We hit the jackpot!

The Pilansberg one.

Yes, we saw a leopard - up close enough so that the kids will never forget it. One hardly ever see leopard  they are shy and very well camouflaged and it is purely a question of luck to find one of these illusive beauties in the park. But this is just the cherry on the top of our greatest camping weekend ever. Yes, Manyane camp is in a slightly dilapidated state at the moment - with one big ablution block undergoing renovations we hope this will get better. What is really lacking is proper animal proof garbage bins because the monkeys and baboons are causing havoc in camp - lifting lids and littering everywhere. The restaurant though still makes great food, the pool is in tip op condition and the playground great fun. We had the greatest weekend. Our kids are now at the age where they actually help pitching and breaking camp and that their contribution really helps. It makes the whole experience so much better.

There were heaps of bike rides - one of the great pluses of a camping weekend. Swimming, playing cricket and rugby and playing around with other kids -just plain fun. And then there was the game viewing. Boy, we had wonderful sights and even better than that - we had children that not only enjoyed seeing the animals but actively participated in spotting animals and enjoying the whole experience. It was just a golden weekend - and one we were in great need of. Pure relaxation, family time and lots of love.

But - let me show you some of the sights we saw.

I am keeping some of the beautiful nature shots to use in future posts - but here's one I want to share now. Late afternoon sun, just after a rain shower.

So how was your long weekend?