A Bit of Bayete
November 2008

1. Greetings from Bayete Zulu
2. Win a luxury holiday for two
3. A wise man once said
4. Bayete Zulu’s resident celebs
5. What’s hot in the master chef’s pot?

Dear Bayetezulu Guest,

A warm welcome to all our readers from your friends at Bayete Zulu Boutique Game Lodge.

It’s difficult not to notice the growing number of star-gazers who fixate on Hollywood’s celestial celebrity couples like Brangelina and TomKat. The media have latched on to this gossip feeding-frenzy by filling their pages with stories about the stars’ antics and, more recently, the over-priced pictures of their adorable offspring. Bayete Zulu invites you to come gaze at our very own resident celebs.

In this month’s A Bit of Bayete, we introduce you to our endearing elephant couple: Rambo and Rachel. These two awe-inspiring animals have fast become one of our greatest attractions – and it’s not hard to see why. From their majestic physical presence to their silent dignity and obvious affection for each other and their caretakers, Rambo and Rachel have a special place in the hearts of all who have encountered them at Bayete Zulu. And in true celeb fashion, rumours are rife about a certain celeb pregnancy. Is she, isn’t she? Read all about their story below or better still, pop in for a visit and meet them yourself. They say that an elephant never forgets, but what they don't tell you is that you never forget an elephant!

So what are your plans for the December holidays? Imagine swapping some Christmas shopping for an elephant experience with Rambo and Rachel! Bayete Zulu Boutique Lodge has devised an awesome Christmas Holiday Specials for the 2008 festive season.

Win a two night stay at Bayete Zulu for two people including breakfast, dinner and a game drive by entering online at www.bayetezulu.co.za and following the competition link. Terms and conditions apply. The winner will be contacted telephonically and published in next month’s issue of A Bit of Bayete.

October's winner was Peter Nortje, BHP Billiton.

“It is the little things that fret and worry us – why is it that we can dodge an elephant, but we can't dodge a fly?”
Josh Billings

The tale of our celebrity couple could be the essence of a Hollywood movie, except for the fact that our drama about rejection and betrayal has a happy ending in real life. This is the story of Rambo and Rachel – from Rambo’ trunk to your ears:

“Hi, I’m Rambo – a 30 year old African Savannah elephant born in Zimbabwe in the mid-eighties. When I was only six months old my whole family was culled because of over-population where we lived. Although I managed to escape the cruel hands of the humans, I could not escape the horror of my ordeal and the only companion I had left in the world was another elephant named Rachel. Luckily we were both rescued by a kind lady named Vicky, who helped nurture us both physically and emotionally. One day while I was foraging around my new home, some plastic got caught in my trunk, which then became painful and infected. I also developed abscesses on my foot and chin, so I needed her help desperately. The daily medication scared me, yet I trusted Vicky because I grew to understand that she truly loved and cared for me. Rachel was shy and reclusive, but even though she preferred to keep to herself, she too had learned to trust Vicky and soon she became strong and confident. After what seemed like ages, I began to feel like my old self again – and then everything changed.

As we grew, our living space became smaller and Vicky couldn’t keep us any longer. The sad day came when we had to say goodbye to our human mom and were sent on our way to a new caregiver who lived at Mziki Game Reserve. Although this home was bigger, the humans that we shared it with were not used to having elephants as neighbours and it wasn’t long before we were evicted from this place too.

Finally, Rachel and I were rescued once again, this time by the kind folk at Bayete Zulu – which has since become more than just a new house for us – it’s our home. We were given a massive area to live in where we are protected and kept free from fear and unfriendly neighbours. Our new caregiver introduced us to a man from Zambia called Davidson, who is a human herd member to guide and reassure us. With his kindness and positive reinforcement techniques, we have come to know the love of a herd with each other. Even Rachel, who was always shy, will now touch our guests softly with her trunk – which does leave me a little jealous at times. But then again, its been said that elephants often behave like humans, sometimes even more so – and now that she’s carrying our baby that she’ll be giving birth to in about 20 months’ time, it’s only natural that she’ll be a little more affectionate and I’ll be a little more protective. Looks like Rachel and I might still live happily ever after...”

Interesting Ellie Facts and Figures:

• Elephants eat approximately 300kg of food and drink between 100-150 litres of water a day
• The average elephant weighs between 4-7 tons
• Their maximum shoulder height is between 3.1-3.4 meters
• Elephants have a slower pulse of 27 and for a canary it is 1000
• Elephants have been known to learn up to 60 commands
• An elephant's tooth can weight as much as three kilograms
• Elephants get six sets of teeth in their lifetime, with the last set coming through when they’re about 60
• An elephant can live up to the age of seventy, or in some cases even more. They generally die when their last set of teeth wear out as they can no longer eat properly

Rambo’s rapture: Orange Sorbet

Ingredients:

2 whole oranges (peeled)
Water for boiling ( enough to cover the oranges)
10ml honey
Mint leaves (optional)

Method:

Place the whole oranges into a pot of water
Bring the oranges to the boil until very soft, approximately 10-15 minutes
Squeeze oranges into bowl discarding the peels
Mix in the honey
Place in freezer
When frozen, scoop out and enjoy
Makes 4 servings

Serving suggestion: Add a couple of mint leaves (do not freeze the mint with the sorbet as it will go black)

Next month’s recipe: Bayete Zulu’s Festive Christmas Ice Cream

Don’t miss our festive issue next month, which promises to be packed with holiday goodies, including instructions on how to make your own Christmas decoration!

Until next time,
The Bayete Zulu Team