Part 4 of our wilderness journey

Simphiwe told us to catch some grasshoppers for dinner, but not the colorful ones because they were noxious tasting and poisonous. He explained that he ate the insects since he was a child…very tasty, raw or grilled. Try it, you’ll like it…sort of thing.

He could not keep a straight face for long. With a giggle he said he might fix something else for dinner even though what he said was true, that the non-colorful grasshoppers were very edible, he enjoys them, and they were eaten throughout Africa.

Breakfast was simple – tea/coffee with brownish water boiled over the fragrant iNtombothi fire and, if you preferred, a bit of crunchy, raisin muesli and powdered milk drenched in boiled water…good.

Lunch was an assortment of edibles – -crackers, cheese, fabulous health bread (interestingly marketed as “Low GI” for low glycemic index), some cucumber and tomato, tinned anchovies, dried fruit…excellent.

The normal African safari “sundowner” is a gin, beer, or wine (or two), at a nice lookout place. With the WLS it is tea and biscuits around 5pm, followed by personal time, on your own, reflecting on the landscape, the wildlife, your life, whatever…even better.

And, dinner…..let’s see, first night was Chicken a la King (with fresh chicken strips), another was Beef Stroganoff (made with re-hydrated beef biltong, dried/cured meat that is a South African staple), then vegetable stew, and not to forget a South African, killer version of macaroni and cheese.

Fabulous.

Notes: Our recent wilderness trail experience (30 April – 4 May 2011) included Vance Martin, WILD’s President, Emily Loose, WILD’s Director of Communications, Charlotte Baron, Chair of WILD’s Board of Directors, Magnus and Bettina Sylven, our friends and colleagues from Switzerland and our guides: Mandla and Simphiwe.

Read Part 1 “The Trail >

Read Part 2 “The Wildlife”>

Read Part 3 “The Camp >