Safari Adventure

I kept a close distance behind Themba, a safari guide with a mild Afrikaans-English accent, carefully taking small steps to remain unheard. I constantly looked around at the scenery of the dense thickets of brush and trees, anticipating that something unexpected might be looking back. As my senses became more alert, I felt a heightened awareness of my surroundings and noticed that Themba had turned off his radio, leaving us completely disconnected from the outside world. Although Themba was only a few years older than I, he seemed much older because he possessed a great deal of knowledge and wisdom about the African wilderness. Since there were no paths around, we followed various animal tracks until we approached a vast green meadow. I looked out at the rolling hills when at that moment the beauty of nature overwhelmed me with peace and stillness as though time did not exist. We spotted dozens of grazing impala and a family of giraffe's eating leaves from an Acacia tree. We hid behind some bushes to get a better peak of the amazing sight, which from a human eye level made the giraffes appear like giant skyscrapers towering over us.
I felt a sense of independence in the African bush land, free from the norm's of my everyday society, although I also felt a sense of reliance on Themba for my protection, because he was carrying a rifle. We continued our walk across the bush land, with no sign of human impact to be seen. I asked Themba about the game reserve, different African animals, his job as a game ranger, and then I wondered about his home life, so I waited for a peaceful moment to ask him. He paused and then told me that he had lived his whole life in this area known as Kruger National Park in southern Botswana, and here I was nearly 9,771 miles from my home. I felt humbled to be in his presence and I wanted to know more about his story, however I knew that I must show him respect and understanding for him to be honest with me.
He told me that his father died