A footnote on expectations
If you're an
old hand then much of the following might just be entertaining. If
you've never been on safari or perhaps even visited Africa before then
it makes sense to get an idea of what to expect.... ...glossy brochures and novels...
Most movies, documentaries,
novels, glossy brochures and adverts tend to emphasize only the luxury, comforts and easy-living associated with the
romance of Africa. Its sun-drenched open spaces, huge herds of wild
animals, magical sunrises and sunsets, it's simplicity.
Rest
assured that we have all of these but bear in mind that there're lots of
warts that you're not necessarily going to be told about up front.
...Africa - warts and all...
Your
first experience might be so exhilarating that you don't even notice
them.
In
case you do, remember that some of the following are really part of the
territory (and sometimes the bane of our lives): dust, insects, heat;
flights that don't arrive on time; vehicles that break when they're most
needed; ATM's and phones that simply aren't available or when they are,
don't work; a never-ending stream of touts wanting to change money or
sell you crafts; border officials who won't budge or see reason; shops
that don't sell the one item you need most.....
...the
reality of an African safari...
Well at
the top end if you have the bucks or know-how, every cog and wheel
simply gets greased, at the bottom end you simply have to deal with
things. The point is that all of these "warts" are there
and will remain long after you've gone. As will the best and
rarest finds on the continent....
None of
us can individually do much about Africa's poverty, bad press, crimes
and crime rates, lousy politicians/criminals, social ills or technological failings - to some extent you can choose whether or
not to let them influence your safari decisions. It's an incredible place and it'd be very rare to receive anything less than
a warm grin and gentle hand from the people...
All said
and done, we've lived through some of the best and worst Africa has to
offer and also
played harp to different schools of African addicts
- Young adventurers,
who saw Africa's busiest routes on overland trucks more than a
decade or two ago with only a few pounds or dollars to spare. A small
handful now return every few years to explore those remote regions
reserved only for the wealthy (!?).
- Discerning travellers,
who've been served the finest safaris at some point, struck a chord
with something in Africa and now come back annually to experience
the most rudimentary trips or insist on only the wildest places (?!).
There's
nothing amiss with either of these groups and there's of course an even
larger group in the middle. The one thing in common with all who
enjoy Africa is a
healthy sense of adventure.
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Introduction
