Sunset over Scarborough, South Africa.

“Ouch.  It f**king bit me,”  Roger Wong, who thought petting a wild penguin, “Because it was cute, Michaela.”  Please note there was also an eye roll to compliment the sass and I am still laughing, at Boulders Coastal African Penguin Reserve, South Africa. 

Roger petting a wild penguin directly next to the sign that said not to touch or feed the wild animals, The Boulders, South Africa.

The penguin that bit Roger, The Boulders, South Africa.

“My rainbow starts and ends in the Fynbos biosphere,” Jo, our dead-pan walking guide at Grootbos Nature Reserve, South Africa commented very matter of factly.

Double rainbow, Western Cape, South Africa.

As we pulled out of Simon’s Town, South Africa, Roger kept pointing out all the signs warning drivers and tourists NOT to feed or approach the baboons as they are highly dangerous. Given his track record just moments earlier with the penguins, I needed to make sure he actually understood they meant business. One may assume I was speaking to a child and not a friend in his very late 30’s.  The message of my lecture was however lost, because as luck would have it, there was a very large male baboon relieving himself just near the sign.

Large male baboon caught in the act, outside of Simon’s Town, South Africa.

Roger:  “Ewwwww.  It’s peeing!! Ick.  And it has a nasty scare on it’s face.”  Roger, as we drove past the baboon.

Me:  “Yes Roger, probably the tourist’s last attempt to defend himself from the self inflicted onslaught brought from trying to pet a wild baboon.”

Roger: “Shut up Michaela.”

Beach walk at Grootbos Nature Reserve, Western Cape, South Africa.

A view from our hike on Grootbos Nature Reserve, Western Cape, South Africa.

“What a juicy walk.  Really juicy.”  Jo, our walking guide at Grootbos Nature Reserve, South Africa, as she demonstrated how baboons ate wild figs.  And yes, she literally ate it as a baboon would and then went for a second.  Roger pouted from behind because he wanted one too.

On hike at Grootbos Nature Reserve, Western Cape, South Africa.

“Who is from New York?  Oh, these two?, pointing to Roger and I, “Well watch out for them.  Their bite will be far more scary than the great whites,” Nico, our guide from Marine Dynamics Shark Tours, Gansbaai, South Africa, trying to soothe the nerves of the shark divers.

A great white a little too close for comfort.