As usual, the weeks and month fly past – and that is a good sign, as I know that I have been busy then J

April and May was a busy two months and rightly so – weather-wise, it is the best time to visit Southern Africa, especially if you are visiting a number of different areas. It is not too hot, not too cold, not too wet, not too dry – just perfect! We also had the English football team come to Durban to play against the South African “Bafana Bafana” national team – and in true English tradition, a large number of supporters followed the English team. Over the next few months, the northern Hemisphere enjoys their summer, whilst we enjoy the best game viewing possible. Our drier months (apart from Cape Town which experiences a wet and cold period from June to August), are the best time to go wildlife viewing, as the rainfall is minimal, the days are cool to warm, the vegetation is sparse and so the animals are ‘forced’ to drink at certain waterholes, springs or rivers/streams and thus you know where to look for them. Likewise with few leaves being on the trees and bushes, it is easier to find them, than in the warmer and wetter months from November to March.

We are finding, especially the repeat clients, are not only wanting wildlife lodges and game reserves, but also want to experience cultural and tribal life, scenic and beautiful areas such as the Drakensberg Mountains and the famous Garden Route. Our requests to include Namibia and Zambia in the itineraries are increasing, as these two fantastic countries offer a lot in both wildlife and cultural experiences and such fantastic scenery is guaranteed. As you are aware, Kenya is having a little bit of political unrest and likewise, Zimbabwe is another country which is not popular. Remember, we would never send you to a destination where we think your life would be in danger. In Zimbabwe, the idiotic ‘president’ Mugabe, is cutting his own throat and ruining the beautiful country with such friendly people. We can still recommend visits to Vic Falls and then the wildlife lodges that are owned by the black Zimbabweans – in the more remote areas. We avoid Harare and Bulawayo altogether. Johannesburg is a big city, but the crime is not nearly as bad as the media portray – and we would never plan for you to stay in an unsafe area. We prefer to organise your stay in Johannesburg, as then we know you are safe!!

PAST SAFARIS:
After each client returns to their home, we do ask them for some feedback on their holiday – as not only does it assist us to ensure we maintain our high standards, but it also gives them a chance to share their thoughts, feelings and observations with us, who planned their holiday. Many of these clients end off their e-mail feedback saying they would be willing to be contacted by future clients as a reference – and so if you wish to contact a past client of ours, to confirm that we do offer a superb service, and especially if they are from your country or have been to an area that you are planning to visit, then we will be willing to forward you their e-mail or telephone number. We are very proud of our fast, friendly and efficient service that we have offered the hundreds of International Tourists over the last 7 years of our business and we have every intention of continuing our excellent, top quality service. This is one of the factors that has kept us going and being ahead of the many new companies that have opened within the last few years, with many of them closing again a year or two later. We are not a huge corporation, but a company that is well known to offer a 5 star service with an excellent turn around in replies, correspondence and going that extra mile for our clients.
I have copied below some excerpts from our most recent clients who have forwarded us feedback – just to share with you their feelings from their recent Southern Africa vacation. Recently I did some statistical analysis of the number of visitors to our website, to enquiries, to bookings, and although we are kept busy, it is obvious there are still so many “internet shoppers” out there who have not the foggiest idea of who, what or where to enquire or book with. Please stop wasting your and my time – contact any of our past clients and they will assure you that there is no other company you need to make your holiday arrangements with, as we cover all the Southern Africa countries and will make all the arrangements for you from the time your plane lands in Johannesburg or Cape Town until the time you take off again. We do NOT mark up the accommodation prices, as we only use those establishments who include the normal Tour Operators commission inside their public prices. Like your business back home, a commission is what we make our bread & butter from, and so we only support those establishments that follow correct business ethics. So, by booking direct with us, means that with me having either personally visited the establishments we have recommended or recommended an establishment that has met certain minimum standards, you can be assured that you are getting excellent value-for-money.

Paul and Elsje were returning to South Africa, having got married at Tshukudu Game lodge a few years ago (one of my favourite lodges), and when they were there, they had met Jim & Judith, who told them about African Bundu Safaris and our services – well, they were now returning for their anniversary and also Elsje’s birthday – and so they asked us to help plan their trip and so we did. I received a very detailed feedback from them, obviously they had a fabulous time and here are some of their comments: (First stop was Simunye Zulu Cultural Village) “… had a great time here! We were the only people there- rode 2 horses down to the village… Food very nice as was the service. The Zulu chief was a sweetie, we enjoyed the dancing and they made a fuss of me. …….. Had a good game drive, saw loads - fantastic! Herd of elies with babies, rhinos with babies, a real "ah" factor … Tshukudu as always was great - pleased to see everyone again. Little baby elephant a joy to watch, comes up to the car and says hello … ” They had been on a self-drive holiday and explored the route from Durban, through Zululand, Swaziland and Kruger Park, before ending at Tshukudu and then going off to Botswana to explore the Central Kalahari Park.

