Nella's Tin Trunk Podcast

John Barclay is a fountain of knowledge about the bush. His safari genealogy goes back generations. He is the grandson of the famous Jack Bousfield of Botswana, an explorer whose collection at Jack's Camp is considered part of the national treasures of the country. His uncle, Ralph, is a mentor and avant-guarde thinker on all things safari and conservation. John has used his childhood in the bush to learn – and learn and learn. As you will hear, he is not only full of information but, above all, he is an acute observer, and his vantage point is the big picture. He's just what Africa needs right now. Enjoy my conversation with John Barclay!www.tintrunksafari.com Instagram: @tintrunksafari

Did you know that no one has ever seen a Manta Ray give birth? Their babies are over a meter wide when they are born. Or that the Seychelles may be one of the only Manta nurseries on Earth? Elle Brighton is a devoted marine conservartionist working in the Seychelles Outer Islands. Based on the inimitable Alphonse Island, she oversees everything from the health of the fishing (it's a world class destination for catch and release of bone fish, giant trevally, and lots more) to shark conservation and, yes, the angles of the seas, the giant Manta Rays. Our conversation covers all of this and more. She's a hero for worldwide marine conservation and you will love this chat.www.tintrunksafari.com Instagram: @tintrunksafari

Wendy Panaino is the head of conservation at Tswalu in South Africa's Kalahari. If you listened to my podcast about the Deserts of Africa, you will remember the Kalahari. It is an exceptionally rich ecological area and Tswalu is a success story of rehabilitation and conservation. Wendy and I sat down while I was there and chatted about what it means to be a custodian of Africa's largest private nature reserve, it's fragile ecology, complex management of wildlife – especially the relationship between predator and prey – and her total commitment to conservation above all else. Enjoy this fascinating conversation. www.tintrunksafari.com Instagram: @tintrunksafari

Over the 21 years I have been bringing guests to Africa with my business, Tin Trunk Safari, I have held to the principle that I do not send guests anywhere that I have not been personally. This has kept Tin Trunk “slower and closer” and is also essential in making sure I match the clients to the right experiences. In today's episode, I talk about the vetting process. What am I thinking about and looking at when I do a reki? I always spend at least one night, usually two, and that allows me to get to know the team, the guides and understand the nuances of a place. I hope you enjoy this inside look at my test-driving process! www.tintrunksafari.com Instagram: @tintrunksafari

It's the end of February and in case the Winter cold lingers, I thought you would enjoy going to a tropical island - to talk about food. Luke Van Der Merwe is the head gardener on Alphonse Island in the Seychelles and, as you will hear, he is passionate about what he does. Our chat covers everything from how come the food is so delicious here, in the middle of nowhere in the Indian Ocean, to how important the microbiome is to that fact. It's certainly farm to table here! Enjoy! www.tintrunksafari.com Instagram: @tintrunksafari

The names conjure romantic images: The Sahara. The Namib. The Kalahari. Africa is home to three of the largest and most diverse deserts on our planet. Safaris that include the Namib and the Kalahari in Namibia, Botswana and South Africa reveal not only unbelievable formations, landscapes and flora, but also unique animal sightings, like the desert-adapted Elephant; the Cheetah (Namibia has the largest population of them in Africa); the Oryx, a master of thermo-regulation, and very rare sightings of the elusive Aardvark and Pangolin. The Skeleton Coast in Namibia, the Okavango Delta in Botswana - it's all about the desert. Enjoy! www.tintrunksafari.com Instagram: @tintrunksafari

Our conversation continues and after learning about Kes's arrival in Africa, her elephant research, frog heart muscle research and raising a family in the Democratic Republic of Congo on the border of war-torn South Sudan, we now hear more about that as well as what she is doing to stop the total extinction of the Northern White Rhino species. Enjoy Part 2 and be sure to listen to Part 1 first if you haven't! www.tintrunksafari.com Instagram: @tintrunksafari

