Designer

……………On one beautiful early morning we were treated to a canoe ride. The canoes were very narrow and not too big. Chris and I, both big guys, had to switch from one canoe to another because the first was too small. The hope was that we would see animals come to the water for their morning drinks and bathes. We did see some fierce looking Cape Buffalo, but we stayed clear of these grumpy looking beasts. They have been know to charge, and they are very powerful. We saw the usual Impala, but not much else. I did learn about the different lily pads and their flowers. If you pinch off the flower of one kind and let the water drip from the bottom into your eye they say it cures infections. The natives have been using it for ever…..Interesting.

……..On the morning after we gathered , under a starry night, to see the movie about Star we were treated to their 7am release from the sanctuary into the bush. There was Star at the very back of the line. Their goal is to get all of the elephants to join wild herds and to cut their dependence on humans. It’s a difficult task as the elephants love their human caretakers. Only a year ago guests were allowed to mingle with the elephants. That was one of the main reasons I wanted to go to Abu Camp. They however stopped this practice, because it was only making it more difficult to separate the elephants from humans. I was very disappointed, but understood. The gentleman who is speaking was the man who first bonded with star. He became Star’s mother. Even though they lead the elephants into the bush every day the elephants, on their own, make their way back to the sanctuary every night! They are in the process of building another sanctuary in the bush so the elephants stay in the bush. It was a wonderful morning to a wonderful day in Africa