I am sitting here trying to figure out how to start this blog and how to share with you what has been a trip of a lifetime! To not only be able to spend time with the legend that is Sir Richard Branson but to do it at his private game reserve Ulusaba in South Africa, on my very first safari, and with the Virgin Unite team was just incredible!
Ok, so let me begin at the beginning. Of course we all know the Virgin brand and the story of how Richard spotted an opportunity all those years ago when he started Virgin Atlantic – which then led him to create nearly 300 different companies. If that’s not the epitome of an entrepreneur I don’t know what is!
I have met Richard a couple of times (on Necker Island and at the Branson Centre in Johannesburg) and like so many of you I have always loved his charisma and passion for his businesses. He is truly inspiring, but what I love most is the way he connects with people. He’s friendly, personable, funny and even just a little bit shy.
So when the opportunity arose for me to join Richard and the Virgin Unite team on the South Africa Connection Trip I jumped at the chance! It was a very last minute decision but a no-brainer. I have a real love affair with South Africa and was excited to return, and what an honour to be able to do it with Virgin Unite, the not-for-profit foundation of Virgin.
Every year Virgin Unite organises a series of Connection Trips which provide inspiration and education to a group of entrepreneurs who want to gain insight into the foundation’s activities and partnerships and see first hand the amazing work that they are doing and the impact they are having. On the South Africa trip this is all culminated into a final few days spent with Richard at his private game reserve Ulusaba.
So, let me share with you what this incredible experience was like and what I learnt along the way. Buckle up and let’s go on a South African adventure!
Day 1 – Arriving Into Johannesburg
Despite feeling a little tired after a 12 hour flight I was truly excited to be back in Johannesburg. We were met by the lovely Jenny Duffy from the Virgin Unite team whom I created a special bond with over a former Branson Centre entrepreneur that we both knew and loved. We also met some of the other guests. Definitely a great start to the trip!
We were staying at The Residence, a lovely boutique hotel, with elegant rooms, beautiful food and fantastic staff. Welcome drinks and dinner were served at the hotel and we got the chance to meet the rest of our group and the amazingly inspiring Dr Taddy Blecher, co-founder and CEO of The Maharishi Institute. It was a real blessing to hear his story and find out more about the impact he is making.
I felt so grateful to be a part of such a wonderful group of people who passionately want to make a difference in the world.
Day 2 – Maharishi Institute / Soweto
Our first visit of the day was to The Maharishi Institute which is a non-profit organisation aimed at developing a new generation of leaders for South Africa. The organisation offers virtually free business degrees to unemployed youth, together with training, holistic personal development and work experience.
To say that this visit was inspiring is an understatement! We started the visit with meditation and then we were given the opportunity to share our story and mentor some of the students. I was truly blown away by the passion and enthusiasm each student had for what they wanted to do in the world and with their life.
It was a real testament to how good this institute is and you could see why, under the leadership of Taddy Blecher, they are achieving amazing results.
Next up was a tour of Soweto. After a quick lunch break at an open air cafe where we enjoyed the sounds and sights of the people in Soweto, we then visited the house that Nelson Mandela lived in. I loved listening to the stories about how the Mandela family lived, and being able to read some of the letters that he received and wrote from his prison cell really gave me even more of a sense of how amazing this man was.
After this we then visited the home of one of the students from the Maharishi Institute and the smiles on her family’s faces as we arrived was priceless. We laughed, danced and even managed to squeeze in a game of football! In a world of so much materialism, it’s times like this I realise that the important things in life are not what you have but who has you!
We then heard from Hector Pieterson’s sister, Antoinette. Hector was a South African schoolboy who was shot and killed during the Soweto uprising when police opened fire on students protesting the enforcement of teaching in Afrikaans. Hearing her talk about what happened was heartbreaking but also offered hope. Hope for change and for a different future.
