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Boundless 28 - Presidents honour the expedition

Boundless 28 - Presidents honour the expedition

Author: Kingsley Holgate
Date: 2018-06-22

Our Landy convoy now follows the mountain bike team to the Presidential function at the old Cricket Club, which the diamond mine has hurriedly spruced up. The Presidents of Namibia, Botswana, and Zimbabwe, King Mswati of Swaziland and the Prime Minister of Lesotho, the seven Ministers of Environment, the South African High Commissioner to Namibia, and several high-ranking SADC conservation leaders are waiting for us. Security is tight - sniffer dogs and mirrors to check the undercarriage of the Landies.

Everything is opened and thoroughly searched - including our depleted grub boxes -before we're allowed into the arena to hand over the seven symbolic stones gathered from each Transfrontier Conservation Area that will become an isivivane marking the end of this Boundless Expedition journey.

It is all pomp and ceremony, executive jets and helicopters, bodyguards and suits, media cameras galore, green grass, white tents and red carpets. After having just crossed the Sperrgebiet, it feels like another world, but rewarding nevertheless, as in speeches interspersed by wonderful cultural performances, the heads of the TFCA countries congratulate the Boundless Expedition team.

Later, Botswana's Sandhurst-trained President Ian Khama jokingly comments that my now out-of-control beard needs trimming with an industrial lawnmower. Not to be outdone (they do not always see eye-to-eye), Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe retorts, saying he will, 'Protect the Grey Beard' and even offers it Zimbabwean citizenship! The media picks up on the humour of me having a 'presidential beard protector' and I become the butt of many a joke.

We are proud to have played a role in extending the Peace Parks Foundation's vision of Transfrontier Conservation - one that was shared by Nelson Mandela and other African leaders. Thanks to many, it's been an unforgettable journey that has added to our love affair with this magical continent.It is an ongoing challenge for the future of our beautiful places - safari njema until the next one.