Africa - August 2007
A Safari
Africa: the smell and the colour of this continent are like no other. It is enticing and enchanting, full of ancient mystery and mythology. The multi-coloured birds, the fragrance of the flowers, the nature of the wilderness are overwhelming and awe inspiring. This continent is an amazing feast for the senses. The elegance of a herd of giraffe running at full stretch, the many species of deer and antelope, the majesty of elephants gathered in a circle resting, only one awake ready to alert the others if danger appears, like a daisy chain all attached by a tail or trunk. This is another continent of timeless beauty and majestic peoples.
Our safari experience in South Africa, world-renowned for exclusive and unique safari accommodation in some of Africa’s most ecologically diverse regions, and held in August 2007 was attended by women from The Netherlands, Australia, the United States and the UK.
Our accommodation in splendid safari lodges offered sophistication and style in pristine African bush. But first we met in Johannesburg for drinks and dinner at the Sun Intercontinental and an early night prior to our flight to the Skukuza Airport and our transfer to the Lion Sands River Lodge, an exclusive private resort in the Kruger Game Reserve.
Our time in this game park was magical, in our luxurious thatched bedrooms with their indoor and outdoor showers and our escorts back to the rooms at night by the staff, “just in case there were wild animals about”. Our fabulous guide knew everything there was to know and learn about the habitat and the animals and made our early morning and late afternoon safaris extraordinary times. In tandem with our guide who knew exactly where to go and how to get there in this vast terrain we were given the opportunity to share for some days the magic of the African plains.
Waking before dawn we dressed warmly and after a quick coffee huddled under rugs and hot water bottles as we drove out into the plains to see what we could see. This park was the home of the Big Five....including the predators....and we were determined to see them all. Lion, Leopard, Elephant, Hippopotamus and Rhinoceros - which would we see first and would we be so close we were scared? It was an extraordinary experience being part of their world as we silently stopped to watch these beasts in their environment. None of us will ever forget the 14 year old leopard we came across one day sunning himself, and then after a stretch, circumnavigating our open land rover as if to say “I’m boss, but you’re ok”. Rather than being a scary moment, it was indeed a magic moment.
And even more magic as we witnessed the baby wild dogs...dozens of them...playing with the adults...a whole pack .... ugly yes, but utterly enchanting.
Elephants galore, and big ones, rhinos, and hippos were there for us to enjoy and take in during our days. Huge meals, a beautiful brunch after our morning safari, and dinner after our evening safari which contained the traditional ‘sundowners,’ gin and tonics or a glass of wine and hors d’ouvres out on the plains as the sun went down.
Our final starlit dinner in the Boma, the round roofless building outside, was a barbecue where we ate every type of antelope and ostrich that was in the park.....and we followed it by an impromptu fire walk for our guide, some of the local staff and our guests.
Back to the airport and on to Cape Town where we transferred to the Relais and Chateau resort, Bushman’s Kloof in the Drakensburg Mountains in the west of South Africa.
No predators here just 125 rock art sights dating back 10,000 years, 34 species of mammal, 140 bird species and 755 plant species.
And a full moon. A memorable meditation under it with a transformational frog landing on Buzz’s foot and the huge rainbow we had had earlier in the day despite the fact there had been no rain for a year will never be forgotten. Neither will the sherries before dinner in our fabulous rooms before a fire lit in the grate by our African hosts, or champagne for breakfast beside the pool in this exquisite resort.
The rock art was amazing, similar to that in the northern parts of Australia and Arnhem Land and included clambering over rocks and water pools to see.
A team building exercise was a wonderful group activity during a rather challenging hike in the hills one day, bio-nutritional information was shared, and the use of pendulums was taught to the group.
Finally we flew back to Cape Town to the wonderful Cape Cadogan hotel, and, for a few of us, several more days of exploring the city and the fabulous wine areas nearby.