I'm loading my pictures first, before I start writing! It took me from 8 am to almost 3 pm to be able to sign on and get the pictures for my last blog uploaded. So while it's now working, I will load the pictures. Hopefully they will all get on before we lose the internet again.Before Rajni left we took a day drive @ Hlane (pronounced Shlane but with a thick tongue on the "SH" and you say it out the sides of your mouth with the tip of your tongue between your teeth -- go ahead a try it, it takes practice but I'm starting to get it). Rajni took the picture of me, Zinty (my co-worker and becoming good friend) and Tamara her sister. The Hlane game reserve is one of the few in Swaziland with lions. Our first animal to check out was the dung
beetle. (See it on the ball of dung? There is one on the other side too.) It's job in life is to roll up "sh_t" and take it away. For those that have gone through Healing Streams @ the Oasis Church, this was the name our group affectionately gave to Charlie. (because he so neatly rolls up all are dung from our past and shows us how to let God take it away) 
It is best to see animals at sunrise or sunset because as it gets hot, remember it's summer here, the animals start to hide. The picture of the pond really is two hippos to the right of the little island poking their eyes out of the 
water. They are the most dangerous animal in Africa and their area was fenced off so we couldn't get too close. The ostrich was out though and didn't have his (or her) head in the sand! We found some white rhinos roaming and we then happened on a whole herd of elephants trying to cool off in the mud puddles they had made. You think you could spot them from a great distance but the trees and
bushes really make you say where did they go as soon as you've driven off a few feet. Did you know elephants don't have any sweat glands and that is why God gave them big ears, to fan themselves? They also then need to splash mud and water over themselves. It was a blast watching the baby elephants try to figure out how to suck water into their trunks! 
water. They are the most dangerous animal in Africa and their area was fenced off so we couldn't get too close. The ostrich was out though and didn't have his (or her) head in the sand! We found some white rhinos roaming and we then happened on a whole herd of elephants trying to cool off in the mud puddles they had made. You think you could spot them from a great distance but the trees and
bushes really make you say where did they go as soon as you've driven off a few feet. Did you know elephants don't have any sweat glands and that is why God gave them big ears, to fan themselves? They also then need to splash mud and water over themselves. It was a blast watching the baby elephants try to figure out how to suck water into their trunks! 
It was a relaxing day although my allergies were bad for the next several days. I think it was from when the guide said he could smell elephants and we all tried to inhale deeply and then asked what they smelled like -- He said dung and we stopped sniffing after that!!
Finally after searching and searching we found a pride of lions resting under a tree in the shade. It took my loud joking around to get the male to raise his head to see what the ruckus was all about.
So when you feel your world is going wild just remember me and that I really can say "it's a jungle out there"! Have a blessed 2008!
THE END!!!!
No comments:
Post a Comment