| Invariably when you return from Africa, before you’ve even cleared
customs in fact, you are occupied with thoughts of an imminent
return. People come back from the ‘Dark Continent’ with a wistful
look in their eye and an unexplained longing in their heart. Your
friends (THOSE WHO HAVE NOT BEEN – yes you can say it like they
have some sort of seriously disfiguring malady) will question
your wisdom at the mere contemplation of serious money being flung
in an African direction - AGAIN. ‘Again, you’re goin’ again, whaddaya
wanna go there again for????’ No doubt you may have even heard
the standard clichés; ‘Nobody goes to Africa and is untouched
by it.’, ‘It changed my life – I don’t know, I just can’t explain….’
At this point dear reader there are yawns all round. Well I’m
here to tell you - Africa WILL change your life – and here’s why.
In the course of a single day you can be uplifted and inspired,
shocked and saddened, frustrated beyond belief. All in a setting
so rich and raw, that it will take hold of you and hold you hostage….maybe
for a lifetime. |
| My partner, myself and my two sons had already experienced all
of these emotions and a whole lot in between on our travels in
Zimbabwe. By the time we put our lives in the hands of a young
black man at the wheel of a minivan for the drive from Vic Falls
to Kasane, Botswana, we felt like seasoned travellers. It is here
that I have to admit that the day had not started out with much
promise. Dropping our hire car off at the Victoria Falls depot
had been, well, a traumatising experience to say the least. The
whole hire car thing had been a bit of a fiasco right from the
start. A virtual comedy of errors. But the bill, well that was
the greatest joke of all, only I wasn’t laughing. In fact, actually,
I was shouting. RATHER A LOT. VERY LOUDLY. When eventually I emerged
from the depot office, our aforementioned driver was shuffling
his feet and had a rather pained look on his face. Like when you’ve
got bad gas or something. Maybe he had the nervous tic all his
life? I don’t know…. |
| Things didn’t get a whole lot better when we killed the monkey.
Well, okay it was an accident. But it’s not like hitting a rabbit
at 120kmh. You don’t feel that bad and they don’t make too much
noise so you go back into glassy eyed mode and forget all about
it. A cute fuzzy little monkey makes a very distressing dull thud
and I swear he looked right at us, with his intelligent little
eyes just at the moment of impact. The sense of shock only deepened
however, when I lobbed in to our new accommodation with the boys.
Men being men (or boys as the case may be) they were completely
oblivious to the mouldy ceiling, the peeling paint and perhaps
the most shocking aspect of all, the lack of coffee making facilities!!
Now take note here fellow travellers, read and learn. A small
ruckus making at the reception counter can be extremely effective.
Yes I know – ugly tourist syndrome and all that – but hey, we
upgraded to the deluxe suite with coffee making facilities!! |
| Paid up and rearing to go we presented for our first game drive
at sparrow fart next morning. I have to admit that riding up high
in the landrover with your breath misty and all around everything
a fresh dewey crispness you feel pretty contented. Like everything
is right with the world. Only minutes into the drive in the chilly
half light our spotter sights a juvenile leopard and my heart
takes an enormous leap. The sheer ecstasy, I can only call it
that, of seeing this young male, like an overgrown domestic kitten,
jumping about swatting at insects was overwhelming. |
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I do not believe that mankind can create anything so profoundly
beautiful. And yet the sense of wonder only grew as for the
first time on our entire trip, we encountered the quintessential
African animal, the lion. The first thing you notice about lions
is their size. Television shrinks them. They are big, powerful,
self-confident, full of grace and at ease in their environment–
truly mesmerising. Unashamedly the tears rolled down my face.
I had waited so long to see these magnificent animals unhindered
by bars or fences. The sun shone, the animals lay in the warmth
of its rays on the grassy plains and we sat and soaked it all
in.
It was THE defining moment of my travels in
Africa.
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| Did I mention Africa is a roller coaster ride of emotions? Surfing
the biggest high one minute, getting a red mark on your forehead
the next. You see the other thing THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN may or may
not tell you is that in Africa time has a different meaning. Or
rather Africans have a different perspective when it comes to
time. Effective time management is a foreign affliction to be
avoided at all costs. A Sense of Urgency was also lost to all
Africans sometime after the San people first migrated to the continent.
When you order a milkshake and a toasted sandwich at 3.00p.m.
it may help to specify that you would like it for an afternoon
snack rather than dinner. There is much to be learnt from this
however. Witness the Customs Official being studiously engrossed
in doing Nothing At All for 56 minutes whilst managing to avoid
making eye contact with all seven waiting customers. Notice the
effortless manner is which she brushes off any attempt at interruption
or engagement of service with barely a word spoken. It is heady
stuff. Very useful back at your office, but pray to God Australia
Post don’t get wind of it. |
| But hey, at the end of the day you know you’re alive. When the
safari truck rolls back into a tree before you’ve left the carpark
and your back up vehicle springs a fuel leak (read gusher) and
your driver surveys leak with a nonchalant shrug of the shoulder
and a fag hanging out of his mouth you’ve gotta smile. This is
Africa. It’ll happen eventually and when it does you find yourself
gazing at the most brilliant sunset you have ever seen. You drink
in the vastness, the wildness, the musty earthy smell, the harshness,
the timelessness. Botswana is beautiful. From the delta to the
desert Botswana has it all. And in the tears, the smiles, the
joys, the fears, the sadness and the exasperation lies an experience
that leaves an impression on your soul. So when anyone say’s ‘you’re
goin’ back to Africa!?’ Just smile and nod. |
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