South Africa and facing some fears

Wow...What a Vacation. So for my birthday I was taken to South Africa as I'd always wanted to do a safari and it was beyond all expectations.

It had always been on my bucket list and having got back just last week (which seems a lifetime away) I am still reflecting on the whole experience.

So many highlights including coming face to face with 6 hippos and walking on foot along side the wild lions in the bush with the rangers which is easier said than done because every thought you have tells you to run away or not to continue any further..........on reflection it was one of the most exciting/apprehensive/edgy/tense/exhilarated and panicked experience to date and definitely a big fear that was faced.

For those that don't know, me and heights do not go together....so, the thought of climbing table Mountain (A new wonder of the world) in Cape Town which reaches a maximum elevation of 1,088 meters (3,569 feet) above sea level was very scary indeed. This was really a case of stepping outside my comfort zone and managing that mindset which really proved to me the mind over matter statement that we quite often say.

Seeing all the animals running around in the open wild was amazing and ranger Sam that we had throughout had so much knowledge, patience with the animals and emotional intelligence as someone who has studied and tracked the animals for the last 7 years. Coming face to face with a herd of 45 elephants was another highlight and I did not expect them to be so elegant, graceful, calm and just utterly beautiful creatures. Sam was telling us that they have very high emotional intelligence so no surprise that this has now become another one of my favourite animals.

I cannot wait to return again at some point and if you haven't thought of doing a safari I would urge you to consider one.

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