African Odyssey

“It’s all about connecting the dots looking back… and staying hungry and foolish,” said Steve Jobs in his Stanford speech to the graduating class of 2005. We all have dreams and aspirations growing up—things we hope to achieve someday: when we finish school, get a job, save enough money, take a sabbatical, and so on. Luck and will play a significant role in realizing some of these dreams. For me, one such experience unfolded in ways I could never have imagined. Growing up immersed in National Geographic’s stories and perspectives for over two decades, I learned photography and trained myself using National Geographic’s field guides. One big dream on my bucket list was to travel, create photography and video content across land, air, and sea—and, most importantly, to live that life on the African subcontinent.

Until 2006, I could only respect Steve Jobs for that line. But after having those experiences by 2011, I could finally relate to it. Looking back to 2007, when I decided to relocate to India after a corporate career in the U.S., the path seemed uncertain. Yet, as a firm believer in “think with your mind, but do what your heart says,” I found the conviction I needed—and since then, there has been no looking back!

Finally, in September 2008, after advancing up the corporate ladder within my organization, I faced a familiar dilemma. The global recession was looming large over our business forecasts, and some personal commitments were pulling me in the opposite direction. Once again, I had to choose: pursue what I loved, or ride out the recession in the corporate world and see how it unfolded. Once again, the heart prevailed. I embarked on a journey of personal discovery, which began with my long-awaited trip to Africa. Over the next six months, I traveled more than 30,000 km across sub-Saharan terrain, crossing 26 international borders along the way.

Some experiences to share — standing on the Equator in Uganda to witness the earth’s magnetism behave 3 different ways, a 1988 dream to see the mountain gorillas in Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park at 5,000 ft and get elbowed by one, seeing lions chase game in the 14,763 sq km Serengeti National Park, lead a camping tour of 25 on the edge of Ngorongoro Crater, fending off a pack of invading hyenas, snorkeling with a family of dolphins off the Zanzibar coast, swimming in the world’s big Clearwater lakes Malawi & Tanganyika, living in the 15,000 km of Okavango delta where the desert swallows a complete river, 5 of us overnight on a uninhabited island in the Bazaruto Archipelago with a million crabs for company after sundown, braving the world’s highest bungy jump, and many more. One doesn’t easily get all these within his lifetime, and it felt like nothing short of a rebirth.

This remarkable journey also brought into focus the reality of human–animal conflicts, the decimation of natural habitats, and the extent to which mankind depends on nature. It made me pause and ask myself: “What can be done?”—which naturally led to the thought: “Why not contribute to the conservation cause in India to help prevent such situations and protect our green spaces?” And what better place to start this than to do something for India under Project Tiger – my fav? Upon inquiry, the Forest Department shared their primary goal: “If you can help us create inviolate space, you would significantly advance conservation efforts.” Something inside me quietly responded, “Sure, why not?”

These learnings soon became a call to action, marking the beginning of a new journey in conservation and sustainability. Following an honorary appointment with the Rajasthan Forest Department as a Good Will Ambassador (Conservation Catalyst), the challenge was to facilitate the voluntary relocation of over 1,000 families across multiple villages to a better life within civil society. This effort, in turn, would help restore hundreds of sq. kms. of land as inviolate space—supporting conservation and integrated landscape management for the benefit of communities, their livelihoods, the landscapes, and biodiversity!! It has been a delight to share my life journey and experiences with diverse audiences, and help contribute to societal awareness and outreach. Read the ↓ 2011 Conservation and Speak Introduction brief.

Absolute Safari – The routes & borders crossed on the African subcontinent.

Overland Route A (Guided – 12 weeks)

Kenya (Nairobi N.P., Lake Nakuru N.P), Uganda (Kampala, Entebbe, Lake Victoria), Rwanda (Kigali, Volcanoes N.P), Uganda (Lake Edward, Jinja, Nile), Kenya (Old Paieta Sanctuary), Tanzania (Serengeti N.P., Ngorongoro Crater, Lake Manyara, Lake Tanganyika), Zanzibar, Malawi (Lake Malawi N.P.), Zambia (Mosi-oa-Tunya N.P. Victoria Falls, Lusaka N.P), Zimbabwe, Botswana (Chobe N.P), Namibia (Etosha N.P.), South Africa (northern, western and eastern Cape).

Overland Route B (Self – 13 weeks)

Part I – South Africa (Garden route, Coffee Bay), Lesotho, South Africa (KwaZulu-Natal), Swaziland, South Africa (Mpumalanga, Kruger N.P.), Mozambique (Limpopo N.P., Bazaruto Archipelago N.P.), South Africa (Mpumalanga, Sun City, Limpopo)

Part II – By Air to Rwanda (Kigali, Gisenyi), Democratic Republic of Congo (Goma, Mt. Nyrigongo, UN-MONUC station, Kanyabayonga, Lake Kivu), Rwanda (Mt. Bisoke, Gitarama, Butare), Burundi (Bjumbara), Rwanda (Nyungwe Forest), By Air to South Africa (Mpumalanga, Johannesburg), United Arab Emirates (ADB).