Saturday, March 10

A male nyala was part of my viewing pleasure – during morning coffee at our chalet.

There was also a wildebeest. We hadn’t seem many of these and I wished Cerwin was here to see it – but he was out hunting with Ian who was hoping to get an impala.

I was delighted to see the look on Ian’s face when we met them in the driveway.

Kate and Phil stopped their vehicles so we could see the pretty impala that Ian shot that morning.

Pictures the men took out in the bush where he shot the impala.

Jere and Ian

Cerwin, Jere, Ian, and Josh

After we took pictures, Kate stopped in at their son’s house to check on the dogs. Andre, his wife, and daughter were at a conference. This was the patio area.

I like how they used this canoe for a planter.

Andre and his wife manage this wildlife farm while studying elephants.

Their exit gate

A funny thing happened when we got to the electric fence – at the end of this long lane. Kate had the gadget that opened and closed the gate, but every time she closed it – three times – it opened again. When we all finally turned around to watch the gate, we noticed another vehicle behind us. He was a worker at the farm, also exiting the lane and trying to open the fence. 🙂

After checking on the farm, our next stop was this gallery. Jere and Kristen were looking for a painting of a nyala – and we found a beautiful one here. This gallery was not prepared to roll and package it for our flight home. We stopped at another gallery later in the day where they did that. I didn’t take a picture, so cannot show you what she bought – and surprised a very pleased Jere.

This metal work of a rhino was outside the gallery.

It also included an oxpecker.

From there we drove on to visit Jessica and Ritchie the hippos – the main reason for our drive today.

After arriving at the home of Jessica and Ritchie, I stopped to photograph this lady – because I loved her socks.

Ritchie is the youngest of the hippos.

Both were rescued at the age of about eighteen hours following a flood and separation from their mothers. It is supposed that the mothers gave birth during the flood as the umbilical cords were still on them.

Jessica washed up right here on this wildlife rangers home. She was raised in his home until she needed an outside pen. She is eighteen years old.

Ritchie was rescued by someone else and brought here because of the success the ranger had with Jessica. I think he is only a few years old.

Jessica was not feeling well, so we could not feed her. They had some new hay and think it didn’t settle well in her stomach. She was very gassy – and we could smell it each time she passed gas. 🙂

She comes to the dock at certain times of the day when she knows there will be visitors. There are special visiting hours.

She actually lives in the wild and could leave whenever she wished – but no matter how far she wanders – she comes to the dock at feeding time. She wanted to be fed, but the handlers did not allow it.

Every now and then a male hippo visits her, but to the owner’s disappointment, she had never become pregnant.

Look at those nose hairs!

After visiting Jessica, we went up the hill to Ritchie’s pen. When the handler showed him the corn bucket, he lumbered out of his pool.

Anyone who wanted to feed him was allowed to throw corn in his mouth and touch his nose.

Jesse taking his turn

Since there was still some corn, I took a turn.

Kristen also took a turn.

There was still corn in the bucket, so Jesse was able to feed and touch him again.

When the corn bucket is empty, he is fed a mixture of sweet rooibos tea.

While feeding tea to him, we were invited to kiss his nose.

I just had to do that! 🙂 That was a very slimy kiss.

When the tea bottle was empty, he went back to his pool.

They must keep Jessica and Ritchie separate, because she does not like him.

When Jessica climbs the hill to go inside for the night, she is in the pen behind the building. Where you see the fence.

This man was repairing the thatched roof of the house while we were there.

Jessica and Ritchie’s home was a beautiful place.

That was fun – and the first time we saw a hippo on this trip.

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I will tell you about the rest of our day in the next entry.