Last Days at Singita

We leave today to head to Jo’burg for one night and then on to Tongabezi River Lodge in Zambia. We received word that our private lodgings flooded by the swollen Zambezi river during the recent rains and would have to move to the main lodge. A bit disappointing as we were looking forward to the rooms open to nature, but the lodge will be a first class experience that I am sure we will enjoy.

How can I begin to share with you the incredible experiences of the last few days on safari? Besides the animal sightings – my recent favorites being the wildebeasts (gnus) and rhinos, plus, finally, a hyena den with mother and 2 cubs, we have been treated to a birthday dinner celebration in the B.O.M.A.(British Officers’ Mess Area, a round walled area open to the sky, where the British army stored their cattle in the center of their encampments, alternatively using them for an officers’ dining hall) , complete with our chef barbequing on site and our servers, dressed in colorful African costumes, breaking out in beautiful song, dance, and drumming, stirring us all from our seats to join them in dance.

This morning began like all others, 5:30am wake up call then fresh coffee and teas with homemade breakfast squares and mini scones. After being handed bottles of cold water on our way to our Land Rovers, we were ready for our last safari. We found baby elephants and a journey of giraffes, heard hyenas in the distance as we tracked lions following the cape buffalo herd. We were hoping to see them enjoying remnants from an evening kill. We did find the lions, but they were lounging in the bush, their skinny bellies evidence of another day without food. Hopefully they will get lucky on the hunt tonight.

We stopped for our picnic of coffee in a clearing off the road with a view of - a field where gnu and impala were playing (just like in the song!), then another bit of tracking until – ahoy! – what is that in the clearing just in the distance over there? It can’t be! A large barbeque and buffet of cold foods, a beautiful table set for breakfast in the bush for us all, shade umbrellas and private canvassed off privy with a wood table for the wash basin filled with lemons and water, proper towel, hand lotion and bug spray. We sat down to bloody marys and a fresh cooked breakfast, an amazing feat of outdoor eating, one that will spoil me for any future camping experiences, to be sure.

We are now packed and ready, awaiting our final snacks and friends before we head to our little airstrip for our departure from Singita. If we didn’t have our adventures in Zambia ahead of us, I would be so very sad to be leaving. It will be much different I expect, with lots of water due to flooding, more humid with mosquitoes, which we really haven’t seen much of here at Sabi Sands. (BTW – the Sabi Sands area is named after 2 rivers – the Sabi, and, well, the Sands). I am very much looking forward to seeing Victoria Falls, hippos and other water loving animals, and plan on wearing lots of mosquito repellant while we are there. Goodbye Singita!