Mona and Farrukh had travelled all the way from Kuwait, shortly after the Iraq war started, so a stressful time for them – so they really earned a break from the hassle and stress in the Middle East.
After a few days in Johannesburg and exploring there, they drove off to Tshukudu and then into Kruger Park for a few days, before flying to Cape Town, where they set about exploring the Cape and also went Caged Shark diving to view The Great White sharks. They both sent me feedback and certainly seems as though they had a fabulous time: “The trip was absolutely fab! Everything from the places we went, the sights we saw and the people we met. South Africa is a dream come true for any nature lover. My favourite was Kruger National Park...definitely! Everything from the drive from JNB, which was absolutely gorgeous, to the last day when we finally got to see lions, perhaps the highlight of the whole trip! The package you booked for us was perfect I loved the personal attention you gave us and the directions were amazing...you really know your way around there! With fond memories, Mona”
And then from her partner….
“I am sure people love South Africa for different reasons but I loved it for everything round me. After two weeks in SA I realized that SA has much more to offer than the Big Five. I loved the friendliness and hospitality of people of SA. Everything was so colorful that now I know why South Africans are called 'The Rainbow Nation'. Dean, thank you very much for everything, you have been so kind and the whole thing was not possible without you. Regards, Farrukh”
Over the Easter period, Sam married his sweetheart, Cheryl in the Drakensberg Mountains and then set off for their Honeymoon into the Maputaland region, spending a few nights at Kosi Forest Lodge and then a few at Mkuze Falls Game Lodge. As Sam was involved in the aviation business, it was only fitting that part of the Honeymoon was to include flying, so between Mkuze Falls Wildlife Reserve and the coastal region at Kosi Bay, where Kosi Forest Camp is situated, we flew them with the Zululand Flying Service – a genuine highlight of the trip, as they soared over the Ubombo Mountains, Josini Dam, along the edge of Tembe Elephant Reserve until they reached the airstrip near Kosi Bay. Their romantic honeymoon was as great as to be expected – and apart from the feedback that Sam sent us, he also sent some super photographs that they took along their trip. Wow, such close encounters with wildlife at Mkuze Falls Game Reserve. Here is portion of their feedback. “Hi Dean The trip was great. The drive from the Cavern to Mkuze Falls was spectacular. Our pilot was punctual and very professional. I never had any reason to doubt his abilities. Kosi Forest was great. They go to great lengths despite the primitive conditions. One thing a bit irritating – some day trips cost extra.
Mkuze Falls was great, and they really treated us on our first night. Food and service was excellent. Game? Watched game until we were bored. The only one of the big 5 we did not see was leopard. Came really close to buffalo, elephant and lion. See Photos. Dean, thank you for organizing a great trip. I’ll admit that I was a bit apprehensive, given that you do not appear to be a large operator, but you delivered everything and more. My thanks. I will gladly refer, and book again (if I have the money). Regards Sam.”

Arah had traveled to our shores a few months ago, along with some friends – and they set off after a night in Johannesburg to Botswana, spending their time at two different wilderness lodges – one in the Okavango Delta and the other in the Savuti region. From Botswana, they returned to Johannesburg to get a connecting flight to Cape Town, where they spent time enjoying and exploring. Arah’s friends returned to the USA and she then flew to the Greater Kruger Park area, spending time at two private lodges, namely Tshukudu Game lodge and Pezulu Treehouse lodge. Both these lodges are superb for individuals, couples and families who are wanting to have a safari experience, with close encounters with wildlife, short walks, adventure, super food and not over-the-top luxury. They are both own run and managed and so the love and devotion is spread amongst the staff through to the guests. Arah continued a bit of traveling afterwards and now she is back in the USA and sent me some feedback. She has a few wonderful tips as well, especially for those folks coming to Africa for their first time and I include those below:
Back from long holiday and can't believe it's over!
In regards to comments about our time in South Africa and Botswana... We had an excellent time, and were (despite our waffling) very happy with the choices that we made. We loved both of the lodges, and I think I wound up preferring Pom Pom camp to Savuti Lodge. Everything in both places was impeccable - the staff, the accommodations, the drives, etc. The only constructive comments that I have about the Botswana part is about the decision/booking process. As you probably remember, we had a lot of trouble choosing which lodges to visit. We actually did a lot of research, but I think that it's hard for people who've never been to Africa or been on safari to understand what the experience will be like. Also, when it's that large a purchase, one wants to be absolutely sure. Here are some thoughts I had about things to tell first-time bookers to make the decision easier:

* explain the usual day at a safari lodge - it would help to understand how "all-inclusive" it is, and that you really don't have to worry about making any decisions once you're there, that the
schedule/activities are set.
* show a map of Botswana and the locations of various lodges. It wasn't until we got there that I understood that all of Botswana wasn't "the Delta" and that I could value having chosen lodges in two different areas. To me, the real differentiator in the lodges is their location in terms of ecosystem/landscape, and what kind of animals you're likely to see,
* explain that all the lodges, no matter what their "level," are extremely nice places. I think some of us were concerned about staying at a "low-level" place (pom pom), but it was beautiful and not rustic at all - certainly about the poshest place I've ever stayed.
As for the other parts of the trip - everything was great! I loved the two places I stayed in SA because they were very different from Botswana. Here are some brief comments.

Tshukudu: The orphaned animal aspect was very cool, as was the management of the reserve. After Botswana, it was fascinating to be on a highly managed reserve. Wendell (my ranger) was terrific. The only comment that I have is that the rooms need renovation (of course I was totally spoiled by the Botswana camps).
Pezulu: Also enjoyed this, although we didn't have great luck with animals. Loved the rooms here.

You were great with all of your patience and help through the booking process -- thanks for that!

