Wishing everyone a great new year with the hope that the masses will finally take up the conservation banner & we finally turn the corner to a world understanding of the planets & the needs of it's wildlife.

It has been difficult with the new face of Bushdrums & so sad that a great opportunity to spread the word of conservation & to fight the cruelties of this world is so underused.

Best Wishes to all who care!

Kipper
xxx

Hi Kipper,

thank you for the wishes and for keeping up the flag. Couldn't agree more.

I wish you and your family all the best; health, luck, love and success in all your doings.

Best Wishes,

Carsten

A very Happy New Year to all Bushdrummers. May 2012 be far better for the wildlife we love
than 2011 was.

Kipper: I loved all of your videos. Of course the elephants were my favorite but I loved the
lions, sables and all of them. Thank you so much for sharing.

What was with all the people showing off on the first video? Were they all drunk and then
noticed the camera on the tree and decided to show off or what? I'm amazed that any safari
driver would allow them to get out of the vehicle. Very poor move. If any of those elephants
(or lions) had come out of the trees in a hurry it could have been a disaster.

Again, thanks so much for posting.

Jan, you know I love the wild places!
It is why I love this camp, http://www.rhinolodge.com/index.html Rhino Island Safari camp consists of a main Boma & then 7 rooms? - Huts? spread out in the bush about 70 metres apart.
This really is a very low impact environmental friendly camp!

The cameras were placed on the main track that links the Boma to the rooms which are basically a thatched covered platform each with an open air bathroom.
To avoid an invasion of privacy I told the guests at the camp that the cameras were there & I would remove them if anybody requested.
As you can see all the guests played up to the cameras! all part of the fun!

The wildlife is free to roam through the camp & it does! Elephant, Lion, Rhino, Leopard + + +!!

Guest safety is well taken care off, no guest is allowed to move around the camp with out a qualified & armed guide at night & during the day you may move around only after the camp has been checked. You are not allowed to leave your room in the morning until the drum has sounded & a qualified guide is on hand to escort you at all times.
In the six years I have been visiting the camp there has been no incidents.

There was a family from Zimbabwe spending Christmas there with me, Granny, a Botanist who had hand raised nearly every orphan known to the continent, her son & family & her daughter who worked in Hong Kong & had returned home for the festive season.
From Granny down the whole family had built in fun & my week with them was full of learning & laughter.

As for the two "Girls".... This was Mary & Gail.
Aunty Mary who had worked in Hong Kong for over seven years & in the UK prior to that.
Gail was thirteen & she & her younger sister doted on their Aunt Mary who they seldom got to see.

What the video does not show is the armed guards with them as they returned to their room for the night & playing up to the cameras as they passed each one.

I just wish all African lodges / camps were as environmental friendly & low impact as this one! More African & less hotel!!.

I hope I've set your mind at rest, anyway remember, I'm used to camping in the bush in my little tent with nobody else but my wife for miles!!

Looks to be a lovely camp. However, you are braver than I. When I am sleeping I prefer four walls around me to keep out the bugs and snakes. Did you run into many deadly snakes there? The low-
impact of everything sounds great.

Did Lady Kipper join you or did you do this trip alone this time since she was already out of the country?

Just so glad to hear that you had another great time.