Читать книгу (101 things to know when you go) ON SAFARI IN AFRICA - Patrick Brakspear - Страница 4

On Safari in Africa has but a single purpose - to enhance your safari experience. There is so much for you to see and experience on safari, so much to take in, that it would be all too easy to get only a superficial glimpse of what a safari is all about. By introducing you to the many facets of an African safari, to which you might not otherwise be exposed, it is hoped that you will become more fully immersed in the bounty it offers. In the following chapters you will be presented with many interesting and poignant facts and theories, an A to Z of the safari world if you like, designed to help you observe more keenly and question more often. If you hold to the belief that through knowledge comes understanding, and through understanding comes true appreciation - then you will gain much from these pages.

Although I have not always been successful, this narrative attempts to be simple and uncomplicated - intended to be light reading and an easy reference. The dialogue is intentionally ‘light’ and tries not to get bogged down in tedious ‘technical’ details. Sometimes this has been done ‘tongue in cheek’ - I mean only to pique your interest and feed your curiosity, not provide a scientific reference work. I am not an accredited Zoologist, nor a noted expert on Africa’s wildlife or its peoples, but I am passionate about Africa and what it has to offer the safari-goer. I must apologise that certain aspects are sometimes repeated – it is just that some things are worth repeating!

Your first encounter with an African elephant will certainly leave quite an impression. But if you were to return home with only the memory of having seen an elephant in the wild, that would be a shame. The experience should be far more than that. After all, this is a living thing, one of a vast array of animals that make up our amazing world. How does this, the world’s largest surviving land animal, live its life, raise its young, communicate with others, and live out each day - what is its future? The answers to these questions will go a long way to enhance your safari experience and help you to fully appreciate the privilege of being in the company of a truly wild animal. It is these answers that On Safari in Africa hopes to share with you.

Having grown up in Africa, and later sharing the thrill of being on safari with people from around the world, it is my hope that On Safari in Africa will enable you to share the insights and passion that I have been privileged to enjoy for so long. I trust that I have done justice to the flora, fauna and people of this amazing continent and that this book may in some small way fulfill your dreams of an African safari.

Through On Safari in Africa I hope to encourage you to get more out of your safari experience: from tips on your preparations before you leave home, including what to expect and what to look out for, through to insights into the wildlife, landscapes and people you will encounter. For many, a safari to Africa is a once-in-a-lifetime adventure, but even for ‘repeat-offenders’ it is always a fascinating journey, one that you will undoubtedly remember for many years to come.

Finally, On Safari in Africa serves as an unashamed celebration of our natural world and all it contains – at least that one corner of it, known to us as Africa. "The only man I envy is the man who has not yet been to Africa...for he has so much to look forward to." - Richard Mullin