Well, you will be pleased to hear that since Arah stayed at Tshukudu, the renovations have been taking place and nearly half the rooms have been completed. Just small additions to the rooms, to add a bit of class. Thanks Arah for the feedback and especially for the suggestions. Sometimes I do forget that for folks coming to Africa for their first time, can be very concerning and I guess with the rush and excitement, I forgot to send you our info sheet on Botswana prior to your arrival – sorry.

Some past clients and now becoming regular clients, Chas from Pretoria, had to bring his son Carl to some karate championships down the South Coast of KwaZulu-Natal – and so he was kind enough to book some hotel accommodation near the championships in Umkomaas over the Indaba period. One thing that really upset me was how the hotels all mark-up their prices when they know that there is a conference on nearby – and so the hotels in the Durban area had almost double their fees – and the clients get nothing extra for the higher price! Well, I went down to their hotel for dinner the one night and had a great time catching up on the news of the family and the karate champs – thanks for the dinner mate!

Steven and his family were returning to Australia, having spent a duration in England and wanted to spend a period in Cape Town before going on safari – and so we booked them into a self-catering apartment on the coast, a short distance from the V&A Waterfront – where they spent 5 days, and then set about exploring Cape Town on their own. They then flew up to spend a couple of nights at Tshukudu and Pezulu lodges, where they had a great time, so the staff there, tell me. I having been waiting for Steven to reply to our e-mails, but I guess they are settling in again back home in Australia?

Of the English football fans, some came straight to Durban whilst most did some touring beforehand.
Nicola and her partner first went to Vic Falls where they spent a few nights, before we transferred them to Chobe Safari Lodge for a few nights – and then they flew back to Johannesburg and onwards to Durban to enjoy the warm hospitality of the Durbanites! It was quite amusing to get Nicola’s e-mail, as I do not think amongst all our preliminary discussions about various accommodations in the Vic Falls area, that lots of lodges/hotels are in Zimbabwe and then there are lots of new ones in Livingstone, Zambia – and they thought the hotel we had booked them in was in Zambia – read below:
Hi Dean, The trip was absolutely fantastic! SA truly is a beautiful place. We had a bit of a scare flying into Vic falls airport. I got rather worried when I saw the signs "welcome to Zimbabwe" ( I had thought the airport was in Zambia and that we were in the wrong country!) All was well though as the driver turned up and as it turns out the hotel was in Zimbabwe too. We had a fantastic time at Vic Falls, even managed to pluck up the courage to bungee off the bridge. Safari in Botswana was out of this world. The Chobe Safari Lodge is Magnificent. I had no idea it would be so plush (easily 5 * accommodation). Durban was an experience, the locals were SO friendly and they were fantastic hosts, very impressive stadium and pre-match entertainment. I am now totally in love with SA and hope they are successful in their bid for the World Cup 2010, if so I will definitely be back. Am now telling all my friends to holiday in SA, if any of them decide to go I shall definitely refer them to you. Thank you so much for sorting out a trip of a lifetime, everything was sorted for us, no hitches, drivers turned up when expected etc. Many thanks again, Nicola.
Thanks Nicola and wow, you were certainly brave to do the bungee jump – thanks for the photos – evidence hey? Lol. Yip, we are certainly proud of our pre-match entertainment and like you and the many English hosts that came to enjoy the football, we also hope and pray that the 2010 World Cup comes to South Africa.

Rob who is a member of one of the large English football fan clubs, came out and spent some time first in Sodwana Bay, scuba diving, before he was transferred back to Durban and then went to the Football match at the ABSA stadium, between Bafana Bafana (the SA team) and the English team. He had a great time he reports and thanks for the photos and website link Rob, with pics of the match and happenings.
“Hi Dean, My week in South Africa was fantastic and your company must take a lot of credit for that with the advice you gave me and the organisation of everything. A lot of English companies could learn from the standards you have set in terms of customer service. The only minor complaint I had was all the measures that a customer has to go through to pay by credit card but I guess this is down to the banks and there isn’t much you can do about it.
I actually managed to get to the ABSA stadium by jumping onto one of the coaches provided by the official England tours. England may have won the game but South Africa were the real winners as the trip can only have re-enforced your bid for the 2010 World Cup. If you want to have a look at a few of the pictures I took for my website – they can be found here http://www.tractorboys.net/Tours/2003/sa_main.htm Feel free to use any pictures you want. The last time I was in Durban was in 1977 when I was about 7 years old and it was great to walk around Marine Parade and the sea front – I actually remembered quite a few places like Mini Town and the Dolphinarium. Hopefully, it won’t be 26 years before I come back again. Once again, thanks for everything. Regards Rob”
Howard and his Dad also came to SA to enjoy the English vs Bafana football match, and started off in Cape Town, enjoying a few tours, before driving up the Garden Route as far as Port Elizabeth and then flying to Durban for the football match and then they went up to the battlefields, to spend a night at Isandlwana before flying back home to the UK. I am waiting to hear from them since their return.

