Wild walkies

Dear Coco
This is rather a belated letter but we had no internet connection - not even a cellphone signal - where we were in the bush.

We started off with a night in the big bad city with Luna, David, Gordon and Streak. David and Gordon gave the Alph an early birthday gift - another Scottie called MacDoorstop. You will soon meet him.

We went for a walk in the park nearby with Luna, and bumped into some friends of David and Gordon who have this husky-cross dog that reminded us a bit of Hudge - and funnily enough he comes from Arniston where I think Hudge came from too. (We heard later on that Hudge had died - so very sad - our Wednesday walks just wont be the same without him.)

The weather in Johannesburg was lovely and warm, and it is green and beautiful. Look at all the cosmos flowering.

On Saturday we drove to the Kruger Park and met up with Phil and Kerryn in the tented camp at Punda Maria where we spent two very happy nights. Here are some of our visitors that you would have LOVED to chase Coco!

Kerryn made sure that we were first in the queue to get out in the morning.

On Monday we drove to our next destination - Bataleur Camp. En route we stopped for tea and banana bread (from Gordon) at Babalala.

It had just rained and this intriguing Bobbejaan Stert (Xerophyta retinervis) was flowering just near Bataleur camp. The plants can survive for months without water, and when it rains, within a day they start flowering and sending out new leaves.

We saw lots of amazing things - like impalas fighting,

and a leopard in the grass who thought it was invisible.

Kerryn and I couldn't wait to add our leopard to the chart of animal sightings.

Beautiful sunsets at the dam,

and beautiful people!

Stunning birds:  this is the Alph's photo of a Lilac-breasted Roller.

All too soon it was time to say good bye to Phil and Kerryn who went on to Olifants camp, and we drove up to Pafuri in the very north of the Kruger Park, where we met up with Louise and Richard, Sarah and Martin, and Lex for the next leg of the holiday - a walking trail. This was our tent for the next three nights. Ultra luxury in the bush!

We walked with Rhodes and Andrew - the trail leaders - through groves of baobabs,

and in an incredibly beautiful Fever Tree forest complete with elephants and buffalo, sawing leopards, nyala, and lots and lots of other animals and amazing birds.

And we paddled in the Limpopo and the Levuvhu Rivers. Louise had a quick dip with her clothes on and the Alph had a dip with his cozzy on - apparently crocs don't attack peeps in shallow water but I wasn't taking that chance! Besides I wasn't sure about where this river started and who had done what in it upstream.

A farewell photo of the trailers and the camp staff.

We drove back to Johannesburg for a night with Duncan and his two Irish Setters, Darcy and Gulliver. Here they are meeting MacDoorstop.

After a lovely early morning walk in the Johannesburg Botanic Gardens - you can see the Hillbrow Tower in the background - we hopped on the aeroplane,

and hurried home to you. (This is the photo that Phil sent us of your walk with him and Kerryn in Tokai Park while we were on our way home.)

It was lovely to get back to you and introduce you both to MacDoorstop. I hear you had a fantastic time with Leticia and Simamkele - and you certainly look rather plump Coco. Diets start tomorrow all round...

love from the Food Lady xx