Leopards, Cheetah and Lions!

I have not written in quite some time. No internet access to speak of. I am at our second to the last stop - Nkorho Bush Lodge in the Sabi Sands area next to Kruger National Park. Their internet speed is extremely slow so posting this entry will take some time.

We have been having an incredible time here. Just this morning we saw Cheetah, Leopard and Lion. Incredible. It is just amazing seeing these creatures in their natural environment. I can't even begin to explain seeing an Impala - completely eaten - seeing the remains in a tree - see the horns, skull and part of a leg - all meat eaten, nothing wasted.

The place here is beautiful. We want to come back here and just stay in this spot for two weeks next time. The pace is lovely - right now it is almost noon. We eat lunch at 2 and head out for the evening game drive at 4. We return around 7pm with dinner following at 8pm. The part that is getting me ready to go back to work is there is a 5:30 am wake up call for our 6am game drive in the morning.

I wish everyone could experience this. It is just amazing. I know I have already written it but there is just so much to write about....hard to explain.

This morning at breakfast we look out to a watering hole and a vast savannah and we see wildebeast and baboon, along with impala just grazing out our view. A couple days ago a herd of elephant came by to cool off at the watering hole - a treat to see a huge elephant lying down in the water to cool off.

We leave here tomorrow for Jo-burg(Johannesburg) with a day and a half stay there and then we'll head back home. Of course I"m looking forward to seeing Chase and Beanie. That is the one good thing about thinking about coming back home.

So we head out Saturday evening joburg time 11:30 pm with an 11 hour flight to Amsterdam and then a two hour layover there. Then a 10.5 hour flight from Amsterdam flight to Seattle. We get back to Seattle Sunday at 2pm. Hopefully I can head over to my sister Trish's house soon after I get home to retrieve my two guys. I get like this at the end of a trip - I just can't wait to feel Chase and Beanie in my arms. Sappy...but that is me. I love those guys so much and miss them terribly.

Terry Heese (I put in Terry H but my brother in law is Terry H too!) I took photos of me and Greg's feet in the Indian Ocean! I thought of you and Wes and your foot photos wherever you go.

Our two night stay in Sodwana Bay was very memorable. It was incredibly cold there and the guys only did 3 dives there. Supposedly the place we stayed was one of the nicer places in the area and it was like camp! When I had read before going there that the cabins we were staying in had "open air showers" I didn't realize they were OUTSIDE! BRRRRRR. It was VERY rustic and no heat. The cabins had mesh on the upper part (not even completely enclosed) so it was very, very cold at night. No, I won't be doing that one again! I was glad to move on from that place! In the summer it would be fine but given it is Africa winter right now....I was always cold there.

I did get to drive from Zulu Nyala to Sodwana Bay. About an hour and a half drive. You know they drive on the left side of the road here. It wasn't so bad and I took to it very quickly! That was fun!

We have taken a S%*load of photos. I think I've taken around 1500-1800 and Greg at least that much, probably more. The photo ops are endless. Its a photographers dream. I don't know how I"ll pare them down to about 100 for a scrapbook. Lordy.

I better go because it is going to take forever to actually publish this entry.

I miss everyone and I look forward to seeing everyone again. I also can't wait to sleep in my own bed!

See you all very soon.