At a time during the first half of the last century when Europe was ravaged with political and social instability, someone once asked the reknowned Swiss psychologist Carl Jung his advice on how to change the world.
Firstly, change yourself, ws his reply.
Jung's words cut to the heart of the matter.
In order to understand the perspective realities of others around us ... peoples with different cultures, languages
Story of a man and a river
One day a man camped at a river.
He stared at his reflection in the water, and the reflection stared back.
The face looked younger than before; lighter, calmer. Understanding had settled deeply in it's eyes. The man gazed back along his path and knew he had changed. Somewhere on his trail lay the discarded weight of insecurity, of priority and of expectation. Now he felt bouyed by his new backpack of meagre possessions - a spoon, a plate, a shirt, some rice and a sense of knowing.
He looked around and saw no-one. Alone but not lonely, he smiled deeply at the truth. Looking again at his reflection he noticed it had gone, swirled by winds and moving water. This pleased him as it was nature's way.
A visitor, he turned and began to walk to his world, knowing that his life had changed, knowing that he had only reached the start of his trail. And knowing that he need not ever look outside himself for a source of inspiration.
Football feevah
For once, the relentless buzzing in my ears was not that of a swarm of hungry mosquitoes trapped in my tent.
It was the buzzing of some 30 000 vuvuzelas around me which numbed my brain and senses.
It was the buzzing of some 30 000 vuvuzelas around me which numbed my brain and senses.
I was sitting at the Green Point football stadium in Cape Town at my first world cup match. Transfixed, i watched some angry English supporters who were unleashing their frustrations on the team, and nervously eyed an escape route out of the seats. "I'd rather face a wounded lioness than these guys", i mumbled. As the scoreline continued to read England 0 - Algeria 0, the more i longed for the safety of an enraged elephant herd or hungry crocodile.
But what an experience!
It was a great thrill to be part of the carnival which reigned over SA for a month and to witness firsthand our ability to unite and pull off the unexpected...again. The spirit, passion and tolerance i saw out there in the name of sport was unreal and for once, mercifully, politicians, spindoctors and fall-mongers were conspicuous with their absence.
Tembe Elephant Park
Deep in a sand forest, five dedicated and by now highly excited birdwatchers craned their necks to get another look at a tiny yellowy-green bird with a blue bib flash past.
"There it is", exclaimed one. "Whohh", managed another.
Like rapid gunfire, a jumbled burst of barely comprehendible and some unprintable expletives erupted from the others.
The bird we were seeing was none other than a plain-backed sunbird, one of SA’s feathered treasures. It’s rare. Let me put it this way – seeing a plain-backed sunbird is like scoring a goal in the world cup final from an offside position!
In May I was lucky enough to co-lead a birding course on behalf of EcoTraining to Tembe, and fortunate to be one of these guys - the unprintable expletive was mine! In northern Maputaland Tembe is one of the least known jewels in our wildlife crown. Located on the southern boundary of Mozambique close to the Pongolo River, the reserve is home to a budding population of elephant, rare mammals and insects, as well as a host of bird specials. The unique sand forest, a threatened habitat in SA, is the reason for this amazing variety.
Apart from the Kruger and Addo, (and as the men in white coats cannot make their minds up about the Knysna eles), we only have three naturally occurring elephant populations. And the Tembe tuskers are the biggest I have ever seen. A bull here, named Isilo, is reputed to be the largest tusker in the southern hemisphere…no arguments from me! His left tusk is so long that the tip gets wet whenever he drinks.
Considering many years of poaching pressure from Mozambique, it’s a wonder that these magnificent bulls are as relaxed as they are.
But it’s the birds that are often a drawcard to Tembe, and the sightings list includes 60% of SA species. The sand forest habitat of Maputaland is a birding hotspot, with notable notables such as Woodward’s batis, Neergard’s sunbird, pink-throated twinspot, African broadbill and the plain-backed sunbird. Other specials seen on our courses are cuckoo-hawk, crested guineafowl, rufous-winged cisticola, dark-backed weaver, grey waxbill and gorgeous bush-shrike.
The formation of the distinctive sand forests (or Licuati forests as they are known in Mozambique) is unique and in geological terms, relatively young. It’s estimated that only 120 000 years ago, the Indian Ocean coastline lay within Tembe resulting in the sand dunes, and endemic vegetation.
The rich combination of rare plants, mammals such as suni, red duiker and the endemic African golden mole, the highest concentration of butterflies in SA, and of course the birds, is still finding its ecological feet.
As a result, the sand forest habitat is extremely delicate. The Tembe elephant herd has grown from 60 animals when the reserve was proclaimed in 1983 to its present day number of 250, and poses a threat to the forest balance. "There is a clash of interests between the sand forest and the elephants", laments resident ecologist Wayne Matthews who heads a research team. There is a strong motivation to proclaim a Transfrontier Conservation Area with Mozambique from the Lubombo mountains in the west to include the Muzi Swamp corridor to Maputo and the Maputo Elephant Reserve. The area would be Africa’s first elephant stronghold on the eastern coastline. The project, of course, is not without serious hurdles.
There is a great camp on the reserve run with amazing Zulu hospitality, so, if it’s the big, the small, the colourful, the unique, the secretive or the groundbreaking you are after on safari, Tembe is the place to go! Please contact Alan at dugout@iafrica.com for information on birdwatching tours to Tembe.
"There it is", exclaimed one. "Whohh", managed another.