Cliff and his wife came out to SA, also for the English football match against Bafana Bafana in Durban, admittedly his reason to attend was for work purposes, but he had time to enjoy a bit of a holiday before the match – and included spending a few nights in Johannesburg before driving to the Drakensberg Mountains and then arrival in Durban to one of the beachfront hotels – where he was able to do his work and attend the game. Cliff was pleased with everything, and gave the following comments on his return home:
“Hi Dean,
Yes we had a fantastic time. Feedback wise, very happy with the service you provided and Cleo’s was fantastic. Although I’d have to say that I’d advise some sort of training beforehand to cope with the vast amount of food that has to be consumed! We really enjoyed J’Burgh, especially Melville. We drove out to Sandton City and we were glad we didn’t stay out there. Melville is small compact and friendly and a great place to start a holiday. We went down to the CBD in the day on Friday and that was interesting and friendly place to be. Incidentally, the place we stayed in Melville ‘A room with a view’ is fantastic. If you have clients who are looking for something nice in J’Burgh I recommend it. The drive to the Kamberg was great and we did the walk up to the cave paintings, which again was very good. Durban was good too and the Holiday Inn functional. It was where we needed to be but a Holiday Inn is a Holiday Inn! So all in all a good time was had. Cleo’s was simply brilliant so thanks for suggesting that place to us. Hope all is well with you and if I’m doing SA again I’ll be in touch and of course I’ll recommend you to anyone else who I know who’s coming out. All the best. Cliff”

We had our first client from the former USSR, though I must say, I did not expect it to happen. Levan enquired many months ago – asking for cheap and budget accommodation and a cheap safari. There were slight language challenges we had to overcome to ensure everything was clearly understood, we explained the facilities, the prices, the payment procedure – and we did not hear from him for a couple of months, then suddenly we get this phonecall, from Johannesburg, saying he had arrived and was staying at a nice 3 or 4 star hotel! Not cheap! He was also ready to go on the safari we had discussed, and what time on Monday will he be picked up! Today was a Saturday!! Boy, what a rush, trying to organise everything after-hours, on a weekend. Luckily there was space for two people and we organised the payment. Well, they had a great time, on our 4-day Bundu Camping safari to Kruger Park – and here is his feedback: “Dean I REALLY ENJOY THE TIME SPEND IN SAFARI. THE TOUR WAS ORGANISE VERY WELL AND GUIDE-ROSS WAS REALLY GOOD. AS WE ARE FROM GEORGIA (EUROPE) THE CLIMATE IN SAFARI WAS GOOD FOR US. SO, ONCE AGAIN MANY THANKS TO YOUR COMPANY FOR SUCH INTERESTING TOUR. MY FRIEND AND I REALLY WANT TO COME AGAIN. Best regards,
Levan”
Well, Levan, good to have been ale to help you out, even if I did lose more than a few hairs – and love to help you for your next holiday, but let’s finalise it before you leave home! I’m not good with stress!

Friends of mine and one of my first clients, from Durban as well – Heather and Graham, together with some of their friends, booked into Hluhluwe-Imfolosi Game Reserve for a week, to a Bush Lodge, which is supplied with a Field Ranger and a cook – and you just take your own food. They had a fabulous time, going on bush walks, birding and driving themselves around to go game viewing. Heather very kindly sent a great report on their trip – and here is what she had to share with us: “Hi Dean! Just some evidence of our time in Imfolozi!! We had seen 3x Big 5 before getting to the one Picnic site turn off! Elly x 1 and buff x herd right on road and 4x white rhino just off road! Lion came the next day on the sandbank just down stream of us, and for those lucky enough, a leopard at very close quarters whilst on foot!! Presumably stalking the white-tailed mongoose that had sprung out of the grass just in front of them and which had their full attention until the leopard growled at them!! There was just wall-to-wall animals of most varieties coming down to the river all through the day (until the lion appeared!)! It is very dry up there - just hope they get some of the rain we have been having! Ticks +++ too and we got zapped even tho' we were covered in Tabard and clothes sprayed with Bayticol!
The kill we found in the tree was almost still warm! There were virtually no flies yet, altho' the hind quarter had been eaten! We went back the following morning and the only sign there had been a kill was the contents of it's stomach on the ground!!! Not a bone or horn!! We did find the straight end of the horn at least 100m further along a path, but that was all - the bottom part had been chewed away! Fur on the ground had drawn the Ranger Dumazani's attention to the original sighting! God Bless and love to you and Mum! Heather”
Thanks Heather. Brings back some exciting memories of when I was walking with clients in the bush, forever keeping eyes scanning through the bushes and trees, down the footpaths and behind termite hills – constantly looking for that unusual shape that told you there was an animal there – and then listening to the bush sounds, the birds, the insects and any unusual or unexpected breaking of twigs or leaves – yeh, the good old days! A couple of times we came face to face with an elephant or a herd of buffalo, twice with lions and also twice with a leopard. Rhino had charged us a few times, and luckily, we always managed to get away – but the camp-fire stories after those incidents, were always great – sitting around the glowing coals or crackling logs, stars twinkling around the Southern Cross with a hyena or jackal howling in the background – that sure beats sitting in an office – but hey, I’ve had those days, great memories and fantastic clients who have become friends – and in a few years time, I am going to take 2 or 3 months off, and just travel on my own, visiting as many game reserves and lodges as possible – and who knows, might even write a book afterwards!

