Umfolozi Park

This past Monday, I found myself wedged into the back of a "van" (the SA term for a truck with an enclosed bed) with four other sweating individuals. But as Connie liked to remind us, this was part of the "authentic African" experience- whatever that is supposed to mean. Although we were extremely hot, tired, and really dehydrated and hungry, it pretty exciting. Part of this was because we were on our way to Hluhluwe Umfolozi Park – the only formal conservation in KwaZulu-Natal (PMB's Provence) where the "Big Five" can be found. (The Big Five being elephants, water buffalo, leopards, lions, and rhinos). Our friend from church took us all to spend go on a night drive and stay the night – hunting, especially for the lions.

It was pretty incredible to find myself sitting in a huge green truck as the African sun set and slowly faded the landscape around me into darkness. The air was cool and everything was quiet, minus the rumble of our truck. A few people were previously selected to hold spotlights on different sides of the vehicles and for the next 3 hours we searched, sitting very attentive, and waited. Tim liked to remind us that "we are actually on an African safari." And indeed, Tim, we were. I never thought I would ever get to do something like that.

Well, we didn't see any lions, or any predators actually, which was a little disappointed, but it was still really fun. But actually by the time we headed back to PMB on Tuesday we saw tons of zebras, millions of impala (stupid deer-like creatures that are everywhere!) and similar deer creatures, hares (which I thought were really stupid, and people got really excited for one that we had to stop for so it could cross the road), wildebeests (which apparently are the most lame animals who get kicked out of their pack and then have to go hang out with the impala), giraffes, water buffalo (those things are TANKS. Yikes), mongooses, one hyena, one little genet (this little wild cat that is spotted and so cute, and actually are hard to spot, so that was exciting), and finally, my favorite, elephants!! We didn't get to see very many elephants nor did we see them for very long. We happened to spot a group crossing the river. Wow. It was incredible. South Africa, what a cool place, where else can you find elephants and penguins? (Penguins are my ultimate favorite animals. They live in Cape Town and I am NOT leaving until I get to see them).

Elephants? Check. Getting out of PMB? Check.

What a good time.