The big five on my driveway?

After more than a month of sleeping at other people's houses on one continent or another, finally we are on our own - just the four of us. We have been talking long walks along the river road in the morning, trying to get out and back before it gets too hot and then fitting in some school work in the shade of the boma.  Although class keeps getting interrupted by different visitors: zebra, kudu, a very large warthog. The midday heat is too much, so by 3pm we migrate to the swimming pool like the rest of the animals.

When we arrived back in the first week of October, it was clear that a substantial amount of rain had fallen while we were gone and you can see the fainest hint of green along the road side and under the trees.  Anywhere else this tiny sprouts would go unnoticed but is so dry here that the smallest addition of colour is detectable.
Our visits to the krans (viewpoint) overlooking Kruger National Park from the Crocodile River have been very successful: Two male lion, a rhino, hippo, many elephant, buffalo  and a leopard!  A hyena has been calling during the night and early morning, but I can't find him! Late in the morning on October 10 we strolled over to the viewpoint with our coffee and we quietly watched as  small family groups of female elephant and their young silently emerged from the dry bush, stopping to eat along the way.  We soon realized something special was happening; there were dozens of smaller groups all converging below to eat and drink together. There was more than 80 individuals spread along the river bank! They lingered there all day, grunting and calling, and by sunset they had dispersed, while a few remaining loners picked through the reeds.