Kes Hillman Smith is an unsung hero in African conservation. She arrived in Africa in a Land Rover through the Sahara and stayed to become a dedicated conservationist. Her research and hands-on involvement in Garamba National Park in the northern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo on the border with South Sudan, protecting elephants and rhino from savage poaching, flying her own plane for animal surveys and establishing conservation initiatives - all while raising her two children - is impressive enough. But Kes did - and does - even more. This is part 1 of our 2 part conversation. Enjoy. www.tintrunksafari.com Instagram: @tintrunksafari

How Scared Should You Be about Africa? It depends to a large degree on into whose hands you are entrusted. Good guides. Travel planners who understand that Africa can be daunting and are willing – and knowledgeable enough – to help you through to the other side. This is something I enjoy and whether we are talking about planes, animals, illness or just how different Africa is from every other trip you have taken, clients and I discuss and plan based on levels of comfort. I want to hold your hand as you face your fears so that you can experience one of the most magical places on Earth and in this podcast I discuss what people are concerned about and how to tackle those fears. www.tintrunksafari.com Instagram: @tintrunksafari

Jack Coupland walks the talk. He oversees the fascinating – and incredibly important – conservation projects on Alphonse Island in the remote Outer Island area of the Seychelles. In our chat, we talk about sharks, turtles, birds, fish and coral and how they are all intricately, crucially, linked to form this pristine and thriving marine environment. It's not often one can say that about the condition of our oceans these days so this is an uplifting one too! Enjoy.www.tintrunksafari.com Instagram: @tintrunksafari

Listen to hear why this is my favourite tropical paradise in Africa. Whether you are looking to lie on white sands until sundowner time with a good book or want to get out and do some world-class fishing and diving and snorkeling and hiking and biking and and and... this is it. Happy listening! www.tintrunksafari.com Instagram: @tintrunksafari

Tony Church is a man whose life has spanned fascinating moments in Kenya's history. To some he is the father of horse safaris in Kenya, to others the man who helped organise the horses for Robert Redford and Meryl Streep while they filmed Out of Africa, to other, precious ones, he's the grandfather who puts them on horses when they come to visit. Listening to Tony talk of zebra rustling as a child, of ocean voyages between England and Africa, of horse riding from Nairobi across lands then wild with lions and now busy with traffic is a personal walk through time for him and a wonderful glimpse into the history of a man and a land for us. Enjoy!  www.tintrunksafari.com Instagram: @tintrunksafari

In this episode, I talk about the endangered Mountain Gorillas and take you on a virtual trek. I have done this 8 times now, in Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. It's often called an experience of a lifetime - and it truly is.  If you have done it, you will have a lovely walk down memory lane. And if you haven't, you will want to! Enjoy! www.tintrunksafari.com Instagram: @tintrunksafari

I am back chatting with my good friend, Lorna Buchanan-Jardine, and as with our previous conversation, we cover lots of topics. This one delves into Lorna's experience as a safari camp manager.  We talk about the kinds of cultural exchanges that occur between guests and the locals here and how this is often one of the highlights of a safari. You must hear her story of a New York City family describing their life to a Maasai woman. We also talk about different notions of wealth; how to photograph respectfully; the ways to give that last... Whether you have been to Africa, are coming soon or have it on your dream list, this is an insider's look you will enjoy. Happy Listening.   www.tintrunksafari.com Instagram: @tintrunksafari

In this episode I talk about one of Nature's unmatched wildlife events: The Great Migration.  Millions of wildebbeest, with zebra and gazelle, move around the Serengeti and Maasai Mara ecosystems following the rains for the freshest grass. This is the second largest mammal migration on our planet. (The first is bats.) The zebras and wildebeest cross the rivers, full of crocodiles, and these “crossings” are as dramatic as it gets. It also gets awfully dramatic on the river banks as many, frankly way too many, tourist vehicles gather to watch. In this episode I tell you all about the migration, the pros and cons of visiting during this time of year and the important ways we can all ensure it remains one of the most outstanding wildlife experiences of our lives. Happy Listening.www.tintrunksafari.com Instagram: @tintrunksafari

