ROSIE MITCHELL

As well as providing a beautiful and varied setting for adults to soak up the wonders of nature and explore the great outdoors, we discovered on our trip to Jabulani Safaris that they have an entire programme devoted to young people, running for the full 20 years of the camp’s existence. 
A group of in-coming sixth formers from a Bulawayo boys’ school arrived for their team building camp during our stay and we had the opportunity to see some of the exertions and games in which they were engaged.

They were certainly put through their paces!  Without doubt they would have learned much from their experiences, sleeping out in the wilds, taking a huge amount of exercise whether by running, walking and tackling the obstacle course at the crack of dawn.

They were also engaged in  making and rowing rafts across a dam at midnight or undertaking games contrived to draw them to work together for the good of the group.

They were even blindfolded, driven into the middle of nowhere, and instructed to find their way back to camp!

All of this, of course, under watchful, trained adult eyes.

It was clear that despite the rigours of the various exercises and games, the boys were having a fine time of it and would go home having learned much, ready for their responsibilities at the top of their school.

After our departure, 110 in-coming Form Ones from a Harare school were due to arrive for a similar bush experience, helping to make this transition easier for them by breaking the ice and allowing them to get to know each other before term starts.

For many of the children who come to camps at Jabulani, the managers told us, this is their first experience of camping out in the bush close to wild animals, and they develop a real appreciation for nature and wildlife.

There is dormitory-style accommodation back in the safari camp where they usually end their trips, with a dining hall, and groups come with teachers, for whom other rooms are provided.

We were very impressed with the whole programme.

It always strikes me as sad when children growing up in this amazing country, in urban areas, do not get to enjoy the beauty of our country out in the wilderness.

Under this scenario they don’t develop a taste for the wonderful outdoor activities available to us year round with our perfect climate.

Getting a taste for the enjoyment and appreciation of nature that these camps invariably gives them is a great gift for the young people who come through Jabulani in this way.

Some of them visit these places several times over the course of their school careers, for a number of schools across the country take regular advantage of these “outward bound” type of adventure courses and team-building activities.

And...another close encounter — of the snake kind

Our extra night allowed for another training run through this beautiful place, and, another Close Encounter of the Snake Kind! 
Now, the camp manager was concerned that if I told this tale it might deter visitors.

But it’s important to say, that encountering snakes is really very unusual unless you’re looking for them (as I always am because I actually LIKE seeing them!) or, you live in the bush and there’s a higher probability of seeing them.

As I’ve always maintained, snakes are not our enemy and will for the most part retreat rapidly from humans, whose approaching sounds and vibrations they easily detect.

Their venom is there so they can feed themselves, not for the sake of harming humans!

My overly close encounters with dangerous snakes have usually arisen because I’ve been alone and walking very quietly and they have been minding their own business, basking on rocks to warm up their bodies – so they’ve got as much of a fright as me, and immediately rushed away!

However, the exception is the adder family, because their hunting strategy is to lie in wait, somewhat invisibly, then grab unsuspecting prey.

Hence, one need always watch one’s route for the likes of the puff adder which occasionally people do step on and get bitten, as they didn’t spot the snake.

Adders also like to bask in the sun from time to time.

As I gleefully set off running on the dirt road in the late afternoon, almost too late, I spotted a snake just six inches from my foot, and reacting fast, did a rather comical mid-air direction reversal, much amusing Sarah, running 10 metres behind me!

While I like snakes, I do obviously treat them with great respect as one never knows until studying them from a safer distance, whether or not they are potentially dangerous.

The basking snake itself didn’t move a muscle, so we cautiously got closer to take a better look and a quick photo.

I assumed it had to be an adder, from its still behaviour, and indeed, it was.

After checking four snake books – as with birds, one really needs more than one of these, to compare the snake with several different pictures – we identified it as a Rhombic night adder.

This would likely have given me a toxic bite causing serious pain and swelling, had I landed on it, but would not have killed me.

It blended very well indeed with the sandy road – so just as well, I’ve sharp eyes and fast reactions!

After a while, it moved off into the grass.  I was well-pleased, after the fact, as I always enjoy seeing a snake – given that it’s an uncommon occurrence, even for one who spends so much time bush-bashing.

I had last seen a night adder in the Matobo National Park, also on a dirt road in the early evening, fully 15 years ago, making this a lucky sighting indeed, albeit, for a moment, at rather too close quarters!

All is well that ends well

Last week I described many of the ways adults can enjoy Jabulani – walking, running, mountain biking, going out on game drives, studying the nearby Naletale and Bhila ruins, rock climbing, abseiling, canoeing, bird watching or just chilling out in camp as the game wanders through, perhaps enjoying the sun and a good book by the pool.

Our breakdown at the camp turned into a very positive experience all round.

The camp managers and the wonderful mechanic from Bulawayo who dropped everything and drove out literally the same evening to tackle the major problem, were so kind and helpful, not to mention, really super, interesting people!

An apparently sub-standard timing belt had developed a small tear and stretched, after only five months — beware the shoddy parts being sold as genuine ones in this country these days!

Under the light of a portable spotlight out in this lovely conservation area, he tackled a job that most would not even have attempted unless in a fully equipped workshop, and with great skill and some very clever moves, achieved the impossible, changing the belt — and even having the foresight to arrive, without knowing what the problem was, with a spare one!