Today was animals on alert day. We started with white rhino mom and young calf. She hustled that baby into the weeds, then flipped us the horn. We were looking for lion. They too were moving at a fast clip and we never did catch up. Back to the elephants. Matriarch was minus both tusks. She was displaying with head shaking while a younger one let loose with a loud trumpet call. We discussed it might sweeten her disposition if she were to get tusk implants, as impractical as it may be. The grasses opened up and the herd magically doubled in size. We spotted 3 tiny babies before their minders surrounded them as the herd pushed onward in the juicy leaf, grass and fruit hunt.

Back at the lodge, the hippos were noisy in the watering hole. The birds were riled up, flitting from tree to tree. Even the impala were twitchy, having lost their male. Not much joy in the animal equivalent of Mudville.

I tested out the spa and left my lactic acid and worries behind. A power cat nap took us up to lunch. Burgers and batter fried king klip with friench fries, vegetables and ketchup for all. The afternoon drive was more of the same-though one of the rovers was in the right place at the right time to see the back half of a pangolin and some rhino.

If you are interested, we learned ever more about termites. Preliminary conclusion: termites preceded mankind and will succeed mankind. While it sounds glamorous to be the queen termite, keep in mind you have to replenish the colony every day to keep the proper balance of soldiers and workers .. laying between 20k eggs on a good day and 50k if an aardvark or other breach of termite mound security occurs. You don't even get Christmas or your birthday off work.

Speaking of birthdays, we celebrated two of them today with a lovely chocolate cake ... and ice cream to gild the lily. Food is excellent here. Signs of wild dog were part of radio chatter .. so Ngaire and the rest of us have a chance for good sightings tomorrow. Cheers, Anne