Life at the Lodge
We stayed in two of the eight cabins that lie nestled in the lodge grounds, all spaced along the watercourse that leads (in non-drought years!) to the water-hole (sample call from children to parents "There's an elephant walking past" "Where ... Oh my goodness!"). There we caught the delightful habit of outdoor showering (see Malawi, later); and the less delightful habit of being woken at 5am (!) for each morning's game drive.
The daily routine
So, game drives at 5.30am. and 5pm., each with a stop for either morning tea or sundowners. Back to the lodge for breakfast, followed by a guided walk, essential to appreciate the subtler thrills of being in the Bush (for instance, looking into the huge deserted nest of a Hammerkop to see two sleepy barn owls., the new residents!); or a visit to Dixie, the Shangaan village. Back for lunch and a laze on the deck, in the plunge pool, napping, trying to get to grips with a different and riotously rich birdlife. In the evening, dinner from about 8pm, followed by early bed, in anticipation of the next day's too-early knock on the door.
