Monday, June 1, 2009

9 May (Sat)



Usual sort of Saturday. Full moon, so we wanted to film a particular moon-rising shot for the feature film. Karen, Humphry, Frannette, me and the kids walked (alternating drivers) to the swimming hole. When we got there we found a breeding herd of elephants scattered 360 degrees around. We decided to swim nevertheless, with an elephant lookout posted at all times. I was first lookout while the others swam, then I had my turn. Once we were all cool and wet we walked (again alternating drivers) to Gnu Poo pan for the sunset shot. En route a game drive truck snuck up on us. Frannette completely missed the interaction and only saw up pointing excitedly ahead. She thought we were gesticulating because there was a lion and flew into the car at a speed that I didn’t think she was capable of.

Rio and Edward spend their days determinedly demolishing the anthill. I barely see Rio these days as he is very busy playing. We have a new system now whereby Frannette gets one day a week off (Wednesdays) during which I will take charge of the kids and the cooking. I think, theoretically, it is going to be good for me to have a day a week of solid ‘kid time’. It is all too easy to wander into the office tent and get caught up in some work related thing every 10 minutes.

This past Wednesday Brad, Frannette and Jason spent the day with the lions who were still following the buffalos in the mopane. The day ended on a horrible note when the 2 old females and the young male who had taken up residence at Magxwagana chased our 5 females away and left the cubs all alone and very vulnerable in the mopane. We were all very worried about them the whole night. They were all back together again the next morning.

We have our new tent up (as of about 10 days ago) and the design is such that the entire back and front open up to be only mesh. We sleep with our bead at the open mesh side, so it is much like sleeping outside and with the moon so full we are literally bathed in moonlight.

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