Paul and I started our morning bushveld walk around 7:45 in Marloth. A sunny, clear sky, somewhat cool and fresh Sunday morning started with the usual greetings from the neighboring animals. Vlakvark, kudus, impala, blue wildebeest and guinea fowls delighted us so. An uneventful walk suddenly turned into an adrenalin-fuelled brisk walk.
The evening prior, while we waited for our dinner at Jabula restaurant I read an old sign out loud that indicated that care should be taken by Marloth residents because of the presence of a lion roaming around. Thinking that we share our morning walk with the usual animals a car turned into the street where we are, stopped and a friendly but somewhat worried lodge owner started speaking to us. "I suggest you walk with a big stick, if you encounter the lions, do not run. Shout and wave the stick at them. They were seen yesterday in Renoster Street."
We thanked him for the advice and information and looked at each other first before starting with jokes about who will outrun who. Paul with his tall legs might outsprint me but give. However, if the race continues over kilometers, the odds are in my favor. Although not a humorous situation, we too as many of our fellow South Africans, turn to humor when faced with challenging situations. "Do you remember our Ihaha moment when Mom and Dad saw lion eyes close to where we camped," we reminisced when we camped in Chobe, Botswana where there was no fence separating us from the animals in the park.
Paul picked up what looked like a perfect stick and I followed suit by picking up a stick with its one end looking like a "kettie" with what I soon found out with thorns about two to three centimeters apart which I only realized after clenching to the stick for a couple of minutes.
Passing the streets, Tarentaal, Njala it became quieter and even the Impala was on edge. What do warning words of imminent thread do to us? What I felt was more awareness of the surroundings and more acute use of our God-given senses. Ears listening closer and eyes wide open to spot even the finest movement in the bushveld around us...to be continued.
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