It seems like we’ve been away for ages!  A 2 month gap to give you time to recover from the last newsletter, and you thought I had given up.  Not yet!!

What on earth is happening in UK – you get a Scotsman in to run the Country and before you know it, the Mad Mullahs are at it again, this time thankfully getting what they truly deserve – one at least anyway.  Going for young kids in a Disco and then the airport is madness.

Then you get the worst floods on record, but Gordon Brown’s ratings are the highest since before Iraq.  Either I’m missing something or Trendy Dave Cam.  (as in webcam – he likes that sort of thing) has seriously lost it. Anyway at least The PM’s initials are sufficient. What happens to TB – he gets the top job for the Middle East!! Well, that should really work!!

Becks and his Madam in the USA now trying to play Soccer. Somehow I don’t think this will work.  She’s not exactly a face of happiness.  Maybe the re-energising of the “Spice Girls” will sort her out.  Here in S.Africa, the sport of the month is “STRIKE”!  It goes from one industry on to another.  Once one has finished, a new one is about to start.

Soon they will run out of Industries that go on strike, and then I suppose they will start again.  Petrol was a big problem in Johannesburg for a short time.  As I write it is the skilled personnel in the coal mines who are playing at the moment.  That will turn the lights out soon.  We all have generators now anyway. Then in the USA they have the “Pissed Astronauts” – very comforting to know this.  Hopefully their pilots carrying those Nukes are all Non-Alcoholics!

Now down here on the Ranch we have have finally completed our refurb (05^th July) and all is looking …………..refurbed!  In the middle of it all we did reopen ( a bit of a reservations mix-up), but it was to Philip and Gerti from Wait a Little who support us a lot by doing about 3 Horse safaris per year on the reserve in which they stay at Garonga for 3 nights.  Always good fun and raucous.  The 1^st night being an Elvis Night in which we wore plastic Elvis wigs!!!!!!!  Thankfully the singing part did not come into it.  The last night we had a BBQ at my Pad which was great fun, and something worth doing when you have a group in.

Anyway July was extremely quiet achieving a lowly 26% Occupancy (don’t ask me to explain – I have stopped predicting!).  Honeymoons are plentiful and this is the time of the year, and so it was congratulations to them all.  We also hosted some our top Suppliers (African Outposts, New Frontiers, and Your Africa) with Partners. The idea was also to market the Private Charter Option that we are really concentrating on.  Some very affordable quotes ( on the website). Example: R 4950.00 for a 5 Seater Aircraft return to Johannesburg.  No hanging around airports, road transfers from airports apart from the Luxury transfer from Jo'burg International to Rand Airport in a Merc (all included).  Anyway take a look.  We also welcomed Andrea from Hidden Vintage.  The sleep out Deck has been well utilized; its perfect time now and is a lot warmer than you think.  Don’t ask.

The Bush Safari has been performing some miracles.  The Lions (one coalition of 4) have been on Garonga now for months and are regularly seen at the new water hole in front of the Camp.  Guided walks are also popular because it is still pretty bloody nippy out there first thing in the morning with the wind chill factor and all.  Some great trips down to the Makhutsi River which is not flowing now but does hold good pools of water which supplies spectacular viewing of the Hippos.  The trees down there are also magnificent. Musa (Tracker) has passed his First Aid, and going around the camp now to practice on unsuspecting volunteers.  I’m sure I saw him in a white Coat the other day which he promptly whisked off.  Not quite ready, Musa, to do the ER thing! I must have a word in his ear!

Regrettably one of the Garonga Rhino Cows was killed recently.  It was only discovered some days after and so not many signs as to how it happened.  Probably another Rhino.  Safaris are seeing plentiful sightings of Rhino at the moment. The Bush itself is still looking very good, due mainly to a very unseasonable 20mm of rain at the beginning of July.  Maybe we can thank the Uk for this?  Plenty of grass and water around for the animals.

The Kitchen Cookies have been doing splendid foodie things.  Their morale was very high when they were shown recently in the UK Waitrose Food Magazine.  I thank Louise from Cox and Kings for giving us that opportunity. On that note we are now doing our own recipe Book.  The difference is that WE are taking all the Photos (we may not be experts, but it’s good fun), and some of the Locations (you see, even using the right jargon) for the Pictures are done in some very odd places.  The other idea is to have a different staff member holding the dish, so that there is a written recipe AND a write up of the Staff member.  Recipe to follow as normal with this newsletter.

On the Staff front, we had Linda come down from Cape Town to do her Annual 5 day Training Package with all the Staff.  Well worth doing.  The main emphasis on this was “Sense of Urgency”!  I sometimes wonder when some staff walk, it is so slow, that if there was even a slight breeze, they would be walking backwards. So we have introduced “Flogging” on a daily basis to improve morale!

The Building for “Little Garonga” began on 07^th July and already the  foundations are in, windows and doors up.  Soon the roofs will be started on.  It is taking shape nicely. It is also on our website - www.garonga.com The viewpoint is spectacular as you are looking down on to the Bush and you also have the Mountains as a backdrop.

August is looking average.  It used to be our best month of the year averaging around 75%, but this year quite a bit less; so still vacancies for those wanting a short sharp shock treatment.  We have just introduced the “Garonga Quickie”.  A one night Stay (I say again STAY!) which includes the Garonga Air Charter, champagne on arrival, complimentary massage, a goodies basket, romantic bush bath at dusk, a delicious dinner, and then a full fry up in the morning, then your flight back.  I know, very romantic at a good price. Worth checking it out. It is available until the beginning of December.

Finally some good news and tragic news.  An old colleague, Major Paul Harding of the newly formed 4^th Bn. The Rifles (Ex-Green Jackets) was tragically killed recently in Iraq.  A more professional quiet unassuming person you could wish to meet.  Highly respected and liked by all.  Our thoughts are with Paula and Children in these tragic times.

One is taken away from this world, and one is brought in.  Congratulations to Guy (Ex- Farm Manager, who really turned the farm into something to admire) and his wife Louise on the birth of their baby Boy on the 24^th July.

Enjoy your Holidays in August and look forward to seeing you down here sometime.

Take Care and all the best
Bernie