Happy Easter everybody. Hope you all had a lovely long weekend and that the Easter Bunny brought you all the chocolates you desired! Unfortunately there was no Easter Bunny here in St Lucia, but I did treat myself to a white chocolate Magnum as it was so hot!
So April has been a pretty busy month for me and to top it all, I have just moved my photos and canvasses into a friend’s shop to have a small exhibition. Have been looking for a spot to open after the success at New Year, but nothing was available until now, so the few days leading up to Easter I was busy hanging and deciding where to put everything.
Since I opened I have had a chance to actually do some photo editing, so here are a few pics from the activities of April:
I did my first photography game drive this month, which was great. I held a workshop the evening before the game drive and made sure my clients got familiar with their camera settings and the basics of photography, so that we could ensure some great photos on the drive. We then left St Lucia at 5am in order to arrive at Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park as the gates opened at 6am. We had a fabulous hyena sighting, with 6 hyena wandering out of the bush and up the road. We followed them for some time wondering whether they would find a kill, but unfortunately not. They were just looking for a cool shading spot to lie down, but they were so close we were able to captue some great shots.
Hyena coming from the bush.
Following the hyena up the road.
Hyena up close to the car!
Next we saw a coughing impala…
Even when coughing they are graceful!
Next we came across some hungry zebra…
Such beautiful markings.
Next was a real surprise, a two-headed giraffe…
Very unusual!!!
It was a great game drive and I hope my clients went away with some lovely photos too.
The next trip was the Hippo and Croc boat cruise on St Lucia Estuary. Lucy and Kevin had visitors so I joined them on the cruise. I can never get enough of the hippos here.
Keeping an eye on us.
Lucy and Kevin enjoying the cruise.
We got a little wet towards the end as a rain storm rolled in, but the sky was stunning…
A storm rolling in off the ocean.
The following weekend a group of us decided to have a weekend away, so we went to stay at Jozini Tiger Lodge in the Mountains north of St Lucia. It is a beautiful setting and very relaxing and if you are a keen fisherman, a great spot for some Tiger Fishing. I had to leave early on the Monday morning to get back to St Lucia in time for a tour, but the early start was rewarded with a lovely sunrise over the Dam.
Sunrise over Jozini Dam.
The tour I had to get back for was with Brixham College, the UK high school that Theo and I are helping form an exchange programme with Kufezekile High School in Nkundusi (Theo’s old high school). Brixham College are located near Torquay and came last year for a visit. The Principal of Kufezekile High School, Mr Mthethwa, visited Brixham College last October, his first trip on a plane, so the building of the exchange programme is going well so far. Here are some photos from the day. First the children worked together on a couple of workshops…
A workshop on Friendship and Greetings.
Next, it was lunch at Theo’s homestead. Mrs Gina put on a wonderful spread.
Lunch in the shade of the trees.
Next we visited a traditional Zulu homestead to meet the medicine-man and see some Zulu dancing…
The dancing took place in the kraal, where the ground is softer!
The dancers and music.
A great show!
Well, if that wasn’t enough activity for one month, I had one more trip. It was a day visit to Cape Vidal. Orla, Fin and Luke were staying for a couple of days, so Lucy, Kevin and I joined them for the day. Unfortunately it rained just before lunch so we had to contend ourselves with a braai and a couple of drinkies in the afternoon, but again the storm produced a spectacular sky before the heavens opened.
An incredible sky!
Whilst having our braai we had a visitor…
A young bushbuck (and yes Kevin, it is definitely a bushbuck!)
So know I am sitting in the shade of the palm trees outside the shop and writing this blog. As I said it has been a busy month and it’s not quite over yet, we still have the Royal Wedding on Friday, and yes… people are getting excited about it here too. The club where I play tennis is having a Royal Wedding Day, where the event is being televised, food and drinks are available and apparently all the women are dressing up in fancy outfits and hats! I am not attending this particular event, but it might be worth a visit with the camera!
Bye for now everyone and enjoy yourselves this weekend.
