Hippo on the Lawn: Kruger, South Africa

 

You know how it is; you’re sitting at the table, quietly enjoying your dinner, and your gaze wanders through the window to the garden beyond. You might see a visitor or two — perhaps a bird, or even a cat. However, in Kruger, evening callers are a little more exotic.

As per the sign shown in the photo, (human) guests are forewarned. What I took from this is that basically, if you venture into the grounds before dinner and then become dinner for something else, that’s really your problem. Not sure if the travel insurance would cover it, but that would likely be the least of your concerns in the moment.

Anyway, there we all were in our tour group, enjoying a convivial, postprandial drink, when the cry went up: ‘Hippo on the lawn!’ Manners be damned, as we all grabbed phones and cameras and headed for the windows (I mean, it’s not as though we were going to pop outside and give it a stroke). I shot the little video above of our hungry hippopotamus, who seemed quite unfazed at being papped and continued contentedly munching.

There was a small crocodile on the lawn the next morning.

I don’t get this kind of entertainment at home.