One for sorrow?

Saturday 10th September

Manyane, Pilanesberg, North West Province

On visiting Pilanesberg last year, the elephants really stole the show.  This year, we have seen but a few.  In fact, there was not much to be seen at all across the central region - a few impala and the compulsory zebra crossing the road without a hint of irony.

But soon, another driver signalled to us that lions had been spotted in the area.  After making our way to a plateau beside the dam and jostling among the jeeps for space, we got the most magnificent view of a pride of four females with one large-maned male sitting proudly out front.

Lions, Pilanesberg

It's easy to understand why this animal is so admired and feared - it is a glorious sight to behold.  Strong, masterful, majestic - there's no end of clichés for this king of beasts.  It's rather hard to tear ourselves away.

But tear ourselves away we must, for South Africa were about to take on Australia at rugby and we headed back to camp to watch the game on a hastily concocted screen, the single springbok at the side of the road surely a good omen.

One for sorrow?

Alas, not.  Clearly the adage 'one for sorrow' applies to springbok, as South Africa swiftly lost their early lead and were defeated 23-17.  Rugby is close to a religion here, and it was too much for some of our companions to take.  Their violent shouts of "Ag-fuck-man!" said it all.

There's an advert on the radio at the moment which says, "There are two times when it's okay for a boitjie to cry - when the Bokke win and when the Bokke lose" and many such tears were shed this afternoon.

After that, it was back to the game spotting, where rhino were the main sightings - mostly solitary but one large herd of them, which seemed unusual.

Sugar thief

The most amusing scenes were to be found from the restaurant in Pilanesberg Centre, who had placed a salt lick on the veld below their deck.  To our left, a wildebeest and a zebra were fighting over the salt-lick (the wildebeest using its horns, the zebra its hind legs) and to our right, a waiter was trying to tazer the monkeys that were stealing the sachets of sugar.