Johannesburg, South Africa 5-6 September 2008

We’d previously decided to spend as little time in Jo’burg as possible which seemed a good idea at the time but, as it turned out, we could have done with at least a full day there. However, when a couple we’re travelling with had an incident in broad daylight at a cash machine, we were kind of glad we were flying out the next morning. We did note the increase in security – it seemed that bars on all windows and high fences just weren’t enough. There needed to be electric wires and video cameras on many of the properties we passed.



As it was, we were staying in a hostel that had a double gate system to prevent anyone dodgy getting through but it certainly brought home the security issue.

We basically had ½ a day to do something and we’d narrowed it down to either touring the Soweto township, visiting the apartheid museum or going to a game park outside Jo’burg where they had white lions. The animals won (surprisingly Euans call not mine!) so we headed off for the afternoon to look at these lions. The basic format was that you went into this park, did a ‘game drive’ through a few paddocks then headed in to drive through the lion enclosures. On the way into the park there was a male giraffe close to the road and he seemed kind of friendly and came wandering over to the car



Once we’d parked up, I headed back quick smart to talk to this giraffe. Most times if you manage to get close to a giraffe they’re behind a fence or you’re on a platform where you can feed them but this guy was just wandering in a paddock and my only thought was to get back to talk to him. I don’t know if giraffe can kick or whether they’re aggressive in any way but I didn’t even think about it and just bowled on up to him, perhaps a bit naive on hindsight. Giraffe are simply massive and it was rather unnerving to be standing right next to him. I was trying to take a few pics and didn’t realise Euan had followed me over and was busy snapping away.



I was trying to get some pictures with my camera and at the same time pay attention to what this giraffe was doing but he seemed quite happy to just nuzzle my backpack or face for most of the time that I was with him





When I realised Euan was there, I turned to talk to Euan and was standing under his neck when he started to walk. I guess I was out of his line of sight and I nearly copped it from his kneecap which was about the size of my head. I moved quickly enough not to get knocked over but am not sure what I was thinking when the below was taken - like I’m really going to be able to push a giraffe away?!



It might sound a bit corny but for me, being up close to such a huge animal was incredibly special and I was in 7th heaven. Its unusual to be able to pet an animal like that completely unsupervised with no one else (other than Euan) around and was, for me, undoubtedly one of the big highlights of this trip to Africa (along with seeing those lions chase the herd of zebra). It didn’t matter that he was in a safari park and was obviously tame, no other place I’ve been to has allowed (and maybe the park didn’t allow, they just didn’t know!) unmonitored access to what essentially is still a wild animal.



The lions were fantastic and we saw a huge difference between these captive lions and those in the wild. While most of them had scars from fighting, the male lions in particular were in great condition and their manes were virtually untouched



unlike their wild counterparts, most of whom we saw were completely beaten up, with ticks and scraggly manes from proper fighting (this is the guy we saw in the Serengeti)



The best thing about doing this park trip was that, having seen lions in the wild and mostly at a distance, we could watch these guys from a few meters away. Being that close gives you a real perspective on how huge they are



They were all sleeping in a group and looked very bored





but when they heard men in the next enclosure they perked up and moved very quickly. I didn’t even have time to wind up my window but he wasn’t interested in us.



Apparently someone had broken into the enclosure next door during the night a few weeks ago and had been eaten by the lions. These lions had had a taste of human flesh so were obviously interested to see if any more was coming their way! The guy who was driving us had had a lion come at him through the window in the past so he was a bit wary and kept his window up most of the time. He also said that a few years ago a Japanese chap had got out of the car thinking they were tame lions and had been nailed. There was nothing they could do and he was dragged off and killed. There are workers around but mostly you’re left to do y our own thing and nothing stopping anyone getting out of the car (great time to put kiddy lock into play if you’ve got kids I would have thought!).

We’d never seen white lions before and they were very beautiful. The male in particular seemed almost ethereal.



They all had blue eyes and I think that’s what made them look ghostly



There were also some gorgeous white lion cubs



and a few young females



We were able to spend some time in a pen with about seven lion cubs which I was really looking forward to but as it turned out, the cubs were just downright mischievous! We say them stalking another lady (a nun) who was also in the pen with us, who had a skirt that was waving in the breeze. The cub stalked then ran at her from behind when one of the staff from the park intercepted the charge. Had they not she wouldn’t have known what had hit her!



There were about four normal cubs that were four months old and three white lion cubs that were about three months old. The white cubs were younger, much nicer to deal with and were rather cute. What was cool was that we were allowed in with them and were free to handle them - I think their minders knew that they'd keep us in line, which they duly did!



What nearly stole the show was a couple of baby hyenas in the next pen and they really were cute, no question about it. The funny thing was that they were absolutely true to type. Originally they were in the same pen with the cubs but they’d had to separate them as the pups were harassing the cubs! I went to pat one of them through the wire but he was going to take a piece of my finger. Not in a nasty way but more in a curious way but I know their jaws are strong so didn’t risk it. They went up to the nursery shortly after we arrived and I noticed that the lady who went to get them kept her fingers tucked into her hands and well out of their way. They were so pleased to see her and were making the “yip yip yip” noise that hyena do and she ran super quick along the path to take them to their ‘nursery’ and the two of them were falling over themselves to follow her. So cute!



I thought the lion cubs would be a wee bit cuddly but they weren’t at all and were right little terrors. All coarse dirty hair, teeth and claws. I made the mistake of squatting down and was kind of ambushed and had one jump up on me and latch on to my chest and another go around and latch onto my trousers (and bum as it turned out). The lady is trying to get the other one to let go of my trousers (and bum).



This little terror that got me on the chest actually broke the skin and it really hurt! I was wary of the little b*stards after that



Euan sensibly stayed with the nice cute ones that had a wee bit of baby fluff on them and weren’t intent on chewing you



and I resorted to using sticks to play with the naughty ones



but when the chap to my left started paying closer attention I thought enough is enough! I’d had it with being chomped for the day but it really teaches you to respect them and gives you a wee idea of what a fully-grown lion would be capable of!



Sadly I didn’t see the giraffe on the way out but I’m now dead set on living somewhere where there is enough space to have some exotic pets. Not sure if you could have a giraffe in the UK and it would definitely be a no-no in NZ.