What's Now What's Next: Safari in South Africa

Safari in South Africa, something that is on almost everyone’s bucket list and I can mark mine complete. It started with me getting on a small airplane that held about 10 people and a pilot that looked like he was 12 (okay I am exaggerating a little, but he was very young). I sat right behind him and could watch all the gauges on the dash, it actually was kind of interesting and I did okay. We arrived on a very little landing strip in the middle of the African Bush in the Medikwe Animal Reserve and were taken to the Mateya lodge. The lodge is wonderful, it was originally built as a personal residence and only has 5 suites; we were greeted by a very nice young lady with cool towels and a very nice lunch and were informed that Bert and I were the only guest in the lodge. We were treated like royalty, candlelit dinner for 2 on the balcony, and even dinner in a beautiful wine cellar. I never expected to ever have the luxury to have an entire resort and staff to ourselves. The food was wonderful except Bert ate Pumba (warthog). I couldn’t do it. One thing I had to get use to was no television; it is a place where you totally interact with nature. Our first evening there we began our first outing into the wild. I never in my life have been so close to amazing animals. There were Elephants, Giraffes, Zebras, Wildebeest, black and white Rhinos, Lions, Kadu, Leopards, cheetahs, jackals, African wild dogs and other animal I can’t name them all. Over the next 2 days we went out 4 times, 2 evenings and 2 early mornings. Our guide and tracker said that we were so lucky we witnessed more in 2 days than some people see in 2 or 3 trips. He had clients that are on their 5^th trip and still haven’t seen as much. Our biggest surprise was, we witnessed a lion kill. We came upon a watering hole and there was a Kadu trapped in the water and being attached by the wild dogs and the rest of the pack were around the parameter of the watering hole. As we were watching this, a Lioness came, the dogs ran the lioness spotted the Kadu and it was over from there. We watched as the lioness killed the Kadu and carried it into the bush for her cubs. A true act of nature at its worst and best, as after the kill the cubs curled up with mom and I witnessed a tenderness that after seeing the kill would never have imagined could happen. I would say to you if this is something on your bucket list it is well worth it. Let me help you create a trip of a lifetime. at the amazing Medikwe Reserve and Mataya Lodge.