A Bit of Bayete
September 2008

1. A wise man once said
2. A bit of Bayete’s Spring scenery
3. Ranger’s report
4. September is Tourism month
5. What’s hot in the master chef’s pot?
6. Bayete Reviews
7. Win with Bayete Zulu

Dear Bayetezulu Guest,

Spring greetings from the team at Bayete Zulu Boutique Game Lodge

As springtime traditionally heralds the beginning of new life and warmer weather, we thought this would be the perfect opportunity to introduce some warmth to your inbox in the form of our new monthly e-newsletter, A Bit of Bayete. We appreciate that not everyone has the privilege of waking up to the real life canvass that is our gorgeous game lodge, so we’d like to include you as far as possible as Mother Nature paints the seasons with breathtaking sights, heady smells and tranquil sounds that are so much a part of our African bush.

We trust that you’ll appreciate and look forward to a monthly five minute escape from routine and invite you to join us for the real thing at Bayete Zulu at your earliest convenience!

Spring is nature's way of saying, "Let's party!" - Robin Williams

Bayete Zulu is an absolute symphony of colour and life at the moment. The air is filled with the excited calls and captivating colours of our feathered friends as they arrive to settle in to the warmer climate and the bush is blooming with splashes of colour from our flowering trees.

The exquisite colours of both Lilac Breasted and European Rollers have been a treat over the last week or two – complemented by the vibrant Yellow Billed Kites and energetic Bee Eaters. The vibrant Fever Trees, Umbrella Thorns and Knob Thorns are also proud signs that the bush has finally shrugged the wintery season off.

Sighting from Bayete Zulu’s Senior Field Guide, Jacques Fourie

"At about 17:45 I was heading down Gwarri Road towards the grass plains in search of a family of four White Rhinos that enjoy grazing there. As I rounded a stand of Acacia trees, I caught the glint of eyes lying low in the dark grass. Nocturnal animal's eyes shine more brightly in the torch light than diurnal animals, so presuming I had found a Serval – which we often see hunting rodents in the tall grass – I followed them down an old road deeper into the bush. There I was rewarded with a great Caracal sighting, which is a very rare find due to their shy natures. It was a young kitten that seemed completely at ease with the vehicle parked close by. We wondered as to the whereabouts of the mother, as this kitten was far too young to be on its own. After scanning the surrounding bush, we saw the nervous mother sitting dead still in the grass as she kept a wary eye on our vehicle but was too protective of her kitten to leave.

Caracals weigh in at about 12-20 kg and stand 45 cm at the shoulder. They use their superb camouflage and cover to stalk within a few meters of their prey – and then dash out to catch it. They use the same technique to stalk birds, and should the bird attempt to fly away, the Caracal can launch itself about 4-5 m into the air, plucking the bird straight out of its airborne escape! The saying ‘To put a cat amongst the pigeons’ is derived from an ancient Middle East sport using tame Caracals to catch birds. Seeing the way this mother was not letting her impish kitten out of her sight made me so grateful that I’m covered in skin and not feathers!”

Tourism Month is an annual celebration held in September to focus on the importance of tourism to the economy of South Africa. This year, the focus is squarely on the effects of climate change. Tourism authorities and investors, therefore, need to know about these changes and how to plan for them.

As the world struggles with changing climates, the tourism industry needs to face this challenge head-on. We need to start thinking how it will affect us here in our country and what the implications will be for the tourism industry. Firstly, we know that the temperature is already rising, which has a natural knock-on effect on the environment. Most of the tourism we have in our country is environmentally based tourism, and although we have other kinds, that is basically our greatest draw-card. When the temperature changes permanently by only a few degrees, we stand to lose as much as 30 percent of animal life in any given area. In addition, changing sea currents also play havoc with South Africa's very popular beaches and beach resorts and these stand the very real threat of disappearing altogether over the next 10-15 years.

The tourism industry needs to be very sensitive and proactive to the changes in the environment in order to harness and tap into the growing global tourism market.

Spring Salad with Soya Honey

Ingredients:

Chicken Fillet Honey
Soya Sauce
Lettuce
Rocket
Basil
Cherry Tomatoes
Cucumber
Small Red Onion
Feta cheese
Cream
Whole Grain Mustard

Method:
Honey & Mustard Dressing:

Mix equal quantities of cream, honey and Whole grain mustard together.
Add Salt and Pepper to season.
Store in Fridge

Method:
Spring Salad with Soya Honey Chicken:

Slice Chicken Fillet into strips.
Lightly pan fry in a olive oil.
When sealed add honey & Soya.
Simmer gently till chicken is cooked and then take off the heat.

Toss together assorted lettuce, rocket and basil
Add cherry tomatoes sliced in half
Add Cucumber slices and Red onion rings
To complete this Spring meal, add the Soya chicken and crumbled feta.
Drizzle Honey & Mustard Dressing on top.

Next month’s recipe: Homemade Bread

They're stars of the show
Daily News 28th August 2009

Brilliant Bayete!
Primary News Editorial

Been There, Done That...
Mums Mail Sept 09 Editorial

Win in Spring with Bayete Zulu this month by sending us your comments and stories on the wild life around you. Up for grabs: a two night stay for you and a partner including dinner, bed, breakfast and a game drive. Get thinking, get creative and get your suggestions to us via email to sales@bayetezulu.co.za by the close of business on Friday 17 October. The winning entry will be published in next month’s issue of A Bit of Bayete.