Elephant dung
Evidence of a large animal
Michael signs away his life while Laura enjoys the view of the vlei.
Laura and Bill at the Phinda Vlei Lodge
Photo courtesy of Michael Thompson.
An nyala on the vlei
Photo courtesy of Laura Bushnell.
Doe nyala and fawns
Michael and Bill enjoy the view while waiting for lunch.
Photo courtesy of Laura Bushnell.
Jabu arranges the lunch buffet.
(elephant) dung beetle found on the edge of Laura and Michael's plunge pool.
The elephants come to drink here frequently. Photo courtesy of Laura Bushnell.
Mr. T (tracker) and Dylan Royal (ranger) prepare us for our first game drive.
An elephant calf emerges.
Dylan and Mr. T set up refreshments.
At the mid-point of every game drive, a refreshment table is set up. This occasion was the only time we had to fend off mosquitos.
Bill mistakenly tastes a piece of biltong.
Ugh, what is this? Photo courtesy of Laura Bushnell.
Dylan Royal, Mr. T, and Bill at the snack table.
Photo courtesy of Laura Bushnell.
Room and bath in my bungalow at Vlei Lodge
Sinks in my bungalow.
The changing room is to the left. The toilet is to the right.
Michael and Laura sit before the fire before dinner.
Bill takes his happy hour photo on our first evening.
Photo courtesy of Laura Bushnell.
Laura and Michael in the dining room for dinner.
Laura and Michael rise early to watch the Warriors game streaming to their laptop.
Photo courtesy of Laura Bushnell.
Bill, Laura, and Michael on the morning game drive.
Evidence of hyenas digging under the fence.
Bill, Laura, and Michael
Bill wears his poisonous bug costume.
Thundering wildebeest
Dylan points out a bird we just sighted.
The lion at the center is suffocating the wildebeest by clamping its jaws over the wildebeest's nose.
Once the wildebeest is dead, the lions begin to eat.
We observe the lions from a safe distance.
Gnawing off the nose
The lions first eat the exposed soft bits such as the nose, lips, and ears.
Other groups arrive to watch the spectacle.
Lions leave the "table" as they become sated.
Laura at Phinda during break time on a game drive
Photo courtesy of Laura Bushnell.
Mr. T sets up the snack table.
At the snack table on our first morning game drive
(l to r): Mr. T, Dylan, Bill, and Michael. Photo courtesy of Laura Bushnell.
Wildebeest runs past.
Laura, Bill, and Dylan during break time on our morning game drive, as we examine a small termite mound.
Photo courtesy of Laura Bushnell.
Michael and Laura at break time on the first morning game drive
Photo courtesy of Laura Bushnell.
White spiny caterpillar
(l to r): Laura, Michael, Dylan, Mr. T, and Bill
Geese fly overhead
A cheetah lifts its head to observe us as it rests in the grass.
Male nyala on the vlei
Breakfast is served.
Lodge staff: Michael (monkey slingshot in hand), Chef Magic, and Jabu.
Laura and Michael depart for their escorted run through the Sand Forest.
The pink bag Dylan carries contains a rifle. The bag is pink because he is the most recent ranger to get his jeep stuck somewhere on the preserve.
Michael and Laura ride in the last row.
Michael and Laura run through the sand forest.
Michael and Laura run through the sand forest.
Public areas of the Forest Lodge
A red duiker forages near the Forest Lodge.
Elephants return to the forest after drinking water from the plunge pools at Numbers 5 and 6.
A bull elephant drinks at Number 6 (0).
Photo courtesy of Michael Thompson.
A bull elephant drinks at Number 6 (1).
Photo courtesy of Michael Thompson.
A bull elephant drinks (3).
Photo courtesy of Laura Bushnell.
A bull elephant drinks.
Photo courtesy of Michael Thompson.
A bull elephant drinks (4).
Photo courtesy of Laura Bushnell.
A bull elephant drinks (5).
Photo courtesy of Laura Bushnell.
A bull elephant drinks (6).
Photo courtesy of Laura Bushnell.
Michael watches the bull elephent move on.
Photo courtesy of Laura Bushnell.
Baboons and nyala on the vlei from Number 6.
Photo courtesy of Michael Thompson.
Baboons and antelope on the vlei from Number 6
A guinea fowl pecks the ground near the corner of the deck. Photo courtesy of Laura Bushnell.
A young male Nyala at Vlei Lodge
Termite mound has captured dead branches.
The bull elephant (right) follows the herd.
The female and male elephants can be distinguished by their foreheads. Males have a rounded head, females have a pointed head.
Zebra graze in peace.
A giraffe pauses its meal of thorny acacia to examine us.
A tower of giraffe
Mother cheetah gazes at us.
Cheetah kittens also keep watch.
Mother and kittens
Sunset on our second evening game drive
Photo courtesy of Laura Bushnell.
African hare
Returning to Vlei Lodge at night (1)
Dominant male lion walks along the road, marking his territory.
Dinner on the vlei at night.
(l to r): Michael, Laura, Dylan, Sarah, and Max
Four-poster bed with mosquito netting
Turns out the mosquito netting was unnecessary during our stay.
Bill, Sarah, Max, and Mr. T prepare for our second morning game drive.
Photo courtesy of Michael Thompson.
Laura and Michael on our last morning game drive
Max and Sarah join on the morning drive.
Lions relax on the old dam.
A young male lion rests atop the wall.
A young female rests atop the wall.
At the lake shore on the morning game drive (1)
Lions rest on the wall ahead and to the left. Photo courtesy of Michael Thompson.
We watch lions from atop the dam wall.
Photo courtesy of Michael Thompson.
Rainbow over the plain
Photo courtesy of Laura Bushnell.
Lion drinks water while tourists look on and snap photos.
Lions drink water.
More lions drink.
A young female lion walks past.
The mark on her left cheek may be a scar from an injury sustained from a prey's kicking hoof.
A young male almost tips himself into the water.
Lions rest by the shore of the lake.
Young male lion gazes at the frightened woman sitting in the rear seat of the jeep.
A young male lion laughs.
Actually, he's starting to yawn.
Another young male passes our jeep.
Lions give half-hearted chase.
White rhinocerous with full horn is alert and is not allowing any lions to approach its calf.
Lions watch us leave.
We return to Vlei Lodge.
Male nyala displays his ridge.
Baboons on the vlei
We enjoy our last breakfast buffet at Phinda.
Bill and Laura finish their last breakfast at Phinda Vlei Lodge
Photo courtesy of Michael Thompson.
A thieving vervet monkey waits for his next opportunity.
This is probably the one who stole my bread roll at lunch the day before.
Clouds over the vlei
Photo courtesy of Michael Thompson.
Saying goodbye to Phinda staff.
(l to r): Bill, Laura, Michael, Jabu, and Michael.
