| Safari in South Africa and you can't help but think | | | | unveil the lion, elephant, rhino, buffalo and leopard, |
| that the idea of Christmas in all the summer heat | | | | amongst others. |
| is not what Christmas is all about, but let me help | | | | As the morning gathers pace and the cameras |
| you change your mind and swap jingle bells and | | | | have worked overtime to capture this most |
| sleigh rides for the heat of a South African | | | | special day, they head back to camp for a |
| summer. | | | | sumptuous breakfast, followed by a lazy few |
| A bold statement, I hear you say. Let me explain | | | | hours reading, opening presents, swimming in the |
| ... | | | | warm pool, spotting the visiting birds like the |
| Tradition dictates that snow, carols, turkey and | | | | brightly coloured kingfishers that come to the |
| Christmas trees feature strongly in the festive | | | | veranda or watching the animals who are |
| picture, and indeed they do in South Africa. | | | | swimming in the lake in front of their private |
| Imagine this, it's 25th December at 5am in the | | | | lodge, such as the hippo. |
| morning. Despite all your best efforts to have | | | | Later on your friends have decided to experience |
| kept them asleep, the children have already | | | | the thrill of an elephant safari, riding through the |
| opened the presents left by Santa in the sacks | | | | bush on the back of this magnificent beast before |
| placed at the end of their beds. | | | | returning to camp for their Christmas Day meal - |
| You notice through bleary eyes that the day itself | | | | probably turkey with all the trimmings. There'll be |
| is still asleep, wrapped in its mantle of dark. It will | | | | crackers and tinsel, party poppers and jokes. |
| be hours before the sun will arouse itself | | | | So the sun slowly sinks back down into the |
| sufficiently to bring even a glimmer of light to the | | | | umber, ochre and burnt sienna colours of the |
| proceedings. | | | | earth, producing a glowing red sunset to mark the |
| You think of your friends who have decided to | | | | end of another day. |
| safari in South Africa and wonder what they are | | | | You resolve that next year you will take the |
| up to on this chill morning. | | | | tinsel and angels to task and exchange the cold |
| Indeed it will be chill, because they are on the first | | | | for the heat and combine the summer with the |
| drive of the day, hoping to spot the first of their | | | | traditions of Christmas. |
| Big Five animals. Wrapped against the cool of the | | | | I wish everyone wherever they are in the world |
| early African morning they see the spectacular | | | | and however they celebrate the very best for |
| sight of the sun shedding its night-time blanket to | | | | the coming festivities. |