Back to Africa...

Yes, I hear you scream... "get back to talking about Africa. We don't come here to listen to you talk about Australia's Next Top Model, Mr Blog, or listen to your pathetic excuses for not visiting Melbourne or Brisbane..."

I hear you, Legion of Fans (LOF)... loud and clear!

Unfortunately, it's still two months and nine days before fly back to Africa so you, like me, will have to be content with a few re-hashed pictures and a bit of day-dreaming (unless, of course, you live in Africa, in which case you could very well be day dreaming about coming to Australia).

Above is a sunset shot taken at Tsitsikama National Park, South Africa, from my cabin at the Storm's River campsite. What a sensational place it was, too. Spectacular views and very different to the bushveld where Mrs Blog and I usually hang out.

Moving north, we find ourselves on the tranquil waters of Lake Kariba, between Zimbabwe and Zambia. Cue the bird... I think if I could live anywhere in southern Africa if would quite possibly be Kariba, where man and wildlife live, literally, side by side (that is if the man hasn't eaten all the wildlife by now). I'm planning on going back to Kariba on my next trip.

The pesky pied Kingfisher - hardest bird in the world to shoot (with a camera, that is. Pretty easy with a .22, though, I reckon, as they hover for a quite a long time before diving for their prey.) I bagged this beauty in Kruger, near the Sweni Bird Hide.

Not roaring... yawning. Lions do two fifths of bugger all, all day long, so one opening its mouth is a big treat. You can just about hear the "oohs" and the "ahhhs" from the other onlookers around me as I shot His Majesty, mid-yawn. Check those teeth.

All this is making me want to get on that plane, get back to Africa and crank-up old Tonka the Land Rover.

What will I look at for now, though, as I shivver my way through the Sydney winter?

I know, how about...

Forget the the African bush (for now), for the claws, teeth, (fake) fur, and big hair will be flying next Tuesday night as our own Big Cat(ty) Diary, Australia's Next Top Model, reaches its nail-breaking finale.

It's a showdown between the charming, lovely, peronable Tahnee (pictured above... Tahnee's aim in life is to be a Victoria's Secret model - true) and the whingey, whiny, tantrum-chcking boganista, Cassi.

Will good triumph over evil in the circle of life?

(I really need to 1. get back to Africa, or 2. find some work to do until my next book).