Page 147 - WINE DINE AND TRAVEL WINTER 2024 SCOTLAND

fari companies dismantle the mobile
camps, remove everything, and leave noth‐
ing behind. The areas soon return to their
natural state. The park agencies select new
sites throughout the wilderness each year
to ensure as little impact on nature as pos‐
sible.
Most mobile camps are solar-powered
and equipped with Wi-Fi and hot water. Our
tent was about the size of a pickleball court
and divided into two parts: the sleeping
area with a king bed (fine linens and thick
blankets) and the storage, dressing, toilet,
and shower area. Tents are decorated with
art, furniture, and crafts made by Tanza‐
nian artisans.

Communing with Nature

The tents are open on all sides, with
flaps to pull down to reduce winds gusting
through. Staff would fill the tank above our
tent when we wanted hot water. But the
tank is small, requiring short showers. We
also had walkie-talkies to connect with
staff and flashlights to signal for help. Each
tent had rechargeable lanterns and solar-
powered lamps. For safety because of the
remote location and wandering animals, we
would call to request staff to take us from
our tent to the camp center for meals and
meet our guides for safaris.
All meals are included in the Wilderness
packages, from breakfast in camp, to pic‐
nics on the Savannah overlooking the
herds, and dinner at camp, with several
courses and a choice of beverages (we rec‐
ommend the wines of South Africa). The
staff sang Happy Birthday to me in Swahili
on our first night. The Swahili honor their
elders, and they started calling me Babu
(grandfather) and Laura, Bibi (grand‐
mother).
We heard some animal sounds at night –
rumbles, grunts, and growls. The next

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