Well, before I drift off too far, let me also share with you about another South African couple, who had friends out from the UK – and they went off on a great trek, through Namibia, starting and ending in Durban. Hans and Barbara are friends of Wendy and Tony, who own Wendy’s Country Lodge near St Lucia, and we were thrilled to plan their entire holiday. Namibia is one of my favourite countries and I can’t wait to go back there again! It is a lengthy feedback, so I shall just include portions of their feedback: “Hi Dean, Well we have safely returned from our trip to Namibia & Botswana, and our family left for the UK yesterday, so now I have some time for a bit of feedback.
To start with, the trip was wonderful, we were all very impressed by the varying beauty and scenery of Namibia and your itinerary could not be faulted.
We were particularly impressed with the first part of our trip up to Swakopmund, the southern half of Namibia was certainly the most awe inspiring, the fast open spaces, the empty roads, and the magnificent lodges, were very special. The dunes at Sossusvlei were magnificent, unfortunately the vlei was dry, hence not to many animals or birds, there is now a shuttle service for the last 4km, so could go most of the way in our own car. Cost was N$40.00 per person.
Swakopmund was a welcome break to catch up with our laundry, visit some of the excellent restaurants, De Kelder was the best. The Beach lodge was very good, and the staff very friendly.
The 4x4 trip to Sandwich harbour was most enjoyable, and the lunch on top of one of the highest sand dunes was very special. Our guide Mike, was very knowledgeable about the area.
From Swakopmund northwards the roads were very good, but the landscape is less interesting.
The Namibian Wildlife Resorts were the only places where we had problems with our bookings, also the accommodation and restaurants appear to be "running down"
At Okaukuejo they initially demanded we pay a further N$176.00 above the entrance fees, but this was later cancelled. The lux suite, needed lots of attention, no hot water in the kitchen and one bathroom, the other bathroom the hot water tap could only be opened with the help of a pliers from the car, and the shower bracket had broken, so the head had to be hand held. Toaster was not working, and there was a serious lack of cutlery. The staff in the office was not very helpful. The restaurant was a "rip off" at N$95/person. Food was cold, salads were finished 30 minutes after start-up, and staff had a "could not care less" attitude. Needless to say we had our own braais after this.
We stopped over at Grootfontein, and were surprised to find a fairly large town with a substantial shopping area, The Spar shop was very well stocked, and even had a Coffee Shop!!!
Do get the impression that Namibia Wildlife Resorts needs some improved management if it is not to go the same way as the Zimbabwe parks. Crocodile Resort at Maun was very good, with a lovely meal under the trees, and nice rooms. The flight over the Okavango Swamps was worth the effort, although they are also having a dry year, and there was not to much water. What can I say about Planet Baobab!! It was a real experience in a most unusual setting, Accommodation was very good and different, Baobabs were beautiful, and again a lovely meal under the stars. The staff was very pleasant and helpful. It was a wonderful and worth all the driving, once again thanks for arranging it for us. Regards, Hans & Barbara”

Another group of clients exploring Namibia were from the USA, and that was Jake and his family. Jake used our services a few years ago – and they wanted to see certain portions of Namibia – which included the Skeleton Coast and gameviewing in Etosha. They had a tight itinerary and covered a lot of territory in a short time, and here is some of their feedback: “Flying into Walvis Bay was eerie as the mist and desolation was somewhat unexpected. After a short drive we arrived at the Strand. Good hotel and the staff were very accommodating. Spent the next day quad biking in the dunes and sand boarding. Both were great and even Lee enjoyed falling off her quad in the dunes. The dunes were spectacular and the weather was warm and sunny. Our last day in Swakopmund we went fishing and had some success. The best part of the day was the dolphins swimming under the boat. Stopped in Henties Bay and visited the seals. Tired to visit a wreck on the coast but got stuck. After a anxious 30 minutes we dug ourselves out and headed non-stop for Terrance Bay. The drive was interesting as the scenery changed from dunes to desolation to a moon like appearance back to dunes again The water hole at the main camp is good and the first evening it was misty. It made for quite a scene as one elephant after another sauntered in to drink. By the time we counted them up, there were 30 at the hole. They quickly disappeared just as they arrived. No matter how we tried however, we could not locate them during our drives. At one point during the first evening, there were 5 black rhino’s at the hole. The accommodations were fine and you are right about the organization of the park – they haven’t quite figured out things and are not really organized. Great place and the everyone was dully impressed not only with the location but with the service (the hot water bottles in the bed after our game drive and meals caught everyone off guard). The game drive in the evening was spent tracking down 4 white rhino’s. Driving through the bush without roads while trying to track them was quite an experience. After taking our fill of pictures, we stopped for our sundowner drinks and appies – the group was dully impressed. As mentioned earlier, everything you arranged was spot on. “

Jake and the family are planning to return to Chobe, Vic Falls and Zambia in a couple of years time, so looking forward to assisting you with the planning!

