It’s hard to believe that this is our last full day. The alarm goes off, but we are already awake with anticipation. We leisurely sip some Rooibos tea, (African Red Bush tea) and warm ourselves by the campfire. Today promises to be exciting, as we will visit the lion-breeding project on the game reserve. As per our routine, we assemble and split into two groups and climb onto the land rovers for our early morning bush ride. The air is crisp, very dry, and not too cold although a jacket is necessary. The boys love the big rover with the elevated seats and the ride that jars your insides. Mol and I prefer the smaller rover, but the ride is no less thrilling as we nearly fall out with each sharp turn. Jakes likes to off-road and often switches directions on a dime leaving us to cling to anything we can to stay on our seats.
We take a long ride to the lodge area of the game reserve. We pass many wild animals, which by now we’ve become accustomed to seeing. We don’t even stop for pictures as we’ve snapped hundreds in the past two days. At the lodge area, we climb out and Jake leads us down a road to a watering hole. As we approach, he warns us not to make sharp movements, to lower our voices to a whisper and to stick together. We know something wonderful is about to happen. Sure enough, when we reach the water we see 4 beautiful cheetahs baking in the morning sun. These were young cats use to being around people, but nonetheless wild and capable of ripping off an arm with one swipe. We approach closely as a group. Jakes instructs us to get our cameras ready, and to slowly one by one approach a cheetah from the backside and stoop down to pet and have our picture taken. Each of us takes turns petting and taking pictures. One female cheetah is too wild to pet, but we can pose behind her as she licks her spotted coat, lazily grooming herself. We can’t explain how thrilling this is to be so close to these beautiful animals. I suspect we would have stayed there forever if it weren’t for the jackal that appeared on the horizon that caught the attention of one, then all of the cats. Whoosh, they bounded after the jackal, like lightning streaks reinforcing the knowledge that they were still wild animals even though they allowed us to be so close. Jake ran after them, and got their attention back so our parting pictures were of the cheetahs coming back to the watering hole and drinking. The scene was out of a Disney picture. As the cheetahs drank, you could see their reflections in the water, hear the chorus of birds singing morning songs and smell the dry and dusty wind.
As we walked back to the land rover, two of the animals followed us. Jakes tied an empty plastic bottle with a long string onto the back of the rover. On his command, one of the students hurled the bottle of the back of the rover. The cheetahs delighted in this, and began a full out chase to catch the bottle. Imagine playing with a domestic cat and a string, then multiply it 1000 times and see these amazing animals chasing after your car at full speed! If we didn’t have to hold on so tight, we might have gotten some pictures however to do so would have put us at risk of falling out of the rover!
We do stop by a scraggly tree, and Jake coaxes the cheetahs to climb for some last pictures. How thrilling to catch the morning sun shining on the spotted fur as they posed for shots that could easily be displayed in a National Geographic magazine. And as we head back to the camp, we all remark how amazed we are of this experience and we didn’t even have breakfast yet! This is the start of another life-changing day in the Bushveld.
Another hearty breakfast in the mess hall and as customary, the students all do their own dishes. (Yes moms, they do know how to clean up after themselves!). A few minutes of free time, and the whistle blows again for another event. Jakes organizes the students into 4 groups. They head out to the bush on feet. Now was the time to put to test all the knowledge learned in the past two days. Students competed in the stretcher contest. They were given a machete, and basic instructions to pick a member of the group to be the victim, and construct a stretcher using all natural materials. The machete was to chop tree branches to forma ladder framework. Mother-in-law leaves were stripped into strings to lash the branches together. In about 30 minutes the race back to the camp was on. Each group had to carry their victim home on the stretcher, fixing it along the way should it break, and keeping in mind that we were in the bush where we might encounter any wild animal, bird or reptile while racing. It was great fun, and a super team-building event. The tree branches were carefully chosen, as was the victim. Both were selected for size. Navigating out of the bush was tricky as there wasn’t a clear path and the landscape was full of thorny bushes. A couple of students managed to find thorns that pierced their shoes leaving some discomfort in the bottom of their feet.
On return to camp, winners were congratulated and a small amount of time was allotted for clean up and recovery. They off on the rovers again, this time to see the resident leopard, one of the endangered members of the species. We enter the fenced area, and walk quietly to the grassy area where the leopard was sunning. She looked rather non-amused at our presence. We took some pictures, then moved to the back area where we found two male lion brothers. These guys use to be tame enough to touch, but due to their size were now too big and too strong to let out in free range with the public. They were playing with each other and decided to come right to the fence to check us out. You could see that they really wanted us to play with them, but they had grown too big. A small playful nudge would have sent us sprawling on the ground! We get some great pictures from the other side of the electric fence. Some students inadvertently get too close to the fence and receive a mild shock. Jakes decides that we all needed to know what the fence does, and had us make a circle holding hands. One student touched the fence and instantly all in the circle felt the shock. It was a good lesson that we wouldn’t forget!
