Its a WILD life....

[Lisbeth]

You know what? I think it too -O -O (the present excluded of course )

[Flutterby]

Of course Lis...and me too!! -O

[Amoli]

My eldest grandson and myself stopped in Rietvlei to watch the ostriches which were about 4-5m from us..
The 'black' one had turned his behind on us, and I thought he intended to walk away.
No.... he urinated. It was honestly the first time I had seen this neccesity taking place.

Grandma : huh
Grandma : huh
Grandma : What on earth was that
Grandson : chukle, chukle,...
Grandson : ... it IS a male granma...
Grandma ; oh...
Grandson : chukle, chukle....bet this was your first time. -O

[Flutterby]

[Dzombo]

Amoli, what kids sometimes come up with.......

[ceruleanwildfire]

Not quite a moment for me but for my mum. We were staying in Skkuza, and due to a bit of overbooking we ended up in the handycapped rondawel. Nicely spaced for obvious reasons and with a ramp up to the stoep (veranda, for the non-afrikaans).

Anyway, after a great dinner we caught an early night. My eyes closed and I was off to Lala land to the sound of the loacl Hyenas. Next thing I know I'm being woken up by my hysterical mother, shaking my shoulder and yelling out that there is a hyena on the stoep. Listening carefully there is definately something on the stoep. I grab the torch, we got a screen door, I should be safe. Mother stops me,"Are you crazy! It's a hyena!". She's starting to get really hysterical at this point, really scared. Door open, lights on.

There it is, rummaging through our trash. The largest freaking porcupine I have ever seen. I start pi..ing myself laughing, the porcupine pi..es itself and runs off and my mom is nowhere to be seen. I love the wild.

But the moments go both ways. Many years later, the whole cwf family heads off to the Kruger, together with my best friend. I must mention that at this stage both me and my friend are big, martial arts toughened guys (0) . That and I had my Field Guiding qualification at this point. We stayed in one of the guest houses in Letaba. The girls, my mum and sister, come bolting out of the bedroom. Reason for the commotion, a bat. I calmly walk in and help extracate the bat (safely of course) from the room. Macho man status boosted one notch.

Later that evening we are sitting inside reading. My sister calls me to the front sliding glass door. We had left the ligths on outside and there was a collection of bugs. Knowing that I have an interest in bugs and my friend wanting to learn more about the bush we go and have a look. One bug catches our interest a huge water bug. Me and best friend are crouched by the glass in awe of this bug and examining it with great interest, when all of a sudden it decides to take off right in our direction and right into the glass, making this almighty thwack sound. Two martial arts trained strapping youths flying back about a meter or two and my sister rolling on the floor laughing.

I still maintain though that that bug and others (yes, I have more moments related to bugs) are deserving of an element of fear.

[Flutterby]

-O -O

Bugs are fine at a distance, but don't fly towards me!! (0)

[Lisbeth]

Weren't you on the other side of the door? It is a reflex, that most will always have and better that way. The same happens when you are driving, you duck even if there is a window between you and the "monster" trying to get at you

the porcopine story is "cute"

[BunnyHugger]

Lets get serious for a change and share some of our funniest moments in the wild.

For example, in the mid 90's there used to be a resident Wart Hog at Satara. We were on our way for a game drive and my son decided he wanted to get a closer look which was ok with me because I thought he would stay a safe distance from it. (Yeah right, a young kid is going to listen to a parent.....)

Everything was going smoothly with me keeping an eagle eye on proceedings, read as observing closely with video camera rolling) until he decided to try and stroke it. It turned and nipped him one on the butt. He got such a fright he jumped into the car rubbing his posterior region.

Every time we went passed after that I asked him if he wanted to kiss and make up with Pumba. Fortunately, the biggest damage was to his pride.

[Flutterby]

-O -O

Nice story and thread BH!!