Earl and I were in town by half past 8.   We shopped for the three days we were to be at Sani then had breakfast at The Spur.   We had an enjoyable chat with Nicoline and got back to Lauren’s at 10.  The plan was to leave at 12.   Allan and Lauren were just getting into the car to go ahead and do some chores in Underberg, leaving us to bring everybody in our car – no can do – we can only take 7.  So poor Jay was dispatched kicking and screaming into their car because Simon ran away and flatly refused saying he wanted to go with Grandpa!

Earl and I then packed up the food but were not sure what L and A had packed because their partings words were – just bring the shopping we’ve done everything else.  I had my doubts.  The girls were still faffing and when I went into the house and tidied the kitchen. We finally got everybody together and left at 11:30 – half an hour earlier than planned.  Just before we left I had a disturbing phone call from Heather.  Priscilla fell at Kirstenbosch and won’t be able to join us in Kruger!  She’s at the Constantiaberg waiting to hear how bad a break she has.

The drive to Underberg was pleasant and calm but as we approached the storm clouds gathered and we even met up with few hits of large hailstones.   It was pouring in Underberg when Earl stopped to buy fishing tackle.  The Bangays and Jay found us and it turned out that they had shopped and had a snack at The Lemon Tree!  

We finally reached Sani Valley Fly Fishing and Game Lodge at quarter to two.  Rainbow was not quite ready but within 10 minutes everything was ship-shape and the smiling, friendly staff helped us unpack.  Earl and I left the girls and grandkids to organise themselves in their lodge and just as Lauren and Allan arrived we headed for our lodge – Sunset 1.   The idea was that we would all gather at Rainbow for meals and Earl and I intended to leave the catering to our capable children.

While I unpacked our clothes into our more than adequate cupboards and made our luxurious bedroom comfortable, Earl went with onother smiling helper to organise the boat. He then returned to prepare his fishing tackle and Jay and Joshua wandered over and he set them to work to help him.  It was overcast and there was the odd roll of thunder and flash of lightening with intermittent rain falling but not enough to deter my intrepid fisherman from spending the rest of the afternoon on the dam.   He returned at 7 o’clock with a nice little trout which he cleaned and froze to take back to Kokstad.

Laurie made a delicious chicken dish for supper and after watching a bit of T.V. we returned to our lodge for an early night.

I woke at quarter past five to find that Earl and Allan were already out on the dam.   The scene that met me when I opened the blinds was one of tranquil beauty and took my breath away.  At the east facing window the early sun rays forced their way through the trees under which a small herd of springbuck were grazing.  On the west side zebra, eland, blesbok and more springbuck were silent breakfasting on an open plain beside the dam.   A kingfisher dived from a dead log just in front of the deck and white faced duck, moorhen and dabchicks were silently gliding across the water which was as still as a millpond. 

The day was perfect, not a cloud in the sky and threatening to be a scorcher.   Now, I thought, is the time to go for a bike ride.  And I would have but thought I’d be met with protests from Jay and Josh if I woke them this early.   So instead I enjoyed the vista and only ventured out at 6 o’clock.   I called the boys on the walkie-talkie and told them to be ready by the time I walked over to their lodge.

After last week’s hot and steep ride to Nicoline’s woke me to the fact that I’m not as fit as I was last year I was a bit apprehensive about riding again this morning.  Would I make it up the steep hills on uneven, potholed roads?   What if I fell.   After arriving at Sani yesterday afternoon I heard from Heather that Pris went into surgery as her leg was broken in three places – the lower leg and foot. I feared a similar fate if I were careless!    We could not find our helmets so went without and enjoyed the freedom of letting the wind blow through our hair!   I started at a steady pace, slowing to granny speed up the hills, puffing and panting and wondering if my heart would burst but oh the joy when I looked up to the wonderful scenery.   My pace allowed me to enjoy the red hartebeest grazing on the hillside, an oriole skimming the top of the pin oaks, swallows and martins perched on the telephone wires, stonechats cheekily darting from one twig to another, widow-birds decorating the reedscape and the tranquil scene of a boat on mirror calm water with two men standing in it as they fished for tout.   The boy, of course, raced ahead and gallantly waited at the top of hills to ensure I made it up safely then careered downhill at breakneck speed before I had time to catch my breath and call to them to stop, look, smell and appreciate!   When we got back I said, “Boys we did the ride in 45 mintues! – “Huh,” replied Josh – You took 45 minutes – we got back long before you did!”  Yes indeed they did and they took regular breaks on the route while I pedalled the entire time!  Oh dear, new year’s resolution – do not leave bike in garage for another whole year before climbing on it again!

After we’d had a drink and regained our composure all four kids dragged me off to the petting zoo.  (The daughters were all still fast asleep.)   I took pics of them with guinea-pigs and rabbits while coping with a goat trying to eat the hem of my shorts!  

As I rode back to our lodge Earl and Allan drove up in the Caravelle.  Allan is 42 today and his birthday thrill was catching a beautiful 3.2kg rainbow trout and I had to take the photographs.   Earl  caught nothing and said it was because he gave his son-in-law his best rod and favourite flies!

After a lovely shower, I rode back to Rainbow where Earl cooked us all a delicious scrambled egg breakfast. 

At around midday we took a drive up part of Sani Pass to see what birds we could find.  There were more here at the lodge but it was a lovely drive anyway.

So far the birds that we’ve seen are:

Buff-streaked chat

Yellow-billed kite

Amur Falcons

Hadeda

Reed cormorants

White-faced ducks

Yellow-billed ducks

Yellow-billed egret

Moorhen

Pied kingfishers

Grey Heron

Black-headed heron

Cape Weaver

Black-headed oriole

Stonechat

Banded Martin

Greater-striped swallows

Long-tailed widow-bird

Red-collared widow-bird

Malachite sunbird

Levailant’s cisticolas

Cape canaries

Bokmakierie

Black-eyed bul-bul

Wednesday 13 December 2009