Jetsetting with safari guru Peter Allison

SINGAPORE — Don’t count on always being thrilled by the big five — the lion, elephant, leopard, rhino and buffalo — when you’re at a safari. It’s animals like Pumbaa (you know, the warthog from The Lion King) that you might want to pay attention to.

“The warthog just has a big personality,” said renowned safari guide Peter Allison. “The baboons are hilarious, too. It’s like watching a soap opera with them. People miss out on these animals when they focus on the big five. But you can’t always get to see them as it’s the natural environment we’re talking about.”

That natural environment proved fertile ground for his misadventures when he penned the best-seller, Whatever You Do, Don’t Run: True Tales Of A Botswana Safari Guide. Allison chatted more about his experiences when he was in Singapore a fortnight ago as a guest of luxury safari specialist Asia To Africa Safaris.

Q: How do most city slickers react when they visit a safari?

A: I’ll give you an example of this banker from Hong Kong whom I met 15 years ago: He’s successful, he’s been everywhere, but he’s never been on a safari. In the end, he had such a great time that he brought his parents back as he felt that this is something they should see. Then he decided more people should experience it. That was how Asia To Africa Safaris was created. I’m just so glad I played a small part in helping more people go to Africa. I think more people realise they need to get in touch with the natural world.

Q: We read about your funny encounters with the animals, from lovesick rhinos to ravenous lions. Are there any human equivalents?

A: Yeah, humans are more frightening than animals! (Laughs) Like a bunch of American rugby ladies who wanted to scrum. Okay, this is me generalising and I’ve met plenty of great guests, but I’ve learnt that for Italian travellers, they couldn’t speak softly; for Russian guests, if you want them to do something, tell them the complete opposite; and Chinese mainland guests would somehow think they’re in a Disney movie — they’d want to stand right beside the animals and take a photo.

Q: What’s the best way to experience an African safari?

A: There’s no optimal length of time to stay. I’ve been in Africa for 20 years and I still feel like I haven’t seen enough. My advice is, if you only have about 10 days, don’t try to see everything at once. Stay in a place for two or three nights to experience it. Remember nothing is guaranteed in terms of animal sightings as creatures move around. I personally love visiting the safaris in December, when it’s considered off-peak season due to storms ... You’ll see lions and cheetahs coming out to dry off after the rain. And elephants love the rain, so you’ll get to see them too.

Q: What’s one travel tip you swear by?

A: Smile! That always works. I smiled at strangers who were walking up to me in Ecuador. I could sense they were trying to rob me, so I went up to them, shook their hands and struck up a conversation with them.

Q: Tell us something surprising about Africa.

A: Addis Ababa airport in Ethiopia has free Wi-Fi! I don’t understand airports which charge for Wi-Fi. Serene Lim