Gosh! Unknown to me, I had ventured far up the mountain, where leopards were supposed to hang out!

 

Catching up:

This was our sixth day out in the Kruger National park and we were back on the Phalaborwa/Letaba road and going east. That is, after seeing the Impala buck and buffalo at the Sable river waterhole. See the map below: 

Turning off the road:

We turned onto the road that would take us to the Masorini Archaelogical Site. And along the way we saw this Impala buck running through the undergrowth and bush. 

At the Masorini Site:

Pulling into the parking lot, we were happy to see there was toilet facilities just above the parking area. We immediately said as one, “Oh, that’s great!”, and locked the car and made our way in that direction. 

Been first to use the toilet, and first out, I thought I had plenty time to venture around to look for something super to photograph, before we had to get back in our car. So I sneaked off excitedly to do my thing. 

Looking around quickly:

I discovered a little sandy path leading up, to the right-hand side of the hill. I didn’t see any fences at all and came to the conclusion it must be safe here, to walk around. No problem thought I. 

So I didn’t expect any wild or dangerous animals to attack me… well I thought wrong… but that is jumping too quickly, further into my story…! 

Halfway up the hill:

I came across this cute little village nestled and hidden in between huge bounders. So then and then, out comes my camera and I got a lovely shot of it.  

Below is an oil painting I have done of it, for you to see. Like it? I just knew it would be fun to paint. And it was: 

1. What is so exciting about the scene is the soft stormy blue sky behind the trees. The whole scene looks so mysterious because of the light in the foreground village contrasting with the darker background sky. 
2. But those roundish huge bounders and stones look just like huts too. Don’t you think? It’s hard to tell, which are huts and which are bounders, hey! 
3. Those dark patches of dry wood bushes were fun to paint. First the dark colours, then adding the lighter tones, thus I was able to capture the subtleness of the shadows. 

Aaah, back to my adventure:

Well satisfied with my fantastic scene I had just captured, I packed up my camera, and turned to walk further up the side of the hill… 

When suddenly I heard someone calling me from behind… Turning I looked down the path and hill… running up the path was our daughter, waving her arms excitedly… what now? Why was she so excited? 

“Come quickly! It’s not safe to go up there!” 

“Why,” says I. 

“Didn’t you see the sign?”

 “What sign?” 

“You didn’t see the sign?” says she, beckoning me with her hand urgently. 

“No…! Where? What does it say?” 

“There are leopards up there!” 

Looking up the hill and all around, 

I can tell you, everything looked so peaceful. That’s strange, not likely to be so dangerous, surely! What? Really… leopards up there?! No ways! Thought I… 

Oh, well, I don’t want to push my luck. I better do as she says. But in my heart I felt cheated… it looked such fun to walk and venture up there. Oh, shame, and I will never see what’s up there or know the history of the place! 

What my family thinks of me and my antics:

So you can see why my family, even up to this day, they say, “When Mom has her camera hanging around her neck, she is fearless and suddenly capable of anything. She will climb anywhere just to get a few photos!”