The First Drive

It’s been about 5 days now since I've landed in South Africa, and no matter where I am or where I look I am in awe of my surroundings. Although getting here was rough with three plane trips and layovers equaling 24 hours, I know now more than ever I’ve made the right decision in being here. I am volunteering with numerous people from all over the world. Nine of which are doing photography, just like me. The other ten are volunteering in conservation and research and it’s crazy to think I will be meeting more people coming in and out to volunteer in the month of me being here. Out of the nine photography volunteers there is Nico and I from the states (Nico coming from San Diego,CA), Ali, Bryony, Jessica, and Kelly all coming from various parts of the UK, Bram and Corrie from Belgium, and Carlotta from Italy. We truly are a melting pot of people but all with the same caring heart for animals and the art of photography. On Thursday morning I went for my first game drive to Buffalo Land. It was quite chilly with it being a cloud covered day, but unforgettable none the less. I would have to say my favorite part was seeing the two month old zebra, still barring is furry coat, just before we left the reserve. What was a bit ironic was that we almost didn’t even see Buffalo in Buffalo Land; luckily our guide Ange was not going to let that happen. That Thursday night my group (Kelly, Bryony, Jessica, and Carlotta) all went to our overnight game drive to Klaserie. Our guide were Jolandi (from African Impact) and Rey (from Klaserie's Africa on Foot), they truly made this night a one for the books. Rey is a comical guy, always making everyone laugh and has a very happy go lucky attitude towards everything in life. On arrival we saw many giraffe and learned that a group of giraffe standing still is called a ‘Tower’ and that when on the move the group them becomes a ‘Journey’. After making our way through the game drive we then we able to come across two lioness’ relaxing and sleeping in the shade. One of which was pregnant and had days before giving birth. They were actually formally part of a larger pride until it was taken over by a more dominant male in which she and her sister decided to leave the pride and go on their own. Even while being alone they have made some acquaintances, two male lions in which do not have a pride tend to hang around them from time to time. I wish I was going to be here for the birth of the cubs but it is something so unpredictable and hard to do since she will go into hiding to give birth. After hanging around the ladies for a while we started to make our way back to camp where we were able to come across a hippo lounging in the water and a dead buffalo. The buffalo had actually died from injury to its back side early that morning. Seeing this made the guides very happy because it meant we were going to able to see hyena’s feasting on it later that night on our drive after dinner. Once back at camp we all chose which tent was going to be our own, made our beds for the night, and got the fire started. While igniting the fire, Rey informed us that by using old elephant dung, it would not only help the flame get going, but the fumes it gives off can not only keep the mosquitos away but also help with our sinus’ and if we had a headache it would help with that as well. Hearing this at first you want to call ‘bullshit’ and not believe what he is saying because he has the tendency to try to joke around and see how gullible people are; but with Jolandi’s reassurance, we not only thought that maybe it was true but I actually got living proof. I had a headache a stuffy nose from the conservation work we had done on African Impact’s new butterfly garden and it worked miracles. Of course I thought this was weird as all hell but thought “holy shit, that really worked.” As the fire became embers we then places a grill top over and made burgers. Everyone had a part in helping either set up or take down, but I was in charge of grilling the burgers. Now i knew I was fine with making them at home on a real grill but I will admit I was a bit scared to make them over an open fire, especially since the rest of the group, guides included, would be eating these burgers too. In the end though I was told I did a good job and actually had both guides let me know I have made the best burgers so far out of all the African Impact groups that week (these means everyone I am volunteering with). This not only made me very happy but made me think of my father and how proud he would be to hear that since he is our ‘grill master’ at home. I guess it could be in the genes. Once we were done cleaning up and put the fire out we grabbed our blankets and headed out for our night drive. On arrival to the dead buffalo the smell was sickening but nothing a normal person couldn’t handle. We were very patient as Rey had gotten a call on his radio that a hyena was on it’s way towards us. I'll leave the gross details out but I will say this, the sight and sound of these two hyenas gorging themselves on buffalo was remarkable. Of course it was a bit disgusting seeing every bit of the buffalo but to see nature at work and hear how strong a hyenas jaw is ripping into the meat and then bone of the buffalo is quite astonishing. The next morning we got up and went straight out on another drive coming across the two male lion that were mentioned the day before. They were actually in the middle of trying to track down the two females. Which made me laugh because of the faces they made while fleming. It reminded me of my one cat at home (MaePearl) who loves to fleme when smelling her favorite thing; mint. These past five days have been incredible and I can’t wait to see what comes next!