March April Newsletter 2018

South Africa Member Trip AS DOCUMENTED BY DAVE KUYKENDALL

DAY 1 IN MALA MALA We were greeted by a few friendly elephants, Roll Tide. Then embarked on an evening safari that produced some unbelievable scenery and situations. We saw the big 5: lions, elephants, giraffes, rhino, and a leopard. We even had a close encounter in the Zaharias/Viner Jeep, where a rhino backed them down! Can’t get that at the zoo! After a wonderful dinner, we were exhausted from an unforgettable day! DAY 2 IN MALA MALA We went on safaris in the morning and afternoon. We saw our 1st male lion today. It was a beautiful overcast morning and the temps were very pleasant. There is no way that these pics do justice to this majestic land. Seeing nature this close is truly unbelievable. The people who are serving us here are so hospitable and so proud of their country. We feel like part of the family even if it is for a short period. Kelly and I feel so fortunate to be part of this adventure. After a final safari in the evening we enjoyed wine and snacks on the Savana; thankfully we weren’t the main course! DAY 3 IN MALA MALA Our morning drive with, Mike was awesome! We had two very exciting chases that involved high speeds in an open jeep. We almost lost Terry and Dottie Smith, but Mike said we would have gone back for them later. Everyone survived and we saw 3 rare animalscapehuntingdogs,cheetah,andajackal.Mikewaswonderfulkeepingussafeand providing us spectacular views. After some quick naps we began our evening safari, where we stumbled upon a pride of 13 lions in a creek bed. They were unfazed by our presence due to the extremely large meal they had just eaten. We had rain but Mike supplied us with ponchos. We had an encounter with a cute baby elephant. We didn’t have the heart to tell him that he was just not big enough for those intimidating moves, but you’ve got to respect his attitude and his mom for pushing him off the road. After an enjoyable dinner, it was hard to think that this was our last night in Mala Mala. One more drive in the morning and then off the Fancourt for some golf. DAY 4 LEAVING MALA MALA We had a challenging travel after a beautiful morning drive. Let’s just say we made it. Southwest doesn’t fly here but they should. My wife, Kelly and I were picked up by John Bland (1996 Bruno’s Memorial Classic Champ). We stayed with he and Sonya while in Fancourt. The Greystone crew made it to the Manor House in time for a nice dinner and rest. Golf tomorrow my, 1st round of 2018! I’m so excited! DAY 5 IN BLANCO We began with golf at Fancourt on one of the most beautiful golf courses I have ever played. There is no way to share all of the great shots. We were joined by special guest, John Bland. All who played enjoyed it with cool weather, but no rain. Premier Africa greeted us with a starter and snacks at the 1st tee. It’s tradition here to stop at the turn and have a chicken pie, which was delicious. Lunch that followed was fantastic! Then we were off to see ostriches and elephants in the afternoon. We left a cool environment and crossed over mountains to find a desert within 25 minutes of us. We first visited the ostriches & then to visit with the elephants. Funny how we felt threatened by elephants in Mala Mala, but now we were feeding and being hugged by them. How crazy! Afterwards we went back to the house with a couple of bottles of wine. Cheers!

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