Shaun D'Araujo, a game ranger at Londolozi shared his experience of guiding a blind woman during game drives and how her view changed his life! Going to a private game reserve is a luxury for many. Even self-driving through the Kruger National Park and other reserves scattered around South Africa is a memorable experience. The great privilege is doing these things and being able to see them.
Shaun D'Araujo, a game ranger at Londolozi, was assigned to guide a guest who had lost her eyesight. He was unsure how he would guide her during their drives as he had spent his 15-year career pointing things out to his guests. His stresses were quickly put aside when he learned that the woman didn't need him to talk her through the sightings. She sat and listened to everything and taught Shaun a valuable life lesson.
On their first game drive, he sat there and closed his eyes. He and his guest listened to the animals, the sounds of the birds, the rumble of distant elephants and the boisterous zebra. They listened to the hippos fighting and the fish eagles flying overhead.
Using his eyes, he explained a passing lion's appearance in detail. Shaun described her scars and her missing tail, the colour of her eyes and the detail of her tongue. It was at that moment that Shaun realised how much of nature he was missing using only his eyes. He realised that even using his eyes, he had seen many lions, but he had never really looked. He noted how you could see the life a lion has led by the scars that riddle their bodies.
Shaun learned about the blessings of life, about using everything to immerse yourself in nature. The feeling of the bark on a big tree, the way the sand feels between your toes and the sound of the water slowly rippling over the top of your foot.
Londolozi shared his experience, and it is powerful to watch! Shaun explains how his whole world was opened up, all thanks to how a blind woman experienced a few days in the wild.
Watch the video here
This article is printed with kind permission by Londolozi Game Lodge https://www.londolozi.com & https://londolozi.africa