Close to 45 years of adventures in Africa
1976 - Totally ignorant I embarked on my first trip to Africa, ‘Dark Africa’ as it was called then. Looking for adventure. New sounds, new smells, new skies ad new impressions. As if one re-discovers the world. It was mid-winter. The grass was red and beige-brownish and the Africa sky seemed to have been photoshopped. So blue, so clear, so crisp and dust free. Standing on top of a Northern Transvaal Hill, alone. And as far as I could look there was nothing. No roads, no church tower, no electricity cables, no people, no nothing…. Just sheer endless layers of red-brown, brown, khaki, greenish and blue, with here and there a white cloud. Without me noticing, tears were rolling down my cheeks. The endless space and an immense sense of total freedom struck me to the bone.
That was almost 45 years ago and the magic has never faded.
1981 - Full of expectations Anet put foot on African soil for the first time. Instantly struck by that same ‘something’ that Africa does with people. ‘Life here is earthy and without hurry’. The way the early morning light hits the acacia’s. The smells after a tropical rainstorm. The unmistakable sound of the first hyena’s after sunset, while sitting next to a crackling camp fire, sipping a G&T after nice a hot shower. Those are the times one realises that this is it.
And that feeling has only grown stronger over time. We had to go back there time and time again. Our iconic Land Rover trips, from the Skeleton Coast in Namibia litterally into the tuquois blue of the Indian Ocean in Mozambique. From the most southern point on the African continent, through the Karoo, Kwa-Zulu Natal and Kruger into Zimbabwe, Zambia and the Okavango Delta in Botswana. And still there is enough on our wishlist. Places we want to go, driving from the lodge we built in a nature reserve adjacent to the Kruger `National Park in South Africa.
Our adventures culminated in family and friends, friends-of-friends, friends of our children, and then their friends, asking for advice and help in realising their own African dreams and adventures. Some roughing it to the core, others doing fly-in/fly-out luxury lodging.
We’ve done it all. After all those years we know who to send where, or not to send there. Good lodges, nice lodges, spectacular lodges. Desert trips, through pristine riverine landscape or untouched wilderness where the sounds of elephants, hippo’s and roaring lions will keep you up at night.
Willem bakhuys roozeboom
Grabbed by Africa Willem made a life changing U-turn. Terminated his busy marketing job, threw out his busy diary, and changed the busy city of Amsterdam for a remote tent in the heart of the Okavango Delta. He ran the worlds’ most exclusive safari lodges and camps under the most demanding and unorhtodox circumstances in Botswana and Chad. During this time he developed his guiding skills and turned out to be a gifted photographer. His book ‘ you run, you die’ is a beautiful exposé of his adventures in Africa. Now that Willem is back in the Netherlands he has joined us at Bushlife Experiences.
We still have to meet the first person not dying to visit Africa after spending an hour with Willem.
How about your African dream? What is in your comfort zone and what is just too daring? We would love to connect with you about that. That is what we do. We listen and then create a bespoke adventure for your, tailored to your needs. Looking forward to that conversation.
Hajo and Anet Valk