#Cape Point Chacma Baboons

[suetravelblog]

Arniston, Napier, Whales, and Power Outages Western Cape South Africa

Southern Right Whale Fluke – Oceanic Society I’ve been taking a breather from blog posting. The blog is my personal travel journal, and it’s primarily for future reference, since experiences and memories can become hazy over the years. Arniston Beach Path – Shutterstock I’ve visited South Africa many times, and posted about favorite places in the Western Cape. Posting requires time and focus, and…

[lost-lycaon]

Chacma Baboon family, Cape Point National Park, Western Cape.

[danyka-fendyr]

Closer

Okay so I’m still working on a good idea for the Spencer Reid sick!fic but in the meantime, I thought I’d get this out. It’s...pretty much exactly what the title makes it sound like. Reader and Spencer find all the ways they can possibly casually touch each other without actually admitting they feel anything. Why? Because I think it’s cute. 

Warnings: Mentions of death and drug use. If you hate kids either don’t read on or pretend you like kids I’m taking some creative liberty with the concept of a reader insert because I don’t actually like this format and I’m only writing this way bc I’ve never seen a oneshot with an oc before lol 

Wordcount: 2348

The worst part of a case would always be the briefings. You hated the briefings because it meant that inevitably, there would be dead people. Dead people you hadn’t saved, dead people you hadn’t even known about. Who had died wishing someone would come to save them, wishing you would come to save them, and you hadn’t delivered.

This case was particularly hard because it involved kids. You had a major soft spot for kids, and any case involving them was hard on you, but this one... Gosh, it was so messed up. Penelope was having difficulty presenting without crying, it was that bad. Eventually, Derek took pity on her and took over.

You yourself were having some difficulty not crying. You had seen some pretty messed up things, but you didn’t think you were ever going to be able to talk about this case again after you finished it. You rubbed at your eyes, trying to keep it together, and felt a hand on your shoulder. You looked up to see it was a solemn Reid, offering you a soft, comforting smile. 

At this point, you hadn’t been at the BAU that long. You had joined around the same time as Emily and you two had bonded over the fact that you were fresh blood. The other person you had bonded with fairly quickly was Dr. Reid, not that he was hard to be friends with. Really all you had to do was listen, and that was easy for you. You found the doctor fascinating, riveted by all of his knowledge. You were convinced he knew everything, and you were surprised that he was now trying to comfort you.

You smiled back at him. Part of you wanted to reach up, place your hand over his, but you wondered if that would be too forward. You had noticed that often he didn’t even shake hands. You were pretty sure he didn’t want you touching him like...ever. Much though you liked Reid, he struck you as the sort of person who was more likely to bathe in hand sanitizer then willingly get too close to you, so this was...a pleasant surprise.

You returned his smile, grateful for the moment. Maybe you were imagining it, but it seemed like this would just be the start of you getting closer with Dr. Spencer Reid.

You remembered vividly what it had been like when you and the team had found Reid after Tobias Hankel kidnapped him. It wasn’t hard, since it had only been a few weeks ago. It had only been a few weeks since Reid had hugged you so tight that you might have told him you couldn’t breathe if you hadn’t been so focused on holding him just as tightly. You had apologized over and over, and he had, of course, told you it wasn’t your fault.

The weeks after that had been harder though. You had seen the haunted look in your eyes, and you knew that no matter how hard you tried it was sometimes reflected in your eyes. You never told him, but you had nightmares about it. About watching him die. Only in your dreams, he didn’t come back.

Eventually though, after a night out with the team where you were declared designated driver, you were forced to confront it. You were dropping him off at his place when he invited you in, and you couldn’t bring yourself to say no. You just wanted to prolong this...peacefulness, before the night terrors came for you.

“It’s not much,” he apologized, ushering you into a home that seemed to mostly be filled with books.

“I think you have 8 different sets of encyclopedias just in this room alone,” you laughed.

“12, actually,” he corrected.

You turned to him, smiling. “’Not much.’ Seems like plenty to me. I’d kill to live surrounded by this many books.”

He laughed nervously, and you two ended up sitting on the couch a good healthy 6 inches apart. You hated it. Hated that you were just close enough to imagine that you could feel his body heat, but that you couldn’t, not really, and that distracting urge to just lean over and rest your head on his shoulder. It was infuriating. So, when you got up to use the bathroom, you might have sat back down just slightly closer than your original starting point. 

After a few more moments of staring numbly at the screen and noticing that Reid also wasn’t paying attention, you spoke.

“You’re not really watching this, are you?”

