A client that hunted with me during this past month wrote the following piece. I thought it was beautiful, and wanted to share it with you. Maybe some of the things said will only make sense to those that shared the safari, but you’ll get the general drift. Thanks to the boys of Kentucky. We all had a great time. Here’s the piece that Byron wrote:

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Once upon a time there was a faraway and exotic land, where wild beasts and Afrikaners roamed free. A land of abundant riches where men communed with nature and with nature's God and were full of joy.

When men visited this wonderful land, they were immediately transfixed. In this land, there were wild game, from kudu to gemsbok to impala, dotting the landscape. And the springbok was the national animal, an antelope of incomparable beauty and grace.

Even the foods were a delight to the palate, from wildebeest sausage to the TV Bar.

But when men returned from this land to their places of work, they were filled with great sadness, for they longed for the kudu and the TV Bar and the joy that men knew in the distant land. The obligations and duties and burdens of so-called civilized society caused these men much anguish upon their return, and with the passage of time and with heavy consumption of spirituous beverage, their memories of the great land were dimmed.

But in quiet moments men sometimes heard, however dimly, the lyrical and familiar refrain "Good Good Good is Good is Nice" and they smiled.

There's seldom been a day since I returned from RSA last Sept I haven't thought of my travels thru Guateng & Mpumalanga. The high veldt and the lowveld - which are inversely named in my opinion. Nice little towns like Sabie, Graskop, & Pilgrim's Rest with their misty mornings and beautifully clear afternoons. One of my favorite photo's is of the 3 Rondavels in the Blyde River Canyon.....Now see what you've started!

I can never forget the South African hospitality shown by Deon and his family as we hunted Kudu, Gemsbok, Waterbuck and Eland in the Northern Provence. After exploring a Boer Family burial plot, Deon Introduced me to a local radio personality who gave us a great tour of the Military and Boer Museum in Bloemfontein South Africa. That evening over a fine dinner and drink I learned more of South African History from the local perspective.

How could one not enjoy such an adventure?

quote:

Originally posted by almostacowboy:
One of my favorite photo's is of the 3 Rondavels in the Blyde River Canyon.....Now see what you've started!

I second that, here´s my good friend and shrink Cewe, contemplating the view:


I wish I could return today, this instant.
Boha

quote:

I can never forget the South African hospitality shown by Deon and his family.

Jim, what is Deon's surname? Many years ago I have been living in Northern Transvaal and I was befriended with Deon Raath from Pietersburg. Unfortunately I have lost contact and I'm unable to trace him. That man was extremely kind, generous and helpful and a very keen hunter as well. Maybe we are talking about the same person?


www.kapstadt.de/lemberg

quote:

Originally posted by boha:

quote:

Originally posted by almostacowboy:
One of my favorite photo's is of the 3 Rondavels in the Blyde River Canyon.....Now see what you've started!

So where is this scene? And were you hunting and what? Thanks.

It was back in 2003 for me, Cewe went back 04 and 05. The place is the Greater Drakensberg Escarpment Link
Here´s the report 2003
We hunted up north, around Bandolierkop, Limpopo.
Boha

quote:

Originally posted by Sunshine:

quote:

I can never forget the South African hospitality shown by Deon and his family.

Jim, what is Deon's surname? Many years ago I have been living in Northern Transvaal and I was befriended with Deon Raath from Pietersburg. Unfortunately I have lost contact and I'm unable to trace him. That man was extremely kind, generous and helpful and a very keen hunter as well. Maybe we are talking about the same person?


www.kapstadt.de/lemberg

His name is Deon Cilliers. He is the owner of Hunters Safaris headquartered in Excelcior.

As much as I have hunted all of Africa, I still love So. Africa, I like the old Northern Transvaal low veld, the spectacular high mountains of the Eastern Cape and thee beatiful area around Natal KwaZulu...Capetown and that area with its vast high desert areas..All of So. Africa is spectacular...

There is nothing more relaxing and enjoyable as a plainsgame hunt in RSA, topped off with some Rock Pidgeon shooting...and never overlook the trout fishing in RSA, a limit of 5 pounders is not uncommon at all.

I just got back from 7 weeks in SA, and have been there 15 times now.

Also booked again for 2006, so I guess I'm in the group tht loves to go there.

Go while the going is still good.

I can't beat Terry but I have enjoyed all four of my trips to that country! The Limpopo was great safari country. The East Cape was very unique and scenic and Kwa-Zulu Natal for Nyala remains one of my favorites. The OFS was desolate and wide open and the area between Hoedspruit and Phala Bora next to Krueger was great big game country. Nowhere did I ever doubt I was hunting and not collecting species!

I also agree with Terry. And I respect Terry, his experience and his opinions, having talked with him some years ago before I ever went to South Africa for the first time. I too, enjoy hunting in that beautiful country and have made some very good friends and "family" while there. South Africa must be attractive to someone, since a majority of the African Hunting done today is done there.

RSA???????
Ray, tell us more about the trout fishing.....I missed that.

I just returned from ten days of hunting in Eastern Cape. Not only was it beautiful, it reminded me very much of WYOMING!

The farm I hunted on was bordered by high fences that only the neighbors had put up... and from what I saw, very little of the perimeter had high fencing. My PH had no high fencing of his own and everything was free range. He was proud of this and I was glad to hear it, myself.

The hunting was harder than any other hunting I have done and we worked very hard for the animals I took, with the exception of the gemsbok...

I came away from South Africa extremely pleased with the hunting we did, the animals I took, and the wonderful times that we had. I loved every second of it and will go back, despite the bullshit SAPS puts you thru...

RSA is the only African experience I have had so far and would do it again in a heartbeat. The PH was outstanding and the scenery was magnificant. It was East Cape and I thought it was high desert. Can't wait to go back and visit the friends that I left there.

My son and I went hunting in the Limpopo. We had an afternoon free and I asked our PH what the locals did on Sunday afternoons. He smiled and asked us if we were serious about doing somthing, we said yes. We piled into the bakki and drove 2 hours to the nearest TV and watched a soccer match. It was in a combination city hall/dance hall and bar. Everyone was very friendly, my son and I never bought a beer the entire time we were there. Everyone wanted to talk to us and ask us about the US. We made a lot of friends and we still communicate with some via e mail. It was a unique part of our safari. We will go back, it was great.............................JJ

quote:

Originally posted by NitroX:

quote:

Originally posted by boha:

quote:

Originally posted by almostacowboy:
One of my favorite photo's is of the 3 Rondavels in the Blyde River Canyon.....Now see what you've started!

So where is this scene? And were you hunting and what? Thanks.

Here ya go, Nitro -
A little different than Boha's but not much. Nope no hunting. We (WW2 & I) had just returned from a horseback safari in the Okavango in Botswana. Where, by the way, WW2 and I got to spend the night in Harry Selby's tent at Selby's Camp.

Here's a pic just the the north (left) of the 3 Rondavels of the Blyde River Canyon.