It’s been a while since I’ve managed a blog post so here are a heap of photos all at once.

Since my last post I attended the Southern African Grasslands Congress in South Africa, then headed up to Namibia. Livestock are herded here in order to protect them from predators, both the 2 and 4 legged variety and farmers are struggling to graze small livestock purely because of theft.

In Namibia we galloped through Etosha National Park and had a close and exciting encounter with some magnificent lions, before heading further north up onto the Angolian border where I had my camera stolen.

After farm visits didn’t line up we decided to head down the Okavango Panhandle into Botswana and do some fishing for Tiger Fish, we both caught small ones and hooked big ones that got away.

Exploring the Delta was amazing, and testimony to the value of fresh water. Heading into Zimbabwe we explored the Vic Falls with a micro-lite flight, one of the best things I’ve ever done. Then headed out to the African Centre for Holistic Management to look at Alan Savory’s holistic management. The dedication that Alan and Jody have for the holistic management cause is inspirational. We spent a bit of time out with the herders, following along a mob of 380 mixed cattle, 30 odd sheep and a handful of goats. In my view the stock were doing it pretty tough, and I questioned whether forcing goats to behave and feed like cattle was conducive to productive livestock management. There can be no arguing that the ranch is in good shape, springs opening up in the landscape were a beautiful thing to see, the reality is though that this isn’t a commercial ranch but a training institution operating within communal farming parameters.

From Zimbabwe Robo headed off home, zebra skin in tow, and I came up to Kenya and met up with the extraordinary David Stanley, Nuffield Scholar 1965. If I can just follow David around and keep my ears and eyes open I well may learn more than I have up to this point. Tomorrow though I’m off to the Mara on horseback safari.