Bonamanzi

Went off to Bonamanzi on Wednesday and had a great time. Just moments after we arrived one of the guides told us they were releasing a new rhino onto the property and so off we went Suzie and I, 3 guides and 2 other staff members to watch the release. The drive to the area where they were releasing the rhino was very nice but Suzie and I were not impressed with staff members we went with. They were talking about shooting the monkey’s we passed and talking really loudly and smoking on the vehicle all things Suzie and have been taught are not done even if it is just staff with us. We arrived at the release point and watched as they opened the door to the trailer to release the rhino. It was a large female and they had cut of her horn as a way of protecting her from being poached. From what I have read this doesn’t work as poachers will just get angry and kill the rhino anyway and then the rhino doesn’t have means of protecting herself against other predators. The rhino was not impressed with all this and came charging right for our vehicle as soon as she was released, but we shouted her away and she turned at the last moment. Otherwise it could have been disastrous.

Headed back to the lodge and hung out with the other guides while waiting for the head ranger. I got on great with the other guides and they would have been fun to work with but the head ranger was a complete wanker for lack of a better term. He was an ex army guy and had the biggest ego. He just sat there and talked at us for 3 hours about his life and how many qualifications he has and how great he is. Suzie and I were both put right of from going there. Later we talked with the other guides about him, deciding if he was really that bad and the general consensus was yes. As we got to know more of the place it seemed as if no one liked it there and over half the people we talked to were already quitting or looking for another job. It sounded like the head ranger made life quite difficult. This was more reason not to go there.

On the upside the next day 2 of the guides were going out to help capture rhino from another property to release it on theirs and we get to go help. Awesome