Things I’ve learned at Thanda:

1.       If it’s mellow, let it mellow.  If it’s brown, flush it down

2.       Electricity is almost as scarce as water.  Which is why it’s good to have a good torch on you at all times

3.       Gecko’s poo a lot.  So when there is a gecko living in your hut on the ceiling, you will have gecko poo on your bed everyday

4.       Croatians are stubborn.  Or maybe I should rephrase; Romeo from Croatia is stubborn

5.       Game drives never get old.  They are amazing even if you don’t see much

6.       Being close enough to touch an elephant is both exhilarating and nerve wracking

7.       A lot of people in the world (if the small United Nations of Thanda is a correct comparison) do not agree with hunting, even as a purpose of population control to balance an ecosystem.  Meaning Jody should stop mentioning that her friends back home hunt.  Unless you are talking to the tracker and the ecologist who understand life outside a city.

8.       Starting your day with a game drive is an amazing way to start any day!!  Even if it’s at 5:30am

9.       I am going to come home with a British/Aussie/South African accent as that is who I spend most of my time with.  I just know it.  I already find myself pronouncing the animal names like them!!!

10.   Hippos live in pods of females and babies with just one dominant male.  One female will come into season (heat) each day.  And as the saying goes, ‘she will offer him her honor.   He will honor her offer.  Then all day, he will get on and off her.

11.   If they say you should carry your water with you on conservation work, believe them

12.   If they tell you there will also be a truck following us that you can leave your water on, don’t believe them

13.   You will not die from being electrocuted by the electric fence, luckily it wasn’t me that found this out

14.   Female hyena’s have both sex organs.  She mates with a penis and even delivers her cubs through her penis

15.   Wild dogs are little trouble makers.  They like to toy with buffalo, elephants and giraffe

16.   A two handed waive is a must when someone drives by

17.   Children love balloons

18.   White rhino’s have black poo, and black rhinos have black poo

19.   Gecko poo on the bed count is at 23