Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Lazy Sunday Afternoon!

My word, it's Wednesday already! What happened to Tuesday's Travels? I forgot all about it to be honest! However, I thought I would share something pretty special with you today!

P is hosting a conference of 41 Club SA members at Heia Safari at the end of September. He will be inducted as the new National President of the club at this conference, which is quite an honour! However, on Sunday we decided to take a drive to the venue to look around and make a few "logisitical" decisions! It was a lovely, warm afternoon and we found a little table under some thatching. P was talking to the manager while I ordered our drinks. I wasn't alone for too long - I received a little visitor!

He lay dead still on the table and watched me with beady eyes, until as quick as a flash, he darted off, down the leg of the table and into the dust! What a sweet, little fellow!
P and I were not extremely hungry and decided to order a Ploughman's Platter and a Mozzarella Tower! Hmm! Far too much food, but we snacked and talked about the conference at length!
The afternoon drifted by and soon it was time to leave. P went off to pay the bill, while I gathered our things together. We agreed to meet at the car. Quite suddenly I heard P calling me in a loud whisper - "Jan, come here!" I rushed off to where I could hear his voice and almost came face to face with a ... ... ...
I have never been so close to one before! A little family of three were wandering amongst the bungelow's at the Safari ranch - ambling along, munching on the thatch roofs and being lazy in the sun!
Just look at those soulful eyes - he looks almost sad, doesn't he? Despite their size the move so quietly, just a faint whisp of dust rises up around their hooves as they slowly, walk along! Even the little one was reserved!
Look at the patterns on its skin! Who would have thought that I could get so close. And he didn't mind at all. The mummy wasn't too friendly - she kept her distance!
I was quite amazed at how affectionate the little one towards his Daddy! He wound his long, black tongue around his fathers neck and licked and nuzzled. NO affection or interaction with Mummy! I found that rather strange!
See? Mummy wanders off in front, while the other two follow!
"OK! We've had enough now! Maybe we'll be back at the end of September and entertain your overseas delegates - we'll see how we feel and how nice you are to us!"

7 comments:

aussiechic said...

OMG that is too awesome for words....I would have cried I think, being that close to something so beautiful....what an amazing sight....spectacular....

Corey~living and loving said...

How fun. :) I bet it was so wonderful to see them up close. the daddy does look sad. :( I hope he isn't.

Avril said...

Congrats to P! What an honour!!
Our Colombian friends stayed there when they went ballooning and loved being 'up close and personal' with the giraffes!

Firefly the Travel Guy said...

My knees just went weak when I saw those platters. YUM!
I wonder why the giraffe doesn't have any horns. Strange.

Raph G. Neckmann said...

Oh, Jan - thank you for telling me about these in your comment! I'll tell the rest of our family and we'll all have a look later too. Your giraffes are similar to our wild giraffes here in Giraffe World, but a little different. How wonderful for you to be so close to them! I wonder how they would react if they met me! :)

Unknown said...

Giraffes are my favourite zoo animal so I LOVED those pictures!

P.s I am so eating with you day fay is there is a spread like that! x

Barbara Martin said...

I've come via Raph's blog.

The giraffe photos are wonderful. It doesn't take herbivores long to discover who is a threat to them. With any wild animal it is best to keep a safe distance, though I can see how tempting it is to be close.