In the last week of term 3, two groups of Grade 11s accompanied by Mr Hendricks and Ms Grimbeek set out on the adventure of a lifetime to the Hluhluwe iMfolozi Park in northern KwaZulu Natal. They were followed a week later by a group of Grade 12s accompanied by Mr Haggard and I think it is safe to say that everyone involved in this incredible experience found it to be life-changing!
We spent five days in the bush. A wild environment unblemished by the touch of humans – following game trails from camp to camp, cooking over a fire lit with a firestone, sleeping under the stars and doing night watch shifts in solitude. It was certainly a return to our roots, and I think we were all pleasantly surprised to find that we actually found it relaxing. Our biggest worries were no longer academics, sports teams or leadership roles but rather keeping the fire alive and not falling asleep (or getting too scared) during night watch!
Each group was accompanied by two guides who shared their immense knowledge about the bush with us. We learnt innumerable new facts and skills including how to light a fire, how to differentiate between different types of animals and their behaviour from their scat and spore, how to tell time by the stars, and even how to clean pots and pans with mud and elephant dung (it works surprisingly well as an abrasive)! Not only did we learn about the incredible animal and plant life and the history of the Hluhluwe iMfolozi Park, but also about Zulu culture and history, which was both enlightening and fascinating. At the end of the trial, when it was time for the modern man-made world, I found I was reluctant. For five days it seemed time had frozen and that my trail mates and I and our guides were the only people in a wild and beautiful world. Doing the iMfolozi Trail this year has truly been one of the best experiences of my life and I will carry it with me forever. It is an opportunity to make new friends, learn more about the incredible natural world around us, acquire new skills and perhaps most importantly, learn more about oneself.
By Caitlin Jackson
