Beautiful Pilanesberg (2) - Easter 2007
Well, strangely, at 6:30am we didn't see as much game as I'd hoped but we still saw an awful lot by most people's standards: 2 giraffes, right by the road, 5 rhinos (they have 200 in that park so they are a very common sight), 25 gnus, 20+ elephants (herd in a distance), 1 mangoose, lots of different types of antelopes, zebras... but the light was beautiful, the sunrise was amazing (lots of pink and purple stripes in the sky) and I could really see how scenic the park is. It hasn't rained much this year so the plains were very dry, very African-like type of savannahs, with golden grass and yet there were many green bushes and the usual acacia trees and lots of lovely hills in the distance, everywhere you looked. Which is what made it SO lovely. It also had a small but quite a blue lake in the middle where animals were often gathering.
The only down-side of that drive is that we stopped at a place where we could buy some refreshments. They had a small waterhole at the back where I was busy observing lots of different types of antelopes (impalas, kudus, etc) and focusing on taking good shots when bang, I got stung by a bee ! I had been standing too close to a bin and because I was wearing a skirt (which I always find more comfortable whenever lots of sitting is involved), one bee managed to find its way UNDER my skirt. I could feel it buzz around my legs and panicked and I didn't know what to do for the best. I tried to lift my skirt very slowly and discreetly (without getting other tourists worried about my odd behaviour !! 'Exhibitionist spotted at Pilanesberg' - hum) but, too late. I went 'ouch' so loud that people around me were like 'are you ok? Can I help you?', I explained I had just been stung by a bee... but very near my delicate parts and therefore would not be able to get anyone to help me retreive the sting ! :) Of ALL places... I think the poor bee got the top of my legs, realised it could not go any higher and struck. I went straight to the toilets but because it had stung me nearer the back of my leg I just could not even see the lump. Just feel it throb and swell and I had to try and pick up the sting with my nails the best I could. I was mainly worried about going back in the car and sitting on the sting and pushing it right in. It just could not have been in a worse place, except maybe in my throat - in which case, I may have dropped dead there and then ! :) ah! I immediately had these flash backs of my super high fever in Costa Rica after I got stung by a wasp and was worried I'd have to get to a hospital and get an anti-asthamine shot, yet again. The pain was fairly bad but my driver assured me it'd subside... after a few hours.
This incident spoilt the rest of the drive as I had to ask him to take me straight back to the lodge so that I could take some medication and apply some oinments that I always take with me (but didn't happen to have *on* me). I tried to take my fever when I got back to my chalet but realised my thermometer (which I had carefully packed being very French with my First Aid Box everywhere I go) was no longer working, ahhh.
Not to be undaunted by it all, I still managed to grab some breakfast (it does take a lot for me to lose my apetite, as you know! We French do like our food... and I can't pass on some fresh guava and lychee juices - too yummy for words).
We had agreed to go to Sun City in the afternoon, but I said I'd have to wait and see how I felt, in case the bite made me worse... thankfully, it didn't... and so more adventure was to be had a few hours later... :)))
Well, strangely, at 6:30am we didn't see as much game as I'd hoped but we still saw an awful lot by most people's standards: 2 giraffes, right by the road, 5 rhinos (they have 200 in that park so they are a very common sight), 25 gnus, 20+ elephants (herd in a distance), 1 mangoose, lots of different types of antelopes, zebras... but the light was beautiful, the sunrise was amazing (lots of pink and purple stripes in the sky) and I could really see how scenic the park is. It hasn't rained much this year so the plains were very dry, very African-like type of savannahs, with golden grass and yet there were many green bushes and the usual acacia trees and lots of lovely hills in the distance, everywhere you looked. Which is what made it SO lovely. It also had a small but quite a blue lake in the middle where animals were often gathering.
The only down-side of that drive is that we stopped at a place where we could buy some refreshments. They had a small waterhole at the back where I was busy observing lots of different types of antelopes (impalas, kudus, etc) and focusing on taking good shots when bang, I got stung by a bee ! I had been standing too close to a bin and because I was wearing a skirt (which I always find more comfortable whenever lots of sitting is involved), one bee managed to find its way UNDER my skirt. I could feel it buzz around my legs and panicked and I didn't know what to do for the best. I tried to lift my skirt very slowly and discreetly (without getting other tourists worried about my odd behaviour !! 'Exhibitionist spotted at Pilanesberg' - hum) but, too late. I went 'ouch' so loud that people around me were like 'are you ok? Can I help you?', I explained I had just been stung by a bee... but very near my delicate parts and therefore would not be able to get anyone to help me retreive the sting ! :) Of ALL places... I think the poor bee got the top of my legs, realised it could not go any higher and struck. I went straight to the toilets but because it had stung me nearer the back of my leg I just could not even see the lump. Just feel it throb and swell and I had to try and pick up the sting with my nails the best I could. I was mainly worried about going back in the car and sitting on the sting and pushing it right in. It just could not have been in a worse place, except maybe in my throat - in which case, I may have dropped dead there and then ! :) ah! I immediately had these flash backs of my super high fever in Costa Rica after I got stung by a wasp and was worried I'd have to get to a hospital and get an anti-asthamine shot, yet again. The pain was fairly bad but my driver assured me it'd subside... after a few hours.
This incident spoilt the rest of the drive as I had to ask him to take me straight back to the lodge so that I could take some medication and apply some oinments that I always take with me (but didn't happen to have *on* me). I tried to take my fever when I got back to my chalet but realised my thermometer (which I had carefully packed being very French with my First Aid Box everywhere I go) was no longer working, ahhh.
Not to be undaunted by it all, I still managed to grab some breakfast (it does take a lot for me to lose my apetite, as you know! We French do like our food... and I can't pass on some fresh guava and lychee juices - too yummy for words).
We had agreed to go to Sun City in the afternoon, but I said I'd have to wait and see how I felt, in case the bite made me worse... thankfully, it didn't... and so more adventure was to be had a few hours later... :)))
posted by Sylvie at 12:48 PM
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