Table for One - my first solo safari

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Mel
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Re: Table for One - my first solo safari

Post by Mel »

Two really awesome meerkat sightings! I love watching their antics, but I've not seen the nursing bit like you finally did. :-0
The pregnant lions is a beauty, even without the butterfly decorated to her. lol
And then Itumeleng AND Masego in short succession - awesome! Masego looks quite alright by now. Certainly not on the bigger
side, but not as thin anymore as she used to. -O-

And you should give up on the idea of macro photography in unfenced areas, methinks. Way too dangerous. lol


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Re: Table for One - my first solo safari

Post by Richprins »

Great pics again, and interesting nesting behaviour, Ex! X#X

Did you know they are actually eagles? :-0


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Re: Table for One - my first solo safari

Post by Dewi »

Catching up on two or three posts here. O/\

Love the Owls & Tawny eagle pics. O\/

Great sequence of the secretarybirds. ^Q^

More stunning leopard pics. X#X


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Re: Table for One - my first solo safari

Post by ExFmem »

nan, harries, Flutts, Sis, and Dewi - your support is always much appreciated. Thanks! ^Q^

Mel - yes, both leopardess(es) looked "okay" to my untrained eye. Another sighting of Masego is coming up and she looked very relaxed and healthy. My macro work in unfenced picnic areas was quite curtailed this trip w/out a lookout, but I did try it one more time and had to retreat to the car before I got off any shots. 0()

RP - no, I didn't realize secretary birds are eagles. I looked up their classification and it seems their position has changed over time, especially as it relates to what Order/Suborder they belong: -O-

The Secretarybird, which is the sole member of its family, Sagittariidae, has been classified in several ways:
In a separate family with other families of falcon-like birds - Falconiformes (Clemments 2007)
In a separate subfamily of the Accipiter family (Dickinson 2003)
In its own separate suborder of Falconiformes (Kemp 1994)
Most recent DNA study (Hackett 2008) supports strong morphological, behavioral and molecular affinities with Falconiformes, especially hawks and eagles.

What's the current thoughts on this, you birder types? 0: Thanks.


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Re: Table for One - my first solo safari

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The next day I had my first and only AWC sighting, far away, but was lucky to see it above the tall grass.

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Two males and a female lion were walking down the road, so didn't spend too much time there.

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Another lucky sighting was of Masego sitting atop the dune that I had all to myself, as the other cars were bunched up at the giraffe/lion location.

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Back at camp I packed up for the move to Nossob and relaxed on the patio. I watched this little bird with a BIG appetite down its dinner, then went inside to make my own preparations for my evening meal.

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But first :-? I had to do some math…. -O- 0=


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Re: Table for One - my first solo safari

Post by ExFmem »

Math? :-?
Unfortunately, yes. It's a CONSTANT, pervasive intrusion while on vacation in SA. That should be against the law. Punishable by death. @#$

In addition to the driving issues that had me scratching my pointy little American head during the trip, I had to constantly convert EVERYTHING, from currency to weight, size, speed, temperature and IQ (Dewey Imbecile System). 0-

Could you SAfricans get your currency under control, please? 0= I liked it when it was 10 Rands/$, not the current 14. I wasn't taught the Multiplication Tables for 14 in school. At least not on the day I was paying attention. :o0ps:

The main problem? South Africa is on the Metric System. O** The Metric System involves units such as hectares, kilometers, pentagrams, litters (plural of liter), Dog Years (equal to 2 litters), and Double-decker Busses.

Grocery shopping and cooking aren't exempt either. Consider this Metric reality: (This part is serious): :twisted:

"One small calorie is approximately 4.2 joules (so one large calorie is about 4.2 kilojoules). The factor used to convert calories to joules at a given temperature is numerically equivalent to the specific heat capacity of water expressed in joules per kelvin per gram or per kilogram. The precise conversion factor depends on the definition adopted."

0: 0: 0:

I suspect this is where the IQ conversion comes into play, so I don't even wanna know my score, as I have NO idea what that means.

How am I supposed to translate my recipes under this complicated incomprehensible mumbo jumbo? And just how much is "a pinch of salt" in the Metric System?

If water boils at 212 F. how much heat do I need in SA to boil an egg? -O-
I dunno, so I only go for soft boiled eggs on vacation. \O

Helpful Hint: Make sure to do your cooking conversions BEFORE your pre-dinner glass of wine. X#X

Other seemingly easy things become complicated. The car says it's 40 C. outside, but what's the ACTUAL temperature, not the foreign language one? How hot am I REALLY? So I have to convert to Fahrenheit to decide if my bitching 0= is justified or not. :X: However, I've got this outside temperature conversion down pat. :-0

50 degrees Fahrenheit = 10 degrees Centipede. Thus, for every degree Fahrenheit, add 10.8 legs. So, yes, you are warmer, but you're also faster. Tradeoffs, they're a part of Life. ;-)

Inexpicably, two of America's National Pastimes have embraced the Metric System. ^Q^
Liquor and guns. Yessiree, 9 mms and litters of moonshine (pl.) are innately understood. It's inbred, (as are many Americans). :o0ps:
One meter forward, one foot back, that's my beloved Country.

