Day Nine
So Tim and his wife are with us now. We are both so very happy to have gotten to share a camp with them. We did meet last year at DSC, so I was pretty sure we would all get along, but man did we ever have fun!
We left for the Kudu camp, ate breakfast on the way, and then to the Daniell Cheetah Project. This had a pretty nice curio shop where both Nancy and Kathy bought a few things and then housed quite a number of cats, including of course the cheetahs.
Now the good part was this. As they are taking the four of us into the cheetah enclosure they tell us the standard “it depends on the cat’s mood and we will get close, but you may or may not be able to touch…” Well, the cheetah is lying down and we get to within 4-5 feet and stop. Tim squats down, the cheetah immediately jumps up and comes to him, and both ladies take a quick step back to make sure they aren’t on the menu. It was priceless!!! I wish I had it on video. The cheetah absolutely loved Tim and kept following him around. I’ve now decided if I do a leopard hunt that I’m taking Tim, as bait.
I think it is safe to say that the cheetahs were a highlight of the trip for all.
After that it was to the camp to get the ladies settled and then a little hunting for Tim and I. Don’t anyone ask me what Tim got or how he did, you’ll have to wait for his report for that! The evening hunt was for my last animal on the list. I had switched to Blue Wildebeest since I didn’t get a bushbuck. We found a lone bull with a herd that I loved, but it just didn’t work out that evening and he was gone. We glassed another herd, but nothing of interest.
That evening was an amazing meal and time by the fire. It was a little chilly, but I suggested we try it. When one of the ladies said they were getting cold Lammie just grabbed the shovel and put hot coals under both of their chairs. They loved it!!! It became quite the joke – add more coals when they get cold, or spread out the coal a bit if too hot, temperature control!!!