Ephraim

Ephraim was one of our three safari guides. He has been guiding at Hluhluwe for 4 years but worked at two other parks before this. His father worked at Hluhluwe for 35 years though, mainly doing walking tours, so Ephraim spent hours and hours with his father training for the job he does today. Ephraim seemed to us know everything about every animal, bird and plant we saw on the trip. (He didn't know what water polo was though.)

Ephraim has three boys aged 9, 6, and 3. The second one's name is Surprise. He said he was named by his cousin, who didn't understand what babies were and said he was a surprise.

Ephraim's wife-to-be lives in Durban because she is studying. Their three children live with an aunt nearby. Ephraim lives 2km from Hilltop where we stayed and works 7 days a week - usually 3 weeks on and one week off, but sometimes six weeks in a row. He said this family arrangement was not unusual but he hoped to one day have enough money to be able to live together with his family.

It was another reminder of what privileged lives we live in New Zealand.

Bill