The trip of a lifetime - Horse riding safari in South Africa and Botswana.

When I turned 40 this year, I promised myself I was going to go on the holiday of a lifetime. A bucket list trip that I'd always wanted to do - a horse riding safari in Africa. I went online and did quite a bit of research and came across a company called 'In the saddle', who organise horse riding trips around the world. The one that caught my eye was the 'African Explorer', which entailed four nights in South Africa and three in Botswana. Was it expensive? Quite! But you know what? If there's something you want to really do, you'll find a way and a means to do it and I certainly wasn't disappointed.

I went off by myself and hooked up with a group of seven strangers for a weeks riding and it was AMAZING!!! In South Africa we stayed at Horizon Horseback Adventures Camp Davidson, which is a little away from the main lodge, consisting of a group of tented accommodations, a main eating tent, dip pool, paddock for the horses and incredible views across the plains.

One of the tents at Camp Davidson

Each day we did two rides, one morning and one evening. Riding across various game reserves we came across lots of different animals (non-dangerous), such as giraffe, kudu, zebra, warthog and many more.

Giraffe in the reserves around Horizon, South Africa

Riding through the reserves around Horizon, South Africa

One of the highlights was seeing the Hippos in the lake - obviously you have to take care around these animals. We were lucky enough to see them come out of the water and give us a grin :-)

Hippos in the lake

The horses at Horizon were lots and lots of fun, all lovely animals, all very well cared for and the guides were able to match up the type of rider that you are with a suitable horse. I always like something with a bit of fire and spirit and was given 'Livingston'. He didn't disappoint. It was four days of pure fun and one of the highlights was being able to swim with the horses on the last day. That was a truly brilliant experience and one I'll never forget.

Going for a canter with Livingston

One thing I have to mention is the food! Oh my gosh, the food! I have no idea how the lovely cook managed to create such wonderful culinary creations in a tent with limited facilities, but she did and every single meal was simply fantastic.

We also got the chance to do a game drive through the Entabeni Reserve, where we were saw some amazing animals including elephants, white rhinos, baboons, impala and we were very very fortunate to come across a black rhino - there are only about 500 left in the whole of South Africa after their numbers have been decimated by poachers.

Game drive through Entabeni Reserve, South Africa

White Rhinos in Entabeni Reserve

After four days at Camp Davidson, it was time to say goodbye and we hit the road to head to the border and into Botswana. The next three nights would be spent with Limpopo Horse Safaris at the Two Mashatus camp in the Tuli Block. Once again, we had horses selected for our abilities and this time I had 'Cimarron'. Such a lovely gentleman, with a fantastic jump and speed and zest if asked of him.

Posing with Cimarron and some giraffe

In Botswana we got up with the sun, had our breakfast then spent the next five or six hours in the saddle - yup you really have to be ride fit for this part of the trip. The lovely thing about Botswana, is that the reserves aren't fenced in, so the animals can freely wander and you get to ride in these vast open spaces with lovely long canters.

We saw animals such as giraffe, kudu, impala. One highlight was cantering along with a small herd of wildebeest, another was stumbling across a family of hyenas, who were happy for us to watch them play. The one incredible thing I loved was the elephants! To get so close to these huge, intelligent, majestic creatures was a definite highlight for me and I was able to capture some truly memorable moments with them.

A baby elephant looking to its mother for reassurance

Elephant and sunset - beauty in a picture :-)

Each evening we'd go out for a drive around the reserve, stopping for sundowners as we took in the beauty of it all.

One thing that amused me was how bold some of the animals are. You'd very often find 'Cheeky monkeys' stealing food from the horses.

It was a very sad time, when we rode the horses back to the stable and finally had to say goodbye. What an incredible adventure we'd all had. I'd made wonderful friends, had an amazing time and I do have to say that the guides for both parts of the trip - Lucas and Nina at Horizon, West and Theda at Limpopo was all extremely professional, made us all feel 100% safe, were great fun and amazing to hand out with.

This truly was the trip of a lifetime and one I will never forget, but, I will definitely be going back for another African Adventure :-) Happy riding.

For more information you can contact:

In The Saddle

Horizon Horseback Adventures

Limpopo Horse Safaris

Hunting - A totally unnecessary bloodsport.

I have no words to describe people who go hunting. Actually that's not true at all, I have lots of words to describe them, but none that do justice to their abhorrent attitude towards the beautiful creatures that we have on this earth.

Why a seemingly intelligent person would feel the need to track and kill a creature for fun is beyond me. Hunting for a purpose - for food, clothing, I get that. But hunting for sport? Totally unnecessary and serves no purpose than to fuel some peoples needs for blood lust.

