Tonight, Olopua Gardens is presented in a program to our guests. The expansive Estate is described in lavish
detail and one is lead to believe that this formal evening might be a Garden Party or even a Great Gatsby event.
So the guests step from the motorcoaches to the front gate, greeted by the Estate Butler and service staff. The cocktail reception is held at the lower house as the Butler moves throughout the guests to talk about the wonderful formal dinner that is being prepared at the main house – unfortunately the caterer is just a little behind and so the reception is held here. The butler then informs us that he will take us on a brief tour of some of the wonderful and unique tropical foliage to be found in the forest on the way up to the main house.
It is during this “Nature Trail” that the Butler becomes quite energized – Loud birds crow up above, a roar is heard and even excited monkey chatter breaks the eerie silence. The guests start to get rather scared with it all just as a shriek is heard! The VIP’s wife stands ahead of the group in the arms of a native cannibal, then all of the guests see they are surrounded by their captors…
Back at base camp it appears the natives were expecting someone for dinner, the giant cauldron sits over glowing logs, empty and ready for a victim, but then also, beautiful safari place settings are ready for guests to be seated for a wonderful dinner in the Jungle.
Tarzan may not be at this party but some of his loin cloth can be seen draped over the back of chairs. The service staff are suitably dressed with khakis, pith helmets and canteens. They are ready to welcome our guests to “Elegance on Safari”.
A real “find”, the “Jungle Sisters” and their band of 6 natives play music to bring out the fever in you…Man, they’re hot!!
Looking around in this lush tropical jungle, manmade animals; lion, gorilla and even an alligator can be seen peering though the undergrowth. Yet another surprise, one of the natives is restless, he springs out from the undergrowth amidst flames as he performs his tribal fireknife dance.
Trees are uplit with powerful bold colored lights, one can even hear orchestrated jungle sounds complete with the constant clicking of crickets. The camp perimeter, over by the jeep, is cluttered with packing crates, cargo trunks and mosquito netting. Masks and skulls are hung around somewhat like trophies and for the guests, instead of stuffed animal heads to hang in their dens, survivors leave with a Polaroid of themselves in the cauldron while all along one of the natives is “stirring the pot”.
The music gets everyone into the heat of the night along with the flames of the native fireknife dancer…Man,
it’s a jungle out there!
