Sheila writes:-
"A safari supper. What’s that? A bit of on-line safari
research found fascinating images of animal reserves, with the best operators
offering visits to the homes of local people:
You will meet people here
who want to show you their true culture in a way you will not find elsewhere
and you will end your trip with new friends.
So on Friday at 7, some 35 travellers assembled at St John’s. We had no glossy brochures to whet the
appetite, it was a total mystery in fact. So as soon as the first stage of our itinerary
was revealed, we piled into cars – as few as possible. After all, it’s better
for the environment, and friendlier too.
Go on safari in any African National Park and
you’ll soon be muttering ‘I want to get out of the car!’ This we soon did, in complete
safety, and not a marksman in sight.
At our
first watering hole we were greeted with Bucks Fizz and a variety of hors
d’oeuvres.
There were splendid views of
the local flora and fauna, though seasonal downpours dis- couraged closer
inspection.
It was soon
time to pack up and move on. There were plenty of vehicles racing along
the main road to other parks, so it was a relief we didn’t have far to travel.
At first glance, we thought our next accommodation was unfinished, ....
.... but once
inside we were all seated comfortably (and that meant finding a lot of seats!) 
We were treated to a buffet so generous that there were second helpings for
all. More drinks and more good company, the perfect pick me up after a tough
week at work.
Just one more short expedition into the interior and
delicious desserts and hot drinks to round off the evening.
More comfortable
rooms to relax in, different people to engage in conversation before we finally
parted company and returned to our point of departure.
We had seen no zoo
animals.
The strangest animals we encountered were pigs in blankets!
The
only hordes were the travellers themselves tramping their wet feet across
carpets, we hope they didn’t get too muddy.
Our thanks to our hosts who
welcomed us into their homes and fed us. It was a leisurely evening, with
plenty of time to digest.
Thank you Sheila for reporting on this event for us and to Stuart for two-thirds of the photos.