As I say in the introduction, there is something about this conversation with Virginia that leaves me feeling raw, open and hopeful. Virginia is as real a deal as they come and hearing her talk about her upbringing in a home full of brothers and how a mixture of courage and hope led her to become one of the few - and elite - female anti-poaching rangers is beyond inspiring. Happy Listening.www.tintrunksafari.com Instagram: @tintrunksafari

This is an iconic one.  Jamie Roberts is a larger-than-life character. He owns one of the most successful aviation businesses in Africa, Tropic Air, and takes guests, including those of Tin Trunk, in his airplanes and helicopters from lodge to lodge and on amazing journeys around the continent.  In this conversation we chat about his family, how he ended up with his business and his favourite destinations to explore on the continent. Enjoy our conversation and get ready to want to join him next time!   www.tintrunksafari.com Instagram: @tintrunksafari

Nicole Church travelled with 4 other friends from England to Kenya. 50 years ago and in a Land Rover. They crossed the Sahara. They cooked and navigated and dug themselves out of sand traps. They visited - and felt safe in -  countries most would not drive through today and they had more than a few extraordinary encounters with people they met along the way.  Grab a map of Africa and enjoy our conversation! www.tintrunksafari.com Instagram: @tintrunksafari

Part of my travel planning job at  Tin Trunk involves talking to people about the daunting aspects of a trip to Africa. It's far. It's in the news for the wrong reasons much of the time. There are animals here much bigger than us  and others who can catch and eat prey much bigger than us. In this podcast, I discuss all of this and why much of it can be avoided or is often misrepresented. Have a listen and see why Africa is worth standing at the edge of your comfort zone. www.tintrunksafari.com Instagram: @tintrunksafari

Joy Juma loved camping and being in the African wilderness when she was a young girl.  Early on, she decided to work in conservation and has been involved with many different projects over her career. Today, Joy is a key member of the Zeitz Foundation, founded by Jochen Zeitz in 2008 and headquartered at his stunning retreat, Segera, in Kenya. Joy manages many projects for the Foundation, including wildlife conservation, the (mostly female!) anti-poaching unit, local schools, and community enterprises aimed at empowering women in particular. Most recently she is involved in a collaboration with a few other lodges in the Laikipia region of Kenya to expand the roaming rangelands for Rhinos. We sat down together at  Segera to chat about all of this. Enjoy our conversation! www.tintrunksafari.com Instagram: @tintrunksafari

Mike Jackson and his wife Sarah are beloved members of our family. Mike has been travelling in Africa since the 1980s - before, during and after his distinguished career in the British Army as Chief of the General Staff. There is hardly an area he hasn't visited and our conversation here at home in Kenya touches on where he has been, what he loves and why, as well as his thoughts on how Africa has changed over the years. Please enjoy.www.tintrunksafari.com Instagram: @tintrunksafari

Robert Lochiam is one of those guides who I know I need to interview after just a few hours together. I was excited to visit a new lodge in an important area for conservation in Kenya and Robert, who goes by his surname, Lochiam, showed us just how vital the area is to the "Super Tuskers": the elephants around Amboseli National Park at the foot of Mt. Kilimanjaro whose tusks often drag on the ground,  and to all the other animals coexisting beside them. In our chat by the pool at the new Angama lodge, you will hear of how a rhino led the charge (pun intended!) on his career as a guide, and how his passion for helping preserve wild spaces for Africa's animals only grows stronger the more he knows - which is already a lot! Enjoy! www.tintrunksafari.com Instagram: @tintrunksafari

This is the first of a series of podcasts centered on the theme of bush pilots flying around Africa. I begin with my own story of becoming a pilot and hope this is inspirational for anyone tempted to take to the skies.  Africa from the air is a journey in itself. Whether you are in command or a passenger on safari, being up there, looking down on elephants, bamboo forests, waterfalls or pastoralists and their herds - and  getting from A to B easily and safely -  is the making of indelible moments. Enjoy! www.tintrunksafari.com Instagram: @tintrunksafari

