Cheetahs

I've been mindful of the many requests I had before we left to get lots of wildlife photos, and with that in mind, you'll be thrilled to hear that today I flattened the battery taking 'happy snaps' of lots of cheetahs and other endangered animals when we visited a Cheetah Conservation facility not far from Pretoria.  We also patted a Cheetah while it purred like a kitten, what a buzz! 

We were driven through the animal enclosures where they also had Vultures and Antelopes, African Hunting Dogs and even a brown Hyena who was like an old drunk staggering to come to the fence and see what was happening because he had just been roused from a deep sleep. 

Just beautiful

Nice Kitty

Waiting for his feed

This handsome fellow was looking out for his girls and chasing off any amorous young bucks that dared to come too close

The girls could enjoy their dinner in peace

A bit of posturing going on here

I've never been a fan of the African Hunting Dog but these guys had such colourful coats and they were very handsome and in top condition

Notes on protecting self while in Africa:  Cover your ankles with insect repellent to ward off the biting ants which I discovered really hurt and draw blood.  They swarm over your shoes and attack your legs, and I got in touch with my inner African trying to stamp my feet and dance to get them off me yesterday when we went for a walk.   

South Africa on a bike

Well, we're about to fly out of Brisbane to Johannesburg for a ride through South Africa on a BMW GS1200 for the next 3 weeks.  Can you imagine trying to pack helmets, boots and bike jackets etc as well as the rest of the gear we'll need to keep us clean and fresh as we travel.  I hate packing and while some folk can manage with just a small amount of stuff, Geoff and I seem to have all the trimmings so that we can be comfortable and why not?  I feel that I must start the day with my hair looking something like respectable as helmet hair does nothing for me, Geoff being a bloke doesn't care about his hair but must be comfortable and protected from the sun.  We complement each other while I'm probably considered a 'princess' in the biking world, he brings some balance to the partnership.   Anyhow, we're looking forward to some great adventures as we ride from Johannesburg to Capetown.

Hopefully we won't encounter winds like we did in Patagonia which blew the bikes off track and caused us to abandon the riding for the day

My chauffeur for the next 3 weeks