RETURN FROM BAOBAB RIDGE TO JOHANNESBURG -- ALONE

Preparing to depart.

Wire baobab tree, a gift to each couple from Sean. Wire crafts are big in Africa, often combined with colored beads.

Luggage stowed.

Drinks anyone?

Aurevoir David, father of 14, a good-natured and friendly tracker and guide. I asked if all his children were with one wife, he answered, with two wives.

Elder Murdock.

Conference room almost empty.

Empty dining room.

Lodge entrance, empty safari Land Rover.

By to Jason, our affable host.

We stopped for gas and restrooms, and I saw these young swallows.

Meat market at the rest stop.

We stopped for lunch at Spur, an American themed restaurant. Each has its own name, this one is Appaloosa. The food is good.

The menu.

The decor.

Thanksgiving dessert table in the pavilion of the Area Presidency.

Thanksgiving meal served in the garage of the Area Presidency residence.

Entrance to the Area Presidency residence. Four couples live here, the President, his counselors, and the Area Legal Counsel.

The Hamiltons returning from the meal. The building dates from the 1930s and retains much of the original decor.

Fire place.

This is not a rodent trap. When buying medications at this drugstore, the medications are put in a "cage", zip tied, before payment at the exit. Amusing.

BAOBAB RIDGE DAY FIVE

Cape Buffalo lion kill, one of five, which according to our trackers is unheard of. Lions are lucky to get one. Something must have happened in the confusion of the night, most were young.

A second carcass.

A third.

Word of Lion kills spreads fast and many come to watch. The conservation code requires only two vehicles at a time. Others must wait away from the kill until a vehicle leaves and then approach.

Mother and cub, fat and panting.

On the kill.

Still hungry it seems.

At the dinner table.

Guarding the prize.

Tree house dating to the 1950s. Parents of a family in the area put their kids in the tree house while they went off about their business retrieving them at the end of the day.

Drying pond with elephant tracks.

Elephant tracks in the cracked mud. Front feet are round, back feet are oval.

Tree house from a distance.

Monkeys were hopeful of entering and snatching a treat.

The monkeys were around all day.

In the trees.

Walking stick immature.

We returned to the lion kill by way of a pack of wild dogs resting from a feast earlier in the day apparently.

More resting wild dogs.

There were about eleven of the dogs. Their color is wonderful.

We found the dogs very interesting. It began to rain while there and we left for the lion kill to see if there were hyenas in the area.

More dog pictures. We were about to depart.

We drove fast in the pelting rain to an elevated blind where we took shelter beneath and above in the blind.

Inside the blind, soaking and bagged against the rain. There was serious lightning and thunder.

Rain on the lens.

Sister Cinquini and David the driver.

The lions ignored the rain.

A carcass later in the day rain washed, fly ridden.

Rain bedraggled and muddy.

Cub nuzzling the young male.

Gathering at dusk for refreshment.

Meeting at the water hole for refreshments.

Old lioness, ribs showing, withered haunches, and worn teeth, kept alive by the efforts of the young females. The pride males had been killed by a trophy hunter who paid for licenses and the result is a diminished pride down from 20 plus individuals to just four females, two cubs, and a young male. It is likely that mature males will take over, kill the cubs so they can mate with the females.