Q: What’s the best place you’ve ever visited?
Q: What’s the most surprising/unexpected place you’re ever visited?
A: The Kalahari Desert (in Botswana). Although it is another safari, it’s vastly different from the Okavango Delta. First of all, it was my very first safari and I was terrified. They kept telling me, “Well if you happen to see a lion just stay still and don’t run,” which has been my mantra ever since. If life is difficult, if it’s a struggle, just a pain in ass, don’t run. You’ve got to stand your ground.
But the Kalahari Desert itself is so full of intricacies, so much life. The Bushmen — they are called the Basarwa — know every single thing about the desert, what plant this is, what kind of poop this is, is the animal pregnant that pooped this poop. It was the most amazing experience. I learned so much. We stayed in a magnificent place with some of the best food that I’ve ever eaten, a place called Jack’s Camp. The first thing I noticed was quiet. I don’t think I had ever been in quiet before. There’s quiet and you turn off all the lights and you relax. That was another surprisingly wonderful experience.