The Safari Bug
*Published on the Wild Eye Blog*
The safari bug.
Anyone that has travelled to Africa knows of this terribly infectious disease. It sneaks up on you and bites you when you least expect it. Yet, the symptoms don’t show until you get back home. Allow me to list some of the symptoms below:
Nervous twitches when you realize it may be years until you go back
Daydreaming and hallucinations of your recent trip
The inability to step away from Lightroom, even if it means bringing your laptop to class
Ok, maybe that last one is just me. So what sort of retched beast causes the safari bug? No, it’s not those terrible mozzies, nor the tsetse flies that inhabit the mopane woodlands. In actuality, the true origins of the safari bug can only be traced back to the safari itself.
For the love and inspiration that comes from your latest trip is what has infected you.
The only remedy? To go back again!
For myself, the symptoms started kicking in about 11 months ago. It was August and I had just returned from a 6 week stint in the bush, consisting of time spent in the Sabi Sands and the Okavango Delta.
Both places captivated my imagination like nothing else before and created a desire within me to go back. So when I returned, I embarked on a new mission: get back to Africa. Yet, the bug never seemed to go away.
Nearly eight months of planning has lead me to today. I sit here writing this with the realization that soon I will be back in the bush! With the trip so close, however, the symptoms of the safari bug have only amplified. I now dream every night about heading back. Instead of planning for University (like I really should be) I am reading up on Lightroom and wildlife photography tips. The anticipation leading up to this trip is slowly but surely getting to my head.
With that being said, I know Dr. Gerry is here with the cure. In just two weeks time I, along with my Grandparents and brother, will be heading out to two of Africa’s most iconic destinations, Mana Pools and South Luangwa. And at the helm of this incredible trip? The one and only Gerry van der Walt of course.
While on the trip, both Gerry and I will be pumping out some exciting content whenever we get the opportunity to! From Snapchat and Periscope to Instagram you can follow along with us as we share our amazing experiences along the way.
My Instagram page is @davidrphoto, while you can follow along on Gerry’s Periscope and Snapchat at gerryvanderwalt. Below is a sneak peek of what’s to come
Hope to see you along the way!