Another client from Madagascar was André, who together with his wife Danielle and daughter, Lisa-Marie, came out for a short holiday – a few days in the Limpopo province near Kruger Park at two game reserves and then off to Cape Town for a few days of exploring – on tours and also self-drive. After their holiday in SA, they went off on a family holiday before returning back to Madagascar, so I am still waiting to hear from them.
Tina and Joseph every year enjoy a holiday with another couple, with whom they had spent their studying years at university together. They are experienced campers and wanted a customized camping trip. Unfortunately, I used to always personally run those myself in the past, but since coming to work in the office, I now have to get other Guides to run the camping trips – and I say unfortunate, as there was a bit of a personality clash between their Guide and them for portion of the trip. This can ruin a holiday, and I am so sorry about it. However, they did enjoy the scenery and took some super photographs – which you can visit on their own website – as they select a certain number of their best photographs and put them onto a website every trip. I hope they will come back again soon, and then I will organize a super camping trip through Botswana and their Guide will be a local Botswana Guide, who is very experienced and very flexible. Tina did send us some great feedback – and here are her comments:” We saw some 4,374 animals (I kept statistics for fun). We saw approximately 1000 in both H-U and Mkuze and 2500 in Kruger. The Drakensberg Mountains were nice, and the landscape was interesting, but not as impressive as we had imagined it. Blyde and the day hikes through the canyons, on the other hand, were very nice. We did most of them on our last full day there; we even got caught in a thunderstorm and hail, but it didn't dampen the fun. Both mountainous regions were a nice change from the rolling plains through the national parks. Everyone loved the cats (we saw 2 cheetah, 2 leopards, and 5 lions in Kruger - mostly at Crocodile Bridge on a single sunset drive).
Personally, I loved the giraffes, zebras, and tiny antelope species (red & common duiker, klipspringer, etc.). We saw 2 black rhino at Mkuze (one dead, one alive from a hide), which was a total surprise and very exciting (the live one, at least). There were lots of unexpected sights and sounds. Camping with hyenas
and/or lions prowling outside the fence during braais was a new experience. Hearing little snorts from the zebras at night was cool; and baboons fighting around camp; nyala peeking through the bushes at night
with their green eyes; backing down the road from an elephant patrolling the road; seeing a leaping bush baby; it was all very cool. The boys loved biltong and bought it everywhere we stopped. Also, having
tried all of the candy bars in country, we have deemed All-in-One Bars to be number one; although Peppermint Crisp is nice as well.” Wow, that sure is a lot of animals – I wonder who else has actually counted all the animals they have seen on a holiday? So, you see, it is not only the wildlife you come to SA for, you gotta taste our chocolate as well J

FUTURE SAFARIS:
I take forever to write my diary, so some of these folks would have already completed their travels and probably given feedback by the time this goes to print – but they are traveling during the months of July, August, Sept and October. Margot with her children from Belgium will be spending a few nights at The Palace of The Lost City, before flying down to their holiday cottage they bought along the Garden Route. Gerrit and his family drove to Zambia for a holiday, from Johannesburg – and we booked them into the one lodge near Livingstone and the Victoria Falls. Jan and his children with their partners, came to Durban from Sweden, as Jan had business meetings – and after tending to the business, Dave, our one wildlife specialist Guide, will take them for a couple nights into Hluhluwe-Imfolosi Reserve, to stay at one of the Bush lodges. Charlie and Kevin from the USA are often in Johannesburg on business, and so a few months ago, they went off to Pilanesberg for a day of gameviewing – and we have them booked for a weekend in the Madikwe Game Reserve, which is in the malaria free region, past Sun City and near the Botswana border. Nik & Angie arrive in August, to have their 1st anniversary safari – remember, they got married here at Thula Thula last year in May, and I was their best man! Well, they are coming around for a braai on the day they arrive in Durban, and then go back to Thula Thula before continuing through Imfolosi and Hluhluwe Reserves, spending a night at Leopard Mountain and then off to Mkuze Falls, before ducking into Swaziland for a night, and then they explore Kruger park from bottom to half way, before exiting and enjoying a few private reserves, ending in the Sabi Sands reserve and then driving back to JNB. What an exciting trip!
Steve and Yuri, are volunteer workers in Zambia, but live in the USA. They spend a few months every year in Zambia and so we have organized their safari to the South Luangwa Park – and the Robin Pope safaris shall be hosting them, and then after a few weeks of more work, they then head off to Livingstone, to spend time in Botswana, and specially in the Chobe National Park and also an overnight deviation to Savute. Should be very exciting!!
John, Devin and Kitty return to our shores in August. I took the three of them on a short trip into Umfolosi game reserve, staying at one of the remote bush lodges – well, this time, they will spend a week in Botswana, and enjoying the best of gameviewing at Chobe Game and Savanna lodges, before flying off to Chiefs Island for 3 nights or prime gameviewing there. When they return to Johannesburg, John has to return to the USA for work, whilst Kitty and Devin continue to Londolosi and MalaMala for a few more nights of some of the worlds best wildlife viewing and luxurious accommodation. Lydia and her fiancé, Busola, fly our from Nigeria in August, spending 4 nights at The Palace and 4 nights at a luxury small boutique hotel in Johannesburg, from where they will participate in day tours exploring Johannesburg. Danie and his wife from Johannesburg, shoot off to Chitwa Chitwa in the Sabi Sands reserve for a weekend, and taking advantage of our winter special rates for South African residents. David and Anita were referred to us by David and Linda, who have used our services numerous times, and so we have them here in September on a very exciting holiday, which includes Cape Town where their son is studying for a semester, plus game reserves bordering the Kruger Park. From the e-mails, they certainly seem a lovely couple and I am sure they will have a super holiday and enjoy the time they spend with their son in Cape Town.
Caroline and Oscar will have a few weeks to go before their wedding and then they come out to SA for their Honeymoon. Some accommodations they have booked themselves and then others they booked through us – a bit disjointed, but they felt happy with that. They will be thoroughly spoilt at Cleopatra’s and Cliff lodge, as I know the owners and they always treat their guests so well.
Richard and his wife Brenda will be coming to Cape Town to start their holiday, before they fly off to Hoedspruit to spend 4 nights at Tshukudu, before soaking up the sun for a week on Mauritius and another week on Seychelles. Wow, I envy them - a long time since I have been to Mauritius, and I would LOVE to go back again. Jamie has traveled with us before, a good few years ago, she brought out a group of friends and we arranged a camping safari from Vic Falls to Maun, through the best wildlife viewing areas of Botswana, well since then, she got married to Donald and they start their holiday in Malawi, then off to South Luangwa Park, before flying to Livingstone for a few nights at a hotel on the banks of the Zambezi River, above the Victoria Falls.

