Trekking, 'Norfolk Dragon Venturer', South Africa - Imfolozi Game Reserve, Oct 2011, ID 1167

Norfolk ACF

16 Cadets and 6 Cadet Force Adult Volunteers of the Norfolk Army Cadet Force have just returned from the organisation’s fifth trip to South Africa. The main purpose of the trip was to give a new experience and a clear insight into the lifestyles and history of a very different and diverse culture.

The expedition in total included five days and nights on a foot trek through the Umfolozi Game Reserve, two days staying in Ekutheleni Mosi Zulu homestead, a tour of the Anglo / Zulu War Battlefields of Isandlwana Hill and Rorke’s Drift as well as a visit to the Blood River Voortrekker battlefield site. The trip was rounded off by everyone having the chance to experience the thrills of the Karkloof canopy trail and rafting on the Umkomaas River.

Fundraising for this expedition was hard but manageable with everyone playing their part in raising the £50,000 needed to finance this adventure. Endless bag packing at a variety of stores throughout Norfolk, letters to Organisations, Trusts, Regimental Associations and general supporters of Norfolk ACF saw the required amount raised in time.

The Ulysses Trust Grant of £2,800 was much needed and appreciated and it helped to pay off the final instalments for the flights. This saved us a considerable amount of money in Air fare tax by being able to close out these payments in July.

The expedition was planned to be the trip of a lifetime for the cadets, six Cadets and one of the adults had to apply for passports showing that they had not been abroad before and Cadet Cpl Francisco Valera Sousa, a Portuguese National from Thetford Troop, had to renew his passport. For those who had not been outside of the UK before, it was a life changing experience both from the wildlife perspective and the opportunity to witness Zulu culture.

The wilderness trail was an awesome experience, living for 5 days and nights with only essential equipment, no modern electronics apart from cameras, no watches, phones or MP3 players and living without knowing the exact time was an experience, almost a sense of freedom, working just by the sunrise and sunset.

Carrying heavy rucksacks in the heat was really hard and the expedition experienced mainly really good weather but on the second evening all three groups were caught in a very violent tropical storm which swept over the reserve for almost two hours and camping in those conditions was almost beyond all comprehension.

Everyone found these five days a really challenging time, after close encounters with black and white rhinos, elephants, Cape buffalos and lions. Camping near baboons and sleeping metres above crocodiles became an accepted pasttime. This only made us respect our Wilderness Leadership School Zulu Guides even more for their knowledge and dedication to making our Trail safe and enjoyable.

The groups soon realised that animals have a lot more character in their natural habitat and this was added to by having to complete a continuous night watch after darkness fell: this involved each member taking a seventy five minute night watch to patrol the camp perimeter warding off wild animals that might wander into our campsite by shining a torch. As there were no watches. time was judged by the stars or if it was cloudy, which it often was, simply just guessed! Seeing hyena in the torch beam only five metres away and hearing a leopard roaring nearby quickly focuses the mind - still better to have an interesting night watch than a boring one.

In the end it all comes down to team work and self confidence. By the end of the trail there were no gibbering wrecks after night watch, in fact they were becoming blasé about the whole thing. Everybody had gained more respect for the simplicity of nature and also the animals after seeing them roaming free and wild in an untouched unspoilt environment.

The wilderness trail provided a chance to be completely at one with nature and learn to appreciate life with only the bare essentials, no modern technology and with people who had become good friends. The party practiced ‘minimal impact and leave no trace’ and were constantly learning about the environmental issues affecting this Game Reserve and Wilderness area.

Staying for two days at a Zulu homestead gave an insight into the lives of those from a different culture. The experience was nothing like the group thought it might be - on the first night the Zulus performed some dances and the cadets reciprocated by giving a drill display. They were introduced to the local Nyana, a male herbal healer and the Sangoma, a female spiritual healer. They played endless football games with the Zulu children and experienced stick fighting, a pastime still carried out by young Zulu men.

Seeing how the Zulu are able to live happily without modern commercialisation made everyone appreciate the simple things in life.

Following the village stay, the party went on an Anglo/Zulu war battlefield tour, visiting the main two battlefields of Isandlwana Hill and Rorke’s Drift, as well as Blood River, the site of a battle between the Voortrekkers and the Zulus.

It was amazing to hear the true stories of the many brave acts of valour and of the friendships forged on the battlefield in the face of death by warriors from both sides. To be on the same spot where many soldiers once fought for their lives made us question where our values lay today.

Col. DB Hedges, Cdt/Bdr George Worrall and Cdt/Sgt Harry Horsman of Norfolk ACF.

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