Insimbi Legacy Projects: Day 2

jeeksparties8
Nov 5
3 min read

Coffee, Conservation, and Creatures – Insimbi Style

Lawrence and Lindi ("L squared") from CHC don't do casual.

This Club runs on military precision: punctuality is sacred, as it should be!!

At 6:30 a.m., after coffee and rusks, we stepped out for our morning walk.

Nothing beats those early mornings in nature. Nothing.

Into the Wild (and Thorny)

We were flanked by members of the anti-poaching unit and our guides from Insimbi.

This is not your lush, postcard-perfect landscape.

It’s hot, dry, harsh, and full of thorn bushes.

But when you’re walking with people who know their stuff, every patch of cracked earth has a story.

They showed us what was hidden under the surface - literally.

And although I’m not a fan of digging up anything that’s chosen to bury itself, I have to admit, it was fascinating.

There’s a whole secret world just beneath your feet

It was about a five-kilometer stroll of pure wonder - the kind of walk that makes you feel tiny and connected all at once.

Breakfast, Blistering Heat, and Brain Melt

We returned to the lodge for breakfast, and by then, the day had fully committed to becoming a sauna. Hot and humid.

After a delicious breakfast, we headed out again - this time to visit the anti-poaching camp.

These guys are living in what’s basically a military base dropped into the middle of the bush.

We were given a detailed talk on poaching and wildlife protection.

But here’s the thing — it’s me. While everyone else was captivated, my brain was already deep-fried by the sun.

I tried to focus, truly, but my goldfish attention span had packed up, waved goodbye, and left me for dead.

So while everyone else (you know, functional adults) hung on every word, asked smart questions, and absorbed valuable insight, I did what I do best: got distracted and found….. hundreds of photo opportunities (which I decided counted as paying attention).

Eventually, I surrendered to the sun-induced fog and collapsed into a chair, inspired but 80% melted.

The Midday Melt and Ethical Dilemmas

After the talk, we headed out on another game drive - and wow, it was a full-on creature parade.

We spotted a frog no bigger than a thumbnail, a tortoise, and yes… more scorpions.

Who knew I’d ever find those fascinating? But it was because we had someone on hand who knew exactly where to start digging to uncover them.

Now, I’m firmly in the “look, don’t touch” camp.

The idea of hurting or even mildly inconveniencing a creature for science or curiosity turns me into a puddle of guilt and empathy.

But I suppose the world - and science - owes a debt to those who don’t flinch at such things.

That’s how people like me get to snap photos, feel virtuous, and pretend the world is one big harmonious, rainbow-filled safari.

Back at the lodge, some relaxed, some napped.

Me? I sorted photos like an introverted meerkat in air-conditioned bliss.

Evening Drive

Later, we set off for the evening game drive, and once again, nature didn’t disappoint. Creature after creature appeared, each one more mesmerizing than the last.

We saw a beautiful giraffe and then a few more, some buck, deer.

I may or may not have hummed Circle of Life under my breath.

The Sunset That Deserved a Soundtrack

And just when I thought the day had given all it had, a mother rhino and her baby strolled out at the watering hole - slowly, gracefully, backlit by dusk.