At some stage or another there comes a time when you just want to break free from everything: society, politics, sitting in traffic every day, and followed by almost of 80% of your life spent at work. So when I heard of the set-up at Tangala Safari camp, I decided that the time was now for a South African safari.
Back to basics...Except for the fact that Tangala is very private, the thing that sets Tangala apart from any other game lodges is that it's focused on being eco-friendly, which meant that for the next three days I had to experience life without electrical lights, air-conditioners or television. Perfect! Although some might say that it's not extravagant enough for them, it's what you'd rather refer to as "rustic extravagance".
So when I at first arrived at the safari camp, I was met by a spacious yet intimate room, which although it was an extremely hot that day, was very cool. After unpacking all my stuff I set off on my first game drive.
All brawn and no brain...The South African bushveld truly is nature unlike any other, and Tagala formed part the 22000 acres of captivating bushveld in the Thornybush Private Game reserve. During our first drive we saw a huge herd of buffalos. The sheer size of buffalos never ceases to amaze me. They don't strike me as very intelligent animals, but what they lack in intelligence, they make up for in strength.
As we drove away from the buffalos we came across a lazy pride of lions. As king of the bushveld they really do seem like they fear nothing or no-one. I was getting a little scared that we were too close for comfort, but our guide, Samuel, explained that unless provoked, they really do not put an ounce of effort to hunt or attack during the day. He also added that they were the dominating pride of the game reserve, which would also explain why they were so relaxed in their attitude; they know they already rule without any threat.
A midsummer's dream...After supper everybody at the camp was sitting around the campfire sharing their stories of the day, all the game and birds they saw. In the distance you could hear lions and every now and then the hyena's haunting laughter. There was a cool breeze blowing over the camp, and with it came the feeling of serenity. Although I came alone to Tangala, I never felt lonely, there were too many friendly faces around me to allow such feelings.
I was talking to a Dutch tourist named Katy about South Africa. The natural beauty of the country and how I would find it difficult to live anywhere else in this world. Katy shared with me that although she's travelled almost all over the world, the beauty and lifestyle of Africa was one she could associate with easily. It was her seventh trip to South Africa and as usual, she included a South African safari.
I think everybody lost track of time while surrounding the campfire, hypnotized by the flames. I got what I needed, relaxation and time to regain perception on what seemed important in life. And as I sipped on my cup of freshly brewed coffee, I felt contempt with my life and excited for the next few days' game drives.
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