It’s morning and I must have slept. Some of the other girls say the sounds of the night were wild … howling, maybe wolves?  Peacocks on the roof.  Some kind of antelope this morning out my window could be seen from my bed.  The sun was already up when I woke, brightly pouring light into my cute little adequate room.  One of the gals I met, who will be a good travel buddy, decided to pay for a private room for tonight again so split the cost of that so we can stay in our little solo rooms for a second night.  What extravagance!  Maybe $15 extra.  

Everything in South Africa costs much less it seems …. Well maybe not everything,but water and accommodation etc.  we paid and shared the cost for transfer last evening.  It was less than we would have paid at home but more than others are paying using Uber to arrange rides.  Note to others coming here, Uber maybe the way to go.  And if you want food delivered as not near restaurant… Uber eats.  I don’t currently use Uber but highly recommended by some of the travel gals here. You don’t exchange money … you do it through an app and the whole experience is tracked by you.  Interesting and probably useful to try.  Certainly much cheaper.

4 of us had breakfast (included) then relaxed and planned a quick trip to a mall as one gal needed new shoes.  Off we went.  Not at all recommended to go into  Johannesburg by the lodge staff.  So we did not. 

Dropped my travel clothes at the office to get laundered for about $2 CAD.  Took an Uber to the mall.  While I was gone my room was cleaned, my clothes are back clean and folded.  The air is warm (not hot) and sun is out … mid afternoon here and I went swimming in the outdoor pool. It is cold water from the tap, no heater … ha ha and cold here at night.  So it was fresh for me, but much warmer than ocean dipping so kind of a treat.  No one else would venture in and would not even let their feet dangle as they said it is too cold …. Hmmmmm

Then lovely shower, and decided to write this.  In an hour I will go meet the group, then we all go to barbecue dinner together, apparently nearby.  

I found out the transfer to airport on 28 August is complimentary… so I will be doing that and then fly out to my next destination.  For now …. Trying to stay present and notice the bird song and animals around me.  Ostrich, antelope, deer, peacocks … I have seen them all so far, all living around the edges of our park like setting.  A list of birds that frequent the area.  I highly recommend this place.  It feels safe and wild, clean, affordable, local and far away from the bustle of big city or airport.  

Exotic and beautiful.  Looking forward to Kruger National Park tomorrow….