Page 34 - Demo

LIFE & LEISURE REFINED MAGAZINE32Text:Andr%u00e9 ScharneckImages: Land Roverless about making progress and more about presence. With the engine gently humming and the windows framing rolling African vistas, it becomes a meditation %u2013 the rhythm of tyres on gravel, the occasional startled guinea fowl darting from the verge, and a sky that seems to grow larger the farther north you go.Along the way, I couldn%u2019t help but feel a sense of awe at what the Defender represents in the broader African story. My thoughts turned to the Kingsley Holgate Foundation %u2013 a name synonymous with exploration, conservation, and humanitarian outreach. The Foundation%u2019s most recent Afrika Odyssey Expedition covered over 62,000 km across twelve African countries in two Defender 130s. Their mission? Malaria prevention, wildlife education, and sight restoration in some of the continent%u2019s most remote communities. It%u2019s a potent reminder that vehicles like these are more than symbols of adventure %u2013 they%u2019re enablers of impact, too.Arrival at QwabiEventually, the dusty tracks give way to a quiet, gated entrance %u2013 understated, almost hidden %u2013 and before long, the luxury of Babohi Lodge at Qwabi reveals itself like an oasis in the bush. Nestled within the Waterberg Biosphere, Qwabi is both a sanctuary for wildlife and a balm for weary travellers. Everything about the lodge invites you to exhale: the way the architecture blends into the land, the stillness of the surrounding bushveld, and the attentive hospitality that feels more intuitive than scripted.It%u2019s a place that doesn%u2019t shout for attention but rewards those who seek it out %u2013 the perfect counterpoint to the sensory stimulation of the road. After a long but deeply rewarding drive, there%u2019s nothing quite like the first cold drink on the lodge deckas the sun dips below the horizon, casting golden streaks across a landscape that has likely looked this way for millennia.Reflection on the Road BackAs it often is on a great trip, the return leg feels different. You know what to expect from the road, and the vehicle feels like an extension of yourself by then. But something deeper lingers, shaped by the journey, the people you%u2019ve met, and the silence of a place like Qwabi.That%u2019s the magic of a journey that%u2019s more than just transport. With the Defender 130, yes, you get the torque, the tech, and the rugged confidence.Butit%u2019s the way itmelts into the journey,letting you focus on the land, the lodge, the people, that really makes it special.The road to Qwabi isn%u2019t long enough. And if you%u2019ve ever been behind the wheel of something that transforms the idea of travel into something immersive and soulful, you%u2019ll understand precisely why.