Day 18-19

Proud, originally uploaded by simongman.

This is a two day blog as it featured our travel back as well as our last tour adventure.

Day 18 was a big day for two reasons, one it was our last day of adventure in the African bush and the day we make the 6,500 mile dash back to Kirkham. So starting with first things first, after an early breakfast we once again mounted our rangers' vehicles for the last time in pursuit of big game, we were after the big 5 as they say out here. Well sure enough we did manage to see a vast amount of game on this sunny morning at Kariega Game Reserve. The highlight of the day was tracking a pride of lions whilst in our open top vehicles. It really was a heart pumping moment when the lions passed by our vehicles just meters away, then paused to watch a herd of impala some 400m behind us, who were in turn watching the lions. After this close encounter we continued to see more and more game as the crisp early morning warmed to the glowing African sun. This was a perfect end to our South African tour.

After being dropped off by our rangers at 11.30am we then started the long trek home that lasted over 24 hours from door to door travelling on two coaches, and three aircraft, flying enitially from Port Elizebeth to Johannesburg then on to Heathrow and finally Manchester airports.

On Day 19 at London's Heathrow Airport our group was split with the main party (36) going on ahead on an early flight closely followed by a smaller group (7) on a later flight. This smaller group bumped into the Arnold rugby touring group who were also travelling home to Blackpool. Many of the boys knew each other and swapped stories of their adventures that they had had over the last 19 days. Finally arriving at Manchester airport and met by their parents the boys relived their adventures. I am sure many a bath bore witness to the tide mark of our travellers as they wound down and relaxed within their own homes, thinking about the many experiences that they have had. This reporter is set to do that himself, but over the next few weeks will get a book and poster together that fully illustrates the "South Africa Tour 2007". If any boys have anything to comment about their experience please email it to me via the school website, as I will add it as an appendix blog to our South African story.

Click on the top image to see a large number of game park animals plus the whole South African set of photogaphs, some 188 of the thousands that I took over 19 days of adventure.