Like rapid gunfire, a jumbled burst of barely comprehendible and some unprintable expletives erupted from the others.
The bird we were seeing was none other than a plain-backed sunbird, one of SA’s feathered treasures. It’s rare. Let me put it this way – seeing a plain-backed sunbird is like scoring a goal in the world cup final from an offside position!
In May I was lucky enough to co-lead a birding course on behalf of EcoTraining to Tembe, and fortunate to be one of these guys - the unprintable expletive was mine! In northern Maputaland Tembe is one of the least known jewels in our wildlife crown. Located on the southern boundary of Mozambique close to the Pongolo River, the reserve is home to a budding population of elephant, rare mammals and insects, as well as a host of bird specials. The unique sand forest, a threatened habitat in SA, is the reason for this amazing variety.
Apart from the Kruger and Addo, (and as the men in white coats cannot make their minds up about the Knysna eles), we only have three naturally occurring elephant populations. And the Tembe tuskers are the biggest I have ever seen. A bull here, named Isilo, is reputed to be the largest tusker in the southern hemisphere…no arguments from me! His left tusk is so long that the tip gets wet whenever he drinks.
Considering many years of poaching pressure from Mozambique, it’s a wonder that these magnificent bulls are as relaxed as they are.
But it’s the birds that are often a drawcard to Tembe, and the sightings list includes 60% of SA species. The sand forest habitat of Maputaland is a birding hotspot, with notable notables such as Woodward’s batis, Neergard’s sunbird, pink-throated twinspot, African broadbill and the plain-backed sunbird. Other specials seen on our courses are cuckoo-hawk, crested guineafowl, rufous-winged cisticola, dark-backed weaver, grey waxbill and gorgeous bush-shrike.
The formation of the distinctive sand forests (or Licuati forests as they are known in Mozambique) is unique and in geological terms, relatively young. It’s estimated that only 120 000 years ago, the Indian Ocean coastline lay within Tembe resulting in the sand dunes, and endemic vegetation.
The rich combination of rare plants, mammals such as suni, red duiker and the endemic African golden mole, the highest concentration of butterflies in SA, and of course the birds, is still finding its ecological feet.
As a result, the sand forest habitat is extremely delicate. The Tembe elephant herd has grown from 60 animals when the reserve was proclaimed in 1983 to its present day number of 250, and poses a threat to the forest balance. "There is a clash of interests between the sand forest and the elephants", laments resident ecologist Wayne Matthews who heads a research team. There is a strong motivation to proclaim a Transfrontier Conservation Area with Mozambique from the Lubombo mountains in the west to include the Muzi Swamp corridor to Maputo and the Maputo Elephant Reserve. The area would be Africa’s first elephant stronghold on the eastern coastline. The project, of course, is not without serious hurdles.
There is a great camp on the reserve run with amazing Zulu hospitality, so, if it’s the big, the small, the colourful, the unique, the secretive or the groundbreaking you are after on safari, Tembe is the place to go! Please contact Alan at dugout@iafrica.com for information on birdwatching tours to Tembe.
Thats not old!
Before i visited Europe for the first time, the oldest building i had seen was a derelict hut in the Kruger Park, dating (then) about 95 years old. Not much i know, but hey, i haven’t travelled much. I used to consider crossing the Zambezi River as going overseas!
But during a recent marketing trip to Holland, i visited a friend living in Utrecht. One of the oldest cities in The Netherlands, it’s possible to find remnants of the old Roman walls and structures, dating back to about 5 AD. My friend’s house is actually partially built on the foundations of an ancient Roman building, with the masonry still visible in his basement.
Knowing my interest in history, and teasing me about my feeble experiences, he took great glee in showing me this. Determined not to be beaten, i produced a small stone from my leather pouch which i’ve carried with me for a decade. It’s my good luck charm.
“If you guys think you have a long history, take a look at this stone”, i said showing him an artefact. “It’s a stone-age implement i picked up in my back garden in Africa, and it’s about 20 000 years old!”
My friend, for once, was quiet.
As the Romans once said: Ex Africa simper alquid novi (Always something new out of Africa).
But during a recent marketing trip to Holland, i visited a friend living in Utrecht. One of the oldest cities in The Netherlands, it’s possible to find remnants of the old Roman walls and structures, dating back to about 5 AD. My friend’s house is actually partially built on the foundations of an ancient Roman building, with the masonry still visible in his basement.
Knowing my interest in history, and teasing me about my feeble experiences, he took great glee in showing me this. Determined not to be beaten, i produced a small stone from my leather pouch which i’ve carried with me for a decade. It’s my good luck charm.
“If you guys think you have a long history, take a look at this stone”, i said showing him an artefact. “It’s a stone-age implement i picked up in my back garden in Africa, and it’s about 20 000 years old!”
My friend, for once, was quiet.
As the Romans once said: Ex Africa simper alquid novi (Always something new out of Africa).
Wilderness Wisdom
Spending time in remote wilderness regions, travelling light and sleeping under the stars is an invigorating, humbling and life-changing experience. It is not only about the animals, plants and solitude, but also about the process of inner discovery. Very few people return from a wilderness trail without a clearer understanding of themselves, their priorities in life, and their place in the world.
These wilderness experiences can show us how to become more sustainable with our resources and human relations - how to live more sustainably, not only with our environment but also with one another.