Imagine steep hillside roads, narrow such that cars often have to give way for the oncoming traffic.  People everywhere on both sides of the road: lorries, cars, safari landcruisers.  We are talking about a crowded scenario on the Rwandan roads in the area where the Mountain Gorillas dwell. Now imagine a bicycle. No gears, and - I think but am not at all sure - brakes.  The men riding the bikes freewheel down the road - down the middle of the road - at the speed of light - from the higher forest area to the market towns below. They are right in the thick of this traffic of cars and people and they are carrying sacks of potatoes weighing around 250 kilograms each. Yep, kg, not lbs.  At the source of this daredevilry is a potato field and the harvested potatoes and their non-helmet wearing carriers are setting off, one after the other in intervals such that they don't run into one another if one person is flying downhill faster than another. Never mind the cars, lorries and motorbikes coming the other direction though!  My chat with Fabien was borne of a fascination about these wild rides and, as often happens, ended up covering a lot more than that. Special guests on the conversation are Gervais Twamugize, our guide who translated the conversation for me and James Hutchings, my husband who has worked in agriculture for over 30 years in Africa and has some interesting questions for Fabien too. Enjoy our conversations! www.tintrunksafari.com Instagram: @tintrunksafari

Christmas on Safari is the perfect way to make the holiday about time together, about sharing beauty and awe and magic with those you love. In this short episode, I speak about what it is like to be on safari over Christmas, and tell a  Samburu story about the creation of the stars. Happy Christmas Everyone! www.tintrunksafari.com Instagram: @tintrunksafari

When Diana Sutter is not in Northern California, you are safe to bet she is in Africa. Diana has seen more of Africa than most - including safari guides.  She has visited the kinds of off-the-beaten places many of us who live here full-time still dream of visiting.  She is passionate about the continent, the animals, and the people - evident not only in her stunning photography but also in her support for conservation and community.  Oh, and she is also the person who convinced me to come to Africa 19 years ago, so there's that too! Please enjoy my chat with Diana on what it means to be here every year and the power of slow-safari.www.tintrunksafari.com Instagram: @tintrunksafari

On Safari in Rwanda! Following my special interview with the three men who worked with Dian Fossey to help save the Mountain Gorillas (previous episode), I am talking about Rwanda in general now: the country, the people, the history - sad and yet inspiring - and of course what to do and see on safari there, which goes beyond trekking to see the endangered Mountain Gorillas, but of course includes that as a life-changing priority! Enjoy! www.tintrunksafari.com Instagram: @tintrunksafari

This interview still gives me goose bumps. I have honoured Dian Fossey's work - exposing to the world the plight of the Mountain Gorilla and learning more and more about our wise and wonderful cousins - since forever. Getting to meet three men who worked with her and hear their stories was not only interesting, but important. She opened our eyes and hearts to these wonderful and endangered animals - and she couldn't have done it without men like these. Fidel translates for everyone so it is not only an interview with interesting information, you are also part of their conversation in Swahili - just like once upon a time. Enjoy! www.tintrunksafari.com Instagram: @tintrunksafari

My African story begins with a horse safari in 2004. It's why I fell in love with this place and riding across Africa is still one of my favourite ways to experience the  wilderness. Horse safaris are a thing, and for those who ride, an incredible way to feel the power of Africa's Nature. A recent ride in Botswana introduced me to Chief - one of the best horse safari guides I have met and inspired our conversation about approaching dangerous game, how to read the signs of animals and keep them comfortable and lots more. I especially enjoy the part where Chief tells us how he began his riding career on his family donkeys, bareback without even a bridle to steer! Enjoy! www.tintrunksafari.com Instagram: @tintrunksafari