He jolted. “What? No, of course I am. The social hierarchies of the Chacma baboon are actually quite fascinating-”

“Reid,” you interrupted. “They stopped talking about the Chacma baboon 20 minutes ago. We’re onto the Cape Sugarbird now.”

“Oh. Right.”

You two trailed off into an awkward silence before you spoke again.

“Spencer...you know you can talk to me, right?”

“I-I’m fine.”

“If you were fine, I would be more worried about you than I am right now, Spence. We don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to, but something is making those dark circles under your eyes darker than usual.”

“Like you’re one to talk.” His tone strained to sound light. “You’ve been looking more and more sleep-deprived lately. The rest of the team hasn’t noticed I don’t think, but if anyone is worrying, it’s me. What’s on your mind?”

“You’re deflecting,” you deflected.

“So are you.”

Damn profilers.

“Okay. I tell you what keeps me up and night and you tell me if you’re comfortable with that?”

It’s quiet for a minute while he thinks about it. 

“Yeah, okay.”

“I’ve been having nightmares. You know how everyone has a nightmare that’s like, the nightmare? Mine used to be finding the body of this teenage girl. Now it’s just you. Watching you die over and over again, except in this version-” Your voice breaks, and you take a deep breath to steady yourself. “In this version, I’m right there next to you, but there’s nothing I can do to stop it.”

There is silence for a long moment.

“I’m an addict. Tobias drugged me with Dilaudid and I keep craving it. I’m trying...I’m trying not to use, but it’s hard. It’s so, so hard.”

“Spence.” It’s a soft sound, breathless. “You could have told me.”

You didn’t ask why he didn’t.

“I could have. But it’s embarrassing. I should be able to beat this. I have an IQ higher than Einstein’s and I can’t beat basic drug addiction?”

“Well, if you have an IQ higher than Einstein’s than you should be smart enough to know. You can’t beat drug addiction by yourself.” Not able to stop yourself anymore, you rested your head on his shoulder. “And now you don’t have to.”

He doesn’t say thank you. Doesn’t acknowledge the offer at all, except to say one thing.

“Do you want to sleep here tonight? It might help with your nightmares, and even if it doesn’t, seeing me alive when you wake up might make you feel better.”

“Yeah. I think that could be nice.”

You tugged a strand of Spencer’s long brown hair. 

“You’re really growing this out, huh?” you said, setting a coffee down on his desk over his shoulder.

“It’s not that long.” He frowned, and you giggled.

“Yeah, it kind of is, Spence. This is the longest I’ve ever seen it.”

“Well, I haven’t exactly been hobbling into the barbers on my crutches. Sorry.”

“Don’t apologize,” you said, sitting on his desk. “I like it. Makes you look like a cool professor.”

He frowned again.

“That was a compliment.”

“You two are weird!” Garcia lovingly gave her input as she passed by.

“Love you too Penny!” you shout.

“You didn’t buy yourself coffee today,” he noticed.

“Nope. Wasn’t in the mood.”

“But you bought me one. From your favorite cafe. Is there something going on today?”

“Nope. I’m just nice like that.” 

You pretend not to notice when, in reaching for the coffee, Spencer’s knuckles graze your thigh. You’re sure it’s just a coincidence that he’s getting closer.

“Oh my gosh!” Your scream gets the entire team looking your way.

“Did you join a boyband?” Hotch asks.

Reid, with newly shorn hair, looks confused. “No?”

He sits down, ready for briefing, but you are not done yet.

“Your hair! Your beautiful hair!” Your mourning is short-lived though, once you notice the new hair, and you gasp. “Oh my goodness, it looks so fluffy and soft. Can I touch it? I’m going to touch it.”

You cross the room to run your fingers through his hair. It’s not the first time you’ve thought about doing it, but your surprise at his new style emboldens you. It’s exactly as soft and silky as it looks. You could run your fingers through it all day. You are so entranced by his hair that you don’t even notice Spencer closing his eyes, gently leaning back into your touch.

“We do have work to do, you know,” Rossi reminds.

“Okay, okay, I’m going and sitting down.” You beam at Spencer as you take your place. “Love the hair.”

You think it might be the first time you’ve ever seen the pretty boy speechless.

When Spencer walks in with even shorter hair, you can’t help your gasp. You also can’t deny it anymore. You’ve tried to fight it for the last 4 years, but sometimes the truth slaps you in the face like a large fish (don’t ask). You were attracted to Spencer Reid. Which wouldn’t so much be a problem, except for the fact that you were also in love with him. That part? That was definitely a problem.

“You good?” 

Emily raises an eyebrow at you, and you just nod dumbly. You can’t take your eyes off of him. He looks...hot.