We re-learn the magic of simplicity and wonder - the more we conserve our wilderness, the more we conserve these special fibres which bind us all together as humans. Through nature we are able to re-trace our steps, and re-align ourselves with pure and upstanding priorities.
There is the Eastern proverb which goes: “Give a man a fish and feed him for a day, but if you teach him how to fish then you will feed him for a year.” Wilderness Vision proposes an addition to this famous philosophy by saying, “…and then teach him not to catch too much fish.”
I believe all of us in modern society can agree that we have been catching too much fish!
These wilderness experiences can show us how to become more sustainable with our resources and human relations - how to live more sustainably, not only with our environment but also with one another.
We re-learn the magic of simplicity and wonder - the more we conserve our wilderness, the more we conserve these special fibres which bind us all together as humans. Through nature we are able to re-trace our steps, and re-align ourselves with pure and upstanding priorities.
There is the Eastern proverb which goes: “Give a man a fish and feed him for a day, but if you teach him how to fish then you will feed him for a year.” Wilderness Vision proposes an addition to this famous philosophy by saying, “…and then teach him not to catch too much fish.”
I believe all of us in modern society can agree that we have been catching too much fish!
Meeting a legend's grandson
I recently led a safari to Tsodilo Hills in north-west Botswana for some clients who were interested in the cultural history and significance of this enigmatic place. From our campsite at the foot of the Female Hill, we explored the numerous trails, San rock art galleries and hidden away places which make the Hills so unique. It took us three hours to summit the Male Hill, which at some 1400m ASL, is the highest point in Botswana. The Kalahari Desert lay beneath us from horizon to horizon, for as far as the eye could see. We were literally standing on top of the world. We could see the extinct channel which 20 000 years ago fed the massive inland lake to the west, all of which now remained was a vast sand basin.
Recently, during a joint military survival exercise with a UN battalion and members of the Botswana Defence Force, soldiers were tasked to climb the most difficult face of the Male Hill. Due to the strong supernatural significance of the Hills, particularly the Male, the Motswana soldiers refused, warning the others not to impose. Tragically, during the climb, a UN soldier was killed, falling to his death from a jagged edge of the Male Hill. Such is the legend of Tsodilo.
Such is the aura and legend of the place.
During our visit, I hired a local Hambukushu guide named KT, who is employed by the Museum's Council which now overseas Tsodilo, to show us around. We soon discovered that KT is the grandson of a well known tribal elder called Samutchoso, who guided Sir Laurens van der Post’s famous expedition to the Hills in 1958. The expedition, and the significance of the Hills and San rock art, was made famous in van der Post’s subsequent book, The Lost World of the Kalahari. According to KT, his grandfather still talks about the expedition, and still lives in a basic settlement close by. Samutchoso is evidently a very prominent chief and an active shaman.
Recently, during a joint military survival exercise with a UN battalion and members of the Botswana Defence Force, soldiers were tasked to climb the most difficult face of the Male Hill. Due to the strong supernatural significance of the Hills, particularly the Male, the Motswana soldiers refused, warning the others not to impose. Tragically, during the climb, a UN soldier was killed, falling to his death from a jagged edge of the Male Hill. Such is the legend of Tsodilo.
Such is the aura and legend of the place.
During our visit, I hired a local Hambukushu guide named KT, who is employed by the Museum's Council which now overseas Tsodilo, to show us around. We soon discovered that KT is the grandson of a well known tribal elder called Samutchoso, who guided Sir Laurens van der Post’s famous expedition to the Hills in 1958. The expedition, and the significance of the Hills and San rock art, was made famous in van der Post’s subsequent book, The Lost World of the Kalahari. According to KT, his grandfather still talks about the expedition, and still lives in a basic settlement close by. Samutchoso is evidently a very prominent chief and an active shaman.
A funny thing happened on the way to Xaxaba
Some time ago during a trans-Okavango dugout canoe expedition, quite by accident, we came across a birder’s Holy Grail - a nest of a wattled crane. No-one knows for sure how many cranes inhabit the Delta, and they are considered a critically endangered bird. As you can imagine it was a huge thrill to find the nest, a flattened mound of grass in a remote floodplain - with an egg in place.
I didn’t want our noisy flotilla of mekoro to linger too long, and after a hurried photo we moved on, leaving the nest in peace. Once we were out of range i stopped the convoy, and gave a short presentation about the cranes; how rare they were, how threatened their habitat has become and why the delta is considered a stronghold for them.
Everyone was suitably impressed.
Not 5 minutes later, we poled through a plain of tall rank grass, and with considerable effort, we broke through the barrier of vegetation to find a huge, pristine, heavenly, emerald-green floodplain before our eyes. The scene was mesmerising. And feeding in the centre of the plain, a short distance away, was a flock of some 70 to 80 wattled crane! I had never seen so many cranes in one place before (and doubt if i ever will again).
“Rare bird, huh?” i heard some wag mumble from behind.
It took me some time to salvage my crumbled reputation. It’s the unpredictability of nature that makes it so special.
I didn’t want our noisy flotilla of mekoro to linger too long, and after a hurried photo we moved on, leaving the nest in peace. Once we were out of range i stopped the convoy, and gave a short presentation about the cranes; how rare they were, how threatened their habitat has become and why the delta is considered a stronghold for them.
Everyone was suitably impressed.
