Simon Mattacks
speaker
2,982 appearances
18 recordings
3 series
first heard Dec 2024
last heard yesterday
Simon Mattacks’s voice in public audio — every appearance, attributed to the second.
Trend
recordings per month · last 12 monthsRecordings per month over the last 12 months — 15 in all, peaking in Sep 2026 with 3.
Appearances
It opens its mouth to yawn once again, lifting its trunk towards the canopy above. Then it curls it back around towards the top of its head and scratches across a tuft of bristles. There's something quite amusing about the way the elephant stirs, bending and straightening both hind legs. Its head and trunk flop comically forwards in a movement that looks clumsy and charmingly awkward.
The elephant stays there for a moment before wobbling to its feet, bending and straightening both front legs. Then it shakes its head and its massive grey ears. much like a dog might shake off the rain. Next, the elephant stumbles out of the shade, blinking a few times before opening its eyes. You follow it out into the sunshine, where its grey skin twinkles like silver.
Its ears, you notice, are shaped like Africa on a map, which is how you can tell it's an African elephant. It looks to be around seven or eight feet tall, a good bit shorter than a fully grown adult. This magnificent creature looks towards you, and you swear that its lips are curled into a smile Its expression is one of kindness and affection, as it reaches out its trunk to shake your hand.
You've never shaken the trunk of an elephant, but something about the experience feels a little familiar. As strange as it is, you know just what he'll say. as he introduces himself as your tour guide, Tembo. He's a young, adult elephant, aged 10 years old, and he was born and raised in Eastern Africa. It would be his pleasure to take you around his homeland to show you the sights of Tanzania.
you'll travel east across the country towards Mount Kilimanjaro, the mountain known as the roof of Africa. The route will show you the best of a country that's famed for its wildlife and natural landscape. Timbo is certain that you'll like the pool of hippos and the beautiful fauna in the volcanic crater. He also knows the best spots to sleep in, on a journey that will take you all of three days.
For whatever reason, you trust Tembo entirely. You've never felt as safe as you do beside him. It simply feels good to be in his presence, like being reunited with a dear old friend. You stroll beside the elephant as he walks towards the edge of the glistening lake. There's nothing so refreshing to a thirsty elephant as a few sips of fresh lake water.
You stand beside Timber as he lowers his trunk beneath the surface. And you drink in the scents as the elephant drinks the water. It's incredibly fresh and cleansing to the senses. Once Tembo has fully quenched his thirst, he splashes his trunk on the surface of the lake. The mischievous elephant then curls his trunk towards you and sprays you with a mist of cool, fresh water.
The playful animal laughs as he does so, It's a marvelous sound, and wonderfully infectious. You can't help but laugh along at the creature's antics, especially as the water is so lovely and refreshing. Now that Tembo is fueled up, he's ready to set off on a journey across the land. You take one last glance at the lake before the elephant turns in the opposite direction.
You walk alongside Tembo, matching the pace of your stride with his. The ground molds around your feet, and every footstep feels both soft and bouncy. a memory comes to mind of being with Tembo on the powdery white sands of Tanzania's coastline. You remember the elephant paddling through an ocean, though the memories are fuzzy, like something from a dream.
Right now, you're a long way from the beach. but your surroundings here are just as tranquil. Instead of littering sand, there are fields of golden corn and vast grassy plains that seem as endless as the ocean. Tembo is an excellent tour guide. He knows just when to speak and when to be quiet. Mostly, you stroll in comfortable silence as he gives you the space to study your surroundings.
When he does speak, his voice is calm and reassuring, though he's clearly enthusiastic to tell you about his country. You can sense the love that Tembo has for his homeland. He explains that you're walking across a game reserve, a region where wild animals are protected. It's one of many such places throughout the country where creatures roam freely across the land.
Tembo's own family live in a national park around the base of Mount Kilimanjaro. though they're often out trekking about the country in search of food or a new waterhole to drink from. Perhaps that's why elephants make such good guides, because they're so used to walking and exploring new places.
Tembo seems familiar with every inch of countryside, each plain and grassy hillock, and every tree, rock, and puddle. He's particularly fond of this part of the country, at the southern edge of the famous Serengeti. The flat, low plains seem to go on forever. and give unobstructed views of the wildlife. The animals you see now are a herd of wildebeest.
They're dotted about the plains, munching happily on the grass. Their dark, furry heads are large and box-like, and their ears point out sideways, below two curved horns. The word wildebeest is Dutch for wild cattle. The animal's chestnut-colored body is stocky like a cow's. But wildebeest are technically antelope.
The elephant plots a course through the middle of the grass, right through the place where the wildebeest are eating. Yet somehow, the creatures pay him no attention. They move out of his way, as if by magic. Even the creatures that have finished eating seem to look through the elephant. They're far too busy napping in the sunshine, enjoying a moment of respite on the grass.
It's odd that the elephant doesn't attract more attention. Though he's only young, he's still enormous. You're beginning to think that he's somehow invisible until you hear his name from a voice among the herd. A majestic-looking wildebeest is strolling towards you. He has a beard that seems both gray and golden. Tembo recognizes his friend, Zawadi. The name means gift in Swahili.
Zawadi says that he's very pleased to meet you. Any friend of Tembo's is a friend of the herd. The animals chat about all kinds of things, from the weather to the waterholes. It's clear that they have much in common, mainly their love of travel and adventure. Zawadi and his friends are from the Serengeti, but they migrate to different places throughout the year.
Moving in numbers as large as millions, they seek out clean water and fresh, tasty grass. They'll probably stay here for another week or so, before moving on in a northerly direction. The wildebeest are joined by other creatures, too. You see this for yourself after leaving Zawadi. Tembo identifies an antelope called an eland. It's stocky, like the wildebeest, but has a coat like golden sand.
Its horn is spiraled, like you might imagine a unicorn's to be, though this creature has two horns. Alongside the eland, there are gazelle and impala. These smaller antelope are fast and look like deer. You don't need any help in identifying the zebra. With their black and white striped bodies, you'd spot them anywhere.
All of these animals are scattered throughout the grass, eating, sleeping, sunbathing, or sitting. their splashes of color against the green and yellow plains, illuminated with sunlight. Zawadi mentions seeing a guava fruit orchard right beside the pool where Tembo is going. The elephant responds with enthusiasm to the news, though if he is hungry, he's not hungry enough to rush.
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