Gap Year Experiences

Sunsets and Rhino

Friday 23 January 2009

I should begin by saying I only have 2 days before my return to England, my Pepper Experience being almost over. I've been working for Pepper for just over a year now and figured that I could squeeze in a visit (or a nip across in Johnny’s words) before University starts in February and experience the trip out in South Africa. It’s been quite a couple of weeks as I’m sure you’ve all read so I’ll only catch you up on our most recent adventures.
I have just learned how to play poker! It has taken 21 years but as I learned in my first proper game I’m a bit of a pro at the game. As much as I can say this is a life achievement I’m sure you’d all much rather hear about the game reserves! We are currently in a reserve about 3 hours north-east of Jo-burg called Loskop, it’s a government protected area so there are only 10 of us in the whole place and no public allowed along all but one road. This gives you the most amazing feeling of isolation and a real peace. We spent the first few days learning about tracking with our field guides. I think amazingly one of my favourite spots was the Golden Brown Baboon Spider in its hole, which are apparently very rare, so often monitored and tagged! One of our guides Mark took us tracking all Monday morning. The idea was that we each had to follow the prints and spoor of the illusive White (now Square Lipped) Rhino. Having followed prints, fresh dung, broken branches and rolling patches for several hours in the scorching African Sun it was decided that they had outpaced us and so called it quits. However later that day on a game drive and Sundowner (drinks and sunset) with other guide Kenneth he screeched the safari truck to holt to reveal four rhino’s munching on grass less than 100 metres away. Enthusiastic Kenny persuaded us all to get off the truck and follow him very carefully into the bush to have a better look. What a completely amazing experience, all of us grouped around the base of a fairly substantial tree in complete silence and awe. We were being watched very carefully by a group of very uncomfortable looking Rhino while Kenny’s rather unsettling comments about them covering the ground between us in 4 seconds flat reached our ears. We eventually managed to peel ourselves away having taken an obscene amount of photographs and with a very happy group and headed off for drinks on the water’s edge. The drive home descended into mayhem when we all discovered we could imitate the baboons that were surrounding us in the truck. Carrie’s call invited a very excited response from the alpha male and Kenny’s got a very defensive bark. By the time we left the conversation had reverted to a caterwaul between human and monkey, all of us with the complete giggles as well. I think all of us would say that is was one of our favourite moments and to top it off, it ended with a spectacular African sunset and Braai (BBQ).

After the amazing few days doing tracking it all rather changed tack with a 3 day photography course. I have to admit, we all have nice compact digital cameras, but I can say without a doubt we all really had no knowledge of them past the Auto setting. I’m now a huge fan of the Macro setting and am contemplating getting a battery with higher mAh, new memory cards, and even understand F-stops and ISO (almost). I think you’ll have to wait till we all arrive back in England to see all our amazing skills but until then you’ll just have to take my word for it that I’m the next David Bailey/Mario Testino. Honestly! I shall leave you with my one and only blog from this trip and hopefully send the sun from here to England ready for my arrival back in the country on Monday.

Love from SA,
Francesca