the UK). Most of these pics are off my dad's new Nikon Coolpix p510 - which I am actually very impressed with!

{Warthogs are one of my favourite creatures}

We watched this Heron catch frogs for ages -

We also watched a pair of leguaans catch frogs.

So basically, not a good day for frogs.

(have gone a little "Safari brown" with this photo editing)

 

I wasn't feeling great that afternoon during our drive so as we drove back to our lodge - I ended up lying down in the back of the car. The next thing the whole family yelped for me to wake up as we had literally turned the corner and almost driven slap bang into a cheetah who was standing on the middle of the road. It is very uncommon for us to have sighted it so close to our car and so completely lucky that we happened to be at exactly the right spot at the right time. After she ran off into the bushes - we completely lost her as they are so well camouflaged.

below: an indication of how close we were - 

Then I was up the whole night vomiting and feeling terrible.

Brother thinks it may be the Richard's Bay Water.

But husband is currently in Botswana with no radio contact - 

so I'd say it's a severe case of love-sickness.