walking safari

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Africa has been so much fun, we are into our last few days, and have
mixed feelings about leaving. John is so at home here, he is really
enjoying the bush life. I am too of course, but I am really aware of
how much I need to see the towns and meet the people to get a feel for
the place.

We have just returned from Zimbabwe which is the most beautiful country
I have ever seen - susie and matt also agree. We are already talking
about when we will be back - definitely in the dry season and after the
next elections (a kenya type situation will happen this year in Zim).
The currency there is so inflated that a beer costs 1.5 million and a
gin cost 2 million plus the mixer. Notes come in 75,000 denominations, would hate to have to cont the bar takings at the end of a night. Calcuators dont have enough zeros.

The walking safari was really cool, we were given good warning about
what animals may charge and what to do. We had a fair idea that most
animals will fake charge and we do not need to run. The Guide and
Tacker both caryy guns for when things go wrong (they have shot 2
animals in 20 years) - and we were told that what ever happens they never shoot Rhino, and whatever happens buffalo dont fake charge. and Run means Run.

So - five minutes after this advice we hear a stampeed. I found myself standing in a karate stance - fat lot of good that would have been. we were relieed to discover that the stamped was Zebra. Clean undies were required though.


So then the next day, the first animal we come accross is a Rhino, we are within 15 metres of it and it turns on us and our guide tells us to run. Far out... I was thinking shit shit shit, they dont shoot rhinos,
and next thing you know the tracker is running behind us - shit shit shit. But he was actually running to tell us to come back. We had only run about 200 metres, the rhino had only fake charged. It was very funny afterwards, but I was pretty anxious for the rest of that walk - because we continued to track the bloody Rhino. We did sign up for a walking safari, and we most certaioly got value.

There is nothing like being so close to animals, haring them, smelling them, it is a bit voyeristic. Again the photos are great, but will not be uploaded until we return... in only 5 days now.

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