Holding Our Breath at Their Usually absent mercy.

by Mitchell Nesbit (South Africa)

I didn't expect to find South Africa

Holding Our Breath at Their Absent Mercy. My travel story takes place in the heart of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, in Nambiti Game Reserve. During the FIFA Soccer World Cup 2010, my family and I travelled to Free State to watch South Africa beat France 2-1 at the Free State stadium. We arose early the next morning and we headed to Lions Valley Lodge which sat deep within Nambiti Game Reserve. Upon arrival we were instructed to leave our vehicle in a Garage like structure while our bags were packed onto a Game Vehicle that drove off. Our vehicle arrived shortly after driven by our Game Ranger. On the Game drive I asked the Ranger who was driving, where the lodge got its name from? He replied “The lodge sits in the centre of Nambiti’s largest Lion pride.” My family and I were intrigued instantly. The Lodge was beautifully designed with a main rondavel that was modern, open, and had an infinity pool overlooking a never ending African plain filled with acacia trees and wildlife. From the main rondavel the lodge split into different directions via small thin concrete roads. These roads were the means of transport from the rondavel to the luxurious houses with each house having two family members. We were instructed not to walk along these roads, especially at dusk and dawn as the lodge had no fences. That evening we went on a cold, long, and eventless, Game drive. The best part was the hot water bottles and blankets we were provided with to keep warm. We got off the vehicle, walked into the rondavel to be greeted by a traditional 3 course dinner, seated around an impressive bond fire. The evening transcended festivity. Some way through the evening, the Ranger and I took my Aunt and Grandmother to their respective rooms via the Golf carts. While returning to the rondavel we heard shuffling and movement in the tall savannah grass. The Ranger reached for his torch and shined it… my heart dropped. A female lion frozen in a stalking like position. Two metres away she lay from a wide open Golf cart with two helpless Human beings. The Ranger threw the torch at the lion, the female scattered and we flat footed it to the closest house, being mine. We took the sharp left turn at the Golf carts full speed and to our disbelief, a big male Lion was sniffing the base of my door. He lifted his head and stared us down, he could easily take our lives should he feel the urge. The big male stood still as we reversed the entire way back to rondavel. Once inside I messaged my brother and cousin to lock their door as their house was close to mine. They proceeded to squabble over who should get up to lock the door and a truce was never reached, the door remained unlocked. It was the most intense form of suspense imaginable. Knowing that everything can be taken from you at the will of something much bigger, stronger, faster is petrifying. It does not perturb the majority of people because we are at the top of the food chain. To explain the magnitude of panic and intensity within those two minutes; It’s 2020, 10 years later and I dream about lions 80% of my nights. To be completely honest, before sitting down to write this I did not know why these dreams have been occurring.