Sam
Who? Sam Jethwa
Where did it start? I spent so much of my childhood out on safari with my father and I have gained so much experience as a result. I’m 32 now and have spent my most of my life here in Kenya; I’m proud to say I’m Kenyan. I’m paraplegic after a car accident in 1994 but I was determined not to let my wheelchair cripple my lust for adventure or get in the way of pursuing a safari career. I studied Tourism Management and worked in Lewa Wildlife Conservancy where I became really interested in conservation and rhinos in particular. Guy and I are old school friends so it made sense that I joined Westminster to help develop the business.
What makes it all worthwhile? People might think I’m limited by a wheelchair – but they’re wrong. I’d say most people are constrained by their desk. My office is the bush and I love the sense of absolute freedom that comes with working out in the wild. I am always delighted to witness our guests mesmerised by their first sight of a herd of giraffe in the wild, or entranced by a young moran (warrior) in his full tribal regalia – it is so satisfying to be broadening horizons and sharing my love of wildlife with people who are genuinely fascinated. Some of the more hair raising things I’ve seen with guests, I’ll never forget – a pack of wild dogs devouring a wildebeest in the Mara and an 18ft python swallowing a Thompson’s gazelle whole! I think my lifestyle offers some inspiration to other disabled people, and certainly makes our special mobility clients feel at ease as they know we can relate to each other.
How far have you ventured? The furthest I’ve ever been from Kenya is either Australia, far east of the outback, or Argentina. Experiencing South American culture was a real thrill – I caught a boat from Buenos Aires to Colonia then traveled up through Uruguay to Montevideo. But my favorite landscape is northern Kenya, particularly the northern areas of the Great Rift Valley and the lakes. Give me rugged, harsh, stark, scorching terrain any-day – I’m not such a fan of shivering in the thin air on top of a mountain.
Why Westminster Safaris? We’re dynamic. We’ve got traditional down to a T so for years now we’ve been moving beyond the conventional safari to offer our guests more of a challenge, a chance to get beyond the beaten track. Our annual expeditions are particularly geared for this but we still offer tented luxury in all the quintessential safari destinations of East Africa as well.
When the campfire’s burning low? I usually try to find out what people think of Kenya, I wonder how my country is perceived in far-flung corners of the globe. And when we’ve compared backgrounds and put the world to rights, there are some amusing games to play with wildlife that I like to introduce – do you want to know how to make baboons faint?