We arrived at Tintswalo and it was great to see everyone again. Lunch was great the food was excellent with some great calamari. The resident yellow billed hornbill named Ferdinand entertained and provided great photographic material they are really unique looking birds. We were then entertained by a big bull elephant who came to drink at the watering hole that is REALLY close to the deck almost arms length. Incredible to see this huge animal drinking and raising his trunk so much fun entertainment for lunch. The monkeys are all over the place too we just saw a mother carrying a baby on the railing around the lodge.

Only two game drives left at Tintswalo then most of us head to Lion Sands tomorrow where we will meet up with others who are coming from Leopard Hills. So sad to say goodbye to those not joining us for the last three days. This has been a great trip and we all share many memories. As much as we have seen there are still things left unseen as animal behaviour provides such incredible material nothing is ever the same.

Last night we heard the impala alarm call and it was very loud. A good sized bachelor herd were really making so much noise and snorting away. It was as much fun to look at all these male impala's as the leopard.

We saw the female leopard and the followed her off road. It turned out there were two leopards and they were growling at each others the way leopards growl. At first the ranger thought she was pregnant but it turned out she was just big bellied from lactating for her cubs. She continued to make a sound I have not heard from a leopard before that I was told was a warning to other leopards to stay away. We called the other vehicle to join us as we followed the leopard for about 15 minutes. The other vehicle arrived and saw a little of the leopard before she crossed over a ravine to the other side. Difficult to follow but Eric (the ranger) was not to be deterred. Off he went and that group disappeared in the ravene we thought never to return.

Today it was a little slower for game viewing. There was rain and thunder last night. The upside was the tracks were so incredibly clear on the roads. We saw lion tracks going into the buffalo herd, the tracks of the female leopard with two cubs, and lots of hyena tracks. We are hoping that all this activity in the area creates a kill for us this afternoon. We have not seen lions or leopards eating a kill yet. There are a lot of vultures in this area so maybe they will "signpost" the way to what we want to see.

Todays Bush Breakfast at Tintswalo was the best I have experienced and I have seen a lot of bush breakfasts. In a river bed under giant trees the setting was perfect. Greeted with champage or mimosas in elegant glasses we took a group picture by the beautifully set table. The highlight was our Shangan guides and trackers. FOSTER a tracker dressed as a woman and did a fantastic job of playing the roll. It was so funny and we were all laughing our heads off as we have come to know these men and to see them dress up like this and get into the spirit of the moment was really special. This was not a serious dance routine but full of fun, humor and absolutely sensational. The women were doing a shrill sound in the background that the giggling girls tried to imitate, not very sucessfully I might add but we will continue to practice.

This was topped off by Foster at the end who with great sincerity thanked us for coming and how our presence gave them jobs and he hoped we would all be back. This was really quite touching.

So now onward to lunch and another game drive.