Kangaroo Island Dreaming

By Pedro O'Connor: Kangaroo Island - the name alone should make any fair dinkum traveller want to go and tick off their bucket list. There is no other location in this wide brown land that shoulders the responsibility of living up to the most recognised of all Australia's endemic wildlife, like Kangaroo Island.

For an island that is little over 100 miles (160 km) long and 50 miles (80 km) deep, this destination is one of massive contrast that warrants a place on every visitor's must see and do hitlist when visiting Australia. Often described as Australia's Galapagos, it is deserving of the title; the spontaneous wildlife encounters when driving around this patchwork of quaint communities and national parks, are astounding.

On the serene North Coast, the rolling green hills with towering gum trees lining the roadside provide the keen photographer with quintessential Aussie scenery, possibly including a cute koala nestled in a nook and chomping on the leaves. A scurrying echidna or a soaring wedge-tail eagle are common sights. If secluded relaxation is what you are looking for, you need go no further than the Cliff House at Snelling Beach. (See the image below, taken from inside the living area).

If you'd rather the wind in your face, then head to the rugged south coast. Pounding ocean swells smash against towering cliffs topped with stunted wild flowers. These stark contrasts exude a raw beauty. The beaches here have no footprints; they are pristine with water of intense clarity and immense energy. When staying at the impeccably appointed Southern Ocean Lodge, like I had the pleasure to recently, you have this all on your doorstep.

It is revitalising to spend time here in nature's cathedral; I am going back next Sunday, even if it is only in my mind.

Please contact Pedro for more details, and to discover more Epic experiences on "KI" and throughout Australia.

Kilimanjaro Climbers Sponsor Students

By Rob Barbour: Below you will see images of Matipwili Secondary School and its students in rural Tanzania. These children would ordinarily not have been afforded a secondary education if it weren't for the generosity of recent climbers of Mt Kilimanjaro with Epic.

These climbers made the summit for another charity, the Humpty Dumpty children's charity in Australia (see Brad's blog post below), but their philanthropy didn't stop there. They are now sponsoring underprivileged children to receive a secondary education at various schools adjacent to the Kisampa Private Conservation Area in coastal Tanzania.

Through Kisampa's Tuende Pamoja Trust Fund (Tuende Pamoja means: Let's move forward together in Kiswahili), we have facilitated the sponsorship of children who would normally not have the means to go to secondary school because they are orphaned, from non-working single-parent families, or are deemed 'poorer than poor' (as decided by their own communities).

A secondary education in Tanzania costs USD 250 per child, per year, for five years at a government school. This includes their school fees, any accommodation allowances, food, a uniform, a pair of shoes and a solar light to study by at night as there is no electricity in the village.

Through the Tuende Pamoja Trust Fund, over 100 children are currently sponsored at three different secondary schools – all due to the generosity of clients coming to Tanzania. Epic has played a leading role in helping us attract some of this sponsorship, such as the Humpty Dumpty climbers.

If you would like more information about the schools and students supported, or indeed if you would like to become a sponsor, please contact us.