Whatever You do Don't Run: My adventures as a Botswana safari guide
Aug 2007 · Allen & Unwin
4.9star
7 reviewsreport
Ebook
252
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About this ebook
Peter Allison was only nineteen when he left Australia for Africa, thinking he might travel around and see a bit of the country before going home to a 'proper job'. But Africa worked its magic, and Peter ended up falling, quickly and completely, in love with the country and its wildlife. Landing in a game reserve in the wildlife-rich Okavango Delta, he became a safari guide and, some twelve years later, his short holiday in Africa isn't over yet.
Whatever You Do, Don't Run is his guide's-eye view of living in the bush, confronting the world's fiercest animals and, most challenging of all, managing herds of gaping tourists. Like the young woman who rejected the recommended safari-friendly khaki to wear a more 'fashionable' hot pink ensemble, or the Japanese tourist who requested a repeat performance of Allison's being charged by a lion so he could videotape it.
Peter Allison - like an affable, younger David Attenborough or a slightly more laid-back Steve Irwin - really knows his wildlife. He's had some extraordinary, once-in-a-lifetime experiences. From close encounters with hungry lions, cranky elephants and over-protective honey badgers, there's not much in the African bush that Peter hasn't seen, done or been chased by. His affection for these wild and dangerous animals and his fascination with, and respect for, their often extraordinary behaviour is completely genuine, deep and infectious. Reading Whatever You Do, Don't Run is like sitting around a campfire late at night and listening to him talking - his stories of the animals and the bush are gentle, warm, funny and utterly engaging.
Whatever You Do, Don't Run is his guide's-eye view of living in the bush, confronting the world's fiercest animals and, most challenging of all, managing herds of gaping tourists. Like the young woman who rejected the recommended safari-friendly khaki to wear a more 'fashionable' hot pink ensemble, or the Japanese tourist who requested a repeat performance of Allison's being charged by a lion so he could videotape it.
Peter Allison - like an affable, younger David Attenborough or a slightly more laid-back Steve Irwin - really knows his wildlife. He's had some extraordinary, once-in-a-lifetime experiences. From close encounters with hungry lions, cranky elephants and over-protective honey badgers, there's not much in the African bush that Peter hasn't seen, done or been chased by. His affection for these wild and dangerous animals and his fascination with, and respect for, their often extraordinary behaviour is completely genuine, deep and infectious. Reading Whatever You Do, Don't Run is like sitting around a campfire late at night and listening to him talking - his stories of the animals and the bush are gentle, warm, funny and utterly engaging.
Ratings and reviews
4.9
7 reviews
A Google user
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July 1, 2008
Allison’s description of life as a safari guide and his interaction with beast and man will put a smile on your face. While most of the book showcases Allison’s sense of humor, I also enjoyed the chapters which show his heart. His ability to poke fun at himself and others in good-humored fashion left me hoping that he will continue to share his journey in a sequel. As a personal travel planner, this will be a must-read for all my clients who travel to Africa.
A Google user
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June 11, 2008
Loved this book and the way Peter tells his stories makes you want to sign up to teach at summer camp and be a kid all over again or pack your bags and go on safari. I had to limit myself to one story a day or I would have skipped work and read it cover to cover in one day.
Can't wait for the next book.
A Google user
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December 6, 2009
This was a very fun book of essays written by an Australian man who has spent over a decade working as a safari guide in Africa. Many of the stories were quite funny - the mouse plague and the Japanese tourists being my favorites. It was a fun, fast read. While he wasn't that great of a writer, the raw material that he had to work with made up for that lack and I really did enjoy reading it.
About the author
Peter Allison was born in Sydney, Australia. He trained to be a safari guide in the early 1990s and soon thereafter was hired by southern Africa's largest operator to train all of their safari experts. Safaris he has led have been featured in magazines such as Vogue and Conde Nast Traveler (which described him as 'silver-tongued'). He has assisted National Geographic photographers, and has appeared on television shows such as Jack Hannah's Animal Adventures. He has extensive public-speaking experience, and is active with the Athena Foundation, a nonprofit conservation group. He currently divides his time between Australia, California, and Botswana.
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