Saturday in Pretoria

As mentioned earlier, Pretoria was Plan B, and staying at a place like the Sheridan Hotel is totally out of character. But we took two nights and today dawned sunny. What a surprise after last night when we drove across town for dinner in a tropical and torrential downpour with lightning and thunder. So much rain you could not see the lines in the road and I could barely see out the front window.

Today we went to a mall like none I have ever seen. It was Edmonton Mall style, but there was a Sony store there and I got a new camera. My last one magnified seven times, this one can go to 40 times I believe, somehow, but so far I can only get it to go to 20 times. Still!

The we came back to the hotel and parked the car, then we walked about an hour to a Victorian home that is how a museum. Then we walked back. Steve counted white people and was nervous at first, although we had checked about safety. I felt fine and eventually so did he. Tonight, a friend from Cape Town is coming to take us out. Yay!

And tomorrow we go to Ukutula Lion Park and Lodge. I already have a reservation for Dec. 17-20, but we are going a day early so Steve will have a two days there with me instead of just one. He goes home on Monday, the 17th. I spend the 18th being sad, then I enjoy the lions and the lodge on the 19th and on the 20th I leave for Namibia and an entirely different experience begins.

Friends are writing to urge me to stay and do the rest of my trip. I felt, this morning, very torn about what to do when I heard that my friend and ward, Rita, is in hospital with pneumonia. At 90, that is serious business when you have COPD. I am constantly thinking of her.

Some shots from Steve from Elephant Plains...

Dung beetle (Scarab) in Bwana's hand.

(Pet) snake on Bwana's back.

Bugs on Bwana's shoulders.

Snake on our path to our cabin.

Mr. Mantis on our porch.

Bugs and reptiles are all fine to me!