Eyeballing rhino

I was very grumpy at 5am this morning, not really looking forward to yet more time being battered and bumped on a long drive. To add insult to injured coccyx and the realisation that I should have worn a sports bra, it was freezing cold.

The landscape was beautiful in the sunrise, but empty apart from a snake eagle.

 

 

The journey bumped on, interspersed with 'we woz ere' poo and prints, but no sign of our elusive objective.

We had entered a spot the rhino competition but the Save the Rhino Trust guides had done this before

 

It's out there somewhere...

 

And then something magical happened, the guides spotted something, we drove towards it and got out of the vehicle in silence, Rusty's nightmare was about to happen - walking towards a black rhino, but there were two...

 

Mum and two year old baby - magical but ever so slightly terrifying being eyeballed by a massive, completely wild, very protective mummy

 

 

They can't see you if you stand still, but Mum knew something was up and started heading towards us. We then had to walk backwards in single file hoping she would decide to back off. As I'm now typing this, the result is fairly obvious! Mum has been de-horned to protect her from the poachers who have decimated the black rhino population.

Bit of a contrast to my usual holiday attire, but apparently fluorescent lycra isn't a good idea out here..

 

After a tea stop, the bumpy torture resumed

 

But these gorgeous creatures made it all worthwhile 

 

A few cold beers, delicious lunch, Sauvignon and a snooze was a great way to spend the rest of the afternoon, followed of course by sundowner backgammon.

 

And a picturesque spot for dinner