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A page from my sketchbook; Imagined Landscape 
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SOUTH AFRICA
WALKING THE BUSHMAN'S WILDERNESS TRAIL
We met Marius, our trail leader, and Bento the African tracker, at 'Berg-en-Dal' in the Kruger Park and then drove about 30km off the public road into the hills to the 'Bushman's Camp' enclosure for the three day stay. Here there were simple facilities, round thatches rondavel huts and a central eating Boma. The huts were raised about 2ft off the ground on stilts - that makes it harder for snakes and other dangerous creatures to get into them.The enclosure, about 100yds diameter was protected by a wonky fence with two strands of barbed wire to keep out lions elephants, rhino and other indigenous animals .
We were woken and rose at 4.30 in the morning, as day broke, and after a quick wash, rusk biscuit and coffee, were ready to walk just after 5.00am. About 2 yards from the camp gate, on the first day Marius pointed out great skid marks where a rhino had made it's 'Midden', it's territorial marks with it's feet. That made me extremely wary as we walked out into the open bush.
We were woken and rose at 4.30 in the morning, as day broke, and after a quick wash, rusk biscuit and coffee, were ready to walk just after 5.00am. About 2 yards from the camp gate, on the first day Marius pointed out great skid marks where a rhino had made it's 'Midden', it's territorial marks with it's feet. That made me extremely wary as we walked out into the open bush.
A tense minute as this one below sensed our presence and moved towards us.The click of a camera had alerted it. After 500,000,000yrs of being 'Rhino', camera clicks and other metallic/modern type sounds stand out immediately as something out of the ordinary. 
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LAST EVENING - we speid ywo Lioness with several cubs.
This lion kept guard whilst her other female companion fed their little cubs.
Earlier the warden had spotted a leopard in the afternoon, only 3 of us in the party of 10 saw it as it slid away so silently into nowhere in a moment. Sorry not time to even raise the camera.
Some of the incredible variety of bird life seen in South Africa, most were in the Kruger Park. Their songs are something one needs to hear, to believe. I bought a CD - "Birds of the Kruger National Park" Volume 1, there are 100 different bird sounds on it. There are 8 types of Cuckoo on this volume!
I don't know the exact details of the different species here so put (type?) when in doubt and in case anyone can enlighten me
Above: "Giant Kingfisher".
This Large chap looks like a cartoon version where his head is too large for his body and body is too large for his legs. But he looks like he means business, He was massive - about 8" or 9" tall. He ignored me, intently spying out his next meal, then after a minute or so was gone . (Crocodiles were in the water below too).
Above: A tiny "African Scops Owl . 17cm tall. Eats insects and spiders mainly.
Above: Cormorant type? bird.
Above: Brown Snake Eagle?
Above: Glossy Blue Starlings
Above: Hoopoe
Hornbill ("Grey" I think?)
Above: "Striped Kingfisher"
Above: Myna bird
Above: Colourful Swallow
I don't know the exact details of the different species here so put (type?) when in doubt and in case anyone can enlighten me
Above: "Giant Kingfisher".This Large chap looks like a cartoon version where his head is too large for his body and body is too large for his legs. But he looks like he means business, He was massive - about 8" or 9" tall. He ignored me, intently spying out his next meal, then after a minute or so was gone . (Crocodiles were in the water below too).
Above: A tiny "African Scops Owl . 17cm tall. Eats insects and spiders mainly.
Above: Cormorant type? bird.
Above: Brown Snake Eagle?
Above: Glossy Blue Starlings
Above: Hoopoe
Hornbill ("Grey" I think?)
Above: "Striped Kingfisher"
Above: Myna bird
Above: Colourful Swallow
Just returned from South Africa where we had two days walking with Charlie Crowther-Smith my old school friend, and others, on the "Bushmans wilderness trail" in the Kruger National Park. Here's a quick painting of a ' Koppie' (small rocky hill) outside of 'Bushmans Camp'. Painted at about 2.00pm, no animals were at the waterhole because there'd been much rain so they had other sources - but two eagles were circling above. Our walks and encounters with the wildlife at close quarters is another story .....
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