Going Wild

Every now and then it is a good idea to go wild!

Going wild in a sense of disappearing into nature – into the middle of nowhere, into the wild.

I have just come back from the Lebombo Eco trail in the Kruger Park.
Being in the bush and being in nature was so refreshing for me. Even though it was the dirtiest I have been, there was dust everywhere, I felt totally cleansed.

Five Landies covering 500km, one ranger, no campsites, no tourist roads, no water, no flushing toilets and a shower only twice out of the 5 days – what an experience!

I learned so much and saw so much. I have been to the Kruger Park so many times before but always as a tourist looking for the big 5. This trip we were learning more about the environment, the geology, biology, historical and cultural information of the park.
We saw the reality of the national park – we experienced helicopters following poachers, we saw 3 illegal immigrants crossing the boarder from Mozambique into SA, we heard about the issue that the Kruger has with too many elephants and the effect it is having on the rest of the park. It wasn’t the Disney version that I have always seen… this was the behind the scenes, this was the reality.

By seeing the Kruger Park in this new light it made me realise how far removed we are from nature and what effect we are having on nature.

I know everyone is going on about being “green” - and I do my bit as much as I can - but when you are surrounded by nature, seeing your affect on nature directly and actually EXPERIENCING your carbon foot print, it really does hit home and open up your eyes.

In our society we are so used to convenience so we are not directly affected by the effect that we are having on nature. We buy our meat beautifully packaged rather than going through the process of having to slaughter it ourselves. We have water on tap whenever we want it rather than having to walk for kilometres to the closest river. We can just switch on a light whenever it is dark rather than having to find firewood to make a fire.

This week of ‘going wild’ and being in ‘full-on’ nature really made me think. When you are transporting your own water in your own vehicle and only have so much of it for 5 day you are soon aware of how much you use and how much you waste. When you are brushing your teeth outside your tent and spitting in onto the ground leaving a white toothpaste mark, you are quickly aware of if you tooth paste is bio-degradable or not.
When you have to take all your rubbish with you in your car and only dispose of it when you get back into civilization you quickly realize how much we throw away and how much rubbish we have… and how much it smells.
When you are actually experiencing nature rather than going through the motions of city life you soon realize what your part in the world is and how you can make a difference.

Going wild was an inspiring and thoroughly enjoyable experience for me. I had fun, lived life well and felt myself again.
I am so glad I set the time aside to connect to nature and go wild!


"I love Life.
It is my birthright to live fully and freely.
I give to Life exactly what I want Life to give to me.
I am glad to be alive.
I love Life!"
Louise L. Hay