Setting the scene

OK!

I don't have a cameraman following me and I don't endorse anything for money- I'm what you'd call a PH that came from way back when and I don't believe in this flashy so called 'ultimate African Adventure'  touted by the big whigs. Sure you want your trip to be great and better than the rest but seriously, Africa has been here a long time and all this new fandangled rubbish, it is purely there to make you think things are going to be better if you buy more things endorsed by the USMCR and shokked men.

However I must admit the world has changed and improvements have bee made in most fields - so my old khakis have been replaced by a new silent mode set of shorts out of New Zealand and my boots are from Switzerland meant for the alpine lake district. You see as Africans we are rather lame at developing anything advanced - the soft yet rugged or quiet yet repellent or heavy yet deadly - we think along practical lines and I must say endure the hardships that come with this making the best of what we have.

BUT give us this new stuff , this ultra special military gear or that of rugged man himself and we are transformed - sure we like it - you see, we get along quite well with it because it may make things easier - and it does - but here's the thing, is it absolutely a must have - will you die without it - mostly not!

I travel back and forth from Denver to Zambia each year - sure I have my gear stowed in the faithful Landcruiser yet each year I am faced with the new - and of course the yearning - I need something for my hardship there, surely I can justify a new flashlight or perhaps one of these cowboy bedrolls.

Reality is that over the past 4 years I have taken very little unless forced to do so - so I'll address them over the next few posts dedicating time to each. I mean you'd think as one of the bottom feeders - those who carry bolt actions as back ups, I'd need a host of shit - but to date I have not needed anything except a few essentials and I replace them when they wear out.

I find of you respect the animals you're after, take care of your guns and vehicle, trust your right hand man and  shoot straight -  then you'll be OK! - my son!

African Essentials - the PH way!

Sure you need the whats-am-a-cal-lit thingy that helps you get rid of the beasts that bite and don't forget the ultimate one and only - Mr USMCR himself endorsed pants and shirt with recoil pads, impregnated with anti lion repellent and body odor eliminating technology!

SERIOUSLY -  the amount of crap I see advertised these days and what's more, clients actually arrive at my cabless cruiser side with most of it, only to find that they hardly use it, they end up leaving it for the trackers who make a useful piece of firewood from it or they end up fumbling around and almost shoot off their PH's head.

I admit, there's nothing more exciting than gearing up for a trip - hell, I do it all the time except it's with beer and food - but I think much of what is touted by the bigwhigs - surely those most experienced of all hunters - the guide book writers who have titles from pen-pushing jobs in the US military - alot of what they sell is for their own pocket, they get paid to do it and although nice to have, there are very few things that you actually need for a safari to Africa - essentials that is.

In this blog I'll share my secrets with you, I'm a plain clothed PH, I don't swagger around with a heavy double rifle although most newbies think this is the only way you're going to kill a buffalo! I don't wear fancy clothes or sleeveless vests, I don't reload or collect my brass, I don't have fancy gear on my truck.

What I do have is success, I get what I'm after for my clients, without any of the fancy shit that Mr USMCR says you need - just plain and simple stuff gets the job done