This remarkable creature is a mature male Kudu — one of the most spectacular of all antelope. We found him on a short drive around the grounds today.

Tomorrow we embark on our first ‘official’ game drive to a local lodge called  Kapama Game Reserve. We are joining their guests for a 3-hour game drive and dinner and it should prove to be a the first opportunity for your first glimpse of lions and elephant. The weather here today was a nippy 73, dipping down to 55 tonight. Chilly in our world – yes?

This first week of our journey has been very much about community, learning each others rhythms, giving each other space to be.  Even though it is now becoming a distant memory, we WERE stranded with each other in a hurricane, without a change of clothes and completely up-ended for our first 72 hours together.  It is easy to think you are completely normal until your idiosyncratic tendencies get witnessed by other people.  We don’t often get to REALLY be seen through the eyes of another.  Kind of frightening really 🙂 Just like in life – breathe, surrender, yield, communicate, breathe, surrender, yield, communicate.  It’s been quite fun!

Most of you don’t know me as a self-proclaimed amateur chef (I have a deep desire to beat Bobby Flay) but I love love love to cook for people and tonight I prepared chicken thighs in a mustard sauce with smashed potatoes and steamed cauliflower. I think perhaps my last day of cooking for several days. Oh darn!

We have only been in Africa for 2 nights but it feels like a long time.  I am not homesick yet but of course I am missing you!  Stay tuned for the next blog about the Kapama adventure!