I had the opportunity to travel to South Africa in October 2004, and this journey had a profound effect on me.
The opportunity to spend time in pure wilderness, in the presence of wildlife, in the wonder of nature and in the company of the South African people, was an utter privilege.
The Italians use a turn of phrase, ‘mal d’africa’, which translated literally means ‘Africa illness’; this doesn’t pertain to a sickness though – it’s about a longing. A longing to be there again, from the moment you leave, and a yearning to reconnect with the spiritual self you encounter there. Upon returning home from that trip, I knew that I would be forever changed.
Back in London my desire to remain involved with South Africa grew, and I associated myself with wildlife and conservation charities, attending lectures and benefits whenever possible. This compounded my enthusiasm and encouraged me to think about how I might be able to contribute personally. At one of the lectures, during question time, several parents stood up to enquire how they might educate and involve their children. The future of wildlife and environmental conservation was after all, resting in their children's hands, but the responsibility to educate them remains in ours.
I continued to think about the intensity of the experience I’d had. I wanted all my friends, family and loved ones to taste the same wonderful adventure and enlightenment, but I was starkly aware of the economic hurdles that leave most people unable to realise such an adventure.
I thought about my own nieces and nephews and how I wanted to give them that exposure too. The innocence and exuberance of children exposed to wildlife, different cultures and the world around us would be an experience that could forever change them. In order to conserve our environment we need to gain a respect for its present condition and expose the next generation to the wide-ranging skills required to not only maintain it, but also to improve, repair and regenerate it. I had waited until relatively late in my life to have this experience, but in youth this experience could have the potential to colour everything they think about, feel and do from that moment forward.
And so, the idea of clouddog was born.
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