Not 5 minutes later, we poled through a plain of tall rank grass, and with considerable effort, we broke through the barrier of vegetation to find a huge, pristine, heavenly, emerald-green floodplain before our eyes. The scene was mesmerising. And feeding in the centre of the plain, a short distance away, was a flock of some 70 to 80 wattled crane! I had never seen so many cranes in one place before (and doubt if i ever will again).
“Rare bird, huh?” i heard some wag mumble from behind.
It took me some time to salvage my crumbled reputation. It’s the unpredictability of nature that makes it so special.
Usain is not a bolt of lightening
Over the years i have had countless conversations with trailists about the merits of trying to run away from animals in the bush. "We are not on the menu", and "only food runs" often come up. The reality is that no matter how fit or athletic we are, humans are not capable of out-running animals, which ultimately then, makes the exercise fruitless.
When Usain Bolt, the fastest human alive, won the 100m gold, he was running at a speed of some 37km/h. If you compare the top speeds of the following big game you will see what i'm getting at.
Lion: 80 km/h
Elephant: 40 km/h
Buffalo: 65 km/h (which by the way is as quick as a racehorse!)
Hippo: 48 km/h
Cheetah: 112 km/h
Those who have trailed with Wilderness Vision soon discover that animals are not out to get us and that there is a lot of exaggerated legend about how dangerous they are. Fortunately for us, we are not on the menu....and running from animals is not so much pointless as completely unnecessary.
When Usain Bolt, the fastest human alive, won the 100m gold, he was running at a speed of some 37km/h. If you compare the top speeds of the following big game you will see what i'm getting at.
Lion: 80 km/h
Elephant: 40 km/h
Buffalo: 65 km/h (which by the way is as quick as a racehorse!)
Hippo: 48 km/h
Cheetah: 112 km/h
Those who have trailed with Wilderness Vision soon discover that animals are not out to get us and that there is a lot of exaggerated legend about how dangerous they are. Fortunately for us, we are not on the menu....and running from animals is not so much pointless as completely unnecessary.
In order to reach a goal, first let it go.
Sitting at the campfire during a recent trail in Okavango, we heard a pride of lion roaring in the distance, some 300 metres from our camp.
We made a decision to track them the following morning, and rising early before light, set off on foot in the direction of their calls. It did not take long before my friend and colleague...tracker extraordinaire Sam Matabele to pick up their tracks and we followed the pride's movements through the thornbush and into the vast camel-thorn forests. The age of the spoor indicated that the lion passed through during the early time of the morning, and that they may not be too far off.
We were confident we would find them.
Almost 5 hours later, we were still trying!
The clouds, which had given us some pleasant cover against the morning sun began to fade and the day began to heat up. Our life-saving breeze dropped, and the bush prepared itself for the onslaught of a hot day. Glancing around at the trail party, i noticed the early signs of dehydration setting in, and decided to call a water break. We all decided we had come far enough, and i motioned to Sam that we would stop for lunch and call off the search. The lion had beaten us this time.
During lunch i spoke about how hard we had tried as walking on the track for 5 hours was an achievement in itself. We had done all we could (we even located a leopard with an impala kill on the way). We had "kept on track" all the way and the goal, even though we had given it every chance, had eluded us. The water and peanuts tasted good, and re-charged, we set off back to camp which i estimated about a 2 hour walk in the noonday sun. Silently i tipped my hat in the direction the lion tracks led. "Siyabonga uNgonyama (thank you lion)" i whispered.
We saw the lion, not 10 minutes later.
First a male and then a close encounter with a lioness who rushed at us from behind a candle-pod acacia thicket. Before i could say "Stand sti...........", the lioness had come at us, turned, and fled, growling menacingly all the while. We all stood rooted to the spot, grinning from ear to ear at the surreality of the encounter.
It was some time before any of us could speak. The scene was magical.
That day we learned another life lesson from nature. Although we gave it our best shot to find the lion, and despite honestly "staying on track" it was only once we decided to let our goal go, that we found it - or came to us, more like it.
Consider for a moment these thoughts. Have you ever tried so hard to achieve something in life or in business that it remains seemingly forever out of reach? And as soon as you focus clearly and release the pressure, it somehow arrives?
It happened to us that day on a remote island deep in the Okavango. Another example of wilderness wisdom and the value of leadership trails.
We made a decision to track them the following morning, and rising early before light, set off on foot in the direction of their calls. It did not take long before my friend and colleague...tracker extraordinaire Sam Matabele to pick up their tracks and we followed the pride's movements through the thornbush and into the vast camel-thorn forests. The age of the spoor indicated that the lion passed through during the early time of the morning, and that they may not be too far off.
We were confident we would find them.
Almost 5 hours later, we were still trying!
The clouds, which had given us some pleasant cover against the morning sun began to fade and the day began to heat up. Our life-saving breeze dropped, and the bush prepared itself for the onslaught of a hot day. Glancing around at the trail party, i noticed the early signs of dehydration setting in, and decided to call a water break. We all decided we had come far enough, and i motioned to Sam that we would stop for lunch and call off the search. The lion had beaten us this time.
During lunch i spoke about how hard we had tried as walking on the track for 5 hours was an achievement in itself. We had done all we could (we even located a leopard with an impala kill on the way). We had "kept on track" all the way and the goal, even though we had given it every chance, had eluded us. The water and peanuts tasted good, and re-charged, we set off back to camp which i estimated about a 2 hour walk in the noonday sun. Silently i tipped my hat in the direction the lion tracks led. "Siyabonga uNgonyama (thank you lion)" i whispered.