“You don’t seem good.” Out of all the team, Emily was the one most likely to suspect your...predicament.

“I’m fine. Fine. Totally fine.”

“Uh huh. So you gonna tell me what you were thinking when Spencer walked through that door, or am I just going to have to profile you?”

“You wouldn’t dare.” This gets your attention, and you glare at her from your seat next to her.

“Oh, I would.”

You aren’t stupid enough to doubt her.

“Wow. I was thinking, ‘wow’.”

“Well, maybe you should tell him that.” She smirks.

“Or maybe I won’t.” You laugh nervously, glaring at her, and you think that’s the end of it.

That’s not the end of it.

Somehow, and you would never figure out how, Emily had gotten you and Spencer locked in a broom closet. You couldn’t prove it was her, but you were sure. Just as sure as you were that she had not foreseen the fact that, nervous at your close proximity, Spencer would start spouting facts about small spaces, claustrophobia, and anything at all related.

“Spencer,” you tried interrupting since he was making you nervous. “Spencer. Spence!”

You reached out, grabbing him by the lapels of his jacket forcefully. Unfortunately, you had forgotten the fact that you were in a broom closet, and now it was safe to say that if you two had been close before, that was nothing compared to how close you were now. Your mouths were just inches away from each other, and you cursed yourself for all the thoughts you were having.

Spencer didn’t seem to have the same inhibitions though. Slowly, he trailed a finger down your shoulder and down your side, making you catch your breath. Eventually, his hand stopped right around your waist where, eyes focused on that point, his hand settled, wrapped around the bend in your waist to pull you even closer. You swore you couldn’t breathe.

“I was umm...I was wondering what you thought of the new haircut,” Spencer said.

“I like it.” You weren’t sure why you were whispering.

“Yeah? Emily said...she said you really liked it, but I wasn’t sure.”

You were never telling Emily anything again.

“Yeah, I do. I really, really like it. It’s super hot and-” 

Shoot. He had made you nervous, which made you ramble, and now you were going to have to change your name to Bathilda and move to Southern France because you had not meant to say that.

“You think it’s hot?” Wide, startled chocolate brown eyes stare into yours.

“Umm...” Was there even any use denying it? “Yeah. Yeah, I do. Actually, I think you’re hot. You are very, very attractive to me. And also I’m in love with you but that’s probably just an oxytocin thing because ever since you almost died I’ve been sleeping over at your place a lot and you know you’re a sleep cuddler and so somehow we always end up cuddling and so there’s the oxytocin and-”

He was kissing you. Spencer Reid was kissing you. And he was really, really good at it. Like, stupid good at it for a guy who was not known for his romantic conquests. You briefly wanted to know who taught him how to kiss like this so you could find them and punch their lights out, but then you were too busy kissing him to worry about that.

Both of his hands were on you now, one on your waist, the other cupping your face as he kissed you. Your right hand gripped the lapel of his jacket even harder as your left came up to get play with the much shorter hair at the nape of his neck. You were just about to pass out from lack of air a very, very happy girl when conveniently someone opened the closet door.

“Oh my gosh. Wait till I tell Derek! He owes me $50 now, and Rossi owes me $200 that smug jerk!” Penelope did not waste time going to collect her money.

“So...” you said, blushing.

“So...” He was rocking back and forth nervously on his feet. “You wanna go out on a date?”

“Yes. Yes, I do.”

[sounmashnews]