Well, that seems to be the folks who have planned ahead, and obviously, we shall get some last minute bookings – that challenge our skills, patience and ability to perform well under stress!

FAMILY & FRIENDS:

The big news from our side, my brother and his family have now emigrated to New Zealand. His company transferred him and so on the 1 May I took them to Johannesburg International Airport, and amidst a lot of tears and hugging, I bade farewell to them all – and then sadly drove back to Durban in his car, which I was now to sell for him, as he had not had the time to sell it. They first went to Malaysia for a short stay, right in the middle of the SARS epidemic! On arrival in New Zealand, they stayed at a guesthouse for a few weeks, and this gave them a chance to buy a car, and find a house to rent. He had leave due to him, so his company allowed him this opportunity to explore some of North Island and do some sightseeing with the family. They have now settled in, Erin has also started school for the first time in her life, she just turned 5, and James and Katie are also at two lovely schools. Monica has started a job with a newspaper company and so far, everyone seems to be doing fine. Sean travels a lot, as he is dealing with fertilizer and farmers, and so commutes to South Island, where he says it is very cold, fairly often. They have phoned twice – once on my birthday and then another time there was a special on calls to SA, so it was really great to hear their voices again. Erin spoke to me on my birthday, and was very emotional on the phone, missing her “Uncle Dean” so much. I am stuck here in SA for the next 3 to 5 years, with my business and other matters, so I definitely won’t be able to see them there in NZ until then, at least. My mother is planning to save up to visit them during our summer next year, probably Jan & Feb, and thus avoid our stifling humidity she battles with in Durban!
When it was Erin’s birthday a few weeks after mine, I sent her a New Zealand Teddy Bear – via an Internet Mail order – and she is thrilled with it. It even holds a hot water bottle inside the Teddy’s body, so has two purposes! Sean took a photo of her and sent this to me; she looks so cute with this huge Teddy!

As far as my older sister Gail is concerned, well, the last few months her boss has lost his marbles – he tells all the staff that the company has no money left and there shall be just a basic salary and no commissions, then he goes and buys some expensive art-works for the company, personalized cutlery set for himself, jackets with the company logo on for the staff – and starts making life very miserable for Gail and her partner, who also works there. Well, long story short, they no longer work for him, and a court case is pending! So, if you want to hold anyone in your prayers, please pray for my sister Gail- for strength and guidance during this trying time in her life. I have recently been through a terrible traumatic and challenging experience and she, my family and friends have been very supportive for me, so I hold her in my prayers at the moment.

I have really been blessed with a super group of friends in my Bible study group, with us meeting every Wednesday. It has been a great time to share different sections of the Bible with each other plus share feelings and thoughts and get support & love from each other. Have always so looked forward to Wednesdays, but unfortunately, due to certain circumstances, I have to put that attendance on hold – and hope that occasionally I will be able to host the study group at my home. I am working most nights until 9 or 10pm, so very difficult to get out of the office to attend functions! I also really enjoy my church and have been a regular member of our local Methodist church and operate the projector for the worship songs. I am contemplating taking up playing the piano or organ again, as I did this when I was a little boy – and as my parents told me then, I would regret it if I stopped playing! Now I miss the ability to play nicely! Might be a good idea, force me to get out of the office once or twice a week to practice!
I told you about it earlier this year, we went to Ubombo Mission hospital and cleaned, then painted the chapel there. We were so proud of our work – and whilst we were there, we went to visit the local Methodist church, which was in a very sad state of affairs. Well, this past weekend, a large group of our Mission outreach team, spent the weekend there, sanding down the benches and wood work, varnishing them back to their former glory, then cleaning the walls and stonework and applying the required magic, plus repairing the windows. The local community are VERY poor there – and it would take them 2 or 3 years of weekly church collections to be able to afford what us city-dwellers could afford to donate in materials and time – to improve the looks to their church, which is now like a shining beacon on the mountain top. Our next project is to try and improve the water and toilet facilities there. Their closest water point is 6 kms away and the toilets are long-drop toilets, with only 2 walls, so a loo-with-a-view!
About 6 months ago, I had an e-mail from a lady in Germany, and she wanted to donate some money to the Mission Projects in Zululand – and so for her birthday, she invited lots of friends around, and told them not to bring gifts for her, but rather a donation for the missions – and so after her birthday, she deposited a handsome amount of money into the Mission account in Zululand. VERY much appreciated.