We saw the lion, not 10 minutes later.
First a male and then a close encounter with a lioness who rushed at us from behind a candle-pod acacia thicket. Before i could say "Stand sti...........", the lioness had come at us, turned, and fled, growling menacingly all the while. We all stood rooted to the spot, grinning from ear to ear at the surreality of the encounter.
It was some time before any of us could speak. The scene was magical.
That day we learned another life lesson from nature. Although we gave it our best shot to find the lion, and despite honestly "staying on track" it was only once we decided to let our goal go, that we found it - or came to us, more like it.
Consider for a moment these thoughts. Have you ever tried so hard to achieve something in life or in business that it remains seemingly forever out of reach? And as soon as you focus clearly and release the pressure, it somehow arrives?
It happened to us that day on a remote island deep in the Okavango. Another example of wilderness wisdom and the value of leadership trails.
Invitation to our Fundraising event in Holland
My name is Alan McSmith and for over 20 years i have led safaris and trails through the wild-lands of six African countries.
The result of countless ‘wilderness experiences’ has been life changing. I believe that we need to find a balance with nature to find our true grounding, as very few people return from a trail or safari without a deeper understanding of their place in the world. The value of nature in authentic leadership is crucial, and I have dedicated my life to the cause of environmental conservation.
With the generous assistance of Joep van den Eijkel and many other Dutch friends, I co-founded a foundation known as Wilderness Vision, which is based in South Africa. Through wilderness, we are committed to improving the standard of environmental awareness, as well as motivating sustainable entrepreneurship within young leaders. The proverb “One generation plants a tree, and another gets the shade” is very much a Wilderness Vision ideal, and we believe that in our age of social and environmental concerns, the more we respect our earth, the more we will tolerate one another.
The success of our ventures is largely dependent on my motivational presentations and fundraising events, and with the help of Joep we are planning a talk and fundraising dinner at his restaurant Les Jumeaux in Bennebroek on the 5th November 2009.
In support of our legacy, I wish to take this opportunity to invite you to share our evening of dynamic African storytelling, imagery, traditional wisdom and adventures from the wilderness!
It would be great to see you there!
With best warm wishes,
Alan
The result of countless ‘wilderness experiences’ has been life changing. I believe that we need to find a balance with nature to find our true grounding, as very few people return from a trail or safari without a deeper understanding of their place in the world. The value of nature in authentic leadership is crucial, and I have dedicated my life to the cause of environmental conservation.
With the generous assistance of Joep van den Eijkel and many other Dutch friends, I co-founded a foundation known as Wilderness Vision, which is based in South Africa. Through wilderness, we are committed to improving the standard of environmental awareness, as well as motivating sustainable entrepreneurship within young leaders. The proverb “One generation plants a tree, and another gets the shade” is very much a Wilderness Vision ideal, and we believe that in our age of social and environmental concerns, the more we respect our earth, the more we will tolerate one another.
The success of our ventures is largely dependent on my motivational presentations and fundraising events, and with the help of Joep we are planning a talk and fundraising dinner at his restaurant Les Jumeaux in Bennebroek on the 5th November 2009.
In support of our legacy, I wish to take this opportunity to invite you to share our evening of dynamic African storytelling, imagery, traditional wisdom and adventures from the wilderness!
It would be great to see you there!
With best warm wishes,
Alan
Tsodilo Hills
Nothing can prepare you for a visit to Tsodilo. With evidence of human settlement going back 100 000 years, the sense of place, history and culture is at times overwhelming.
The west side of the hills was once an vast inland sea, with many fossils and bone crafted fish hooks (20 000 years old) found amongst the hills. A special feature are countless San Bushman rock art galleries showing a pictoral history of the Kalahari from a hunter/gatherer existance 3000 years ago, to the arrival of the first horsemen and explorers in the 1800's. The decendants of these First people still live at the hills today in isolated and impoverished villages, etching out a meagre existance selling curios and being ogled at by insensitive visitors. Its a humbling experience to visit.
The historical, cultural and spiritual significance of Tsodilo has led to the region being proclamed as Botswana's first and only World Heritage Site. Rightly so. There is certainly a presence, eerie at times and exhilirating at others. I've camped beneath the hills on a few occasions and can attest to not sleeping very well each time. The mystism of the Bushman legend lives on strong and well here, despite the onset of the 21st century which, here at Tsodilo, seems to be most out of place than other regions.
The west side of the hills was once an vast inland sea, with many fossils and bone crafted fish hooks (20 000 years old) found amongst the hills. A special feature are countless San Bushman rock art galleries showing a pictoral history of the Kalahari from a hunter/gatherer existance 3000 years ago, to the arrival of the first horsemen and explorers in the 1800's. The decendants of these First people still live at the hills today in isolated and impoverished villages, etching out a meagre existance selling curios and being ogled at by insensitive visitors. Its a humbling experience to visit.
The historical, cultural and spiritual significance of Tsodilo has led to the region being proclamed as Botswana's first and only World Heritage Site. Rightly so. There is certainly a presence, eerie at times and exhilirating at others. I've camped beneath the hills on a few occasions and can attest to not sleeping very well each time. The mystism of the Bushman legend lives on strong and well here, despite the onset of the 21st century which, here at Tsodilo, seems to be most out of place than other regions.
