Arrival at Etali Lodge, Madikwe

We all managed to get up on time for our 5:15 departure. An hour's drive and then Cape Town airport for our 7:15 flight toJohannesburg. A quick transfer to a small airport for our hour long flight in a 12 seater plane to Etali Lodge. We are now minutes from the Botswana border. We flew at only 1100 feet and more and more clouds showed up. We had to fly through them, which is bumpy. 

Upon arrival there were not one but two thunderstorms rapidly approaching. We were picked up by a safari vehicle. Gerrit, the driver, tried to beat the rain but that did not work. It came at us like hail and we all got soaked. My hair was plastered back on my head and Caitlyn thought I looked like someone from the 60's. The earth is a deep red here and a lovely, musty smell enveloped us as the ground got wet. Without trying, we saw a family of warthogs, some gazelle and a few zebras.

Our room is lovely. Indoor and outdoor shower plus a plunge pool. Very private and quiet.

At 4:30 we go on a game drive and I can't wait to see the kids' reaction when they see their first lion!

I will write about it tonight, hopefully with a photo.

By the way, there is an electric fence right behind our deck. I wonder why............