Being a tourist

Yesterday we went with our good guide Stephen to visit the elephant orphanage. There were 19 babies there, but we could only see 16 of them being fed because the others were two new and would not tolerate people. A guide told us what occurred for each elephant to result in it being an orphanage. All elephants are named and have a keeper with them 24/7. I learned that elephants are much like humans in their need for companionship. After the babies we got to see the preteens being fed. I believe there were 13 of them. If they had come close enough to the fence we could have touched them. They also have some teenagers there, but they do not let them spend so much time around people since there are preparing them to return to the wild.

They also had an orphan black rhino that we got to touch. He had been born prematurely. Apparently that is a very, very rare thing to have happen in the animal kingdom. There were also two adult, or at least older rhinos there, but we could not get close to them because they are dangerous. There were warthogs and babboons running around at their leisure.

Then it was off to lunch at a restaurant that was in the setting of the grounds of the author of Out of Africa. It was quite pleasant eating lunch in the shade of a tree. We did see the outside of the home of Karen Bixbi (I forget the spelling of that name, sorry.), but elected not to go in and save our money for the entrance fee to the giraffe sanctuary. It was quite remarkable because we could feed the giraffes with the provided pellets. Their saliva is anticiptic so it is not harmful to us. Some people even put a pellet in their mouth and the giraffe swept it out. Too far out for me.

We had a nice guide who gave us a tour of their building and many more giraffe facts. After that we saw a film on giraffes that was produced, for American television, of this very site. How exciting is that? Did you know that a giraffe's heart can weigh 25 pounds? More than my granddaughter Lexi who weighs in at about 22 pounds.

Stephen has had a mild case of typhoid. After the initial three days he seems to be quite normal. We are grateful for that.

Tomorrow evening we will start home. We look forward to that, but also sad to be so far apart again.

Paula