Page 118 - WINE DINE AND TRAVEL SPRING 2025 GRAND VOYAGE

A Parade in Hippo Town
That evening, Ashley and his wife Katie,
owners of Little Bush Baby Safari, joined us
for dinner at a cozy Italian restaurant in St.
Lucia. Outside, the streets were eerily
quiet.
Then Ashley’s phone buzzed. “They’re
coming,” he announced.
We followed him onto a quiet side
street. Two security vehicles with flashing
lights rolled past. And then we saw them. A
hippo turned the corner, its hulking silhou-
ette outlined by the streetlights. It paused,
surveyed the road, and then lumbered for-
ward with a slow, deliberate stride. Behind
it, a mother and calf followed — a silent,
surreal procession.
Traffic halted, and a hush fell over the
small crowd of onlookers. Smartphones
rose like paparazzi cameras, capturing the
unbelievable scene as the trio continued on
their way, unfazed by all the attention.
When the hippos finally disappeared into
the darkness, we were grinning like chil-
dren at Christmas.
We returned to our charming guest-
house, but sleep didn’t come easily. The
unforgettable sight of hippos parading
through the streets played over in our
minds. Tomorrow’s adventure awaited—a 3
a.m. start for a game drive. Would it rival
the magic of today? It would have to outdo
a town ruled by hippos.

118 WINE DINE & TRAVEL MAGAZINE SPRING 2025