Don’t Scream at Hippos in Pilanesberg National Park

Pilanesberg Game Reserve is only about two hours from Johannesburg (adjacent to Sun City) and a great way to view animals if you don’t have time or money for a stay at a game lodge. No bookings necessary, you just drive up to the gate and buy a day pass (it only cost us a total of R180). You can tour the entire game reserve in your own vehicle, with the warning not to get out of your car, which you should take seriously.

We were reminded of that warning when we had stopped to watch some hippos sunning themselves beside a lake. I had opened the sunroof and angled my camera out of it for a better view when Jabulani and Impatience chose that very moment to have a fight over the window, which quickly escalated in a yelling match (it always does). You wouldn’t believe how quickly those hippos got up and stood facing us, menacingly, surrounding their young. It didn’t take much to imagine them charging the car so we quickly rolled up everything and backed up towards the road. Once there, I engaged in some yelling (and perhaps slapping, though I hate to admit it) of my own to get the kids to shut up and reflect on proper behavior around wild animals.