Dinner that night was held in a beautiful setting at The Living Room and included an insight into the various organisations run by Lindiwe Mazibuko and Tracey Webster from Enterpriseroom. Both women shared such interesting stories about their life and the impact they are having in the community. A great way to end what had been a fabulous day!
Day 3 – Enterpriseroom / City Tour
After enjoying a hearty breakfast we were off to Enterpriseroom, a transformation consultancy that accelerates small and medium-sized black-owned businesses while creating opportunities for youth employment.
This was an interesting visit for me because one of our roles was to mentor some of the entrepreneurs and as I don’t really have a traditional ‘business’ I immediately went into fear mode. We were split into groups and the first words that came out of my mouth to the entrepreneur on my table was I don’t think I’m going to be able to help you. He worked in the mining industry and I immediately froze and thought I don’t know anything about mining!
I tried my best to share some thoughts but during the break I got a bit upset and ended up shedding a tear in the toilet. One of the things I really struggle with is ‘imposter syndrome’, you know, when your mind keeps saying ‘what are you doing here’, ‘you don’t belong here’, ‘you’re not smart enough to be here’, ‘you know very little about business, politics, economics, history’, blah blah blah. Does anyone else feel like that or is it just me?
This is the second time I’ve been in a group relating to Richard Branson and felt so out of my depth that I feel like I’m drowning. The people that come on these trips are super smart and have built hugely successful businesses. Then there’s me, the one who’s there by the grace of God! Truly grateful to be there but not really quite understanding how I manage to get a seat at the table.
In the end I felt like I helped in my own small way and during the feedback I shared with the group my vulnerability in the hope that it would encourage someone else who might just feel the same way. Sometimes in life you may feel like you don’t belong and you may suffer with ‘imposter syndrome’ but I want to encourage you and let you know that no matter what anyone says, you know more than you think you know and your voice matters. We all have different interests, insights and gifts so we have to learn to stop comparing ourselves to others and just focus on speaking from the heart. Also, if even Michelle Obama can admit to having ‘imposter syndrome’ then I know I’m in good company. 😉
We were then taken to meet two incredible women who shared their stories of imprisonment. From the moment we arrived we could feel their love and warmth and we could truly experience what it must have been like for them at this awful time.
Sharing stories of hatred and abuse it set them on an emotional rollercoaster that went from sadness and anger to hope and joy. It was heartbreaking to hear them speak about the pain they had suffered but through it all they continue to smile. Sometimes in life we have to stop and think about how lucky we are to have never experienced some of the things that others have had to endure.
After a busy and emotional day we ended it by having dinner at the Marabi Club. A wonderful restaurant that gave us a chance to enjoy the most amazing food, listen to some fabulous music and relax.
Day 4 – Ulusaba Here We Come!
I have never been on a safari before so I could not wait to get to Ulusaba – Richard Branson’s private game reserve. Despite the flight being delayed due to bad weather and the flight being a little bumpier than I had imagined, we arrived safely and were met by food, drinks and smiling faces.
We were driven to the lodge which is perched on a hilltop with a spectacular view of the Sabi Sand Reserve. It’s totally stunning with gorgeous rooms and super friendly staff.
Over the next few days we would be up at the crack of dawn and venturing out on safari alongside being whisked away to see first hand the local projects which Virgin Unite are involved in. All so exciting!
So, after a lovely lunch and a little time to unpack and freshen up we were off for our first safari and what can I say? Seeing the animals up close and personal was just incredible. Never once did I feel scared or frightened and they never seem to feel the same way about us. They just carried on doing their thing and going about their business as if we weren’t even there! Just magical.
We learnt so much from our guides and trackers as we drove around for hours looking for the animals. If this was only day one I could’t wait to see what else we saw in the coming days!
Day 5 – Pride ’n’ Purpose / Safari
I like to think I’m a morning person but the 5am wake up calls were definitely a challenge. Actually it was more of a 4.30am wake up call for me because one thing I didn’t realise was that we would be in the company of John, one of the best photographers I’ve ever seen, who would be capturing our every move. So of course I had to make a bit more effort than I would normally at 4.30am just incase I got snapped!
