Blog - Page 3

FOR THE LAST MONTH AND A BIT SOUTH AFRICA HAS BEEN UNDER A NATIONWIDE LOCKDOWN IN AN EFFORT TO CURB THE SPREAD OF THE COVID-19 VIRUS. THIS HAS MEANT THAT I HAVE BEEN FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO BE STAYING IN THE PERFECT PLACE TO SPEND SUCH A TIME AT CAMP WHICH ALLOWS ME TO CARRY ON GOING OUT ON DRIVES AND BRINGING THE SAFARIS RIGHT TO YOUR SCREENS. SO SIT BACK AND ENJOY THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THIS PASSED MONTH HERE AT UMLANI BUSHCAMP.

WHEN A RANGER ASKS THEIR NEW GUESTS WHAT ANIMALS THEY WOULD MOST LIKE TO SEE DURING THEIR STAY AT UMLANI, CALLS FOR “THE BIG FIVE” ARE HEARD ALONG WITH “GIRAFFE, HIPPO, ZEBRA” AND OTHER GENERAL GAME. THERE IS, HOWEVER, ONE CRITTER THAT SEEMS ALL BUT GUARANTEED TO NOT BE REQUESTED AND THAT IS THE SPOTTED HYENA.

THIRTY YEARS AND COUNTING…
THE WORLD IS IN LOCKDOWN.
ITS EASTER WEEKEND AND INSTEAD OF THE USUAL BUSTLING ACTIVITIES AT UMLANI, WE ARE EXPERIENCING AN ABSENCE OF GUESTS, A TOTAL LACK OF ACTIVE MOVEMENT AT ALL, OR THE USUAL SCHEDULES: - NO MORNING STAFF MEETING, NO GAME DRIVES AND NO RADIO CALLS, TO ALERT US OF EXCITING SIGHTINGS, OR, MATTERS NEEDING OUR ATTENTION…
THIS TIME, RIGHT NOW, MEANS, ITS QUIET; VERY, VERY QUIET AT UMLANI, PLACE OF REST.
EVEN THE FRANCOLINS ARE SLEEPING IN. AS WINTER APPROACHES, IT’S 5:30 IN THE MORNING AND I SEEM TO BE THE ONLY ONE WHO’S UP. TO MY RIGHT, AN ORANGE HUE ON THE HORIZON, HINTING THE IMMINENT ARRIVAL OF THE HOT AFRICAN SUN, SOON.-
JUST THE WIND, THE SOUND OF LEAVES BLOWING, AND MYSELF, IN NATURE.

A PEACEFUL TIME TO REFLECT –

WITH THE WORLD CURRENTLY IN CHAOS, THE ANIMALS AND LIFE STILL GOES ON IN THE BUSH HERE AT UMLANI BUSHCAMP, ALTHOUGH WE HAVE CURRENTLY PUT A PAUSE ON OPERATIONS, A COUPLE OF US HAVE STAYED ON AT CAMP TO CONTINUE TO BRING YOU THE BEAUTY OF NATURE RIGHT TO YOUR HOMES. YOU CAN KEEP AN EYE ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIA FOR REGULAR SAFARI UPDATES AND SIGHTINGS THAT WE HAVE. FOR NOW THOUGH ENJOY MARCH'S HIGHLIGHTS BLOG AND SOME OF THE AMAZING SIGHTS THAT WE HAVE SEEN THE LAST FEW WEEKS.

WE RECENTLY HAD SOME RETURN GUESTS WHO HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH ME WITH A REQUEST, TO SEE LEOPARD. NOT AN UNCOMMON REQUEST AS LEOPARDS ARE OFTEN ON THE VERY TOP OF THE LIST OF THINGS TO SEE. BUT THIS REQUEST WAS DIFFERENT, I HAD AN EXTREMELY GOOD RUN WITH SEEING LEOPARDS AND MY CONFIDENCE HAD BEEN SKY HIGH IN MY COMMUNICATION TO THE GUESTS. I MAY HAVE EVEN PROMISED THEM A LEOPARD, SO WITH THAT BEING SAID THE GUESTS ARRIVED AND IMMEDIATELY REMINDED ME OF MY PROMISE THAT I HAD MADE, THE CATCH I ONLY HAD ONE DRIVE TO DO IT IN.