It's BotswanAAAH. This is Africa's most private and pristine safari destination. Stunning tented camps, watching animals on your own...the water...the light...the luxury! (The price tag to match most of the time too.) Safaris here visit the world's largest inland delta, the Okavango Delta,  as well as the vast salt pans of the ancient super lakes and some other special places too. This is my Sifting through Greatness introduction. Have a listen and get ready to want to go to this amazing safari destination!  www.tintrunksafari.com Instagram: @tintrunksafari

Everyone, meet Katie, otherwise known  (by me!) as Dr. Doolittle. She is an animal whisperer in many ways and has devoted her life, with her husband Jeremy and three small children,  to living in the African bush and helping ensure the success of orphaned baby elephants being reintroduced back  into the wild of Northern Kenya. ...The best part, she has done this together with the Samburu community, who have lived side by side with these elephants in the area for generations, and who are leading the charge in making sure it stays that way. Katie thinks out of the box and as you will hear in our conversation, it's working! Enjoy! www.tintrunksafari.com Instagram: @tintrunksafari

Jen Murphy is a real-deal kind of journalist.  I admire her approach to writing about Africa and the stories she chooses to tell. She writes what she loves and she certainly gets around enough to know what that is. What I enjoyed about this conversation with Jen is that it was exactly as it would have been if we were just having a glass of wine at a conservation conference talking about travel in Africa, and I love sharing that clued-in stuff with you all.  We cover lots of topics as we discuss Rwanda, Kenya, Gabon, Madagascar, Ethiopia, Zambia and how high-touch safari luxury coupled with off-the-beaten adventure combine to make African travel truly unique and transformative. Please enjoy! www.tintrunksafari.com Instagram: @tintrunksafari

I preface this chat with Brad about the fascinating world of termites with my thoughts on safari guides and the trends I see  shaping the future of African guiding. More and more, the support of local guides is leading to engaging, well-trained men - and increasingly women although still far fewer - who can look to this as a fulfilling and rewarding career. Making sure we support the camps and lodges empowering local guides is important to Tin Trunk.   If you have listened to my other interviews with guides - or even better - been on safari and met some of them yourself - then you understand that getting to know a guide who is from that very place, knows the animals in the area like members of a family, and sincerely engages about it all with you, is as big a part of your trip as the animals, the light, and the landscape.  Brad is definitely one of these guides. Enjoy our conversation! (And if you think bugs are boring, think again!)www.tintrunksafari.com Instagram: @tintrunksafari

Jonhson explained the unique spelling of his name before we began recording - one of those hospital spellings that stuck. That is not the only  unique thing about him either. Jonhson is a curious and highly educated man with a mind for science who is busy sharing his knowledge with clients at the wonderful island paradise of Miavana in Madagascar. This talk was born of an evening exploring the Cabinet de Curiosité at the lodge.  I felt his enthusiasm and passion coming through as he explained the fascinating objects in the collection. You will feel it too when you listen to this interview. Enjoy! www.tintrunksafari.com Instagram: @tintrunksafari

This is an apperitivo to Madagascar.  At the least, it will make you excited to hear my interview with Jonhson (who tells the funny story of the spelling of his name) coming soon.  And at the most, you will get a trip to Madagascar onto your calendar. The beauty and unique ecosystems here make it a must journey for any world adventurer and it's the perfect finale to an African safari. Have a listen and hear why! www.tintrunksafari.com Instagram: @tintrunksafari

