A day spent tracking rhinos on foot

Today was a difficult but good day.

I went to Matobo with a guide, Ian, to track rhinos on foot. He is very experienced and knowledgeable and had many great stories to tell. We followed footsteps, feces and other traces of rhinos in hope to find them. The weather was very hot and dry. Sometimes, when it's too cold during winter, our nose hurts a little bit from breathing cold air...well, I never realized that it's the same in hot and dry weather.

After the long hikes through dried forests and long grasses, I realized that Ian's lips turned white. He must be so tired, but I could see that he was very passionate about what he does. When he grabbed the feces with his bare hands, I thought it was funny in my head, but he was so serious doing his job... I felt like a spoiled princess for doubting whether the long hikes were worth it, and for enjoying my cold orange juice and water, ha.

We found some shade under a rock, and saw some bushmen paintings.

We did not have much success, so we decided to head back to the vehicle. I thought to myself at that moment; maybe we will see them when it's least expected.

....and guess what, this is exactly what happened!

They realized that there were human beings watching them so they ran away, but we followed them for a little bit. They were probably looking for some shades to have a nap.

This is "Top of the World", which is where Cecil Rhodes, founder of Rhodesia, is buried.

Amazing landscape on our way to see more bushman paintings.

...and a burned forest that was still burning in some parts. The heat and the smoke was so unsupportable, but we had to see the bushmen paintings which is the oldest trace of humanity.

We saw some interesting shapes of granite, such as these balancing rocks known as the "Mother and Child Kopje". You just sit there and wonder, how did this happen?

We had some more time left, so we decided to track some more rhinos. It was hot and dry...and again, just as we were about to give up, we bumped into a man with a gun and he told us that he saw a pair and showed us the way.

Seeing rhinos in the wild is a very privileged thing, because they are almost extinct...possibly as soon as 10 years from now. My children will not have the chance to see them. It was one of my best days in Africa, because I believe in fate, and I believe that somewhere, someone is giving me a hint to give up, to let go...but to be honest, I don't quite understand why it's when we're about to give up that we find them...It's not fair. Maybe I will understand one day...