Today was our first full day at Harnas. Last night we arrived just as the sun was setting, and I turned Carolyn over to the volunteers and headed to my own room. We'd been traveling all day with five other volunteers, though, so she already had friends. This morning they threw the vols into action with a tour of both the outside enclosure with baboons, lions, leopards, cheetahs, vervet monkeys, and wild dogs. This afternoon they're touring the inside enclosures close to the house and lapa. I tagged along  this morning to watch the show and take some pics. Here's one of Carolyn  (pinkish shorts) standing on the top of a moving truck, tossing mielipap to the baboons. It's about the consistency of grits or oatmeal, and they get it all over themselves. It's great. She also threw meat  (donkey) over the fences to other animals. I think she's fully initiated now.

I've spent the remainder of my day reaquainting myself with old friends and meeting new ones. One new one that I'm already in love with is two month old Koema (pronounced Koo-mah), a baby cheetah that lives temporarily in Marieta's kitchen. I got to help bottlefeed him. Isn't he adorable?

Note: I wrote the above yesterday afternoon, but I didn't have enough juice in my laptop to post it. Now it's Sunday morning, and it's a beautiful sunny day. I saw Carolyn sitting on the lawn this morning with some of her volunteer friends. They finally got to touch some cheetahs yesterday afternoon, and even play with the baby. Sounds like it's going well. I wish her throat would get better, though. Any suggestions for strep throat besides the antibiotics, anyone?

Today is Marieta's birthday (also my sister Terri back in the states). I'm sure we'll do some celebrating later. BB

o