Hotel mokoro
The unusual weather conditions last month in Okavango resulted in unusual habits on trail. To provide some cover from the out-of-season-rain (over 50mm in two days) our fleet of mekoro were put to use - as a shelter!
The shelter, named "Hotel Mokoro" (sung to the tune of Hotel California by the more musically gifted members of the trail party - which of course excluded me) was a hit, and gave us a dry place to sit and enjoy a campfire out of the rain. On a remote island, deep in the delta, it was certainly a case of you can check out any time you like, but you can never leave. Good memories!
They paved paradise
I know i'm probably showing my age if i recall Joni Mitchell's environmental song "Big Yellow Taxi'. I'm a bit old-fashioned when it comes to music taste, and besides, they don't write 'em like they used to!
But every now and again, someone brings out a cover version which does an original great song justice - like this one. Its the Counting Crows with their rendition of the song - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2FisAOME7qs. I really love the line - they took all the trees and they put 'em in a tree museum
But every now and again, someone brings out a cover version which does an original great song justice - like this one. Its the Counting Crows with their rendition of the song - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2FisAOME7qs. I really love the line - they took all the trees and they put 'em in a tree museum
Lunch is ready
Here's one from the archives, about 6 years ago.
A pic taken on safari with some bread prepared in our famous cooking pot which i rigged up to the manifold of a Toyota Landcruiser. By using the heat from the engine block, we could cook or warm up a variety of meals. I got it down to such a fine art that if i drove from the airport to our tented fly-camp and then half way through an afternoon game drive, i could prepare some pieces of chicken and vegetables. It certainly saved on some of our catering costs, although i could never understand why clients would always leave hungry! People though i was mad, but it seemed to make all the sense in the world.
Modern day trackers
In the early 90’s South African film makers Craig and Damon Foster produced a stirring documentary, “The Great Dance.” The film expertly describes and portrays the altered state of consciousness San Bushman hunters enter while tracking and hunting game. The hunters could enter a realm where they did not need physical signs or spoor to follow their quarry. They, in a sense, “became” the animal.
And also how important these rituals were in maintaining the harmonious bonds the San shared with others and their environment.
For in the parched sands of the Kalahari, it took a special type of skill to survive. One long forgotten by modern society, it was a way of life for these ancient peoples for over 40 000 years. It provided an intuitive connection with the land, its co-habitors and its rhythms.
Perhaps this is where modern society has gone wrong. With our prevalence of addictive and intolerant behaviour, perhaps we, as a collective, have lost the track. The track of where we have come from, and the track of where we are headed. The more nature gives way to the roll of society, the more faded this spoor becomes.
And also how important these rituals were in maintaining the harmonious bonds the San shared with others and their environment.
For in the parched sands of the Kalahari, it took a special type of skill to survive. One long forgotten by modern society, it was a way of life for these ancient peoples for over 40 000 years. It provided an intuitive connection with the land, its co-habitors and its rhythms.
Perhaps this is where modern society has gone wrong. With our prevalence of addictive and intolerant behaviour, perhaps we, as a collective, have lost the track. The track of where we have come from, and the track of where we are headed. The more nature gives way to the roll of society, the more faded this spoor becomes.
Always something new out of Africa
Biologist Charles Darwin, considered to be one of the brightest and most original minds of his day, once wrote: "It is somewhat more probable that our early progenitors lived on the African continent than elsewhere".
Perhaps Darwin was correct. The alleged oldest known pre-human fossil on record was unearthed in Chad, and dates back an estimated seven million years.
Whatever you choose to read into these figures, one thing cannot be denied: man and Africa go back a long way.
In Kenya during the 1960’s, Richard Leakey discovered a femur of an early species of man, Homo erectus. At an age of 1.8 million years, and not a unique find in itself, the bone showed clear signs of a fracture that had healed while the early ancestor was still alive. It was clear evidence of compassion and caring, of a significant social setting.
In Leakey’s words: In the East African savanna, there is only one way a human with a broken leg can survive, and that is with the assistance of others. He goes on to say: [It] gave me a deeper understanding of how critical our capacity to care for one another has been to our survival as a species. It is one of the things that makes us human.
Perhaps Darwin was correct. The alleged oldest known pre-human fossil on record was unearthed in Chad, and dates back an estimated seven million years.
Whatever you choose to read into these figures, one thing cannot be denied: man and Africa go back a long way.
In Kenya during the 1960’s, Richard Leakey discovered a femur of an early species of man, Homo erectus. At an age of 1.8 million years, and not a unique find in itself, the bone showed clear signs of a fracture that had healed while the early ancestor was still alive. It was clear evidence of compassion and caring, of a significant social setting.
In Leakey’s words: In the East African savanna, there is only one way a human with a broken leg can survive, and that is with the assistance of others. He goes on to say: [It] gave me a deeper understanding of how critical our capacity to care for one another has been to our survival as a species. It is one of the things that makes us human.
This perhaps suggests that Africa was not only the cradle of humankind, but also the cradle of humaneness too. Not bad for a dark continent.
A funny thing happened on the way from the train station
Drieberge-Zeist train station, Holland. That's the scene of the incident, and you couldn't be further from my beloved Okavango if you tried.
During a marketing trip to Holland, i learned of a cafe which has a revolving entry door. So what, many do. But this is not any old door - its responsible for making your coffee. When i heard the story of the door, i found it fascinating and wondered what kind of wilderness experience would motivate a person to design such a contraption. I made a mental note to investigate the cafe and the design of the door, and soon forgot about the story.
