The morning's drive turns up river. Leon stops at a pond where we observe a number of hippo and storks.
Most of the rest of the morning is spent in search of an elusive leopard. The only thing we find are beautiful birds. Rennick, our tracker is on foot with another tracker trying to find the leopard.
Rennick has decided to continue to track on foot while we return for breakfast. We track a hyena believing he might lead us to the leopard. Failing we stop for morning tea without poor Rennick.
Almost at the lodge Leon is told that another group has found a leopard. We make a high speed and bumpy run to the location. The various game drive guides are very good about sharing the finds and in fact remaining at a find until others arrive. Crashing through the bush we find our vehicle above the leopard. While try to descend to the sandy dry creek bed, the vehicle gets hung up and we spend 15 minutes trying to extricate it with a shovel and car jack; all the while within about 50 feet of and in full view of the leopard who must think we humans are mad.
The leopard shows great patience allowing us to get unstuck and in a position no more than 20 feet from it. After allowing us sufficient time to snap a pantload of pictures, it moves to another photo op position for a while, and then another and finally tiring of playing model for our safari, decides to go have a drink.
Don't return for breakfast until quarter to eleven. On the way to our room we find the nyala has taken up a new position. He is now feasting on our roof. When we arrive he is eating grass growing on the roof. Later, it's literally eating the roof thatch. With apologies to Carl Reiner, Mel Brooks and the 10,000 Year Old Man:
A Nyala is Eating My Roof Off, Will Somebody Call a Cop. BTW, you have to be over 60 to even get that one.
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