I grew up in a small town in South Africa where going on safari - to Kruger National Park - was something you started doing as a child with your parents. As kids we were mostly fascinated by the elephants and the big cats and no safari was considered a success without a lion sighting. We were always thrilled to see giraffes and zebras as well. As time went by, we gained an appreciation for all the creatures, from butterflies to birds of prey. We’d go out at night to look for owls and porcupines, and started to identify even the most obscure bird species, the ones known as ‘little brown jobs’ or simply LBJ’s. Little did I know that this was just the start of a life-long adventure, an enduring passion which ignited a love of travel, sparked an interest in photography and kept a flame burning in me to do what I can to protect and nurture the wild places of Africa.
After a stint in the diplomatic service and then PR and advertising, it was practically life-saving when I found myself returning to the photo safari field. This time in a professional capacity as a safari planner and tour operator. I am now based in Houston in the USA where I’ve lived with my wife and boys for more than 30 years. In tandem with traveling to Africa as many times per year as I can, my life now consists of realizing the dreams of other people wanting to go on safari.
I’ve lost count of the number of times I have been out in the bush, of how many times I have stopped to look at a mammal or bird or a beautiful scene, of how many photos I’ve taken, trying to capture some magical moment. Yet every time I go back I realize that I can never, will never, dare not ever grow even a little bit bored or tired or blase about the privilege of experiencing the wonders of nature. Being out in the wilderness is so much more than just fun and excitement. It is relaxing, it calms the mind, it puts you in a place where you immediately feel like you belong, as if you’ve just come home.
The purpose of this blog is to share some of my many Africa experiences and literally thousands of photographs that I have amassed over the last 30 years or so. If it inspires someone to get in touch with me to help them plan their first or next trip to Africa then wonderful. Otherwise just enjoy the words and the photographs - and tell a friend.
I grew up in a small town in South Africa where going on safari - to Kruger National Park - was something you started doing as a child with your parents. As kids we were mostly fascinated by the elephants and the big cats and no safari was considered a success without a lion sighting. We were always thrilled to see giraffes and zebras as well. As time went by, we gained an appreciation for all the creatures, from butterflies to birds of prey. We’d go out at night to look for owls and porcupines, and started to identify even the most obscure bird species, the ones known as ‘little brown jobs’ or simply LBJ’s. Little did I know that this was just the start of a life-long adventure, an enduring passion which ignited a love of travel, sparked an interest in photography and kept a flame burning in me to do what I can to protect and nurture the wild places of Africa.
After a stint in the diplomatic service and then PR and advertising, it was practically life-saving when I found myself returning to the photo safari field. This time in a professional capacity as a safari planner and tour operator. I am now based in Houston in the USA where I’ve lived with my wife and boys for more than 30 years. In tandem with traveling to Africa as many times per year as I can, my life now consists of realizing the dreams of other people wanting to go on safari.
I’ve lost count of the number of times I have been out in the bush, of how many times I have stopped to look at a mammal or bird or a beautiful scene, of how many photos I’ve taken, trying to capture some magical moment. Yet every time I go back I realize that I can never, will never, dare not ever grow even a little bit bored or tired or blase about the privilege of experiencing the wonders of nature. Being out in the wilderness is so much more than just fun and excitement. It is relaxing, it calms the mind, it puts you in a place where you immediately feel like you belong, as if you’ve just come home.
