Thorny Bush Game Reserve
Thorny Bush gained world fame when two people tried to introduce two Tigers into the African Bush some years ago. The experiment was not successful, however it put Thorny Bush on the map. I had the distinct pleasure of introducing two of my very closest friends to the African bush for three weeks. Hal and Ilene and I go back almost 20 years. It was his life long dream, as it was mine to visit Africa and experience the big five up close. Here is how the trip went. We stared out just driving the park for two days. We saw Lion, Cheetah, Rhino, Buffalo, Elephant, and numerous plains game. We ended up at a lodge called Thorny Bush.
This isn't your everyday mortar and brick lodge. This lodge has character.
The spa was nice. You could book a massage that lasted one and a half hours.
This was the view from the deck of our chalet.
This was our bedroom, complete with a king size bed.
This is one of the "gang bangers" that hung around the lodge. They never missed a trick. Set your muffin down for just a second and it's gone! Don't let that angelic face fool you. He has the heart of a US senator. If it's not under lock and key then it must be mine!!
This is the reception. Notice the lawn mower.
The pool was overlooking the water hole. Nice touch!
This little baby Nyala was hiding in the bushes right next to the lodge.
This is the dining area. The tree to the right of this photo is blooming beautiful red flowers. That was a great photo op as the birds were busy sucking up the fresh nectar.
They put on quite a show. All I had to do was sit still and snap away. Not much sport but great results! (Thanks to the birds.)
It was cold one morning and these Ox Peckers were snuggled up to this Buffalo just to keep warm.
These Leopard were relaxing after a meal of Impala on the hoof. Finding these cats isn't easy and one must have patience. It took us hours before our tracker located them. When they look like this--no problem.
When they look like this--it's time to go!
Leopards can be dangerous. This photo ( above) is of an old male. They don't normally attack people. I've run into them in the bush without any problems. However, there are plenty of stories out there about people that did have problems with them.
Cheetah look a little like a Leopard. Check out the eyes. See the difference? A Cheetah is a day stalker. Black under the eyes to deflect the sun. The Leopard has white under his eyes to enhance his night vision.
These are White Rhino. They are relatively calm and tranquil animals. They are not prone to charging unless really provoked. Normally you can follow them through the bush at a safe distance and spend hours observing them.
Ever wonder how all those trees get broken in the bush. Well, this is why.
This is a young calf. It's horns are just developing. It will be some time before it can compete with the adults for territory and a mate.
This White Rhino looks like he's ready to fight but in fact he's just curious of our presence.
Check the horn spread on this bull Buffalo. That is one of the last things you want to see in Africa while crawling through thick bush on you hands and knees!
And this "is" the last thing you want to see under the same conditions. This is a Black Rhino female guarding her calf. Take a look at her face. She is saying-- go ahead, "Make My Day"!
She warned us not to come any closer by stamping her front foot. We took the warning seriously and left. The last guide not. The Rhino charged piercing his radiator on the vehicle the ramming her horn right through the drivers side door narrowly missing his stomach.
Look at how easy it is for an Elephant to blend into his surroundings. One minute he is there, the next he is gone.
Lion cubs spend every waking hour fighting. This plays an important part of finding their social position in the pride. The more dominant ones will be at the top. The weaker cats will flow behind. It saves dangerous confrontation with their siblings later on in life.
This baby Giraffe wouldn't stand a chance fighting off a pride of lions at his age. However, Mom was close by. He can keep up with her running through thick brush we would have a hard time walking through.
This pond/dam was an ideal nesting place for these Herons. I know this spot well and the Herons nest there year around.
These Nyala were right inside the lodge grounds. They're smart. No predator would dare enter the grounds.
This is the restaurant view of their water hole.
This is one of their chalets overlooking the bush.
It is a nice view even from your bed.
Another Bush Buck from near the lodge.We had a great trip. When I got home I walked into my garage without turning on the light. I noticed a piece of rope rolled up on the floor. Hmmmm, I don't remember leaving any rope in the middle of my garage floor! I stepped back and turned on the light. The rope stood up and spread its hood. It was a Mozambique Spitting Cobra. My neighbor pulled up just then and I said Hey, "I got a Cobra in here." He said, "Get your snake catching equipment and we'll catch him." I hate when some is all alone and says "WE"! I got my snake tongs and we managed to get him into an empty barrel. We carried him out into the bush and let him go. He promptly climbed into a small tree. I was hoping to get that classic photo of him with his hood open, but he wasn't having any of it.
The fact is, he was much more afraid of us than we were of him. Cobras are not aggressive snakes and will move off quickly if given the chance.
This Puff Adder was under a workout machine at a friends house. He called me and asked if I would get him out of there for him. Pepi and I captured him and put him in a bag. We released him in the bush shortly there after.
That's about all I have for this blog. Take care and have a great week!!
