Looking for Lions

One of my Grandfather’s greatest fears when I moved to South Africa was that I might get eaten by a lion. Apparently the Bild –Germany’s biggest tabloid newspaper – once published an article according to which a tourist, peacefully enjoying a picnic on a park bench in central Johannesburg, was eaten by a lion.

Not realising that this story could not possibly be true – there are no park benches or lions, leave alone tourists in central Johannesburg – my dear Grandpa has been very concerned about my safety ever since.

So when I told him that I was going on a four day camping trip through the Krüger Park, you can imagine that he felt like this was the last time he would speak to me and had to say his goodbyes.

But to my surprise, even my mother was rather concerned that I was about to walk through the Bush only accompanied by two rangers, leave alone sleep in a tiny tent which would not even be a minor obstacles for hungry lions.

Either way, the trip was paid for; leave booked; tent and sleeping bag organised and so I embarked on my Bush adventure hoping that the Bild could not have possibly been right for once...