Somewhere Over The Rainbow Nation: Must. Download. Thesaurus.

Remember the running joke in the movie, "Throw Mama from the Train"? Billy Crystal kept trying to come up with a word to describe a sultry night. They were tossing about words like wet, moist, damp, etc. Totally a writer's problem. I felt the same way while watching the park's only cheetah this morning.

Our guide, Alex, was on a mission to find the cheetah, so he got us all loaded up by 6am and we headed out into the bush. Sure enough, not long after we turned onto a wide trail, we spotted (see what I did there?) something coming toward us about 50 yards away. As we eased toward the movement, it became clear we'd found the cheetah. Alex slowed to a stop and waited.

Not a muscle moved, not a breath drawn, not a camera clicked as we watched the big cat approach. Finally he was within range, and the cameras clicked like 100 springing mousetraps.

I want to save the word 'majestic' for when we see lions, so... The cheetah was resplendent. The cheetah was noble. The cheetah was magnificent. The cheetah was athletic. Wiry, lean, patient, suave, svelte, handsome, aloof, golden, august, sleek, powerful, graceful, sinewy. You get the idea.

So here's the cheetah, and more...