Day 2 - Charged by an Elephant!

Another eventful day. The morning was spent on a long hike around the area. Climbing rock cliffs to take in some breathtaking views. Surprisingly we never encountered much in the way of animals but the walk itself was very enjoyable. Saw many tracks of lions and leopard. We stopped at a spring where lion had been only an hour before and came across some rock hyraxes playing about in the rock cliffs but nothing more than antelope and baboon for most of the time. Still just the fact that you could turn a corner and come across some Lions, leopards or buffalo is what makes the hike that much more interesting.

Came back from the morning hike relaxed, had a nap tried to fit in some studying but didn’t get much done. We go out again for a drive in the afternoon. We come across a bull elephant and drive along as he floats across the planes. How something that large could move so gracefully is beyond me. After the elephant we see some Buffalo and Mark lets us get out of the Landie and walk over to them. Not to close, obviously, but closer than we could have got in the vehicle. We watch them and they watch us as the light is slowly fading. Back in the vehicle we come across the same elephant we watch as he shakes a palm tree to get the dates out of it. The elephant notices us and is he is not too happy with us so he flaps his ears and curls his trunk and start coming for us. We know it is only a “Mock Charge” by his behaviour and that he is just showing us who the boss is but it is quite terrifying when an animal that size comes charging for you. Mark drives the vehicle just a little way to give the elephant some space. That seems to satisfy him and he continues eating, he then wonders up to a dead tree and starts scratching his head, body and butt against it. This elephant was such an interesting character. It was very cool to experience all that.

We arrive back at the lodge to hear the lions roaring very close by. The staff say they are just at end of the path we start to head down there to see and then realize what a stupid idea that is as we are only on foot with no rifles so we head back to our rooms and sit and listen to them roar. What a way to end the day.