Manuela,the Senegalese

Manuela, the lionese or the panther.

Provenance : Paris (Originally fromDakar)

dates: 25 th of January to 09th of February 2003

special pecularities :scared by snakes, very scared !! a bit by insects, and not about all the rest !

First week end:

She arrived on saturday afternoon, as I was on the beach! To respect the tradition, the rain welcomed us in Umhlanga, on the way back from the airport. Saturday evening: Braai at Armelle et louis place, everybody slept in kloof. Next day: water rafting on the Umkomass river, the river was a liitle bit slow in spite of a few rapids, but a lots of fun, and some fights on the water. Manuela and me were not a too bad team, concerning the fights or the rapids.

First week:

Monday: we gambled at the new casinon in Durban, on the machine or Black Jack. Tuesday : memorable game at the bowling, where our team lost badly. Wensday: night club in Durban at eighties, Thursday: nice evening at Cool runnings, a jamaican bar in Durban. This is only for the evenings, during the day, for Manuela, it was Beach, chill out, or moving around with Armelle.

At cool runnings, with a hat from Lesotho.

Still cool runnings.

Second week end:

Friday evening: we left fo Himmeville, with Gilles, Chris, and Adrie, on our way to the Rainbow farm, in the Drakensberg. After the mist, the rain and the dist road, five in the car, we finally get to the place. A braai in the evening, with a surprise birthday cake for Manuela 26th birthday. Next morning: we left on our horses, for a two days ride in the montains. We had to get to a primitive camp, 28 km away in the montains, where we will spend the night. Our guide, 21 years old, I still don`t know his name, because we called him "Tom Sawyer" during the all trip, was a little jerk, he talks a lot, but nothing behind.

Still, the trip was amazing, fantastic sceneries, we crossed rivers, climbed montains, run into the open fields, or walked slowly to enjoy the magnificant of the valley. We swam in the river, under a very hard sun, before joining the camp. The rest of the day was just relaxing in the camp, playing cards, under the tent during a hail storm, or outside close by the stream, when the sun came out, stream where our outside shower water was coming from.

Next day: We left the camp, after a big breakfast, to go to the top of a montain, to see some bushmen paintings. The slope was so important that we had to get down the horses sometimes. The view was incredible from the summit. We had to come back quickly after lunch, because of the storm which was following us ! run under the rain, to reach a good hot shower at the farm, and a good snack before going back to Durban.

Manuela`s birthday, refering to the candles she won two years !

Manuela dealing with the very energic "Fox".

This time, Me on "Fox", and Manuela on my horse: "Style".

Rasta Manou, around the fire.

Rasta Manou, and a Clint Eastwood.

I`ve got you, I keep you.

we look like real cow boys, no ?

The cavalry.

on the bushman paintings Rocks, before the storm.

 

Second week:

Monday evening: some rest after a very tiring week end. Tuesday evening: pancakes party at home, big party, with a 01 pm swim in the swiming pool. Wensday afternoon: beach in Durban, et preparation for the next week end in Umfolozi. Wensday night: Cool runnings and BBB, a pub in Durban. A quite week, start to feel tired.

Third week end:

Thursday morning: left for Umfolozi game reserve, from home to home! we arrived begining of the afternoon, take possession of the place, a safari camp at Mpila, still the same: perfect camp. We had a drive late in the afternoon, in the sweltering heat, and a leopard cross the road just in front of my car, ly down a few meters away from us, in the high grass. Manuela just had enough time to see his intense look, and big green eyes, before he disapeared in the thick bush. Before we saw the "common " animals of the reserve: Buffalos, rhinos, giraffes, diverses antelopes. In the evening: Braai at the camp, dsiturbed by a curious porkepine.

Next morning: wake up at 04H30am, with the sun, we are the first on the road, even if we get late because of a punch. Nothing to see that morning, so we came back to the camp, had a good breakfast, a nap, and went for a drive in teh afternoon, in the North part of the reserve. An elephant gave us a show, close by the main road: splashing himself, using his trunk, and scratching himself against a tree. End of afternoon, on our way back to Mpila, we met a hyena, who was crossing the road, she walked along the road. She turned disturbed by a wild dogs !!, rare species, not easy to see. They were running a liitle bir further. One of them stoped a few seconds to look at us and the hyena. It`s always a special event to see them. In the evening, everybody join us: Armelle, Anna, Jacqueline, louis, Gilles and Brent. We had a nice and late braai at the safari camp.

Saturday morning: walk with a ranger, very friendly. We get close to some giraffes, rhinos, and even buffalos! came back to the camp, quite tired by the walk, at 08 am, it`s already very hot!! Big big breakfast, and chill out until mid-afternoon, for a late afternoon drive. Manuela and me went in Louis and armelle`s car, in the 4*4 Sani. We met an elephant in the afternoon, and , as we were crossing a dry sandy river, we saw a leopard sleeping on the sand, in the open space, only a few meters from the bridge! great time !! we stayed around 30 minutes watching her, she finally get up and walk away, along the river, as the dat light was going down, annoncing for her hunting time ! The other ones were disgusted as they weree driving only five minutes in front of us. In the evening: night drive, not much to see. Next day: Back to Durban, and flight to Paris for Manuela, my little panther.

Welcome to Umfolozi, with miss giraffe

Hide close by a water hole.

Braai at the safari camp

I heard a lion ...

No, it`s just Manuela eating !

Manou and the praying mantas.

When I told you she is not scared of anything, not even the rhinos !!

 

Our Leopard seen in Umfolozi.

 

Manuela - She is back for vengeance.