Selous Game Reserve Forum: YIPPEEE! Off again to the Selous!

Of course all excited before those trips. In my case, more like a 10-year-old playing his first Little League baseball game.

(BTW, based in large part on things you'd written I headed to Manze and Impala in June and had a blast. Moreover, when I was introduced around at Manze, one of the other visitors in a party of 4 was named Flo. I made a silly joke and said, "You're not the Flo I've been emailing at Adventure camps. She said she was. Just as nice in person as through emails.)

OK, I'm curious. Which silly big pro-lens did you rent? I think you'd been talking about the 100-400 before. In any case, looking forward to your images. Have a terrific trip and curious to hear your take on the differences between June and October.

"Excitement" is probably too strong a word for how I feel before a trip. Just back and still grinning from one and with another looming in two months it is more "I wonder what Africa has in store for me this time?"

I hope and plan for "more of the same" but it rarely is. It is always better!

Enjoy the trip......... Drjo, where did you rent the lens from?

I've met Flo, too. Small world! Lovely lady.

Yes - and say "Hello" to Richard. He runs a good place. Hope Rafiki pops in.

Flo went to school near me on IOM. Really small world!

I'm guessing the Richard mentioned is (was) the manager at Manze. Nowadays, or at least in June, the manager at Manze is Sarah Gigli, a young, smart and very personable Italian woman, who has a passion for food. As a result she has obviously provided a guiding hand to the kitchen. The food at the camp reflected simple but delicious Italian cooking: e.g., bruschetta, meatballs in tomato sauce, roasted potatoes and various spinach dishes. After each course I could impress Sarah with my favorite sentence: Questo è davvero buono!

To the best of my knowledge Manze has dual management. Richard doing the events and organisation, Sarah the housekeeping and catering side. He may have been on leave!

Apparently Richard headed to the Northern Circuit. A quick 'Google' of Sarah turned this up:

"Flo’s recent report of Lake Manze, Selous Game Reserve"

"First was Lake Manze where we were met at the airstrip when we landed around 10.45 (BA was late) and transferred to the camp on a game drive, arriving in camp around 12.30.

"Sarah, Gilles and Leonard were there to greet us and there was cold juice waiting at the car park for us.

"Sarah Gigli (Italian) was the assistant manager last year, and is the manager now, as Richard Jones has moved to Rhino Lodge."

Thanks for the update. I thought he was a fixture there.