Drives drives drives

So the last two weeks have consisted of a lot of drives so I could get used to the reserve and the radio before our volunteers arrived and I started doing drives alone.

I did my first solo drive last Tuesday and managed to find most of the animals, the two cheetah boys were hiding but I find them in the afternoon. It was both exciting and scary being out on my own, but have done a few more solo drives now, and am more comfortable.

Saturday night out volunteers arrived, and Sunday night I took half of them out in their first drive-not a whole lot was seen but we picked up signal for the female lion and had a great sighting of elephant.

Today has been fairly miserable, raining and for here cold, I have had a fleece Olin most of the day-mind you is is probably not actually that cold-probably in the low 20's.

Next week I am off, and hope to get to kruger for a couple of days-where else do you go when you live on a game reserve but a much larger version!!!

Also did a day's tracking, and got to see some tracks I didn't see in my last tracking course-terrapins, wasps, crocodile, lizards.

Happy New Year

So the last week has been much like the last few weeks, I go out on morning drive which starts at 5am and lasts about 4-5 or so hours, where we try to find all 4 of our focus animals, 2 cheetah (the two boys are always together so we actually see three cheetah) and the two lions (who are usually with the other two lions so if we get a vie of them instead of just signal we get to see 4 lions)
I have now started using the radio which is a bit scary, I can't understand a lot of what is said and get all tongue tied when I try to speak-half of what we say is in another language (the local language called shangaan) which is an extra challenge as I am still learning all the words I need to know in it.
I am enjoying my placement, still getting used to only having power for a couple of hours a day ( need to be organized with what you want charged and then careful how much you use it so it will last till the next day :P )
Each time we go it on a drive it is always a thrill to walk in to the cheetahs and stand so close to such a magnificent creature.
I have now moved into the room which is going to be mine for the next 6 months-home sweet home