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