Anyway, back to the train station. I arrived early for an appointment, and seeing a sign for 'coffee' at the end of the platform, decided to relax and take in the sights. When i rounded the corner there it was. "La Porte Cafe", with the revolving door!
It was true - the revolving door when pushed generates electricity through a series of diodes which is then stored and converted to charge the coffee machine. Whaaat! Coming from Africa, this was the holy grail of inventions, and i sat, mesmerised, watching and drinking coffee until i had to go.
If you like, you can check out their website - its http://www.natuurcafelaporte.nl/, although it's in Dutch. Another good link is http://gogreenstaygreen.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=142&Itemid=50 "Laporte", by the way, means "door" in French.
Postscript: There is a huge difference between a "cafe" and a "coffee shop"! Anyone who has followed the blue haze of Amsterdam knows this. I, coming out of the bush to the big city, learned the hard way.
A good man in Africa
Born in the Okavango and brought up hunting small game with a bow and arrow, baYei guide Baseki Mahowe has a lifetime of deep understanding of the Delta. Ever affable on trail, he is a gently inspirational friend and colleague, and is unflappable in a sticky situation.
Unschooled, Baseki taught himself to read and write by using animal and bird books, and takes great pride in his career as a professional wilderness guide – an extremely admirable commitment. He recognizes the value of a cultural awareness in guiding, and is an exceptionally competent storyteller. In keeping with the tradition, Baseki firmly believes his young son will follow in his footsteps.
Some time ago while poling in a convoy of mekoro, Baseki watched helplessly from behind as a large crocodile leapt from the water and seized an Australian client by the arm, capsizing his dugout. The croc was in the process of dragging the hapless man into deeper water, and Baseki knew he had little time to waste. Without a moment’s hesitation or consideration for his own safety, he dived in to help. After some time, Baseki and some other polers managed to free the man and help him to the shore. Although a highly unusual incident, one which occurred outside the context of our trails, his bravery certainly saved the man’s life. Baseki is an immensely humble man, and shyly speaks of the incident, shrugging it off as ‘one of those things’.
Unschooled, Baseki taught himself to read and write by using animal and bird books, and takes great pride in his career as a professional wilderness guide – an extremely admirable commitment. He recognizes the value of a cultural awareness in guiding, and is an exceptionally competent storyteller. In keeping with the tradition, Baseki firmly believes his young son will follow in his footsteps.
Some time ago while poling in a convoy of mekoro, Baseki watched helplessly from behind as a large crocodile leapt from the water and seized an Australian client by the arm, capsizing his dugout. The croc was in the process of dragging the hapless man into deeper water, and Baseki knew he had little time to waste. Without a moment’s hesitation or consideration for his own safety, he dived in to help. After some time, Baseki and some other polers managed to free the man and help him to the shore. Although a highly unusual incident, one which occurred outside the context of our trails, his bravery certainly saved the man’s life. Baseki is an immensely humble man, and shyly speaks of the incident, shrugging it off as ‘one of those things’.
Have you herd about this?
Bison. Up until the 1880’s, the great North American prairies and forests supported what is considered by historians and biologists to have been the largest populations of hoofed animals that ever roamed the earth – the bison. Numbers of as many as 200 million animals have been mooted. For a second, try and picture this.
Lakota sage Luther Standing Bear once said “We were frugal in the midst of plenty.” This soon changed and the great herds were quickly decimated with the arrival of European settlers. With the onset of a fur trade, as well as the dark settler mindset of that era (and by no means confined to North America) that ‘they would never run out’, by the 1880’s these huge herds were history.
But there was an even darker side to the process too.
According to various sources, in order to subjugate the Indians, the politicians decided to enforce the mass slaying of bison in order to manipulate the Indian’s source of protein and supplies. In little over two years of wanton slaying Buffalo Bill Cody is said to have shot over four thousand animals. Four thousand!
Possibly the only thing scarier than this, is that Cody was seen as a role model during that era.
Lakota sage Luther Standing Bear once said “We were frugal in the midst of plenty.” This soon changed and the great herds were quickly decimated with the arrival of European settlers. With the onset of a fur trade, as well as the dark settler mindset of that era (and by no means confined to North America) that ‘they would never run out’, by the 1880’s these huge herds were history.
But there was an even darker side to the process too.
According to various sources, in order to subjugate the Indians, the politicians decided to enforce the mass slaying of bison in order to manipulate the Indian’s source of protein and supplies. In little over two years of wanton slaying Buffalo Bill Cody is said to have shot over four thousand animals. Four thousand!
Possibly the only thing scarier than this, is that Cody was seen as a role model during that era.
Wilderness thought
Wednesday morning, 24th June.
We are on the edge of a remote island, deep in an uncharted region of the Okavango Delta in Botswana. Its the highest flood season for 60 years, a host of tribal elders say, as they have not seen so much water since they were children. Unprecedented water levels in the delta have forced numerous safari operators to wonder if they have taken a chance in building lodges, decks and airstrips where they have.
"The flood will never reach my deck", they murmur, with a comparatively short time of experience.
An old seasoned poler, unwise in the ways of society thinks differently. "Eesh" he says, as he watches another luxury development on the edge of a dry floodplain.
