That's the order of the day on safari. Wake up at 4:45 am, grab a coffee, jacket, binoculars, camera, extra battery and sunglasses. Stake out a good spot in the Land Cruiser because you'll be glued to that seat for the next three hours. Now hold on to your hat because the adventure is about to begin!
There's no set agenda for the game drive, other than to spot animals in their natural habitats. The trackers are masterful in their pursuit of the prides and the herds. Using animal tracks, broken branches, piles of dung and sheer instinct, they pursue different groups of animals by driving on the dirt roads through the bush, or off- road, sometimes plowing over bushes and trees to get into the thickets. Learning to duck and protect myself from the vicious thorn bushes was an essential skill I quickly mastered along with learning to shoot photos of anything with fur or feathers that moved across my visual path. Never mind camera settings, POV or focusing. Trying to steady the telephoto in a bouncing jeep, ripping through the underbrush, was a major challenge. Sometimes I just gave up on a photo capture and viewed through binoculars. My friends had a Go Pro so I figured if I didn't get the shot, someone else would.
Each day after the morning ride, we returned to the lodge for brunch; then repeated the same scenario at 4 in the afternoon, for a total of about 6 hours a day of joy riding in search of game animals at the preserve. Afternoon rides ended with "sundowners" (gin and tonics). We were able to get out and stretch in a safe spot, drink in one hand, camera in the other. Then, a spirited night ride in the dark led us back to the camp for a candle light dinner under the stars. At night, we climbed into that sexy mosquito- net wrapped bed, utterly exhausted, hoping for six hours of uninterrupted sleep before the next day's pre- dawn wake up call. It was exciting, exhilarating and just about the most fun I've ever had!
What a wonderful place to rest your weary bones after a day like that pursuing animals in the wild!! What an adventure....what an amazing trip!! I just cannot wait to hear all about it and see the rest of the photos!
You've described this so well I feel like I was there. What a cozy spot to be able to crash at the end of the day. And what amazing memories you've created (for you and us all!).