The roles are reversed today. When my very dear friend, Gina Clifford, returned to Africa for her third visit, I planned to interview her about trekking for gorillas in Uganda. Many Tin Trunk clients do it there and in Rwanda and I think it's time we hear from them on just what makes this one of the most sought-after and soul-altering journeys on our planet. Alas, for another time. For Gina convinced me to let her interview me as a result of the many conversations we had about Africa, the animals, the people, and what the future holds as we went around Africa: trekking in that lush Bwindi forest, flying to the Maasai Mara and Northern Kenya  in my plane 5Y-BAD, and boating up the Luangwa river in Zambia.  It seems this is meant to be – a moment of reflection - on my life, my commitments and how I want to walk the planet - as well as the important role I see my travel business, Tin Trunk Safari , plays in all of this.  Just a few days after this Zambia trip, I was invited to be interviewed on Global Adventures, a tv programme that you can watch on you tube. It was my first television appearance and the interviewers focused on how travel transforms us and how my life has led to designing the kinds of trips in Africa that aim to do just that for our clients.  You can watch this on  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JlJLac8RRJgInstagram @tin trunk safari. I invite you to share in this retrospective – and introspective – moment by watching the the show and listening to this interview. Gina and I spoke from her tent looking over the river from our bush camp, Kakuli, in the South Luangwa. You might remember my interview a while back with Abraham Banda, our guide from Time and Tide. In that interview, I said I wanted to come back and experience the South Luangwa in Zambia during the off-season, when the river has swelled so much you can boat through ancient forests of Ebony trees.  And so we did.  Enjoy our chat.www.tintrunksafari.com Instagram: @tintrunksafari

From his first curious moments as a boy, watching tourists stop along the road in his native town in southern Uganda, to becoming a senior safari guide, Francis has cultivated a love of Uganda's wilderness - not just where the gorillas live, but also the open savannahs and riverine systems.  In our conversation, he shares thoughts on the future of tourism for Uganda, her difficult past and how much there is to see and do in this "Pearl of Africa".  Enjoy! www.tintrunksafari.com Instagram: @tintrunksafari

I'm speaking here with our son, Roddy Hutchings. He lives and works in Amsterdam following a childhood in Kenya and education in both South Africa and the U.K. Roddy and I talk about his field: carbon - the markets, the realities, the challenges, and the optimistic view he has for how this can help Africa specifically. You will probably be able to tell that I know nothing! Luckily, that is not the case with Roddy! Enjoy. www.tintrunksafari.com Instagram: @tintrunksafari

In my attempt to put the magic of Africa into words, I had the great pleasure to interview seven friends of our son, Orlando Hutchings, during a recent safari. Each speaks of their experience here with insight and understanding, not to mention awe and respect. I was inspired and impressed by their thoughts and think you will be too! Enjoy! www.tintrunksafari.com Instagram: @tintrunksafari

There is something about this place that leaves you changed. Every visitor on safari leaves feeling different, awed, hugely lucky to have seen the wilderness, the animals and to have met the extraordinary people. I invite you not only to listen but also to contribute ... Let's try to put this magic into words! www.tintrunksafari.com Instagram: @tintrunksafari

When I am in ecosystems and landscapes (and in this case also seascapes) that are so pure and wild and in which I am not the predominant species, I feel connected to Nature in an indelible way and this feeds my soul deeply.  Bird Island is such a place and meeting a man like Darrel Isaac while there made that feeling even stronger. Not only does he live within this special world of birds, tortoises, tropical forest and underwater magic, he never stops experiencing the kind of awe that we, as first time visitors, were experiencing. This kind of humility, of total dedication is an example of what we as a species are capable of. Bring it on, we need more Darrell's on this planet. Enjoy our (noisy!) conversation.

Shelan Rodger is a published author, a graduate of Oxford, a multi-lingual drama therapist and a woman who fully embraces adventure and living authentically. She is also one of my closest friends. Enjoy this wide-ranging conversation full of adventurous tales and lots of laughter. 

Hopefully you had a chance to listen to Part 1 of this homage to the great rivers in Africa - well some of them at least! Here, I present 3 more. Two well known and very important to the magnificent safari destinations we often cross the world to experience. One less well-known yet equally important to the vital ecosystems that support people and wildlife on the continent.  I hope you enjoy! 