We are on the edge of a remote island, deep in an uncharted region of the Okavango Delta in Botswana. Its the highest flood season for 60 years, a host of tribal elders say, as they have not seen so much water since they were children. Unprecedented water levels in the delta have forced numerous safari operators to wonder if they have taken a chance in building lodges, decks and airstrips where they have.
"The flood will never reach my deck", they murmur, with a comparatively short time of experience.
An old seasoned poler, unwise in the ways of society thinks differently. "Eesh" he says, as he watches another luxury development on the edge of a dry floodplain.
"I used to hunt at this place with my father and the water was then waist deep".
But, we do what we do in modern society - conveniently, we doubt this knowledge.
Lost in time, sitting watching a dusty channel collect water from the still rising flood, a group of trailists are pondering all of this. They have been camping in the bush for days and are in tune with the ways of wilderness and her unpredictability. In a land like Botswana, the Okavango is an oasis, a place where delta meets desert, a place where the sky meets the earth. Everything makes sense.
Slowly, almost hesitantly, we pack our tents and bedrolls, loading them into out dugout canoes, and venture further to another piece of paradise.
Lost in time, sitting watching a dusty channel collect water from the still rising flood, a group of trailists are pondering all of this. They have been camping in the bush for days and are in tune with the ways of wilderness and her unpredictability. In a land like Botswana, the Okavango is an oasis, a place where delta meets desert, a place where the sky meets the earth. Everything makes sense.
Slowly, almost hesitantly, we pack our tents and bedrolls, loading them into out dugout canoes, and venture further to another piece of paradise.
This is how clear the Okavango waters are!
Poling the southern reaches of the Okavango during low water conditions is almost unheard of as the flood waters usually reach here by mid-year. However, with good rainfall and high flooding, some waterways which were dry last season are now flowing eight feet deep. Meeting up with close friend and colleague Sariqo Sakega, who is now 79 and has been making a living from his dug-out for the past 60 years, is a highlight, and I sense that he is itching to explore the Boro River under these conditions.
As usual, his intuitive recognition of the maze of channels is unerring, and he leads our convoy for four days on course for Ntswi Island where our charter flight awaits. The Okavango is as wild as ever. Along the way we find elephant, lechwe, baboons, giraffe, zebra, warthog, Cape clawless otter, hippo and crocodile.
A pygmy goose chick however, takes the cake. We have just poled past an extremely agitated adult goose that was rather oddly reluctant to fly off, and after a short while we stop in a narrow channel to photograph water-lilies. A movement in the crystal-clear water too large to be a fish catches my eye and I notice the bird swimming beneath us. He follows the channel in the direction of the frantic sounds of the distressed parent bird. Completely oblivious of us, he calmly paddles along with his legs outstretched.
Check him out on the top right of the photograh, just south of the fish.
Watching the goose swim past, I feel privy to some great secret, mesmerised by the magical quality of this remarkable wilderness. As we make camp and brew a pot of tea overlooking a seemingly endless horizon of floodplain, the chimes of the bell-frogs are disturbed by a hippo wading through the shallow verge. Elephant are trumpeting from behind. I can’t believe I managed to photograph that pygmy goose.
Dear friends, colleagues and fellow wilderness addicts,
You have to watch this by one of my favourite bands - DAUGHTRY - it's amazing! I challenge you all to go through it unchanged.....
Click on: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2poBAJ6MPdA&feature=related
Go Green!!!
Alan
Click on: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2poBAJ6MPdA&feature=related
Go Green!!!
Alan
Tolerance
ONCE, AT THE END OF a wilderness trail, I asked a client what his experiences meant to him. He said he learned about the art of tolerance. He felt connected with other people on a level far more meaningful than he had felt his entire life. People he would not normally associate with. On nightwatch, alone with his thoughts in serene silence, he discovered an uncharted part of his own self. “It was a great educational experience”, he added.
Perhaps this is a cornerstone of a wilderness experience. While we all speak of education in terms of biology, science and mathematics, there is a greater significance - for only when we are truly educated do we learn the art of tolerance. Tolerance for nature, and also for the imperfections of our fellow man. The two go hand in hand and feed off each other.
I felt humbled by his comments.
In the words of the 13th century prophet Rumi: “Out beyond the ideas of rightdoing and wrongdoing, there is a field. I will meet you there”.
Lion encounter on trail
IN THE STILLNESS, cicadas sizzled like bacon on a hot skillet.
Drenched with sweat my backpack felt abnormally heavy and stopping in some sparse shade for a water break, I glanced behind at the trail party. A brief ‘thumbs up’ signal was a sign to keep going.
It was about 4pm and we had left our fly-camp at mid-day to track a solitary male lion. We had noted where he had paused, where he had drunk and where he had showed signs of finding shade to rest for the afternoon. Passing herds of elephant and tsessebe, we followed his trail through dry dusty pans and camel-thorn forests. I glanced at Sam Matabele, my friend and mentor, and again marveled at his uncanny tracking gift. As we were in the Moremi Game Reserve and unarmed, I decided to prepare the trail party for a lion encounter on foot. It was the first time anyone of us had spoken in three hours.
Soon, we saw him. Felt him, more like it. Growling and snarling he emerged from behind a thicket and faced us, five metres away. Silently we stood our ground as his flaming eyes bore through us. Slowly, after a few moments he turned and loped off into the woodland without looking back. It was long after he’d gone before anyone dared to speak.
There was a tired but content group of trailists and guides around the campfire that evening. The awe of the day lingered as we watched the flames retreat into coals.
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