Hands down the cultural aspect!

I am an advocate of the “slow safari” meaning fewer stops and longer stays in each place allowing the time to really get to know the area and the people who live and work there. The safari camps we partner with are supporting their staff and local communities. It is so rewarding to know how important tourism is to these remote locations and that our travels make a difference. Sharing our humanity is such a wonderful and powerful act and it doesn’t cost anything but a bit of time and the courage to break the ice and start building relationships that will likely impact the rest of your life.

My sense of humor – with that, I can handle pretty much anything! It doesn’t matter how grave or embarrassing the situation, finding the humorous side of any predicament can turn a mood around.

The first time my feet touched the Africa continent!! In early 1988, I stepped off a Kenya Airways plane onto the tarmac in Nairobi and knew instantly, this trip was going to change my life…and it did!

That I much prefer the path less chosen (even though I am “ the vortex of chaos”)!
… and splurging for business class is always worth it!

Any waterhole at sunset!! There is a wonderful safari tradition leftover from the colonial era called sundowners! A tray of icy gin & tonics is set up in the perfect spot within view of an active waterhole or scenic overlook to watch the sun go down is something you don’t forget. No man-made sounds to be heard except the tinkling ice-cubes chilling your G&T. Sit back and marvel at the nature about you. A parade of uniquely African species come down for a drink before going to roost or setting off for nighttime hunting.
Everyone packs up when it gets too dark for comfort and you hear one too many twigs snapping in the bushes around you. You quickly slug down that last inch of “liquid encouragement” and hoist yourself back into the Land Rover for the chilly ride back to camp with an indelible “I found my happy-place” grin of a “buzzed bush survivor” plastered on your face!! You KNOW you’ll be back!