The whole team were given the first week of July as vacation - because of the time spent doing post-ops on the Saturday after each surgery. Candace and I used our time away to explore some of the Eastern Cape's many treasures. We went down to East London and spent two nights with our good friends there, and from there drove down to Port Alfred where we visited Mansfield Private Reserve.
Mansfield is a lovely private game reserve that offers game viewing, bird-watching, camping, canoeing and other facilities. While they don't have the Big Five (Lion, Leopard, Elephant, Rhino, and Wildebeest) of South Africa's wild animals, they more than make up for it with beautiful scenery and some exciting wildlife.
Candace and I stayed in their unique ox-wagon accommodation - original 19th Century ox-wagons that have been restored and converted to include a queen-size bed. It was quite something to think of the history behind our accommodation!
We spent our time at Mansfield relaxing in the peaceful surroundings. We canoed on the spectacular
Kowie River - spotting many different bird species, from
Kingfishers to
Knysna Loeries - and enjoyed seeing giraffe, zebra, bontebok, wildebeest, and other game in the reserve.
It was a great way to spend our time away!
The entrance to Mansfield Private Reserve.
Our ox-wagon accommodation.
Inside the ox-wagon.
Cute little mirror and picture in the corner of the ox-wagon.
Getting ready to canoe on the Kowie River.
Candace enjoying the canoe trip.
Yours truly in the canoe.
Half-collared Kingfisher on the banks of the Kowie.
Pied Kingfisher.
Another bird sunning itself.
Cute little river bird.
Amazing reflections - the water was so calm!
Clouds in the river.
Rowing practice on the Kowie River.
Zebra and bontebok.
Wildebeest on the plain.
Baby and mother giraffe.
Gambit, the reserve's hand-reared giraffe, leads the queue to visit the office.
Rainbow in the sky as we leave Mansfield.
On the drive back to East London, we saw warthog in the bush!
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