The killing of Cecil the lion in Zimbabwe has made people raise their voices against this practice, and rightly so. I've seen people ask, 'Why such an outcry over ONE lion?' - clearly these people don't seem to understand, that in the whole of Africa there are less than 30,000 lions left. Plus it's not just ONE lion, when you kill the Alpha male, the other males vying to be the next Alpha, inherently kill all the cubs belonging to the fallen King - therefore an entire group can be wiped out.

 When does the killing stop? When there are none left in the world, but those poor creatures languishing in zoos and safari parks, guarded day and night by armed soldiers?

Sadly man's 'need' to shoot things has created greedy people and given rise to canned hunting - a vile practice where animals are raised in captivity, then let loose in a restricted area for hunters to shoot them. I don't call that fair, do you?

I've also seen people making thin arguments for shooting lions and other animals, citing attacks on people - well sorry but this happens when man decides to encroach on the territories of other beings. What gives some humans the right to think they are the only ones allowed to live on this planet, with everything else at their disposal, to be used how they see fit. You have NO right. We 'share' this earth with other creatures, who have just as much right to an existence as we do, but the way we are going, we will have wiped out the majority of species in no time and in just a few decades lions, tigers, elephants and rhinos will only be found in history books, documentaries on Animal Planet and stuffed in museums. Is this really what we want?

We are supposed to be caretakers, but instead humans are the most violent, destructive, infective species that there is. When are we going to wake up? Cecil the lions death has highlighted this problem and the people that are the problem. I applaud the authorities in Zimbabwe for taking action, for banning hunting of large game and wanting those responsible to be brought to justice, and rightly so. However, governments and organisations in African countries and indeed others around the world are also to blame for allowing these things to happen in the first place. For putting a price on the heads of animals that they are famous for.

These animals should be viewed in awe and amazement and revered for how incredibly beautiful they are. If you want a souvenir - Take a picture, NOT a trophy.

Amazing Animals!

Anyone who knows me, will tell you that I'm a sucker for animals in need. My heart breaks at seeing so many abandoned, unwanted pets at this time of year and trying to find new homes for thm can be almost impossible for the pretty able bodied pooches and moggies. So what happens to the very young, elderly or those with a disability?

I recently saw the plight of a poor little puppy, who was rescued from the Dubai Municipality along with two siblings, originally in ok health although under weight and with a tick infestation, the pups apparenetly had a reaction to some medication to rid them of the parasites. From what I'm told, all three animals suffered paralysis and although two managed to make a full recovery, one little pup is still struggling.

I've taken this little puppy, named Toby into my care and I will to everything I can to try and see if I can't make a difference to him. The poor boys back end is pretty much skin and bone where his muscles have wasted away and his back legs are dead straight. Even so he sort of manages to hop about. You can liken him to a wheel-chair user that has a well developed muscular upper body and a week, wasted lower body as that's pretty much what he looks like.

The thing about animals though, i that they don't feel sorry for themselves, they get around their disabilities and just get on with life - because they have to. Toby is happy to run about the garden, annoy the cats, play with his toys and seems a happy little chap.

Today I have a vet appointment for him, so I will find out the prognosis and what if any treatment can be given to him.

Pets are for life - not to be abandoned/thrown away/left behind

It saddens me so often to see so many animals treated like disposable items, who can just be thrown out and dumped or abandoned by callous irresponsible owners. Everyday there are posts on forums and websites looking for good homes for poor helpless four legged friends.

Why do people take on animals if they can't have them for life? Expats who've brought animals over from their home countries, only to leave their pets behind when they leave, because they didn't factor the cost of flying them back, the paper work, vaccines, blood tests and potentially quarantine. Or people who've taken on abandoned animals, only to re-abandon them later on. It's like throwing a child away, animals become part of your family, they have feelings, emotions, personalities and aren't soulless creatures that some believe and then gives them the right to treat them badly.

My latest addition to the family is Chloe, a lovely little cat who was sadly left behind by her owners. She was a pet sit and they just never came back. Poor Chloe is 15 years old, so it was always going to be hard to find her a new home, but I took pity on this old dear and took her in. My other cat is 12 anyway so I thought they'd make good company for each other. Now Chloe, instead of being housed in a maids room, has a nice garden to run around in and a big villa to call home. 

People really need to stop and think before taking on animals, because pets are for life, not something you just throw away when life gets a bit hard. Animals give unconditional love and we shouldn't take that for granted.