Ken .. you have outdone yourself! Giraffe drinking and slurping up the last drops. Thank you for all the fantastic photos.

Two days ago, SAA changed their flight schedule from Hoedspruit to Cape Town, jeopardizing the international connection i booked for today. The only sensible choice was to cut Makanyi a day short and overnight in cape town. Makanyi staff were brilliant in using local knowledge to effect the change of flight. Two hours later, we had a confirmed change ... except SAA having bungled server problems and reservationists who could not get the ticket reissued.

I rechecked email after the game drive - the inbox and spam folders were bare. If at first you do not succeed, try, try again. We finally got the golden email with revised ticket and -glory be!- a boarding pass. Whew! Clay, brooke, connor joined me in the transfer vehicle. They headed to Joburg. I found an empty table at hoedspruit airport (HDS abbreviation for all you fellow flying aficionados) and finished a book, breathing in the lovely air of Africa. Sure enough, the capetown flight was further delayed. No way to run an airline, and no feasible alternative.

Priceline was groaning with low priced hotel options; the taxi driver mentioned tourism has dried up in Capetown. Good news: capetown had 4 days of showers: reservoir levels rose from14% to 27%. News reports today say cape town is delaying a desalination project in light of the rains.

I booked a lovely room with breakfast included. No baths allowed-showers are ok for as long as one likes. Dinner was spectacular and tv carried the warwrinka querry tennis match at the pre Wimbledon tournament. I am one happy camper!

Today, I woke at 5:21 am. No game drive, though. I cannot make this up - early morning movie is 'Ace Ventura: Pet Detective'. My plan is a long walk to reacclimate to life beyond safari before check in time for the flights to JFK.

My heartfelt thanks to ngaire, ken, the weather gods, our safari lodges, Gail - the greatest safari friend you could ever wish for - backed up by my new and longstanding fellow hippos and hippettes with whom we shared laughs, many moments of wonder and the sober side of nature - it takes a lot of impalas and trees to feed the big game.

Cheers,Anne