Panic Attack No. 2

July 05, 2008

OK, so I should have written you yesterday, after my first night in the tented camp. I was just too busy. I had to run around all day, and then when I finally found the camp it was much harder to set up than I had expected. So the first night I was in the camp, a male lion roared about 30 feet from my tent. It was five minutes to 11 p.m. I know, because it woke me up and I spent the rest of the night lying awake wondering what I had gotten myself into. Yup, that's panic attack No. 2. I feel like the panic that time was from being cut off from humanity so abruptly. You take for granted, even as a loner like myself, that you can call or go and see someone or even sit in a restaurant and see strangers. All of the sudden I'm alone and with no access to anything. I don't even have a vehicle when I'm sleeping out here.

Oh, did I tell you it is freezing at night here? Yeah, that's right — below 0°C at night, and I'm in a tent wishing I had company. Guess what else? I saw a lion today. The grumpy Gus charged me, though. I was in the truck, so it wasn't so bad, and she had no intention of doing anything. I will fill you in later; my battery is dying and it is freezing. My fingers can't type anymore. It's 8 p.m. and I'm already in bed!

Comments

[ming quach]

Dave,you need to look at the big picture! Do you realize your ignorance is endangering lions? While you are filming this tastless show of yours, you are never in "real" danger are you? Try being out there with lions ALONE! Now, thats a film worth watching! What you are doing is playing games with lions for t.v. which will and maybe already has gotten lions killed. I know a little about film making, editing, cut scenes, bloopers etc, You only show what you want the people to see.How many times were you almost cat-chow, and they had to shoot the lion? not with the camera? my advise to you, leave the LIONS ALONE!You can't control nature, Who do you think you are? I no longer watch Animal Planet because of your selfish actions and stupidity. From Tacoma Washington ...Scott

[stephanie]

I'll keep you company--I'm from New England used to the cold nights.

[scott quach]

Dave,you need to look at the big picture! Do you realize your ignorance is endangering lions? While you are filming this tastless show of yours, you are never in "real" danger are you? Try being out there with lions ALONE! Now, thats a film worth watching! What you are doing is playing games with lions for t.v. which will and maybe already has gotten lions killed. I know a little about film making, editing, cut scenes, bloopers etc, You only show what you want the people to see.How many times were you almost cat-chow, and they had to shoot the lion? not with the camera? my advise to you, leave the LIONS ALONE!You can't control nature, Who do you think you are? I no longer watch Animal Planet because of your selfish actions and stupidity. From Tacoma Washington ...Scott

[Anna]

You can always talk to the animals! I hold conversations with the dogs at the shelter I help out at. I can spend hours there, days if the people would let me.

Hopefully you get some blankets or something because it'd be slightly depressing (and anti-climatic) if you died by freezing to death. :-)

[Karis]

I can't believe you stayed in weather like that! I really don't get why that during the day, it's so hot, you'd wish it was below 0 degrees! But at night you would wish it was the middle of the day! P.S.- Having a lion charge at me, (Even if I was in a vehicle,) would be EXTREMELY scary!