All posts filed under: Africa

5 Things I Learned From The BIG 5 in Africa

Published by Colin Nanka

What you see in nature you see in life. Each species enters the world through birth and is quickly pushing for survival under the protective cover of their mother. Soon they start to make some of their own choices and the law of the plains dictate if they survive or thrive.   Here are five things I learned from the Big 5:   Elephant    Perhaps our favorite of the Big 5.  Maybe because we saw so many and had lots of time with them, we got to see lots of their personality. They are very social creatures and typically travel in large groups. They have no natural predators and they will carry a baby elephant in the mother’s belly for two years. That’s dedication!   Buffalo   On our second evening drive we spotted a heard of wild buffalo and followed them for a little while. The males have big helmet like caps to their horns that protect their skulls as they ram one another for dominance of the group. Our guide tells us it would take a pride of lions to bring …

Unemployment Skyrockets

Published by Colin Nanka

South Africa continues to go through transition. The government has started to build housing for those with less means in around major cities. Getting a roof over your head is the first priority. Often housing built for 5,000 swells with up to 60,000 as people take care of friends and family. Unemployment in South Africa is 27 percent! What if one out of every four people you knew didn’t have a job? The good news – I saw at least one example of building job creation. Pinotage Youth Development Academy. In an industry that makes a lot of money, the wine business, they are funding vocational job training for disadvantaged youth. Bridging the gap to finish high school and get training that can turn into a job in a growing industry. We experienced it at one of the wineries we visited and they are doing great work! When those days the job is a grind, be patient, be reflective, be present and be grateful for the living you make. In those moments often lies the …

Why I didn’t run in Africa

Published by Colin Nanka

I took my nutritionist’s advice and did some Push Ups on the Pool Deck while I was away on my honeymoon. Frankly, we were on the go every single day and up between 5-6am for tours and Safari and by the end of the day exhausted.  A good exhausted! My main opportunity to run was really in Cape Town. An incredible city on the southern most tip of Africa and the Southern Hemisphere. I did get one awesome run in before we transitioned to the Safari along the Ocean. The views were amazing! Why didn’t I run while on safari, while in some of the most interesting and beautiful landscape in the world? In the words of our safari guide: “Every animal here is a far faster runner than you!” I would have loved to, however, because of all of the great game in the park, we were encourage to stay within the property. The property is really a group of small huts and a main eating lodge in the middle of the open plains! …

Highway from Zambia to Zimbabwe

Published by Colin Nanka

When we arrived in Zambia, Africa last week and drove from Livingstone to Victoria Falls, we entered a unique corridor. You cross both passport control out of Zambia and into Zimbabwe. It’s like a Wild West entry point. Boys on bikes, women with baskets on their back and top of heads and big trucks loaded with copper navigate their way through the border crossing. The boys and women often make the daily trips. The trucks can be delayed at the border with paperwork for one day and sometimes three days! Patience I imagine in this country is crucial. We saw the bicycle boys both on our way in the afternoon and the next morning very early as we headed to an excursion before sunset. It’s an hour ride from Livingstone to Victoria falls. They were pedaling on the side of the road in the dark.  My guess since 5am. If you arrive at customs early you get through quickly. Like traffic back home, you leave later and your in line up city. The boys take …