Neil,

I am loathe to unpack my bags in case the ‘safari holiday experience' actually has to come to a close…albeit I have been back in Perth one week already!

The Classic Safari was delightful from the word go….from the wondrously elegant first night at the Fifth Avenue Guest House to the very interesting introduction you gave on the first morning on the journey down to the Park on the history of South Africa and the Kruger National Park…..to the beautiful African music you played enroute to warm our hearts to the unfolding experience, the great snacks and meals we had during our travels …the entrance into the Park with the family of elephants who walked across the road in front of us…as if to welcome us …..the beautiful Le Taba river which our first camp overlooked……our yummy welcome lunch by the river in the sun on the first day…….the evening ‘Sundowner's' with warm African sunsets, whisky aperitifs, the melodies of the Scops Owls in the trees, the ‘Martian' glow welcoming the night stars (particularly on 27/8/03), our delicious evening meals resplendent with wonderful South African wines and bush candles, all mellowed with the sounds of the bush and delightful conversations on world ecology, African politics, previous safari escapades and the art of the African braai (barbecue……… all by the light of the evening fire.

The safari has left me with a new view on life….on the importance of my senses in fully appreciating what is around us, the complexity and amazing beauty of Mother nature, and very importantly the unbelievable majesty of the African Bush. I came away realising that the term Big Five was such a very small part of the overall story….and how limited our marketing efforts are in focussing on only five inhabitants of this magnificent Park when in fact it perhaps should be the ‘Big Five Thousand'!! I did see four of the ‘Big Five' but I got to see the spoor of the elusive rhino….and the excitement of sensing his presence was every bit as powerful as if he had desired to show himself to us on the last day.

When I look at the beautiful photo memories which your photographic skills so kindly helped me to create, I cannot help but feel that they are only such a very small part of the overall experience. I didn't take any photos of the wonderful hours we spent tracking animals by their prints in the sand or the excitement at finding fresh Rhino spoor (polite terminology) by the road. The photos also don't capture the smells of the bush like the potato bush or native mint or the sounds of the bats radar in the evenings as they flew from tree to tree or the grunts of the hippoes wallowing in the night and the distance soft, low growls of the male lions in the early mornings.

I also enjoyed our many comfortable hours driving on deserted dirt tracks with the exciting expectation that another one of the ‘Big Five Thousand' was around the corner.

My evenings at the Fifth Avenue Guest House were also very special (they are the fifth element of the ‘Big Five' for me)……elegant surroundings, wonderful meals, beautifully appointed rooms, four wonderful hosts – Doug, Erica, Bob and Bee and all the small touches like the fireside welcome drinks, absolutely ‘4 Star' gourmet meals (international standard cuisine, amazing deserts, beautiful table settings) and fresh flowers and chocolates on the pillow.

My safari gave me an amazing gift…..not just some beautiful photos of incredible wildlife or memories of delicious meals by the fire…it has powerfully reminded me that the joy is in the journey…..not just in the destination .

I am looking forward to another Bearded Heron safari experience with yourself Tina, Cameron, Doug and Erica…..in the mean time look out for my leopard…I hope that he is back up that tree and my ‘lone lioness' is back with her family! In fact I hope everything remains as Mother Nature would intend it to be.

In the mean time many, many thanks to you all for a ‘lifetime experience'.

Kindest regards to Tina and Cameron also.

Michele John
Perth, Western Australia