What a waste labeling liquor quantities! 0- Who measures what they drink anyhow? Especially after the first few litters. That, too, should be against the law. X#X And not only on vacation. \O

Since Western Noses have polluted much of the world with their fast food chains, such as MacDonalds, if I want to order a QuarterPounder with cheese while on vacation in South Africa I must say, "I'll have a 1.133 hectogram with cheese." 0*\

If we converted to the Metric System, would it be the same time in South Africa as it is in the USA? -O- And does that mean, since Florida's on Daylight Savings Time, my Gate Times are an hour later than others? I'm beginning to like the idea. ^Q^ (FYI - Those opposed to metrication are derisively called "defeetists"). ^0^

To be fair, most of the world uses the Metric System. I suppose I could visit a country that doesn't, but from what I have read, Liberia and Myanmar are the only two additional hold‑outs of significance. Is it worth risking my very life for a No-More-Math-Holiday? -O-

Yes, yes it is.

Consider these classic Metric System conundrums: :-?

* How many centipedes in an inchworm?
* What do you call an animal with 10 legs? (a Decimal, according to the Dewi Decimal System)
* An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. In metric a gram of prevention is worth approximately one‑sixtieth a kilogram of cure.
* You would no longer love someone a bushel and a peck. You would have to love them 37.9 liters.
* The noted barroom reprimand, “Mind your p’s and q’s” (pints and quarts), would become, “Mind your h’s and l’s” (half‑liters and liters).
Not so catchy, huh?

But seriously, would you rather be from a country that uses the Metric System, or one that's put a man on the moon? --00--

Hey! Put all those middle fingers back where they belong. :X:


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Re: Table for One - my first solo safari

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My last drive as I headed to Nossob took me back to the giraffe carcass to see what had transpired in the 9 days since the take down, as I wouldn't be back in this area for another 7 days.

As I approached the giraffe, I could see 2 lions in the vicinity, a big male, and what I thought to be a female.

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Later, "she" was walking away from the giraffe jerky and I could see it was a male. Fair warning, this is probably the most sadly deteriorating lion I have ever seen. :-( :-( :-(

Image

Nossob, too, is sadly deteriorating, so I didn't enjoy my time there, but with the new units things should improve considerably. :-0
Coming up - Grootkolk


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Re: Table for One - my first solo safari

Post by Lisbeth »

It would be about time to change your US strange not metric/Fahrenheit etc. system to the one that the rest of the civil world is using :yes: --00-- At least you have 100 cents to the $ O** I must admit that I had a good laugh, though ;-) It was even worse going to GB in the old times 0*\ before buying anything you had to take out paper and pencil ( the pocket calculator did not exist yet O** ) not to talk about calculating your speed on the motorway in order not to run into a 100£ fine 0*\

Masega is a beauty O/\ O/\

Poor lion! Old or sick? Maybe old AND sick :-( There must have been a delicious smell at the kill Image

I love the African wild cat O\/

Nosssob was not my cup of tea either :no:


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Mel
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Re: Table for One - my first solo safari

Post by Mel »

I saw that poor fellow in a post on Facebook too. Apparantly he must have died shortly after. The hyenas seem to have taken care of him...

Those chat/dinner photos are amazing! \O As is of course your sighting of Masego. I just hope I should get so lucky for a good sighting of her.
It's been a while since we had a good photo of a leopard... Oh, and since I'm at it: Barolong and cubs would be great too. lol

I just love your humour... despite the fact that I only got half of your metric rants =O: =O: =O: Way too academic for me =O:
Guess you'll have to take your own measuring equipment with you next time. Or the SO. Since you didn't seem to have that many problems
when he was around, I guess he's the maths genius in the family :twisted: Or just by a South African cookbook ..0..

Since I'm hard pressed for calling myself a birder type, I'll give classifying the secretary a miss. :o0ps:


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Re: Table for One - my first solo safari

Post by Flutterby »

Hilarious as usual ExFmem!! ^Q^ ^Q^ You don't need to keep converting back to rands....you foreigners are scoring big time when you visit SA and will have enough dollars, if not cents!! :twisted: ^0^

Sad sighting of the lion :-( ...is it a maneless lion or still too young for a mane?


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