If we had to pick one holiday that was our favourite, it would be safari. The alarm is set for 4:30 am. Rugged up for crisp African mornings, we drive out of the camp groggy eyed but hopeful. Just driving around, watching the sun come up over ancient land is mesmerising enough.

But, when a lion – tired from a night hunting – is resting on a rock, holding court in the drizzle, or when a lone rhino is ambling through the scrub with far less authority than his size would assume, or when a family of elephants saunter onto the road with complete disregard for your presence, it’s pure unadulterated travel excitement.

Our wildlife encounters have taught us about the animals’ struggle for survival in today’s world, about how man has tried to embrace the tourism opportunities these awesome creatures have created, and about the extraordinary diversity of life on the planet.