For the ladies perspective:

Hi Ed,

Well our long-awaited trip to South Africa has come to an end and it's back to reality. We want to thank you "again" for everything you did for us from the very beginning. Without your interaction, I don't think the trip would have turned out as well as it did from the transportation to the accommodations, to the overall trip itself. You made it so easy and it is very much appreciated.

Our trip to South Africa was everything and more than what we had hoped for. I truly had the best time of my life; I didn't even want to come home (other than missing my family)! I have never experienced anything quite like it, and definitely plan on going back. James and his family were the greatest, even though the time spent with them was minimal, I felt a true connection. The "client" is the business, but they certainly aren't treated as such. As a client, you end up feeling more like part of their family. The PH we had was the best!!! His name was Dave (never did find out his last name) and, let me tell you, he is one Hell of a PH and individual. His patience, persistence, determination and overall personality was tremendous! He made everything worthwhile! In fact, when we make arrangements for our next trip to South Africa, it will be with a request for him to be our PH.

My brother shot all his animals and decided to also take a female Wildebeest. His toughest challenge though was the Kudu and he truly believed he had a "Kudu Curse". It took four long days of stalking (seeing plenty of females), etc., until he shot a beautiful bull. In fact, the awe of everything made me also want to take an animal and so I did that very thing. I had never shot a rifle nor hunted an animal before. I have nothing against hunting because I was born into a family of hunters and married a hunter and now my son also hunts. It's just that I thought I could never kill an animal. Well my way of thinking was changed once I was in South Africa. Just being there and experiencing the whole hunting scenario pulled me right in. I felt as though I also wanted to personally experience the hunt and so it began. Dave took me to the rifle range and I shot a 300 magnum four times at 100 yards. The first shot was to the left of the paper, the second shot I nipped the left edge of the paper, and the third was a little further in on the paper, but all in the same vicinity (to the left). Then Dave shot to see if the gun was shooting to the left and such was the case. So after Dave readjusted the scope, I shot the fourth time and was on the middle crease of the paper about two inches in from the left side and so the hunt was on. Dave felt as though the best animal for me to shoot due to my lack of experience would be a Blesbuck. The stalk was on and I am proud to say I shot and killed my very first animal at approximately 120 yards with a 300 magnum, one shot, a few steps, and down. I thought if I ever killed an animal I would cry with guilt. I did cry, but it was due to pride and happiness. Charlie was so proud of me that he came running down the hill and hugged me and we almost fell to the ground. So the next trip will be a Zebra for me, a lioness for my brother, and a few others for Sabo.

Well, Ed, I(we) want to thank you again for everything and you will be hearing from us in the very near future about making arrangements for our deep-sea fishing trip to Costa Rica next year and then after that our next trip to South Africa.

Talk to you later!

Sharon