Early morning coffee in the bush is a pause for me to catch up with my senses that have by now already seen and experienced so much of the wild. And that is literally it. A PAUSE. It's usually around the midpoint of the morning drive, unless of course there is a spectacular sighting which needs to be pursued or there are two cats of various sizes, spots and power that are mating. Yes! That has happened a couple of times with me where an executive decision was taken to stay and enjoy that rare magical moment and take it all in.
Big cats have a mating process that goes on in intervals for hours. It is stunning to see the mating ritual and the powerplay. However, the passion and affection doesn’t really seem to exist... or at least as we humans know it. I guess it’s nature's job to ensure that the species continue to exist and by now it’s viewed as a job and necessity and perhaps to maintain strength in numbers and territory.
Sorry. I digressed from my topic. The early morning coffee break always serves me as a reminder that I am in the bush and one with nature. The air is magical at 5:30am when we head out and the coffee break, usually at 7:30 or 8am, is the perfect 15-20 minute pause needed to take-in the three hours of the morning drive.
Coffee with Amarula (like Irish cream and Kaluha) is an excellent substitute for the usual coffee mate and helps the mind and senses catch up with the rest of the body’s clock, if you know what I mean. Dipping the shortbread or ginger biscuits in the hot concoction in my coffee cup and taking the first soaked bite completes the sensory experience of being in the middle of the wilderness at 7:30am with the sound of birds, the elephants landscaping, the alarm calls from impalas or just the wind singing its song using the trees and bushes as its orchestra.
My favorite memory is driving through the mist one winter’s morning after having the rare pleasure of tipping my cap at a rhino and filling up my SD card capturing that present moment and then proceeding for our coffee break not too far from our sighting's host. The mist created a deafening silence and the senses took it all-in. Knowing that I’m in the wild amongst nature’s most powerful animals sipping coffee and having biscuits is a feeling unlike any other in life. Talk about being aware of your surroundings! It is a feeling that once experienced, must be experienced over and over again.
20 minutes later the coffee is all packed up and we’re back driving through the bush anxiously looking out for nature to showcase yet more of her beautiful, fascinating and wild creatures.
Just as an aside, my equipment manager (husband) took some shots of me pursuing my passion. He insisted that I include them in one of my blogs. I decided to include it in this one and thank him for his support.
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