Freeman Safaris
‘Yesterday’s Safaris Today’
About Me
I was born in a little town on the shores of Lake Victoria longer ago than I care to remember (I am told the 3rd white baby to be born there). I was very fortunate to be, quite literally, brought up in the bush. As a child I learnt Swahili alongside English, and lived for 3 years under canvas as well as in a variety of remote bush houses. It was a remarkable childhood as I spent months at a time on extended safaris with my parents who were involved in Game protection - a safari in those days was a real journey often without an end date.
I can still remember camping on the banks of the Ruaha river waiting almost 3 weeks for new tyres as unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately!) a sharp root had burst a tyre and thorns had reduced the tubes in 3 months to such a state there were more holes than rubber! I can also recall to this very day, how my father shot from the river bank a charging hippo which was about to kill a local fisherman in his dugout canoe mid river, no room for error, and there was none!. He taught me the same skills which have remained with me ever since, but I must confess I far prefer to shoot with my camera now. Living off the bush by the river was fun as my mother was at home; it was no different to cooking at our remote houses.
On completing boarding school I joined the Royal Engineers serving in a number of trouble spots around the world. Upon leaving the armed forces, I pursued a career as a consultant in survival and adventure training in remote areas (including the remotest parts of Kenya). I was also involved with preparing vehicles for overland travel having personally crossed Africa twice by Landrover.
© Freemansafaris.com 2012
"The vastness of the grassland plains took us by surprise, a sea of beautiful golds and greens. Forget the Big Cat Diary - this was the real thing - and we felt very lucky to be part of it. Brian and chief spotter Barisa, what a team! They never stopped working from morning until night and kept putting us in superb positions. Freeman safaris promises an 'up front & personal' viewing experience and that is exactly what we got."
Tracy and John
