Take it slow

We can never take it for granted.

The “we”, being the guides and people who work and live out in the southern African bush.  We who are privileged to be able to call the South African bush home. I, being part of that, have been very fortunate in my chosen career. And I do get reminded of this by the many brilliant guests that I have the pleasure of meeting. This may be a once-off-trip or the umpteenth time visit to the bush for them, either way the sheer excitement, curiosity and down right joy for them being here is infectious.

I get reminded that good health, a good job and working out in god’s ‘backyard’ is a freedom not gifted to all. Sure the city folk may have a lot going for them but we bush people do too. I have had many guests the last few weeks from many different countries and many different walks of life. I have met interesting folk from far away who all have the common goal of exploring and enjoying a game drive thru southern Africa. Recently a charming lady no younger than eighty years old accompanied me. Brilliant that a lady of no young years could jump up, keep up and out pace may younger guests. I do hope that when I am that long in the tooth I might also be as sprightly. She was a fantastic lady that has seen and lived much and was a good reminder to me of where I am and what I am doing.

I have had guests that have a little difficulty moving about, something many of us take for granted, but they too want to experience the thrill of tracking and finding elephants. And though they may need a little help getting out and getting into the game viewer, at the end of the day it is all worth it for them and for myself.

Meeting, entertaining and guiding guests is the biggest and best part of my job and I do it gladly, after all where we not meant to share this piece of paradise? This Garden of Eden complete with serpent?

Funny how some kids on drive can not sit still at a sighting but those who are mentally handicapped can, maybe those guests are the best of all with innocent eyes they perceive the African animals. Maybe they are more in touch with what is happening here than others? Always a joy to see the joy in there eyes when they gaze at an Impala as if it was the most appealing antelope. (It almost is)

I applaud the patience and understanding from all guests when I battle to find interesting action in the bush, or have to request they take a short unscheduled stop, exit the vehicle and hang around, while I fix a flat tyre. This I did recently at night with my tracker holding the light, the guests in the front of the vehicle keeping watch and a female lioness on a buffalo kill about four hundred meters back. When last did you change a tyre with a lioness roaring in the background

To all those guests I have shaken hands with and all those I still am to meet, enjoy the bush, take it slow, and focus on the small things, the big will take care of themselves.

Let me end this entry with the same words that have become my motto, to those city folk… “A bad day in the bush beats a good day golfing”

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