Kruger senses

Tracking the spirit of safari

Dawn arrives – first news comes from the quieting of nocturnal insects, then an orange wash wipes the blackness from the eastern skies. I can see the tree-line silhouetted in front of me. Dawn is magical on the savannah, greeted by a first song, then a chorus of songs as the birds and daytime insects begin telling stories of the imminent arrival of a new day.

The first smells arrive, the dew, damp, warm muddy water scattered sent of early blossoms, and even news of fresh dung, rotting flesh or damp hair can be picked from my first long intake of air.

I can feel dawn. The cold creeps around my skin and in an instant moved away by the morning breeze and the first rays of red sun rising in the east.

My eyes are adjusting, I can pick out the shapes and movement in front of me, and I can see this world lightening with every passing second. I listen to the first early footsteps scurrying through the scrub. The baboons are shouting in social hierarchy, and in the distance a lioness roars confirmation that her pride is nearby.

A lone hyena whoops a scouting call, a jackal answers but cuts the call short, and a hippo grunts his return to the water in territorial voice.

My safari has begun! A journey that will allow me to process this early information and then include the footsteps, fasces and feeding signs left behind from last night’s visitors.

What will I uncover? Where will I go? This is my adventure today!

Neil Heron
www.beardedheron.com