On Safari!
Recently I sent my experience of an African Safari to a Scottish friend after he shared the experience of Jeremy Clarkson on a filming trip to Botswana. His return flight had been cancelled so he had decided to spend another day in the African Bush in Botswana.?
It prompted me to write my personal version of being in the African Bush.
My wife and son were invited by friends to visit the oldest safari park in Africa, Hluhluwe, for a few days. It’s located in Zululand in South Africa.?
Driving my sand-coloured VW combi along a rutted road we were 10 miles away from our mud hut in a small encampment protected by a high wire fence. Our friends had gone ahead to prepare our meal and we were on our own. Suddenly there was the most awful mechanical sound coming from underneath the vehicle.?
A quick look underneath and I spotted the front cage at the front, housing one of the spare tyres, had come adrift and was just hanging by its hinges with the tyre still in it.?
I retrieved some rope from the back tool box, told my wife and son to leave the sliding door open whilst I went under the car. There were two low ridges on either side of our road covered in tall dry grass and a few small trees. Plenty of cover for a big cat to lie in wait. I told them to keep a sharp lookout, shout a warning if they saw any movement and be ready to close the door as soon as I dived in.
As soon as I got under the car, I heard the door slam shut!?
No alternative, no time to waste and with my heart pounding I thought it best to carry on before my antics drew the attention of unwanted predators.?
Ten minutes later, a temporary repair completed, I jumped back into the driver’s seat of the car.?
I asked why they had closed the door. Their excuse was there wasn't a problem, there was nothing around. I did point out that if there was a lioness ten metres away, they wouldn’t see it and I wasn’t armed.?
They thought I was exaggerating until fifty metres around the next bend a white rhino downwind was munching away on the dry grass!
?At the encampment all went well until a spider bit my wrist and left two fang marks. The skin blistered and started flaking. It took a year to properly heal and I couldn’t wear a wristwatch. My friends were not the least perturbed, they just said if you are alive in the next 20 minutes, I would be OK!?
When in danger you soon find out who your real friends are!
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