'It makes you humble': The Aussie living a nomadic life camping across Africa

Anyone who’s camped in the Australian bush knows all about our creepy crawlies, but Bobby-Jo Vial’s wildlife encounters have gone up a notch while camping her way through Africa over the past 12 months.

She tells of the time a cheetah climbed on top of her vehicle and perched itself just centimetres from her face. Then there was the time during a walk when she found herself face to face with a group of lions.

For the adventurous photographer, who’s “completely hooked on the wildlife” of Africa, these interactions are gold.

“Everyone’s under the impression that big cats, especially lions, are going to attack,” Vial says. “But when a human gets out of a vehicle, we’re essentially a big baboon that stands upright … so that’s quite scary even for a lion who’s a couple of hundred kilograms and can kill you so quickly.

“I know this is a cliche to say, but the most dangerous animal in Africa is the mosquito.”

Vial has visited Africa yearly since 2004 and lived there full-time for the past 12 months without the security of a home base. Instead, she floats through countries such as Tanzania, Namibia and Uganda, living as a nomad in various tents and huts deep in the deserts and plains.

Vial does some trips solo, but much of her time is spent co-directing Duma Safaris and leading other photography enthusiasts on expeditions.

Depending on the safari style, Vial and her guests might live in hut-style accommodation, elaborate glamping-style tents or your average dome tent with a basic stretcher bed.

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Vial says she loves the striking combination of the glamping set-up – complete with living areas, en suite, proper beds, even coat racks – mixed with the wild African setting.

“The beautiful thing is it’s very immersive, so you can have an elephant right next to your tent, [and you] can hear it eating. You hear lions roaring, hyena calling. You can hear all the noises of night time and feel like you’re right in the bush with animals, but you’ve got the comforts of home.”

Of course with no public facilities, everyone eventually gets to try the African bush toilet. “Sometimes you just have to. When you’re out on safari, you find the nearest bush – just check there’s nothing behind it first.”

For guests who share Vial’s extreme sense of adventure, there’s a safari to Mana Pools in Zimbabwe where living goes right back to basics.

Instead of en suites they can “get up in the middle of the night and go to the toilet with the animals around” in a canvas-walled hole in the ground. The shower is outdoors, “literally a bucket hanging from the tree, which they fill up with hot water from the fire every night”.

After each safari Vial’s guests fly home to their washing machines and dishwashers while she continues on to her next African location.

Living without all the modern conveniences has brought her a great sense of contentment.

“I feel like when you’re in Africa you’re at peace because you see nature at its rawest. You don’t sweat the small things. It makes you humble,” she says. “When you have a huge bull elephant walk up to you, you feel really insignificant.”

Vial says the relaxed attitude of the African people has helped her let go of her habit of overthinking everything. Culturally, it’s more common to live in the present moment rather than being over-prepared.

There were a few challenges getting a business up and running in a place where the phrase “no hurry in Africa” reigns supreme.

“Hakuna matata is actually a real [term] in Swahili – it does mean no worries. So I’ve learned that if my guide tells me it’s going to be a two-hour drive, it’s definitely going to be four hours.”

Vial is returning to Australia for an extended period over Christmas and looks forward to reuniting with her four beloved dogs (cared for by her mum while she’s away), but living once again in a regular house in Dubbo might be the real test of whether she can live in the now.

“I really struggle when I have to come into a normal room with four walls. I can’t hear the noises outside, I can’t hear the animals walking or grazing next to my tent. I really miss it … I get a little bit down.”