Al-Qalam 
Journalist Ismail Suder has taken to Instagram to document his off-road journeys and the beauty of nature right on our doorsteps @jimny_go_afrika
Have you ever spent time in the Drakensberg Mountains on a cold misty morning with a cup of coffee admiring the vistas and reflecting the magnanimity of Allah Ta’ala?
Have you listened intently at sunset as creatures big and small started to prepare for the night as you sat in the porch of your thatched lodge in the magnificent environs of the Kruger National Park?
If not, perhaps it is time we seek out the beautiful natural bounties that await us just around the corner from our homes.
Forget, Dubai and London and Paris. Covid has put paid to international travel for now. It may be years before international travel life – as we know – will get back to normal again.
The ravages of Covid 19 has forced many people to abandon plans for international travel, and to look instead at the stunning nature destinations that South Africa has to offer, some of which have been classed as UNESCO World Heritage sites. The beautiful Greater St Lucia Wetlands Park in Zululand is one of them.
A friend once told me that he had always travelled at least two times a year to exotic destinations, such as Vietnam, India and Thailand. Ever since Covid devastated the world, leaving not a single family untouched, he has found safety in the arms of nature, at hundreds of game and nature parks, right here in South Africa – self distancing at its best!
“I’ve always thought that travelling overseas and visiting all the fun spots was a cool thing to do. Ironically, it is the pandemic that made me open my eyes to the beauty of South Africa, especially the world-class nature destinations available to us. Whenever, I travelled overseas, people there would say they ‘dream’ of visiting South Africa for its nature. For the first time in my young life, I’ve started to understand why”, he reflected.
As for me, I’ve always been most comfortable in the bosom of nature. Many years ago, I went on a raw, unorganized, expedition to the Amazon Jungle in Brazil. It remains, one of the most memorable moments of my life, but we don’t have to cross the earth to enjoy what Allah Ta’Ala has blessed us with – right here at home. Talking about the beauty of nature and the magnanimity of the almighty, Allah Ta’ala says in the Quran: ‘And the earth, we spread it out, and cast therein of all beautiful kinds; to give sight and as a reminder to every servant who turns to Allah’ (Surat Qaf)
And in Surat Al-Raad, the Quran says: And it is He who spread the Earth and made in it firm mountains and rivers, and of all fruits, he has made in it two kinds; He makes the night cover the day; most surely there are signs in this for a people who reflect.” [13:3]
My Jimny Adventure on Instagram
Recently, I acquired a Suzuki Jimny, a tiny SUV, which is considered one of the most sought after 4×4 in the world, to venture into roads less travelled, and capture the beauty they offer. You can follow some of my adventures in Al Qalam – especially on Instagram where I have a sound worldwide following. On this channel, You can virtually savour some of camp cooking (Yes, I can cook, ha ha), and perhaps be inspired by reviews of ‘the perfect little hideaways’ where I hope to stay in, and of course show the prowess of the “Black Stallion – my newly acquired Suzuki Jimny which I have been blessed with. It was an 11-month wait before it landed onto our shores from Japan – but what a little monster it is!
If you would LIKE to see what wild adventures ‘The Stallion’ has been up to, then head up to Instagram and FOLLOW the channel at: jimny_go_afrika
