A Day at Tuningi

After getting a few requests and questions about our daily life at Tuningi I decided to do a 'photo-diary'. This was done as follows.

Yesterday I carried my little Sony T100 (still love that little camera) around with me. I set my watch to beep on every half hour. At that time I would take a picture of whatever we were doing at the time. I tried to get the image as soon as the alarm went and it was amazing how things worked out during the day. It was actually a lot of fun and something I might do every now and then!

The idea was not award winning photography (working on that with the other images though) but just documentary style images that show what an average day is like for us!

So here goes with the first edition of - A Day at Tuningi

After waking up at 5h30 and a quick shower, I walked through the office. Quick email check and then down to the lodge.

Down at the lodge we make the hot-box with coffee and muffins for the drive and give the guests their wake up call. Also, and this is the most important thing, that first cup of coffee!!

The Cruiser is all packed and ready to go from the main lodge. As soon as the guests finish their coffee - off we go!

Out on drive - it is always great getting out in the field. It is still quite chilly in the morning but we can definitely feel it warming up as we head towards spring.

On this particular morning we headed out for a walk. After the safety briefing we headed out from where we parked the vehicle. A very different experience. It is amazing to be out in the wild with nothing between you and nature.

Here we were almost finished with our walk. We were following lion tracks down the small game path but was not able to find them. It becomes very addictive trying to track the large cats. Lots of stories but more on that in another blog!

After the walk a well-deserved coffee break. The coffee and muffins just tastes better out in the bush!!

Perfect timing!! As my half hour alarm went off we found the Tshabala female walking on the road towards us. She passed within 2 meters of the side of our vehicle. She walked for a little while before finding a nice shady spot and falling asleep.

After leaving the lioness we started making our way home. My next alarm was again perfectly timed with this giraffe ambling along the side of the road.

On last stop before we get back to the lodge for breakfast. Inkwe Pan. The pan is a major hot spot for birding and it was great to see that it is being pumped again. You can also just see the birding hide on the right side of the frame where you can go and sit and get the most amazing bird photographs!

Breakfast time and Adele, Harry (chef) and the rest of the kitchen staff was very busy making sure the guests don't go hungry - something that NEVER happens when you go to a safari lodge!

After drive and breakfast we headed up to the office to see what other work needs to be done. No day is ever the same. Here Gavin is busy looking through the updated Lion Branding sheets that was sent via email.

Coffee time - again! Here Gavin, Adele and I take a break from a very 'hectic' day for another cup of java! (Check the size of the cups!!)

Chaos outside. Toyota came to service all our Land Cruiser today. It really helps a lot that they come to us!

This is Gavin and I installing Windows on his pc after a virus! No idea where it came from but need to get it up and running so he can upload more images to the Photo-Africa Stock Library.

Chaos sorted. Land Cruisers serviced and ready for more drives.

One of the day's highlights. Adele and I put Glen on speaker phone. He is a great friend from Australia and coming out for our wedding as best man / bridesmaid!! Great chatting to you buddy!!

Almost there. Still installing all the programs on Gavin's pc.

Adele checking on the guests having lunch at the main lodge before the afternoon guest drive.

Adele and Gavin finishing up their lunch at the bar.

First animals on the afternoon drive - Blue Wildebeest. Again perfectly timed for my half hour shot.

Heading up to the north of Madikwe towards a possible lion sighting.

Another lion sighting in Madikwe. It was interesting to see that this pride, the Tshaba female and her 5 youngsters, seem to be joining up with the two Etali youngsters. Great sighting with so many lions around us!

Gavin did not have any guests this afternoon so he came along to take some pics. Here he is taking pics of the lions in the dam wall at Maukeng Dam.

Drink stop. Great time of day in the bush!!

On our way back to the lodge this Brown Hyena stared at us coming down Acacia drive. Again, perfectly timed for today's half hour exercise.

Heading home in the dark. On this particular evening the spotlight did not show us much!

Back at the lodge we wait for the guests to come down for dinner. Rather then sit and do nothing you might as well have a drink at the bar!! :)

Last pic of the day - Adele, Heidi, Gavin and I. Since Tuningi recently got awarded the Diners Club Platinum Award for the Wine List of the Year competition we thought it a good idea to pose with some of the wines. Another great day in the bush!!

There you go! Another day at Tuningi!

Tomorrow I will be uploading another Blog and there is a lot of new images coming soon! Time to go now as Gavin is going to make us 4 kilograms of prawns for dinner tonight!!! Yummy!!

As always I look forward to hearing from you!

Until next time.

Gerry