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