If you love animals, you will love the devotion of Garrit Pieters. Not only does Garrit have a passion for his dogs - many of us can relate. He has a passion for his mongoose, his meerkats, his parrots. And his passion has translated into the most unlikely friendships. His mongoose curls up with the miniature doberman, the cat and the terrier. Sometimes the parrot joins. All of the animals - including something like 3000 fish -are rescued from abuse or from a less-than-perfectness from a breeder's perspective. They all live wild on the farm where Garrit's parents live, while he manages the wonderful Serra Cafema camp in Namibia. Our conversation goes in many directions and uncovers a very soulful man who is determined to help vulnerable animals however he can. Enjoy! 

It's always hard to put the feelings of experiencing Africa into words. A lovely client from this past summer has done just that in a beautiful and poetic way.  If you just travelled to Africa, you will get it. If Africa remains on your list of places to visit, it will likely jump to the top. Enjoy! 

While visiting clients on safari in Zambia this past June, I was taken by the understated and elegant guiding style of Abraham Banda. He has many years of experience in the very same area in which he grew up, mentored by one of the most iconic characters in the world of African safaris. His passion for this land and its preservation has inspired his children in their careers and after walking Zambia's South Luangwa with him, I can certainly see why. If being off-the-beaten and exploring Africa appeals, you will love this chat! 

Time to get soulful on safari. This discussion with my good friend, Lorna Buchanan-Jardine, is just that. A professional photographer, Lorna shares thoughts on how to maximise your photography on safari while remaining wholly present to what you are witnessing and the balance needed to minimise life's distractions. We also talk about her intrepid and adventurous life - from Kenya to Indonesia to Costa Rica with her native Scotland as the river that runs through it.  If you enjoy transformative travel then Africa is for you and this episode will talk about why! Enjoy this lovely lady. 

I hope you are all having a wonderful summer. I sure am - even though it's technically winter down here in Africa. Since June I have been on safari quite a lot - mostly popping around to spend time with clients in places like Egypt, Zambia, Namibia and Kenya. As I sat  beside the Kunene River on the border of Northern Namibia and Southern Angola, I realised that a common theme this summer has been the rivers running through these wilderness havens that nourish animals and people alike and that are each completely different from one another. So grab a glass of fresh water and join Summer Safaris, part 1. 

I didn't know I was going to interview HJ when we met. After our first drive, however, I recognised something special about his guiding style. He is the real deal. He grew up in the bush and took it upon himself to learn and gain enough experience to become a top level professional field guide and tracker. I learned something new every time he spoke about the bush, whether it be animal behaviour, ecosystem management or survival skills in the wilderness. If you are familiar with safaris, you know how incredibly important a good guide is and how being with someone passionate about the area they are guiding, who knows it first hand, and who has a personal relationship to that ecosystem enhances a safari immeasurably. And if you have yet to experience this, then HJ will be the perfect glimpse into what you have to look forward to with a great guide. Enjoy! 

If you are too young to remember the movies Born Free and To Walk with Lions, all you have to do is search "Christian the lion" on You Tube to get a glimpse of the legacy of Tony Fitz-John. He broke the mold and redefines "one of a kind".  This podcast is my story of recent times with Tony; of getting to know him better over the pandemic and of revisiting my own childhood and relationship to Africa thanks to the work he has done. The times I flew him up to Kora will remain cherished memories forever more.  Born Wild is his autobiography and it could not be better titled. This is my way of saying goodbye and thank you for all you have done for the African wilderness, Tony. 

I have known Robert since I moved to Kenya. He was a Samburu Warrior when I met him and he is now a Junior Elder. He is a guide and also a senior manager at Sarara.  I flew up to the new Reteti private house at Sarara Lodge in 5Y-BAD to sit down on the verandah  and chat with Robert. (And guess what, I didn't forget the microphone this time but I did forget an attachment for it! So, welcome to the wind sounds.) I hope you enjoy speaking to someone who encompasses all that is hopeful and extraordinary in creating a life that stays linked to origins, to nature and to self while making every minute count to ensure the future is better for his people and his land and the animals on it.