The alarm went off as alarms tend to go off- loud and waaaay to early. I am definitely not a morning person; I tend to wake up and think clearly only after at least one huge mug of coffee.
Today was no different. I’d get up, trudge into the kitchen, start the Nespresso machine, fish for a cup and wait. For what? I am not too sure. Maybe for something different? Different colors? Different bird song? Different view?
Today was also the day I decided to change my life. Just like that. Some would say: “But you have it all- beautiful horses, amazing friends, a nice place with a stunning mountain view. Why would you want to go somewhere else?” I wanted more. I wanted adventure. I wanted to make a difference instead of floating around in every day life.
Today I decided to follow my dream.
Two months and a ticket later, I ended up on a plane into the wild.
“What? You want to fly to Africa?” “Everything in Africa is poisonous!” “What? Rhinos? Why on earth would you want to save rhinos?” “Can’t you take a photography course somewhere else?” “What in the world is Anti Poaching?” “Watch those rangers!” “But you know how to take pictures!”
Yup. I do. But I wanted a challenge. Something unusual. Something that makes sense. I wanted to find my passion.
I am Angie, a slightly stressed, smiling Malinois mom (now you try and type on your computer, throw a toy at the same time and repeat that as often as possible :D), lover of all things wild, photographer, hobby filmmaker, wanderer and wife to a wildlife guardian and partner in crime. In short- I followed my dream of Africa and all things wild by packing up my camera, joining a lovely group of like minded people on a photojournalism course in Mosselbay and ended up experiencing what everyone warned me about; Africa does get into your blood and once it has, it does not let go of you anymore.
I fell in love with South Africa, a country with an uniqueness that spans from the black rhino in Kruger National Park to the breaching whales along its endless coastline. I fell in love with the gentle giants and the diverse wildlife, roaming more types of terrain than your camera could handle.
We traveled the gardenroute and headed to the stunning desert landscape of the Karoo, but nothing captured my heart and soul as much as the simple life in a bush camp, located on one of the reserves in the area.
I am about everything wild, about endless skies and freedom. I fell asleep to the song of the night, under twinkling stars and woke up at sunrise to the sound of boiling water and a crackling fire.
We were spending the days chasing lions, tracking elephants, photographing the small, the wild and the poisonous, swimming in dams, walking with giraffes and monitoring the playful rhino couple that seemed to be determined to catch the Land Rover and scratch an itch. And now imagine a tank chasing after you.
At night we were sitting around the campfire, roasting marshmallows and swapping stories while searching the sky for shooting stars, the southern cross and satellites.
Three months after my stint on the red continent, I ended up packing my bags and boarding a plane to fly into an adventure of a lifetime, with many up and downs, emotions, fears and unforgettable moments. I decided to come back, to stay. To capture stories of the wild. Stories that matter. I decided to stay, to find myself. To find my place in this world. Now we are running 'Boots on the Ground' a non profit to help the efforts of animal rescue and protection on the grounds here in Africa and we love getting into our truck or into an airplane to explore the wild side whenever we can.
We are a grassroots movement that was brought to life while filming a documentary on the plight and the sometimes heartbreaking world of anti poaching rangers, conservationists and people with an undying passion for wildlife. We are helping small grassroot anti poaching units and projects that need support in equipment and manpower.
Join me on this journey and read, as well as watch, all about Africa and our love for the bush and all things wild.
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