ARMY...................MOON GATES NOW OPEN..........week beginning 28TH Sept 2015

[IamMary]

Evening all.
It's cold out there (she says with horror after the sandals were almost dragged out again last week)!
Sunbird, sorry to hear about your husband. I'm sure it's still very difficult.
Welcome back :welcome: lots of us new people here now, looking up to you experienced guys, coping with everything life throws at you.

Molly your dinner sounded delish..

[JackieClaire]

Good grief...........5 years.............anyway you're back Sunny as Molls says usual natter with serious bits thrown in when needed.

Meant to say before.................hate circuses.........tbh I thought the one's with animals had been banned all over ........they are over here........hopefully clowns will go next.

[JackieClaire]

I don't like zoo zoo's where there's one poor auld bear on its own............I don't mind those that do conservation stuff.

[JackieClaire]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BYRjElpBsmc

[GlitzyB]

Evening army. Sorry for your loss sunbird but its good to have you back. Jc some counties and towns here have banned animal circuses but we still have too many who welcome them. Very cruel and bad life for the animals who are forced to perform and live in cramped conditions when they are not in the ring and also when they travel. I don't like zoos either only wildlife parks or safari types where the animal can roam free and have proper protection from poachers and cruelty. And are not forced to perform for tourists. Don't mind the clowns lol they just look funny. Tired now and in my pjs Is Mr Satz still recovering from last night? he must have had some hangover this morning did he go out for a curerer?

[sunbird2]

Thanks everyone for the welcome-I hate the circus too.
Anyone remember this post....the animals are better free!

"We love the bush, both from roughing it in Okavango, Botswana and Zimbabwe with a bucket for a shower under the sky, to the relative comfort of our twice a year time share here(a week in Feb and a week in Nov, when all the baby animals are born), to some of the really luxurious tented camps that are so popular dotted all over Africa. My Hubby is a keen photographer, so we have been fortunate to go on photographic tours with some of the best game photographers, Nigel Dennis and Beverly and Peter Pickford in and around Sabi Sabi and Mala Mala.

But the bush is well....it is what it is! I will try to paint you a picture in words.

Nothing smells quite like the bush, it has a raw, rich smell which eminates from the large variety of grasses, bush and trees. The sounds of the bush are unique, during the heat of the day and sometimes at night, the air sings with cicadas and birdsong from hundreds of species of birds.

The night sounds are different too. The owls, from the deep hoot of the Giant Eagle Owl with their pink eyelids, to the brrrrp, brrrrp incessant call of the tiny Scops Owl, no bigger than your hand.

Some of the animals that dominate the sounds of the bush at night are the tiny Bush Babies squealing as they jump from tree to tree looking for food, their too big eyes glowing like lamps when they catch the torch light. Then there?s the mournful howl and crazy laugh of the hyaena. Interspersed is the very loud Umph - Umph of the territorial Hippo, the hands down animal winner of human trophies in Africa. And later, much later, if you are lucky, you hear the roar of the Lion pride.....?Whoooo?s the king of the jungle? Whooo?s the king of the jungle?........I am!... I am! ...I am! I am!? (Seriously, Google Lion sounds, and that?s what they say!)

When we arrived yesterday, we were immediately warned to be on the lookout for snakes and scorpions, which are prolific at this time of year. There were apparently 2 green mambas mating in a tree next to one of the chalets yesterday, having such a jolly good old time that they fell out of the tree onto the patio!

I don't mind snakes, but I do have the deepest respect for them. We have many both venomous and non-venomous species. Of the venomous snakes, the Mambas and the Mocambican Spitting Cobra get the first 2 places in my book, for dangerous venom. Generally though, like everything in nature, unless bothered, they don?t bother you!

With the exception of the deadly malaria carrying mosquito, of course!

We are on the bank of the riverbed that borders the western side of the Kruger National Park, and about 12km from this camp and the Paul Kruger Gate, is Skukuza, the main camp, admin, research and vetinerary centre in the park. If you enjoy this sort of nature experience, treat yourself to a Google to South Africa National Parks - SANParks - Official Website - Accommodation, Activities, Prices, Reservations. Go to webcams, and they have 3 webcams, one each at Satara and Orpen in Kruger, very near to where we are now, and one at Nossob in Etosha National Park in Namibia. The cameras take a new photo about every 5 minutes, so you can see what game comes to drink at the waterholes. There?s also stacks more of interest on the site, including a free forum such as this one!

Then the beautiful red African sunset arrives, heralding the magical darkness, with its fireflies, glow worms and a gazillion diamond stars in the black velvety sky, until the moon rose and the lions and hyaenas started their concert , to the rolling African drums being beaten for the guests attending the boma dinner...."

[JackieClaire]

A lot of it, Sunny and the photos.:love:

[JackieClaire]

I'd better go and feed Mr JC.............he's starving after all the rugby.

See you tomorrow.

[Tabbers (a.k.a. KTAB)]

Good morning folks and welcome back Sunbird, I am sorry to hear of your sad loss. Digging up your wonderfully descriptive post must have brought back such memories of your trips together.

[satz123]

Morning Tabberooney and the rest of ye to come.

[satz123]

X Post Mollerooney

[satz123]

Lovely story Sunny -so wonderful to have you here to give us yet another insight into our world and the folks in it.
If you are struggling stick with us and we'll take care of you - and push you kicking and screaming back on that wagon.
If you are ok stay around & chat.

The Army saved me from myself 2 years ago ..........
As my signature says I did it my way..... dipping in & out - taking each social occasion as a hurdle and getting over it.
-but eventually I KNEW what I wanted.
We all inherently KNOW for us AF is the only way - anything else is, imvho, like smoking e cigarettes - just feeding the beast.

[JackieClaire]

Morning lovelies,
Having a divil of a job starting the SHOUTY OUT thread..............keeps coming up with .........error too many tags.

[satz123]

Hey Jacks.
I'm away out now - too nice a day to be sitting in.
I'm sure there's a cemetery I can visit

Much later gaters :llama:

[JackieClaire]

Enjoy your grave looking. I pass a smashing one on the way home from work...............its very, very old and you'd love it.