October 25, 2022
Six of us wanted to do a night safari. We pooled together and hired a truck, driver and guide with a HUGE spotlight.
We were in the middle of the park, with tall grass and shrubs all around when Sue suddenly took ill. She had to go to the toilet NOW! She went to the back of the jeep and squats down. She said later she wasn’t even scared of the fact there could possibly be a dangerous animal hiding just feet away, in the dark. She just had to GO! But Vivian, our guide, was well aware of the danger and was frantically scanning all around with her spotlight. While Sue was squatting, she became dizzy – as often happens when Montezuma comes calling. She lost her balance and fell backwards, still in the squat position. Vivian, having heard the impact, thought Sue had been attacked and zoomed the spotlight directly onto her – with arms and legs still in the crouched position, looking every bit like a dead fly and bare bum exposed. “Oh! Sorry!!” She quickly went back to scanning the grasses.
At the same time, someone in the jeep told Kevin, her husband, that Sue didn’t seem all that well and that maybe he should check on her. He put his head out the window and asked “You alright, love?” “Yes, I’m fine” came the reply. That was the end of the health and welfare check.
Sue got back into the jeep and was feeling hot flashes common with severe stomach upset, but we didn’t know that. She simply asked if anyone minded if she took her jumper off and sat only in her bra. No one minded, silently wondering if she fell into what she went out to do-do. But it doesn’t end there.
Then she began to throw up. She was hanging her entire upper body out of the window and throwing up as we drove along. Every now and again saying, “I’m alright. BAARRF. Keep going. BAARRF” We all dug in our bags and offered whatever anti-sick medicine we had. In the end, it was all barfed up.
She didn’t want the rest of us to miss out on the night safari by having to head back. What a trooper! What a gracious woman!
I have her permission to publish this.
An Old Lady with a Backpack 
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