Drumbeat Winter 20

5 www.aardvarksafaris.com | 4 | www.aardvarksafaris.com Q1. How did you end up in the safari business? I was fully bitten by the travel bug after spending university summer holidays exploring China, South East Asia and America. I never thought I would be able to make it a career, but after working in the Scottish travel industry arranging luxury adventure holidays I moved to Aardvark Safaris where I’m enjoying my days creating wonderful trips to Africa. Q2. What do you love most about your job? Surprising clients with unexpected special touches, making holidays hassle free and taking care of every detail; whether that’s a welcome bottle of bubbles on arrival in camp, a romantic honeymoon dinner under the stars or a bush breakfast for all the family. It’s the detail that lifts a holiday from good to incredible. Q3. Most memorable safari moment? To see the wildebeest migration is at the top of many of our clients’ bucket lists but it can be a lengthy waiting game. However our guide timed it perfectly, arriving at the Mara River just in time to see a herd of wildebeest cross. It was high adrenaline stuffwith our group cheering in delight when the final stragglers made it over unscathed. Q4. W hat is your dream itinerary? My dream itinerary would start with a couple of days’ exploring Cape Town and the winelands. For the safari part I’d want to get out on foot so enjoying Zambia on one of Robin Pope’s walking safaris would be perfect. To finish I’d head to the pristine beaches of Mozambique and a stay at Azura Benguerra. Q5. Favourite safari activity? A night drive – it’s so exciting to head out at dusk when a whole newworld of animal species awaits. Trying to identify whose eyes are glinting in the vegetation is a lot of fun. Q6. Where are you going next? Hopefully Zimbabwe in the spring, I’m looking forward to visiting the mighty Victoria Falls and Hwange National Park. Q7. What do you like most about safari? Simply being outside. Spending time in the wilderness, on foot, in a vehicle, on a mokoro or even on a mountain bike is great for the soul. Q8. What’s your favourite animal? Brave, resilient and very amusing to watch – it has to be the warthog, especially when there are piglets around. Q9. Best ever sighting? On an afternoon wildlife drive in the Serengeti, we spotted a leopard lounging in a tree. He was fixated on whatever was going on beyond the kopjes, so we slowly drove round and watched as a naïve young buffalo found itself beneath the paw of a very hungry leopard. Suddenly the rest of the buffalo herd came thundering out of nowhere, charging towards the leopard and chasing him off. The young buffalo survived, albeit a little shaken up. A real ‘pinch me’ moment. Q10. Favourite country? A tricky one, Tanzania for amazing wildlife and Namibia for the adventure and scenery. Q11. Most precious piece of safari kit? A multi-functional kikoy. It keeps your legs warm on a morning drive, shoulders out of the sun in the heat of the day or, as I recently discovered, you can wrap it around your head to avoid a sandstorm in the Namibian dunes. We chat to BECKY THOMSON , the latest recruit to Aardvark Safaris’ Scottish office, about her life planning safari holidays. ASK THE EXPERT