We departed Cape Town today to head west to Hoedspruit, where we would be driven about 45 minutes to reach our private game reserve just outside of Kruger National Park. We’d finally be in the genuine African bush. I wasn’t sure what to expect other than hot weather and frequent animal spottings.

The animal sightings started much earlier than I thought, as the van that took us to the reserve passed by so many animals that I lost count. We saw countless impala, kudu, giraffes, wart hogs, and others. Our driver was even kind enough to stop a few times to allow us to take photos and videos of these beautiful creatures. Even though our driver was obviously driving our vehicle, because he was born in Port Elizabeth and relocated a lot across South Africa as a child, he was familiar with all these animals to the point that he could pass them in a fast moving vehicle and still correctly identify which animal they were. When we first arrived, I didn’t really know anything about the different antelope, or what differentiated a white rhino from a black rhino (white rhinos are not actually white, contrary to their name).

When we arrived at our lodge, we were treated like royalty, with refreshing lemongrass-scented towels to refresh with and some fruity non-alcoholic cocktails, plus a delicious lunch that included what the bartender said was called “fruity brown rice” – mixed with fresh cut up fruit, various nuts, and a nutty brown rice. Our evening safari began shortly after that, where for the first time I got quite close to a white rhino. We observed him for quite some time on our open safari vehicle, and I watched him intently as he grazed on the grass he stood on. I kind of felt the way I did about the elephants when we were in Knysna; the rhino, also a deadly creature, seemed so innocent and cute. Its life purposes are so pure and simple: eat, sleep, and avoid getting killed. Our amazing and extremely knowledgeable safari guide reminded us that rhino poaching continues to be a massive issue in South Africa, and rhinoceros are officially an endangered species, all because of man’s obsession with owning and using rhino horns. The poaching is so bad that they have a 24-hour patrol for poaching in the area. And unfortunately, the primary demand for these horns for all types of medicinal purposes is coming from China and Vietnam…. That’s just great – where my heritage is from. The Chinese and Vietnamese have all these ridiculous beliefs that rhino horn medicine will help cure ailments from everyday sicknesses and aches to even cancer. And because such wealth exists in those countries, that demand keeps driving the killing of these creatures even though it’s illegal.

I have no idea what data exists, if any, to prove that rhino horns do anything to help human health. Where did the sheer idea even come from, anyway? It makes me feel even more distant from my mother and father cultures, and infuriated that they can be so damn deluded and stupid.