Almost 2 months ago, my mother and myself joined a gym. I was getting no exercise, just sitting in the office, so by signing a contract, this would force me to get out and get some exercise. We have been going 3 times a week, and started off with ‘getting fit’ exercises – and I must admit, that for the next few hours after the exercise, I really do feel so much more awake and alert. Hoping to loose my stomach that was starting to get too big, and as I do not drink beer, I cannot blame that! Just need to get some exercise – which when I was Guiding, I did get a little, from walking and hiking with clients – now in the office, I think just my fingers I use on the keyboard are fit!
Mum is also hoping to loose some weight and her doctor has also said it is good to reduce her high blood pressure problem. Mum is getting older (aren’t we all), but her arthritis is making life a bit more challenging for her, and I am becoming more needy to her home chores that require doing. She is now our book-keeper for African Bundu Safaris, a little extra income, plus something useful to do – and takes one thing off my plate! She has to learn how to use the computer – and slowly learning, though I do pull out my hair when I have to try and explain what or how or when things happen. I am obviously not a very good nor patient teacher, to my mother! She has learnt at this stage how to send an e-mail to Sean, though I am certain she does not understand the concept or method yet! I dare not try and teach her how to use a spreadsheet for the accounts!

My friend Joe, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s at the beginning of last year – went on holiday with his wife, Elma, to the UK – and a few days after they returned, Joe was admitted to hospital as something was not right. Well a long and terrible story short, he has a brain tumor. The doctors said it was too deep, too big and too late to do anything – and so after a few days in hospital, Elma managed to secure him a room in an old age home, with a 24 hour frail care section, as she would be unable to look after him at home on her own. It is so sad to see my friend in this state, and I still try and visit him weekly, normally after church on Sunday’s. He does respond at time to me, but I cannot understand what he is saying. He does show some facial reactions to my talk, so I gather he understands me. Then a terrible incident happened to Elma the one Saturday – she had been to visit Joe, went home, kept the back sun-room doors open, so the dogs could go in and out of the house into the garden, she had some lunch and then being exhausted, she went and lay down on her bed – and having drifted off to a light sleep, suddenly woke up to find a rather dark skinned male leaning over her, with his hands around her throat, saying ”Don’t scream, all I want is money”. Luckily she did not panic, but told him the money was in the sunroom – and so he went to the sunroom with him, she gave him the gardeners money, that she had just put into an envelope, and then whilst he was distracted with that, she quickly ran to the bedroom, slamming the door and hitting the security company panic button. Well, that chap had obviously disappeared by the time the security chaps arrived 10 minutes later. We can just thank The Lord that she was not harmed in any way. Her two dogs were pretty usless and it is frightening to know that they allowed him into the house without challenging him! Elma has now decided and managed to sell her house, and she is going to look for a smaller and more secure house or apartment to stay in, whilst Joe remains in the frail care section. My prayers are also with her in this stressful time in her life.
A month ago, I went to visit my elderly friend down at Scottburgh, Cathy. She is 96 years old and still as sharp as ever. She is my yachting friends grandmother and great grandmother, who emigrated out to SA about 5 or 6 years ago to be close to hear family. Well, everyone in her family have now all moved away from Durban, so she is all by herself! Not really nice, but we think of each other often, and she is such a kind darling. We reminisced about my visit to England in 1983 and she showed me around Windsor and the area – such fun then. Unfortunately I do not get the chance to visit her too often, and she is almost an hour’s drive away from home – but I do try and visit her when I can. Most visits I either have tea with her or lunch – and the food is so good – always a 3-course meal for lunch! She is planning a big birthday party for her 100th, so I must keep that date free! A good friend of her granddaughter Johness, Lynn, popped around for a surprise visit last week, to chat and catch up on the latest news – so was good to see Lynn. She lives in the neighborhood, so every couple of months we bumped into each other somewhere along the line.

Another good friend of mine, Rob, came to visit last week, and we had a good chat with coffee and muffins. I enjoy baking muffins, as they always taste so good. I had a rep from a Namibian company come visit us in the morning, so I baked a batch of muffins for the day. After Rob’s visit, Rowan, another friend of many years, came around for a visit – and also to organize a car rental for his Dad’s friend, who was going on holiday. So, I had three very tasty and freshly baked muffins in one day!

I remember telling you in the last Diary, that Nafisa had joined ABS – well, since then, she was offered a similar job with a much larger company, that was situated a lot closer to her home. So she accepted that job, and Kalendri joined our team! Kalendri actually has her Masters degree in biochemistry, but there are no jobs available for her, so she was thrilled to be able to work for us, where she can gain some work experience, even though it is not in her field. She is such a wonderful young lady, hard working, clever and quick & efficient – an absolute pleasure to have in the office. She is obviously still looking for a job in her field and I dread the day when she will find a suitable job, as then I have to find another replacement – and I hate having interviews! Ideally, I need somebody who lives relatively close by and is not having to survive solely on the salary, as our profit margin is very small, and the salary is pro-rata to the amount of work we get in.

I took my mother to the garden nursery a couple months back – for a light lunch and some shopping – and we came home with a few different flowers – that are growing nicely now, but also some baby lettuces. Well, we put some compost in the ground and then planted these lettuces – well, they are growing so well, I have been handing out lettuces to neighbors and friends frequently! We have two types of lettuce and they are both delicious!!

Apart from all that news, the dogs and the fish are keeping fit and fine – and well, looks like this is almost as long as the last edition – but it took a whole month to type, we had so many interruptions. I am busy revamping the African Bundu Safaris website, and also developing two brand new websites, on accommodation in Botswana and Namibia, so VERY busy at the moment!!

That’s all my news folks

Take care and God Bless

Cheers

Dean

Click here to view the previous edition of Dean's Diary

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safari@dbnmail.co.za