Drumbeat Winter 18

www . aardvarksafaris.co.uk l P4 Q1: What’s key to planning the perfect safari? A: Never stop learning and to pause before leaping in with suggestions. We know the countries, areas and camps well, but we keep travelling to stay up to date. Even with all that information about Africa, we don’t know the people on the end of the phone/email until we’ve asked a fair few questions. Wait for all the information until you start giving ideas. Q2: What’s your most memorable safari moment? A: With my father-in-law on his first safari. He jokingly said to the guide he’d like to see a leopard and wild dog. Unbelievably we came across a leopard hunting on our first game drive, the first wild dogs in the area for four years on our second, as well as a pangolin on the same drive. Q3: What do you love most about your job? A: It’s easy to come to work when you get to talk to people about Africa – planning trips and chatting when they’re back. I also like my colleagues and the camps and lodges in Africa. Q4: What’s the strangest safari request you’ve had? A: Naming no names, "Tigers and bears aren’t in Africa, so I can’t help you with those." Q5: What would be your dream itinerary? A: Assuming I can use private planes to connect remote locations: start at Kaya Mawa to relax on the beach by Lake Malawi, then Mombo Camp in the Okavango Delta for the iconic African species, finishing with chimps and beach (again) at Greystoke Mahale Camp in Tanzania. Q6: Where are you going to visit next? A: The Seychelles is one of the few places we recommend that I’ve not been to. I suspect my wife will ‘need’ to join me on that trip! Q7: How did you end up in the safari business/ what is your background? A: While studying quantity surveying at Trent Polytechnic, I spent an enjoyable summer as a canoe instructor on the Ardèche River. After graduating I spent several years working on rivers in the summer and in ski resorts in the winter. John Spence and I had worked on the Zambezi River together and then in the Alps, so when he was looking for someone to team up with to start Aardvark Safaris, he asked me. Q8: What’s your favourite animal? A: I do love warthogs – generally impossible to get a good picture of them as they raise their tails and leg it in the opposite direction. Q9: What’s your sundowner choice? A: Malawi shandy is great – lots of ice then ginger ale, soda or lemon soda, and bitters – having learned how refreshing it is in Africa, we drink it at home as well. Q10: Favourite country? A: Not a fair question – they all have things which are great about them. Q11: What’s your favourite region? A: Let me plump for the Cape area. Great weather in our winter – if you’re not skiers, here’s a winter break – and so much variety within a couple of hours’ drive of one of the world’s greatest cities. Q12: Favourite safari activity? A: As an ex-canoe instructor and raft guide, I do like being on the water. You rarely see as much as you can from a vehicle, but sightings are that much more special, and you’re on the water which for me is an end in itself. Q13: Best ever sighting? A: The pangolin, mentioned previously, is probably something I’ll remember for the rest of my life. I also really enjoyed following chimps having a power struggle in the Mahale Mountains – incredible noise as they hooted in anger and threw rocks at each other. Q14: Most precious piece of safari kit? A: Not sure I really have one. As a baldy, I always travel with a cap, and I’ll have bino’s with me of course, but I wouldn’t say any bit of kit is particularly precious. Q15: What do you like most about being on safari? A: Apart from the obvious – amazing scenery, wildlife, hosting and accommodation – like many nowadays I’m generally pretty bad at disappearing into my phone and not engaging. I don’t do that on safari and life is generally richer for that. We chat to Richard Smith co-owner of Aardvark Safaris about organising safari holidays. Ask the Expert RICHARD SMITH