[ad_1] 
 Three baboons are noticed close to Cape Point.
 PHOTO: Nardus Engelbrecht, Gallo Images A feminine baboon died after it was shot in an upmarket Cape Town suburb final month.It's believed a civilian shot the baboon.The administration of baboons round Cape Town has been a sticking level lately.Beauty Without Cruelty (BWC) has put up an R8 000 reward for info that may result in the arrest of the one who shot and killed an grownup feminine chacma baboon 9 days in the past in Constantia, Cape Town.BWC nationwide chairperson Toni Brockhaven described the taking pictures as "despicable" and held the City of Cape Town accountable after it eliminated rangers that had been assigned to watch baboons in Constantia in April."Over and above the lack of ethics, firing a weapon in a residential area is illegal. This incident must be laid at the door of the City of Cape Town which removed the rangers to depend on volunteers to monitor and assist the baboons over a treacherous road, resulting in ever more impatient residents to harm the baboons," Brockhaven mentioned.The incident raises fears that residents might take the legislation into their very own fingers.READ | Activists fear for welfare of chacma baboons as City of Cape Town holds secret meetingsGordon Chunnet, a Constantia Ratepayers and Residents Association member, mentioned "it was an entirely predictable response to the City's withdrawal of services."Chairperson Sheila Camerer blamed the South African National Parks (SANParks) and mentioned it was "failing everyone miserably". She added that the City had uncared for to supply baboon-proof bins.Two "baboon angels", who monitored a troop of baboons in Constantia on the time, mentioned the animals entered a property in Monterey Drive.Gerry Higgs of the Tokai Baboon Action Group mentioned she and Bonita Franklin heard glass breaking and the discharge of what they believed to be a firearm, upon which the baboons left the property.Allowed into an adjoining property in Ombre Drive, they noticed the wounded feminine within the nook of the backyard after which on high of a wall, clearly in ache.The National Conservation Consultants (NCC) was summoned and 4 rangers arrived on the scene, adopted shortly by the Cape of Good Hope Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA), with a vet who darted the injured feminine and transported her to their facility.A person who claimed to be a employee on the Monterey property was seen carrying a catapult and admitted taking pictures on the baboons, however "only to scare them away", just a few hours earlier than the incident.Earlier this week, the SPCA's Jaco Pieterse mentioned the baboon was a pregnant grownup feminine who died "due to the extent of the injuries".He mentioned:We are not sure if it's a pellet gun or regular .22. This can be confirmed after the autopsy.Pieterse mentioned the SPCA had known as for witnesses and had been ready for an affidavit from one of many baboon angels earlier than visiting the property.He mentioned the offence was punishable with a R40 000 nice and/or 12-month imprisonment sentence beneath the Animal Protection Act. [ad_2] Source link

[poyursportfolio]

South Africa as a Travel Destination

After spending a few hours thinking about it, I think I’ve finally come up with the best way to introduce South Africa:

Visiting South Africa is like visiting another planet.

The most modern of all the African countries, South Africa surprises most visitors with its modern infrastructure, including excellent air links and bus networks, great roads and a number of first class hotels, including the Cape Grace Hotel, voted World’s Best Hotel, by readers of Condé Nast Traveller magazine, attaining the highest score ever in the history of the awards. With a unique mix of culture, wildlife and scenery, South Africa was ranked by National Geographic Adventure as one of the Top Ten Must-See Destinations from 2005 to 2007 and won Best Holiday Destination in Africa, taking home 18 of the 33 available African awards.

Roughly twice the size of Texas, South Africa has everything from the lush greenery and picturesque beauty of the Garden Route to the harsh semi-desert of the Karoo, with some sup-tropical coast thrown in and “more types of terrain than photographers can shake their zoom lens at”. KwaZulu-Natal’s iSimangaliso Wetland Park alone has five distinct ecosystems, attracting both zebras and dolphins. From the deserted sands of the Kalahari - also one of the best places to do your online shopping - to the Namaqualand Flower Route, the spectacular, edge-of-the-world spectacle of the two oceans meeting at Cape Point, and iconic Table Mountain, each region offers its own unique scenery and wildlife.

Home to the Big Five - buffalo, elephant, leopard, lion and rhino – as well as 6% of the world’s mammal and reptile species and 10% of the plant, fish and bird species, visitors to South Africa can expect to see wildlife ranging from the hippos of the Limpopo River to the penguins of Boulders Beach, with a host of other animal and bird species in between. While Kruger National Park, Limpopo and Mpumalanga are probably the best bet for spotting the infamous Big Five, other regions in South Africa offer their own wildlife opportunities. Northern KwaZulu-Natal is famous for its rhino population, Gansbaai offers the chance to interact with sharks and the Cape Peninsula is rife with chacma baboons. Even Table Mountain is home to the adorable Dassie.

Despite the proliferation of wildlife, South Africa is about more than just the flora and fauna. The country also boasts some of the world’s most beautiful, pristine beaches, making it a mecca for watersports, including diving, snorkelling, canoeing, waterskiing and kitesurfing.

Though it’s a clichéd saying – there really is something in South Africa for everyone. Home to some of the most upbeat and welcoming people in the world, there are world-famous winelands, numerous museums and historical sites, ancient Rock Art, adventure activities, beautiful scenery, delicious local food and hopping nightlife, both in the cities and the townships, where the shebeens are where it’s at.

[lost-lycaon]

Reminder to leave wildlife alone - if you are touching or feeding, you will kill them. Chacma baboons are very easy to find at the Cape Point, hanging around cars and waiting for someone to get close or leave a door unlocked. Too many people fed them, and now these powerful predators with fangs as long as your middle finger have no hesitation in charging humans. Eventually a bullet will put this one down when he draws blood.