Scenes from Zululand

It’s coming up to two years ago since I took a major trip into the unknown.

I’d been searching for a new job, something with challenge and the room for growth. A job where I could spend my days being busy, active and productive. Up popped an ad for a ‘social media administrator’ at a game lodge in Zululand.

Reading through the job description and requirements, this was it! Exactly what I could see myself doing.
Being a busy body around the lodge, taking pics, updating social media sights, blogging, advertising, interacting with guests. And all of this whilst in the middle of the bush! 😀 Pretty much a dream job for any nature lover who doesn’t want to be a jeep jockey.

With fingers crossed I emailed off my CV, and within a few days I got a reply. They needed me to do a bit of graphic design work. Done! Next step…they were impressed with my work, and wanted to interview me, could I come to Zululand?
I spent four days at the lodge doing the various tasks they’d required. How many people have heard of a four day interview? It was scary, and yet it was great.
I’d get up before the sun rose and be off into the bush to try and catch the early morning light, animals and sunrise, then back to the lodge in time for breakfast. After that off to the off the office and do some of the assigned work, then back out to the bush for a bit before it got too hot. It was new and challenging and very daunting at times.
Here are some of the awesome scenes and animals I got to see:

Blue skies, white clouds, red soil, green green trees and blonde grass. Ah! This is Africa!

An intimidatingly tall Giraffe

A cheeky Vervet Monkey

“All set about with fever trees” – Kipling

Zebra’s “hiding”

Purplebrown Hairstreak butterfly

Leopard Tortoise

A young Impala

My “friend” the monkey

Male Nyala

Baby Nyalas

Posers

Golden Orb Spider

Such odd, yet beautiful animals.

So quiet

Oddly enough, I didn’t end up taking the job I was offered, the one I’d worked so hard to secure and had traveled so far for.

But I don’t regret my decision and don’t regret going all that way to see what it entailed. Experience is priceless.
I learnt so much from that trip, mostly about myself, but also about the ins and outs of game lodge management, staff politics and the behind the scenes things guests don’t think of when they go to a lodge.