Nature’s internet
Many people who air their opinions on the internet tend to state their particular experience as absolute fact and are often quite intolerant of the opinions and experiences of others, says Mic van Zyl.
They say that with age comes wisdom and while it sounds good, I have often realised that the wisdom part of this phrase can have different meanings. Some folks do indeed gather wisdom throughout their lives in the form of facts and knowledge of various subject matters. Speaking to these people is like speaking to Wikipedia. Another interpretation of the word wisdom encompasses gathering the lessons learnt in life from making mistakes or observing the mistakes of others.
People who know me, know that I am a bit of a technology addict. I am also somewhat lazy when it comes to certain things. I don’t like doing things twice so tend to do it right the first time, making sure the result is correct and will stand the test of time.
I absolutely hate struggling with stuff, especially computers. For some years now I have been using the same manufacturer’s laptop computer, tablet and phone. They simply work. An email sent on my phone is immediately available on my tablet and laptop. It is seamless and perfectly suits my “lazy” nature.
ANOTHER MODERN-DAY piece of tech I thoroughly enjoy is the internet. It has to be one of man’s stand-out inventions. I listened to an interesting lecture recently on the inventions of the modern era and the effect these inventions have had on man’s evolution. The ability of mankind to develop new things to make life easier and get thing done in less time is astounding and, again, very suited to my “laziness”. What with the wheel, electricity, the automobile, the integrated circuit, computers and the internet, I am very grateful for the fact that I was not born in any other era but this one.
The lecture focused on the way these technological inventions have changed man for better – and for worse. The internet is basically a digital rendition of our world. Its crux is the search function. They say you can find anything on the internet if you search correctly.
While the internet is full of fantastic information that can be truly lifechanging, it also contains everything that is wrong with the world and with us. It is one of my greatest challenges currently to guide my nine-year-old son to the good side of the internet. He is almost as techsavvy as his dad but to my mind he is too young for the evils that the internet holds. Filtering out the bad is just so difficult.
WHILE THE INTERNET has an abundance of “evil” bad, it also has a massive amount of “stupid” bad. I refer specifically to user forums for 4x4 communities. Don’t get me wrong here. It is a great place to find information about everything and anything 4x4-related. If you’re a 4x4 enthusiast like me, a couple of keystrokes can get you the correct info and save you time, money and yes, even your life.
Sadly though, it is also full of bad, illinformed opinions and advice. People tend to state their particular experience as absolute fact and are often quite intolerant of the opinions and experiences of others. The challenge here is to filter the good from the bad and opinion from fact.
All of this makes me relish the opportunity to get away from the “Internet of Things’ and sit by a fire, out of cell range, sans phone and tablet, and just take in the quiet and solace. This is something I failed miserably to do often enough in 2019.
My 2020 New Year’s resolution is to get away from it all much more often and spend more time in nature’s internet.
How about you?
I am very grateful for the fact that I was not born in any other era but this one
DAY 1 We meet at Punda Maria Camp in the northern section of the Kruger National Park, where we will spend our first night camping in tents.
DAY 2 We make our way to the Pafuri Gate, where we cross the border and enter Mozambique. After about 80 kilometres, we reach the village of Mapai, where we cross the Limpopo. (Should the Limpopo be in flood, an alternate route will be considered).
DAY 3 Early to rise and, after a hearty breakfast, we break up camp and continue on to Machaila, then the town of Mabote and lastly on to our destination at Inhassoro. At Inhassoro we’ll be sleeping in chalets almost on the beach with a view of Bazaruto Bay where we will enjoy the evening together.
DAY 4 We take a boat trip to the beautiful Paradise Island and hopefully get to see dolphins and turtles in the crystal clear water of the Bazaruto Sanctuary with its bounty of marine life. In the late afternoon we return to our camp as the sun sets over the palm-lined beaches of the mainland.
DAY 5 Today we head north onto the
Inhassoro peninsula, driving along the top of the dunes, with the sea on our right and the lagoon to our left. Here again we explore the coastline, snorkel and swim.
DAY 6 We have the whole day to relax. As our beach driving permits are still valid, those of you who want to head up the beach will be more than welcome to do so. Or you might want to go shopping in Vilanculos – it can be a very interesting and fun excursion.
DAYS 7 & 8 We have a long drive down to our campsite, just north of the town of Xai Xai. Here we spend two nights camping and have a day to relax and enjoy the magnificent coast.
DAY 9 From Xai Xai, we head inland towards Masingir and enter the new Limpopo Transfrontier Park at its southern gate. We spend about two hours driving through the park and camp at a magnificent campsite overlooking the Masingir Dam.
DAY 10 After breakfast ,we sadly say our goodbyes and you make your way back into the Kruger National Park via the nearby Giriyondo border post, just north of Letaba.