or – How I bagged a future wife – Part III
Having taken the big step and received the answer I wanted, you might think it was all over. You would be wrong. This was the safari of a lifetime and that meant there was still more awesomeness to come in the form of Londolozi Game Reserve. Our time at Lion Sands Ivory Lodge was about getting into the groove and the vibe of the African bush, Singita Ebony was the crux of the affair with me bending the knee, while our two nights at Londolozi was the honeymoon period!
High on life and happiness, we arrived at Londolozi and our hosts at Founders Camp, Kirsten and Jess, were determined to keep up the romance already piled on so heavily at our first two stops. The first big surprise came in the form of Pioneer Camp, while we were still hosted at Founders, eating our meals and leaving for game drives from there, we were able to sleep in the superb suites at Pioneer. Not that the suites of Founders Camp aren’t luxurious enough, having recently undergone a renovation, but don’t look a gifted horse in the mouth they say.
Safari Tip:
If you want to find out all about the Kruger National Park, the private game reserves on it’s borders and the best places to stay, a good start would be to watch the Rhino Africa Kruger Park introduction video on our Youtube channel.
Here, kitty kitty kitty
Londolozi is known as the leopard capital, but for us it was the lion capital. We saw lion cubs, a coalition of three males and a mating pair going at it. Lions certainly have stamina; they have a romp every fifteen minutes for up to five days! On our last evening we followed the thee males and they decided to investigate our vehicle. We were sitting in the back seat and they came over to sniff the exhaust just below our feet. Tessa nearly ended up in our ranger Julius’ (aka ‘Croc’) lap.
Not that we didn’t see leopard; we’d seen a female leopard on a kill within fifteen minutes of our first game drive. At all the lodges in the Sabi Sand they employ various methods of identifying leopards and at Londolozi they have been doing it for longer than anyone else; if you don’t believe me, check out the Leopards of Londolozi website for a closer look and while you’re there you can have a look at Vomba 3:3 Young Female, the leopard we saw on two occasions during our stay here. Interestingly enough this is the exact same leopard I saw on a previous trip to Londolozi in September 2010. I’m developing a serious soft spot for this beautiful girl…
Fun Photo Tip:
If you have a camera and a pair of binoculars you can combine the two to snap some fun and interesting photos.
Yet more romance!
The staff at Londolozi were determined to match (or even outdo) the levels of romance we had experienced so far on our trip. On our first game drive we turned a corner as the sun was setting and there on a rock on the riverside amidst lanterns was a glowing table with our evening sunset drinks. A private sun-downer on the rocks… maybe I should have waited. Although I’m pretty sure I would have been a nervous wreck by this stage!
Our second evening there was yet another foam bath, scattered rose petals and another private dinner. Good grief these guys were determined to ruin us for romance for life! I’ll never be able to outdo this trip; the only solution is to go the opposite route. For our honeymoon, we’re going camping!
If you haven’t already read them you can find Part I and Part II on our blog.
A huge thank you to Bronwyn, Boyd, Richard, Julius, Richard our tracker, Jess, Kirsten and Freddie.
Useful Links:
Read Part I and Part IIYou can find loads more photographs on our Facebook page or on Flickr
Watch our Londolozi video on our youtube channel
Read all about Londolozi Game Reserve
Read about Founders Camp on our website
Find out more about Pioneer Camp
What a beautiful and utterly romantic story @Craig…I got nervous just reading it myself! And I am sure @Tessa was onto you from the start…she just kept her feminine intuition at bay and remained as calm as only a lady in waiting can be! Congrats to you both, you pulled a masterful moment and many a husband-to-be can look at you with envy and just learn from the master!! love Gerda
Thank you 🙂
Loved reading this Craig!Would’ve been cool to see an excited photo of you & Tessa here on the blog to make it even more personal and real. Congrats to you both!Linda