As an introduction to the thrill of a safari, Thursday evenings jaunt was hard to beat. We were just heading out into the bush when our guide Chris' walkie-talkie crackled that a leopard had just pounced on an impala and bitten and broken his neck. We drove quickly to the spot, arriving just in time to see the leopard dragging its kill into the branches of a tree, wedging it in a high cleft. We watched for half an hour as the leopard devoured its kill - safe from other bigger or pack predators that might see her off - such as lions or hyenas. In spite of our bright flashlight the leopard went on knawing at the impala's flesh, tearing at the haunch, crunching and splintering bones - an entire hind leg gone in ten minutes. Later in the moonlight we drove on, on a distant ridge we could see huge shadows, elephant and giraffe against the blue night sky pricked by a million stars - it was spectacular, and very romantic, Cx you should have been with me. As it was, I shared the experience with fellow Brits, a woman called Lisa from York who was there with her two kids and a couple from Kent called Ken and Joyce who had the annoying habit of finishing each others sentences. Our guide was Chris, an ex-pat who used to work in the coal mines of County Durham - he came out here on his redundancy and never went home.

That evening we had ... impala steaks for dinner. Taken on the terrace under those same stars - and accompanied by a bottle of red wine and the calls of the African bush at night - the occasional distant roar of a lion, the elephants trumpetting and the constant chriping from the veld. I slept soundly that night, and in the morning over my contincental breakfast watched the river for hippos, or anything else that stopped by for a drink. Later we headed out of another bush drive - encountering a herd of nearly 200 buffalo, another of twenty elephants, a pride of lions - with 3 cubs - very cute, countless deer and antelope, two giraffes and the occasional carcass of something that wasn't quite quick enough. Back at the Malelane Hotel in time for a light lunch and an afternoon lazing around - at least that was the plan, scuppered at first by a few dark clouds, then thunder rolling around the distant hills and finally rain of biblical proportions. The hippos loved it - wallowing in the muddy river - everyone else sought cover. It was dark by the time the rain eased, and so the game viewing that evening was confined to leaning over the rails of the terrace watching the wildlife come to the waters edge to drink - most quite nervously as now there were crocs cruising the river in search of casualties washed downstream with the rising waters. My afternoon was spent sitting in the shelter of my covered patio watching the rain fall - it was quite relaxing and theroputic. By the time dinner was done the skies were clear again and I wandered out onto the terrace with a glass of whiskey and just gazed up into the southern skies - I'd forgotten how much clearer and brighter the night skies are in the southern hemisphere. Over the chatter of diners came the occasional splash from the river, or a rustle in the nearby bush, but otherwise silence until suddenly a roar - a lion - and it sounded close. I stared into the darkness by the river, moments later I could see a pair of eyes picked out hotel's lights, two eyes staring at me, they moved to the left, then down to the river, my eyes strained to make out what it was, but I couldn't. In the morning another game drive, I told the guide about what I'd seen and heard the previous night, he was pretty sure it was a lion.

We had a fabulous time on the bushveld the next morning. I sat in the back with Lisa's kids (Jack and Naomi), while she sat up front, flirting with Chris. It was a lot of fun watching the kids faces full of joy and excitement as we came across three giraffes drinking at a pool - their legs widely splayed and their bodies kowtowing so they could drink. Then a baboon, sat amongst some boulders in the mouth of a cave. Next more hippos, in a murky waterhole - but we could see little more than their eyes and nostrils above the brown soup. We saw zebras peacefully chewing grass, and a mother rhino with her eight-day-old calf - her, we gave a lot of room to! Next up a troop of maybe fifty baboons, and countless birds - barbets, shrikes, coucals, hornbills, cormorants, kingfishers, eagles and vultures. Finally a pride of a dozen lions stalking a skittish herd of impala through tall grass. Magical.

After lunch (ostrich egg omelette) it was time to move on, I headed southeast on leaving the park and drove down to the tiny kingdom of Swaziland. Cruising along the highway I spotted a sign for Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary. There was a good visitors' centre here, I wandered in and learnt that this was Swaziland’s pioneer conservation area and it was situated in the beautiful and secluded Ezulwini Valley - the reserve gets its name, Mlilwane, from the little fires that appear on occasion when lightning strikes the distant granite mountains. From the centre minibuses ferry you through the park where you can see antelope, giraffe and zebra as well as countless birds and insects. Our trip concluded with a trip to a 'traditional village' where locals were selling tribal art and carvings - it was a bit contrived, but buying something here at least felt like I was giving something to the local people.

It was after 4pm local time when I set off again, travelling down the highway to the Indian Ocean coastline at St Lucia - a World Heritage Site. The sun was just setting as I drove into town and along the waterfront - the beach looked fantastic - wide and sandy with breakers rolling in from far offshore. I found a nice motel right on the seafront. There are seven bars, four restaurants and another couple of motels on this little strip - think I'm going to like it here! Booked in for three nights. Have spent this morning doing my laundry (yawn) and called home to say hi to my ma - will someone show her how to e-mail! Apparently it's really cold and foggy back home - I've just sauntered back to my room at the Palm Court Motel from the laundromat under sunny skies - must be, ooh, mid-twenties at least ... Going out for a late lunch now, then want to book a trip for tomorrow into Hluhluwe/Umfolozi National Park.