THE CHARACTERS OF NATURE. 

I got excited about the game drive, I visualized myself taking a picture under the tall legs of a giraffe. While doing all this I felt a sense of fear, I feared that I would get attacked by an animal or get bitten by a snake and that took away most (if not all) of my confidence. At 15 00 hours it was time to go and I had no form of journalistic armour to take my mind off my paranoid thoughts. The tour consisted of a French family of five who were taking an eight day holiday going around South African safaris and game reserves. Their enthusiasm and curiosity of the animals soon rubbed off on me and I soon began to enjoy the drive.

My joy especially came from seeing the animals in their natural environment, the way their eyes quizzically stared at the truck and how after just a few moments they would either turn and run, or scamper away shyly or simply went back to eating or sleeping. The serenity of their peace in their natural environment made me realise just how important it is to preserve the environment.

The drive was good for me though I did not share my fellow tour members’ enthusiasm at seeing every animal; I had more joy from noting the characteristics and mannerisms of the animals. These are just a few which I noted.

·        The cat walking - modelling female giraffe

·        The dismissive stare of a male giraffe chewing the curd

·        The jaunty moody steps of the male Inyala

·        The flirty eyes of the female inyala

·        The obstinate warthog

·        The elusive skip of the red duiker.

·        The hyperactive monkeys

·        The gossiping ostriches

·        The comical and playful eyes of the wildebeest

·        The austere zebra

My fears where allayed because of this drive, I got to understand that animals are not aggressive as long as their natural environment is not disturbed. My favourite animal is and will always be the giraffe. I learnt that the female giraffe are dotting and very loving to the babies and the male giraffe are very dismissive of the young giving them a gentle but firm kick whenever they get too close to them. The male parental instinct usually kicks in when their life, children or territory is under threat. I also learnt that, the kick of a giraffe can destroy a car’s engine, so there goes my dream of taking a picture under the giraffe legs.

 I really got a feel of Ubizane and it's purpose, the Ubizane Game drive gives an experience that’s unique for each person ensuring that the joy that nature brings never gets extinct thus keeping people conscious of how nature is an essential part of life.