Nearby were two big vultures looking over the lone wild dog in another protected area. The dog was so ugly. He had a limp leg and was pacing along the fence as we approached. Jakes tells us that this animal is most fierce and could devour his prey instantly. Apparently size doesn’t matter with wild dogs. They are endangered, as farmers would kill them to prevent them from attacking livestock. The dog was not very endearing and one could only imagine how it could rip apart body and bones!
We leave the gated area and head to the lodge; along the way we are joined by one of the cheetahs that is happy to walk the path with us, side by side. In the lodge area, we get to visit the lynx, which was quite happy to suckle on the hands of the students. He purred and licked and showered us with attention. Apparently it was close to feeding time, and he thought we were bringing him some food!
On our way back to camp, we come across the elusive zebras! How exciting this was as before this, we were told it was extremely hard to find them. How marvelous nature is to design such wonderful camouflage, as the striped coats were so difficult to spot. Had the zebra not been crossing the road right in front of us, it is doubtful we would have seen them! Our rover stops and we have plenty of time for a few good pictures before they are spooked away by another rover coming in the opposite direction.
Back at the camp we feast again and then have a lecture from Jakes, the resident herpetologist. He breaks the group into 4 and quizzes them on their knowledge of snakes. He debunks myths about what to do if bitten, and explains the difference between each of the toxins. The lesson learned is to stay away from snakes!
Our final drive into the bush and we head to the lion breeding area. First we stop at the leopard pen, to see one of the special endangered species sitting in a fork in a tree! The other rover joins us, and David decides to give them the “shock treatment” and the group links hands to feel the effect of the electric fence. A male leopard paces along the fence, mildly agitated that we are on the other side.
We then drive to the lion areas. Five lion families live there, each in their own territory. We again are warned to be quiet, not to make quick moves and to be on the lookout for the lions so they don’t surprise Jakes as he opens the pen gates. We see all five families, and stop at the area that houses Simba, the oldest of the breeding project. He eagerly comes to the fence to see David, and to pose for pictures. He gives us a big roar – but is so old he roars away from us instead of at us. The sun is getting lower in the sky giving off a warm light. We see one of the male lions in the distance, and are told he is the most wild of the lions. He is brilliant orange color. Simba has a mixed mane, with black being most predominate. His mate is anxious to be acknowledged by Jakes. Jakes enjoys taking pictures using our cameras as she poses for him.
On the way out of the gated area, we turn a corner and smack in the middle of the road is a lioness staring at us. She takes a defensive attack pose instantly. Jake stops abruptly, cautions us to be still, and slowly backs the rover in reverse to make a retreat. He tells us that she is a fierce hunter and we were nearly her prey. Whew!
We start our journey back to the camp but Jakes likes to take the longest possible path. We stop for giraffe pictures, a herd of wildebeest followed by zebras, and a final sunset over Jakes’s favorite watering hole. It’s been a most memorable day.
Dinner is a traditional barb-b-q of steak and sausage. Tonight, the students gather after dinner for a special presentation to Kenny and Johann in appreciation of their wonderful guidance through our program. Each of the four groups then presents a skit or act that they have worked on. One group builds a pyramid with Will at the top. Will sings a totally funny song that is all about a play on words. Alex’s group does a spelling bee. Another group plays a guessing game, with each student acting like someone in the delegation while the audience guess whom that person is. The fourth group tells “stories” about how certain animals got their colors. The funniest one was how the leopard got its spots from the monkeys slinging dung at it. The leaders join in with a song about the crocodile.
After the skits, Jakes gets out the African drums and has a drumming session with the students. How powerful the sound is in the middle of nowhere with the brilliant stars shining above. It was surprising how the students remembered all they were taught the previous week at the drumming session in Cape Town.
Kenny gets the students to link hands, and “Make the circle bigger” – a song where everyone takes a turn dancing around the middle. All too soon, the evening comes to a close. Students need to take showers, and re-pack for the departure in the morning for the airport. No one wants it to end, but all are anxious to return home to hot showers and clean clothes! It was a perfect evening to an amazing 2-week adventure!
