Fear And Loving In Africa

Sun Herald

Sunday March 9, 2008

Rosemarie Milsom

Silent Footsteps: A Woman's Awakening Among The Elephants Of Africa

Sally Henderson

(Pan Macmillan, $24.95)

THERE are many heart-stopping moments in this vivid account of living among Africa's most dangerous animals: the "big five" as they are more commonly known - lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and rhinoceros.

Australian Sally Henderson first ventures to the "dark continent" for a safari with her then husband, whom she married at 17. She feels immediately at home, despite Botswana's soaring temperatures, the flies, danger and discomfort.

Henderson is inspired to assess the direction in which her life is heading after a horrifying night-time run-in with four lions, who take up position outside the tent she shares with her snoring husband.

She is paralysed by fear and she is trapped. "My stomach swished water ... my body had become a furnace, stoked by the heavy heat of the relentless Kalahari night. But my soul was chilled."

Saved by a large elephant that strolls into the camp and alerts the safari guide, Henderson becomes fascinated, even obsessed, with the animals.

"In time I would know that this elephant had been more than he seemed," she writes.

"When the rhythmic rumbles shivered the fabric of my tent, it wasn't just the sound of the elephant. The spirit of Africa had come to my rescue; as it would again and again in the years ahead."

Henderson's marriage is affected as her love affair with adventure, and Africa's elephants, deepens after further encounters.

Her personal journey includes establishing Elefriends Australia - a charity organisation to fund elephant preservation, and a gallery showing African art.

In time, she returns to Africa with her second husband, Jeremy, to take up a job in Zimbabwe tracking elephants on a vast tract of land adjacent to the Hwange National Park.

They live in a basic hut, sleep on dusty mattresses on the ground and immerse themselves in the comings and goings of the elephant population and exotic array of wildlife that daily crosses their path.

Henderson is an empathic, romantic narrator and her at times overly sentimental prose can irritate. However, she has a wonderful knack for describing people and animals, narrowing in on their unique characteristics and mannerisms.

Here, she follows a lion chasing a strong scent: "The lion was well ahead, maintaining a fast pace ... his huge black-maned head remained steady above the powerful thrusts of his shoulders. Bubbles of white froth spattered the fine black line of his open mouth. He was magnificent."

Befriending the motley crew of safari guides and landowners is another aspect of Henderson's African sojourn.

She is able to observe the many tensions that influence life there - a history of poverty, violence and tough politics prompts her to question her naive assumptions. But it is her beloved elephants that dominate her narrative and over time she can recognise a favourite within a herd of 30 as they gather at a nearby waterhole.

The pair is charged with documenting each animal's physical markings and observing movements, a far from glamorous undertaking. Both become gravely ill at different times.

Death stalks them much of the time - it is there in the power of the easily spooked elephants, the callousness of poachers and the strike of a poisonous snake or spider.

One for nature-lovers and those looking for life-changing inspiration.

30 Days In Sydney: A Wildly Distorted Account

Peter Carey

(Bloomsbury, $22.95)

FIRST published in 2001 as part of Bloomsbury's The Writer And The City series, this slim, punchy book has been reissued with a fresh cover and is well worth another look, if only to gauge how much has changed since Carey's 2000 visit (Kevin Rudd's "sorry" speech springs immediately to mind).

The book opens with the author, who lived in Sydney for 25 years, flying into the city: "Home? I did not come to live in Sydney until I was almost 40 and even then I carried in my baggage a typical Melburnian distrust of that vulgar, crooked convict town.

"I rented a leaking ramshackle semi in Balmain because I knew that even if my mother was correct, even if Sydney was just like Liberace, I could never be sorry to wake in the morning and look out on that harbour."

This is not strictly a travel book, but Carey's sharp ear for dialogue and wonderful ability to dig beneath the surface provide an insightful perspective on the city.

London City Guide

T. Masters, S. Fallon, V. Maric

(Lonely Planet, $32.95)

JOURNEYS to London tend to trigger a cold sweat, thanks to the high cost of even the simplest travel essentials. But once you've felt the fear and hopped off the plane anyway, you'll be rewarded, especially if you have this new edition of Lonely Planet's City Guide under your arm.

The publishing company is gradually revamping this popular series and London is one of the first to hit book stores with the vibrant, easy-to-follow design.

About a third of the guide is dedicated to "neighbourhoods" and includes walking tours, key sites and maps.

Sections on shopping (don't overlook the list of vintage stores and markets), eating, gay and lesbian London, sleeping, sports and activities plus drinking are all here.

Details for excursions beyond the city, including Oxford, Brighton and Kent, include trip times and contact details for local tourism offices.

The tearout city map and Underground guide are welcome inclusions.

The Forbidden City

Geremie R. Barme

(Profile, $39.95)

GEREMIE BARME has a chair in Chinese history at the Australian National University. His expertise lends an authoritative tone to his guide to Beijing's magnificent walled palace compound, a city unto itself.

The timeline in the front section of this compact, hardcover edition provides the perfect overview of not only the construction chronology of the palaces but also the complex politics and numerous dynasties that have ruled and been conquered since the 15th century.

The remainder of the book is not presented as a straightforward travel guide but is a historical narrative that can, at times, be overwhelmingly dense with complicated information.

It's easy to get confused about the various emperors and I found myself flipping back and forth to the timeline to grasp which dynasty was which.

The black and white photographs and maps scattered throughout could have been sharper and more dramatic but the detail is in the text.

The Intelligent Traveller: How To Plan Your Perfect Trip

Jenny Herbert

(The Five Mile Press, $19.95)

BOOKS about planning trips remind me of those about childbirth; full of detailed information that can go out the window when the reality sets in. A good outcome - a rewarding, fulfilling experience - can be as much about luck as preparation.

Here, seasoned traveller and tourism operator Jenny Herbert concentrates on the details of long-haul travel, focusing mainly on Europe, which is disappointing. Travel to Asia or Africa doesn't get a look-in, or the US, for that matter.

Comments such as, "you'll want to visit the major sights (Buckingham Palace, Eiffel Tower)" irritate. What about the Taj Mahal, or Empire State Building? There is useful information for a first-timer to Europe: how to survive the flight and reserve accommodation - and there are countless handy website addresses and even an itinerary and budget spreadsheet.

For those after more specific advice, stick to a regional guide.