So England won the Rugby World Cup!! Brilliant! Congrats to the whole team for a really splendid effort and fooling us all.  It worked!  Sorry, but the climax has to be the win over Australia! And NEXT TO THAT, FRANCE!! What an incredible competition and so many surprises. None here.

Australians have finally learnt the correct way to
acknowledge an Englishman when they meet him…

The S.African Coach gets the chop for winning the Competition (I know, yes, they won…Eventually!).  This is quite normal here as Politics is so interfering in Sports, that by the next world Cup they may just may be able to qualify.  God, what are we going to do now! No Rugby.

Politics – DC seems to be giving GB a bit of a kick down there in the UK.  After that appalling Bottle Job from calling an election, I don’t think he has any integrity left at all.

Still the same tragic casualties in Afghanistan, although not so bad it seems in Iraq.  There is a very good organization just cropped up called www.helpforheroes.org.uk. 

Give it a check out as it is such a worthwhile cause as these Guys get NOTHING from the Government until somebody or some newspaper starts rattling their cage. We can certainly offer them something here; just need to get the airlines involved. They don’t give much away.

Deep in darkest Africa here we are stifling with intense heat, cold beers, and cool chicks; I mean swimming pools; sorry!  It is hell, but as the saying goes, somebody has to do it.

A very busy month indeed – 80% Occupancy. Fantastic, and thanks to all our supporters out there.  A record October month for Garonga.  A very warm welcome back to Martin and Kath and family after 9 years. Thanks very much for the French Duck Fat – exquisite with those roast tatties!!.  Also to Bianca.  We had tree (they were in a tree, but I meant three!) weddings this month.  Congratulations are in order to Burkhard and Claudia (kitted out very nicely in typical Tyrolean Attire – but no yodeling!); Corne and Beatte from the Netherlands, and finally but by no means least, Mark and Julie from the UK.  A number of Guests on Honeymoon which is fantastic.

We have had up to 70mm of rain over the month Of October and so all is looking lush and green. Waterholes filled up, and the Game starts moving all over.  It is the first time in at least 5 years where we have had these early rains.  As a result Sleep Outs were reduced somewhat this month.  Safari teams have been doing some excellent spotting with leopard sightings now coming into the game; three over this month.  The 4 Lion Coalition is now seen regularly especially around the Airstrip where there is a lot of Plains game at Dusk and near to my Pad.  Ellies on a regular basis and also the Rhinos.  The Bush is getting thick now and so becoming more difficult.  The Guys persist and with Patience and Fortitude they come up with the Goods.

The Kitchen! Great Salady light Lunches; those truckers Breakfasts though are to die for.  I think a bacon and Egg sandwich on soft white bread with at least a pound of butter and a Cold Beer also goes down a treat!  The game drives do though return now at 0830 hrs and so a Cold beer at that time of the morning may be a problem. So 0835 hrs is an excellent proposal!  The Cook Book is coming along; not may recipes left to do.  Anyway one as ever will accompany this Letter.  We need to do some Pooitjies (Poikies)!

Can you believe it , we are now in November!  We do still have some space In December over 2-3 days over Xmas and also new Year.  Off to London to the World Travel Market which starts next week (12^th-16 November) at EXCEL in Docklands.  Maybe see some of you there?   We are in The Africa Section under the 'Classic Safari Camps of Africa' Stand (www.classicsafaricamps.com).

Little Garonga is in full swing and still on track to open on the 10^th December.

Right off to the Pool now with a Cold Beer and a …………..! Its about 40 Degrees!

Take care of Yourselves and don’t forget www.helpforheroes.org.uk !
Bernie