Travelmag
  • Europe
  • Americas
  • Asia Pacific
  • Central Asia
  • Deals
  • Africa
  • Editorials
  • Pole to Pole
  • Middle East
  • Home
  • About
  • Write for Us
  • Home
  • About
  • Write for Us
Travelmag
Travelmag
  • Europe
  • Americas
  • Asia Pacific
  • Central Asia
  • Deals
  • Africa
  • Editorials
  • Pole to Pole
  • Middle East
  • Africa

Another day in the African bush

  • 17/12/2013
  • Pippa Strong
Total
0
Shares
0
0
0

Our day started before dawn (this is what they do in Africa!) as we crawled out of our delicious feather duvets and pulled on warm clothes before heading out into the pre-dawn chill and making our way over to our breakfast-with-a-view.

As we settled down into our chairs with steaming hot cups of coffee and tea clutched tightly in our hands, dawn began to break over the African savannah. It began slowly at first but then, like every sunset and rise in Africa, it gathered momentum and the sun broke, with gusto, over the horizon, heralding a new day.

Once we had eaten our fill, it was off to our open 4×4 and we headed off down the road to the golden plains below. We were greeted by buffalo, lion, impala and finally we reached the crossing point (yes, the annual Great Wildebeest Migration). What we witnessed was a tragic, moving, incredible and utterly unforgettable sight that will forever be imprinted on my husband and my memories. Thousands of wildebeest piling up on the banks of the river, each one reluctant to take the plunge. Finally one gathers the courage and then the flood gates open and the carnage begins – wildebeest after wildebeest leaps off the banks to get to the other side, dunking each other in the scuffle, enormous Nile crocodiles patrol the terrified swimmers and pick the weak ones off one by one…. Vultures the same. All I wanted to do was go and save them, shout at them saying ‘look behind you’, gosh this really is nature at it’s cruelest!

Exhilarated but devastated by what we had seen we headed back to Mara West for lunch. Over our utterly delicious meal we recounted what we had seen and marvelled at the cruelty of nature. However the activity for the afternoon was to lighten our hearts considerably – we set off to visit the school that Mara West’s owners had built. On arrival the headmaster proudly showed us around and told us how Mara West had built dormitories for the girls so that they could finish their education without being married off at an early age and how many guests – like us – supported the children through their school years. We then had a special surprise – the students filed out of their class rooms and conducted the most fantastic dance for us – we even got involved at the end! This was an equally incredible experience to the one that we had in the morning and we were truly moved by the effort that Mara West had made for their community.

As the day drew to a close we were exhausted, delighted and humbled by what we had seen and done and after another incredible, huge, meal we crawled under our duvets, snuggled up to our hot-water bottles and let the sounds of the African night lull us to sleep.

Pippa Strong writes on behalf of Advantage East Africa, and would like to thank everyone at Mara West for making her stay just magical and for the incredible work they do for everyone that lives up there.

Related posts:

  1. Muppetting around the South African bush Safari and volunteering work make a happy mix for Jo Pitches in the African bush - until she meets the...
  2. Secrets of survival in the African bush A Wildlife Conservation course teaches Jo Pitches self-reliance and survival skills in the wilds of South Africa. But when hunger strikes...
  3. Bonding in the bush in Canada’s Yukon When Eric Whitehead wants to celebrate his children fleeing the nest with a last holiday together, there's only one place...
  4. 3 African escapes which are still safe There's plenty of bad news coming out of Africa, but Paul Woollacombe says there are many parts of the continent...
Total
0
Shares
Share 0
Tweet 0
Pin it 0
Pippa Strong

Previous Article
  • Asia Pacific

Solo travel in a tiny Indonesian port

  • 16/12/2013
  • Jennifer Richardson
View Post
Next Article
  • Central Asia

India’s traffic explained by a ‘Fourth Dimension’

  • 18/12/2013
  • David Fletcher
View Post
You May Also Like
View Post
  • Africa

5 Reasons why your next safari adventure should be Namibia

  • Robert
  • 23/06/2022
View Post
  • Africa
  • Deals

How many days in Kenya is enough?

  • Paul Woollacombe
  • 16/06/2021
Madagascar rice
View Post
  • Africa
  • Asia Pacific

A surreal drive across Madagascar’s highlands

  • John Gimlette
  • 17/01/2021
View Post
  • Africa
  • Deals

Top South African holiday resorts

  • Paul Woollacombe
  • 06/11/2020
View Post
  • Africa

A bad day in Fez for one slightly skinny chicken

  • Michael Edwards
  • 17/10/2020
Kibera slum Nairobi
View Post
  • Africa

It used to be ‘Mzungu!’ Now ‘Corona’ is a Nairobi greeting

  • Lee Ruddin
  • 01/07/2020
Mucabal woman, Angola
View Post
  • Africa

A journey through Angola, with contrasts and surprises

  • Lesley Pritt
  • 05/05/2020
Elephants in the Central African Republic
View Post
  • Africa

On safari in the Central African Republic

  • Lesley Pritt
  • 24/04/2020
Travelmag
The Independent Spirit

Input your search keywords and press Enter.