June 2022 News Brief

The last couple of months have certainly been filled with a great deal of diverse news, and it is easy to get a little despondent. The financial markets, supply chains, court rulings, and the war in Ukraine has centre stage for many of us.

Covid seems back on the rise, though it has become mild enough that for the most part, it is no longer a life-threatening condition. The risks of it disrupting travel schedules have continued to diminish, as various travel requirements, with the exception of vaccination cards, have all but disappeared.

On the continent, the safari season is well underway. The smiles and encouraging comments at the end of a safari are a good reminder that ours is a life where the intensity of being on safari, with all the extraordinary experiences that fill each day, is a certain elixir to the anguish of the complex world we leave behind.  Perhaps it is the wide open spaces, the beauty and our connection to the natural world, the simplicity of life under canvas.

There are of course local concerns that do hold our attention, from the placement of camps to take advantage of wildlife and livestock movements, to national elections.` Kenya’s is particularly important as it represents the end of a presidential double term and, as is so often the case in today’s democratic process two bad choices, and some relief that they could be worse. The constant drive of humanity to exhaust its resources and diminish the ability to ride out the irregular, rhythm of the weather is always a worry.  Several areas missed the long rains in April and May, and the overstocking of the good years has compounded the challenges of a pastoral way of life. In contrast, Botswana had exceptional rains and the Okavango is filling with the crystal clear water, that brings life to the Kalahari sand, our first safaris into the area have all enjoyed the abundance

Recent reports of the clash between the Tanzanian Government, and Maasai in the northern part of the country highlight the dangers of the single story, and the oversimplification of social media. This is the struggle between an ancient way of life that has expanded and changed. It is now pitted against a government that is tasked with preserving the country’s natural resources along lines that were drawn over a hundred years ago when there was a fraction of the population.

We are so grateful for the teams we work with, happy to be back together and excited to be in the bush. The lethargy of those long lockdowns is a fitting background to the excitement and adventure that now fill each day.