South Africa 2014: Altered State, Part 2

Even in our state of extended exhilaration, there are still some difficult choices to make each day. The first decision of the day - should I answer the 5am wake up call - is not difficult. We can't wait to jump aboard our Land Cruiser for the 6am safari and so there is really no decision to be made at all. Other than deciding where to point the camera, there are really no decisions to be made at all while out on the hunt.

The first difficult choice of the day comes around 9:30 when we have to decide what to order for breakfast. There there are six items on the menu and we are only here for 3 days. I suppose in order to avoid making it difficult I could have ordered two breakfasts each morning, but gluttony is one of the 7 deadly ones and to be avoided, even when on vacation.

Then, comes the next difficult choice: What am I going to do for the rest of the morning until lunch is served at 1:00? Swim, sleep, read, shop, blog, email, chat, etc. etc.

And then hard on the heels of this dilemma, the lunch menu bursts upon us with a whole new set of issues. Should we have wine with lunch and if so is it red, white, sparkling or still and from which region? It's almost overwhelming. It can be neatly sidestepped by drinking beer instead. Do I want the soup? Is the Boboti the right choice today or should I opt for the line fish? Should I have the dessert or just graze on the cheese table? (By this time of day the seven deadlies are starting to fade).

Choices, choices!

OK, by now I am sure you are getting a sense of what these Buffalo Camp days have been like: Superlative in every way possible.

And while we are, in effect, prisoners under strict orders never to leave the fenced-in compound unless accompanied by our jailer, (er, guide) we are at peace in our captivity. And outside the fence the animals are free. Free to roam at will over the tens of thousands of acres of this private game reserve. For decades the only shots taken are by cameras, except for the odd exchange between poachers and the constantly patrolling rangers. As a result, we humans riding about are not considered a threat. Neither are we considered an opportunity as the animals are never fed or cared for in any way. Nature is allowed to take it's course. From agony to ecstasy and everything in between. For the last couple of days we prisoners are much closer to the latter. As to those outside the wire, we can only speculate.