Animals, part II

Here are the last few of the select-shots from Kruger.  I got the first handful uploaded okay, but the last few were pokey.  This is attempt number two, so there are just a few pictures.

The animals....

This was the second chameleon we came across of the day - this one on our way out. He curled his tail (just like you see in advertisements & stuffed animals & such) right after we finished snapping pictures, but his bright colors are still pretty amazing. I'd expect it in the rain forest, but not in Africa - it was crazy! Also, you can kind of see it with this guy - the way he has his feet positioned - but when the road is hot, the chameleons basically dance (think of Michael Jackson as a reptile - going forward, not backward) across the road. Once we have faster internet, I'll get up some pictures in sequence so you can better imagine the dance - it makes me think of beer commercials.

And last, but not least, of the major animal sightings of the day was our last lucky stumble-upon sighting. We were on our way toward the gate, not in a crazed hurry but in a reasonable rush, when we noticed that a bunch of cars were stopped along both sides of the road ahead of us. That of course means that there is something to see. As we pulled up we all tried to figure out which side they were looking toward so we could see the animal as efficiently as possible without making ourselves late for the gate. Turns out it was a lion - 2 lions in fact, a mating pair. The lioness was just hanging out in the middle of the road, biding her time, facing the male lion, who was sitting down on the side of the road, just watching her (waiting for her go-ahead signal). We got really close to them, especially the lioness, as we drove by, snapping pictures as we went (unfortunately we couldn't stay very long at all on account of the gate closing tiem). It was amazing! It was also probably the closest we got to "being the wildlife" though contained in the backseat of the car. They were on Carter's side as we pulled up, but she couldn't stop shaking, so all of the sudden she excitedly whisper-yells at me to switch sides. So all of the sudden, as Mac & Nancy just looked on and chuckled, Carter & I crawled over/under one another & switched sides of the car so I could take some more pictures. It was an incredible thing to see - - - another part of the reason to go back one day, so I can just sit & watch without having to rush off. It was a great end to the day - we saw a few more animals & birds as we pulled away toward the gate (at which we arrived with 10 minutes to spare).

(Note - these pictures upload WAY faster on real internet - currently in the airport in Johannesburg finishing this post.  That bodes well for getting a good number of my pictures from the trip onto the web once I'm back in the States in approximately 24 hours.)