YOTA 2018: Day 6

Today was our final day of activities and we started off the day going to Dinokeng Game Reserve. Yes, we were going on safari!

Safari

We got up at a more respectable time of around 7am, which compared to the balloon launch, was a long lie-in! Plus the weather was quite nice and nowhere near the -6°C that it was on day 3. We got some breakfast, then got a bus which drove us to the Mongena Game Lounge/Dinokeng Game Reserve. 

When we arrived, we were all given some scary forms to fill out, which basically told us that if we died, no matter the circumstances, it was our own fault. We all wanted to see the animals, so of course we agreed! We basically signed our lives away, then we all split up into different groups and hopped into a jeep to prepare for the safari. 

The UK team was all together in one jeep, and we had an excellent guide and spotter, though when I climbed up into the jeep, I realised that my side panel had a rip in it! Let’s hope it was from a branch and not a lion’s claw.

We spotted many different animals including buffalos, zebras, antelopes, wildebeests and later, we were attacked by bees!

Of course, this being a radio related safari, everyone who had brought their handheld radios scanned the PMR frequencies and listened in on the driver talking to the base station and updating our position, along with updates from the base station to the driver about animal locations. 

Our safari was great fun and on our return we had lunch at the Mongena Game lounge with zebras and other animals right outside where we were eating. We all went over and got a few pictures before we had to leave for Kopanong again. 

Drumming Activity

When we got back to the hotel we had a short period of free time. Some people were still working on their kits or trying to work some satellites while others started their packing for leaving the next day. 

When our free time was over, we all gathered in the Boma area of the hotel and took part in an African drumming activity. Personally, I have no sense of rhythm, but this was brilliant fun and very enjoyable! I was probably completely out of sync and ruining the music, but I had great fun taking part. 

Farewell Event

Our last activity together as the YOTA 2018 group was our farewell event, where all the leaders spoke about the many hurdles they had to overcome to organise YOTA 2018 and how thankful they were that everything worked out. Anybody who wanted to say a few words could. Mike represented the UK team and gave thanks to the organisers for creating such a brilliant event for us all. 

Those who had taken the HAREC exam and had patiently waited for their results, didn’t have to wait much longer. All those who had passed were called up to the front and given their certificates. Huge congratulations to Mike Jones, 2E0MLJ, who passed his exam and will be applying for a new callsign very soon. A vast majority of the people who sat the exam had passed and this was such an achievement for the participants who had to remember all they were taught. It was also a big achievement for the lecturers who had to deliver a 40-hour course in less than 5 hours. 

Each team was then called up to the front in turn and given a certificate of participation by the organisers. Some photographs were also taken to mark the occasion. 

The awards were over, and the farewells began, we all took some photos together and enjoyed our last few hours together before we had to leave the next day. 

73
Nathan, MI0NPR

Team UK: YOTA 2018
Peter MØSWN, Mike 2EØMLJ, Ben MØNBA and Nathan MIØNPR

Category: YOTA 2018