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| JI de Wet and Villiers Steyn with their trusty Toyota Hilux |
Since they met in 2008, friends Villiers Steyn and JI de Wet, have dreamed about visiting the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania. Origionally the plan was to go before the end of 2013, but when circumstances suddenly gave them the opportunity to realise their dream earlier, they grabbed the opportunity with both sets of arms!
Here is a bit more information about the two young travellers:
Villiers Steyn
Age: 28
Occupation: Professional photographer and freelance travel writer
"My love for wildlife started as a young boy when our family regularly visited the Kruger National Park and other game reserves in Southern Africa. I always knew that I would one day work in nature as opposed to in an office!
I went to high school in Pretoria where I became school photographer and sub editor of our paper. This gave me the platform to develop my photographic skills. After high school I studied Nature Conservation through the Tshwane University of Technology where I eventually completed a Masters degree, focussing on leopard movements and densities in Botswana's Northern Tuli Game Reserve.
It was after my studies that I tried to combine my passion for wildlife, photography, travelling and people, and the result was my own photography business called Vision Photography. Today I am a freelance writer and photographer who travels nearly 70% of the year. I also present photography courses and photograph a great range of events.
In 2008 I visited the Kruger National Park for 80 days (south to north) to write a series of 12 articles for the WEG/GO magazine. In 2009 I followed it up with 42 days in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park - a trip which produced another 7 articles for the same magazines.
The Serengeti Trip 2011 will be my biggest adventure yet!! Keep following our progress on this blog - I promise you: we won't disappoint!!"
JI de Wet
Age: 24
Occupation: Pastoral Youth Worker
"I'm a 23 year-old man with lots of things I still want to achieve in life, including a visit to the Serengeti!
A bit of history about myself: I grew up in Nelspruit, South Africa, with my father working in the world famous Kruger National Park. As a result we spent a lot of time in the bush as kids. I especially enjoyed visiting those places in Kruger where other tourists aren't allowed to go.
After school I went to study Theology at the University of Pretoria and it was here, in Pretoria, that I met my amazing girlfriend, Talita, and a bunch of other great friends, including Villiers. During my studies my family moved to Standerton to open a family business, only to find out that nature is in our blood for good. It didn't take long before they were back in Kruger.
Today my father is a Senior Manager in Crime Investigating Services for the National Parks Board and he spends most of his time focussing on reducing rhino poaching. My mother enjoys working with people and works at the local church and school in Skukuza. My sister is studying to become a teacher.
I think I have a slap of both my father and mother in me, loving both nature and people. Thankfully my girlfriend has the same interests and we love spending time together in the bush!
Another great passion of mine is sports! I'm a fanatic, but have to admit, I'm not as fit as I could be...!
