The Kingdom

Just what I needed… A couple of days away in the beautiful North West ❤️ even though day visitors were not allowed at Sun City (so no gambling🙁) there were plenty of other activities! We decided to go on a Game drive in the Pilanesberg Nature reserve, before attempting the two-hour drive home. They advertise it as a Game drive but it’s more like a three hour, 4X4 adventure course IMO….I am no longer wondering why we had to rate our fitness levels on a scale from 1 to 5 on the indemnity forms 🙄 In spite of my aching muscles and bruises today, I am glad we decided to do it! I think we all needed a reminder of the beauty and wonder around us that we so easily take for granted.

At one point, we came across a tower of giraffes. I’ve always loved them (even more after the movie Madagascar) and imagine them to be like British royalty,, reserved and proper, looking down on the riffraff. Two male giraffes were in the road, bumping each other with their long necks, very polite and waiting their turn to take a swing. The tour guide explained that the third giraffe, standing on the side and looking at the spectacle,. was a female. The two gentleman were actually fighting over her….apparently this could go on for the whole day, until one of them gets knocked out. They were tired, leaning on each other for support and stumbling around like a couple of drunk men, while the female gave them one more look, turned around and walked away, without looking back once. One could literally see her imaginary little hand waving in the air as she stomped off with rolling eyes and a whatever attitude! 🦒 Of course, true to their sex, the two gentleman did not even notice and kept on stumbling around like idiots. We also saw a group of beautiful Impala’s with their cute baby calves. They were so sweet and I immediately wanted one!😍 The tour guide pointed out that the one with horns, prancing around casually like he owned the place (there’s only one in the group), was the male, and daddy of all the cute calves….they even call it an Impala Harem🙄🦌

A traffic jam (in a national park!) alerted us that there was something interesting ahead. Suddenly we were surrounded by the sound of clicking camera’s and hushed oooh’s and aaaaw’s. A pride of lions was lying lazily in the shade, and only the male was staring at us confused through his frazzled main.. I have never seen a male lion as they are portrayed in movies or pictures🦁 with a beautify flowing main… All of a sudden the shape next to him lifted its head, it was the female. Majestic, muscular and full of pride. She did not even glance in our direction and stared into the distance with her chin defiantly lifted….I’m sure she was thinking about her cubs, maybe planning a hunt so that she could once again, provide for her family. And then….then we saw an enormous beast with soft, beautiful skin and giant grace, swaying rhythmically while slowly walking by, and gazing at us with soulful, wise eyes. The tour guide told us that elephant males were loners and mostly always on their own, while the females tend to herd together and look after the young (Sisters, doing it for themselves). Coincidentally, a herd is called a memory of elephants and now I know for sure that the elephant is my spirit animal🤍🐘

Of course, we saw many other animals, Zebra’s, Kudu, buffaloes etc. but the ones I mentioned could easily represent the different types of woman we find in our society. The girl not really phased by guys fighting over her…she will choose whomever she wants in the end. The subservient damsel, needing a dominant male prancing around, showing off his horns. The warrior woman, full of pride, strong and working hard to provide for her family. And then…those who’ve seen enough to be wise about the ways of the world acknowledging that men are needed, but also knowing that the bond and support between mothers, daughters, sisters and women can never be equalled or replaced. Old and comfortable enough to know that grace and beauty has nothing to do with your looks or size….I know now….I am part of a memory🤍