Awkward Tracker seat Dismount

Not my most flattering photo, but one of the few I have of myself in the bush

Greetings from Johannesburg – Continent 5!

What do I say? I have been “off the grid” for quite some time. In fact, I spent most of the last 6 months living in the South African bush training to be a safari guide. I don´t know why either. It seemed like a great idea at the time of registration, even though it did cut into my South American extravaganza. And increasingly less of a great idea as the course progressed. Don´t get me wrong, I feel fortunate to have been in a position where I could hang around looking at trees and animals for a few months, but my personality does not mesh with the demands of a safari guide´s lifestyle. Namely, long hours, low pay, and an unflattering wardrobe. No thanks.

Who knows, maybe I just resented cutting my previous holiday short to go on another type of holiday where I had to get up at 4:30 every morning. I like animals as much as the next person, but 4:30am is pushing it. And carrying a rifle around is annoying and detracts from the experience. I much prefer to go hiking in areas where there are no dangerous animals and you can easily get lost in your own thoughts.

But I digress. What I wanted to write about was the new plan. The Grand Scheme. The next phase. I don´t know what it is, but it involves a month working as a guide (just for kicks), then a quick jaunt back to Hong Kong to see friends, then high-tailing it back to Chile to see about a job. Any job. Or maybe no job. I have no idea. Working is overrated, but necessary. At least occasionally. We´ll see how this goes…