WORK WITH ANIMALS ON YOUR CAREER BREAK
"I got to see the real Bolivia, and it felt good to give something back, not just pass through the country in ignorance"
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TRAIN AS A
YACHTMASTER
Sail all over Europe while gaining the skills and qualifications to skipper a yacht anywhere in the World
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Gap Years for Grown Ups
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Your thoughts and feedback would be great - newsite@gapyear.com
Your thoughts and feedback would be great - newsite@gapyear.com
 You’re never too old for adventureHusband and wife Chris and Christine Giles worked in a safari camp in Botswana on their careergap. Chris Giles writes... 'Christine and I are both so pleased we decided to take a four-month careergap in our early forties. Some people were puzzled by our decision. One friend said: 'No offence, but aren’t you a bit old?' Another said: 'Aren’t you worried that someone will take your job?' Well, you’re never too old to have an adventure and any initial worries about our career prospects were soon forgotten as we were thrust into a new environment to learn about life in the bush and how a safari camp operates. The scenery and wildlife in this remote part of northern Botswana are stunning so things that are normally mundane and routine suddenly become exciting. I was quite happy clearing plates, washing glasses, making fruit salad, serving drinks and chatting to guests from all around the world. Christine, with her cooking background, worked in the kitchen and helped with ideas for the menu. Our jobs were not strenuous or difficult but extremely important because they made us feel part of the team. One evening, we were setting table for dinner while the guests were on game drive when three male lions started roaring at each other, just metres outside the camp. The noise was deafening. Although there was no real danger, we bolted for the safety of the kitchen, which was enclosed and had a lock on the door. The lions, who were marking their territory, soon moved on and we were able to finish the table before the guests returned. On another occasion an elephant wandered right through the middle of camp during the night when we were all asleep, crushing about 10 metres of wooden walkway between the dining area and toilet. My job the next morning, with the maintenance manager, was to pull up the destroyed boards and put down new ones before guests returned from their morning game drive. As I have absolutely no practical skills, this was quite an achievement, although I’m not sure the maintenance manager, who showed great patience, was impressed with how long it took me. We felt privileged to spend three months in one of Africa’s finest wildlife areas and fortunately, on most days, were able to go on game drives with guests. For a couple of days, there was only one American lady in camp, so were became her travelling companions night and day! We were with her to see a pack of eight wild dogs hunt and catch a baby buffalo. This was a savage and gruesome experience because the dogs eat their prey alive and we witnessed it at close hand. But as Charles, the guide, kept saying: 'That’s nature.' We saw many incredible sights including cheetah hunting and killing an impala, a baby elephant barely a week old kneeling down at a pool to drink with its mouth because it had not learned to use its trunk and a leopard hanging by one paw from a tree branch after a failed attempt to catch a guinea fowl. We witnessed half a dozen violent thunderstorms where the lightning is so bright it lights up the countryside like a floodlit football stadium, and huge blood-red sunsets. But, most importantly, we made many new friends among staff and guests who I am sure we will keep in contact with. We had a fantastic time on our careergap... the only worry now is how we are going to cope with just having a fortnight’s holiday this year!'  Click here >> to find out more about placements with The Leap Click here >> to email The Leap |
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