After a quick drink and snack in the main lodge whilst taking in a breathtaking sunrise we were off for the morning game drive. We saw elephants, giraffes, lions, rhinos and more. Incredible! I loved the fact that we would do a pit stop during the drive for some liquid refreshment and a ‘toilet’ break.
Once we’d had breakfast back at the lodge we were off to see the impact that Pride ’n’ Purpose, the charitable arm of Ulusaba, were having. They have established a number of projects supporting over 35,000 and which include access to clean and safe water, extracurricular activities for children and support for local entrepreneurs.
We visited a number of educational organisations including a pre-school where everyone fell in love with the children! They were so precious and super excited to see us. We also stopped off to support a local business selling the most gorgeous gifts. I love any excuse to do a bit of shopping!
After yet another fabulous game drive we then headed back to Ulusaba where we had the opportunity to sit down for a Q&A with Richard. I loved the fact that you could ask him anything and he was happy to answer. He was warm and open and made it more conversational by asking you questions.
Day 6 – Sabi Sand and Wildtuin / Safari
Another early morning game drive and the weather was a little colder and cloudier than expected but it didn’t dampen our spirit. I think we all just felt blessed to be there and to be able to experience these amazing animals in their natural habitat.
After yet another gorgeous lunch we were off to visit Sabi Sand Wildtuin which is the oldest private game reserve in South Africa. Watching them re-enact a poaching situation was fascinating. They have experienced hard-won success having been nearly 600 days clear of a rhino poaching incident thanks to high-tech security equipment combined with a well-trained and passionate ranger core, canine unit, intelligence unit, and helicopter capability.
Our epic stay at Ulusaba culminated in a final campfire meal where we were entertained by singing, dancing and a delicious meal under the stars and after dinner I sat by the fire with some of the others and we shared our gratitude for being able to experience such an epic trip.
What a way to end our stay!
Day 7 – Safari / Johannesburg
We managed to squeeze in one last safari before heading back to Johannesburg. After all the 5am starts I think we were all starting to feeling a little tired but truly grateful for our time spent in Ulusaba.
The weather had brightened up and gotten much warmer and as we headed out we saw the impalas, painted wolves and a super cute group of lions and cubs playing together. The icing on the cake for me was seeing the leopards. So very very beautiful!
After saying our goodbyes we took the flight back to Johannesburg which was quick and easy and on arrival at The Residence we had lunch and a final session to wrap up and share our thoughts on the trip and what’s to come.
How do I summarise this Virgin Unite South Africa Connection Trip? I’m not sure I can to be honest. It was an experience I am truly grateful for and will never forget. The wildlife was amazing and the people were so inspiring. Can I also just say how incredible the organisation of this trip was! It was so well thought out and planned and so I have to say a big thank you to Katie, Suzy and Jenny from the Virgin Unite team. Outstanding job!
I see why it’s called a connection trip. It connects you to the most amazing entrepreneurs and businesspeople doing the most amazing work in order to make this world a better place. It connects you to the organisations that Virgin Unite love and are supporting in order to impact their community. It connects you to the people in those communities who are creative, intelligent and passionate and want to improve their lives.
Last, and by no means least, it connects you to one of the most fun-loving (and a little mischievous!) entrepreneurs in the world. It was an opportunity for me to see once again how everything about Richard Branson has an element of ‘family’ to it.
He truly cares about his employees and guests and he wants to know more about who you are and what matters to you. You can clearly see in the work Virgin Unite do that they believe that we are all one family and we should support each other.
I left South Africa grateful for the opportunity to re-connect with a country I love. It inspired me to think again about how I can support the people I have met and how I can raise awareness of the fantastic work Virgin Unite are doing.
It also challenged me to be more bold, brave and beautiful in my thinking and actions in order to improve the lives and future for others. I would also challenge you to do the same!
(Photos – John Armstrong @japblog and Virgin Unite)