ENTABENI, South Africa, Nov 27, 2008 (AFP) - Trading their stilettos for sneakers and cocktail gowns for khakis, Miss World contestants broke from their pageant preparations to trek into the South African bush... just for a short safari.
"I never thought I'd be close to nature, living in a mud hut or tent, playing with the animals, lions and cheetahs. It's better than a five-star hotel!" gushed Miss India, Parvathy Omanakuttan.
Wearing an apron and a white chef's hat, the 21-year-old helped whip up a traditional Zulu dish, and then cut the rug with some impromptu dance steps along with the other beauties in a scene more holiday resort than competition. In the stunning Entabeni reserve, in the northwestern province of Limpopo, the 112 candidates left behind their on-stage personas to play enthusiastically on the djembe and plant a tree that bears their name.
As they shoveled compost teeming with earthworms, they seemed a long way from the stage where one will be crowned the world's most beautiful woman in Johannesburg on December 13.
Aged 17 to 25, most jumped right into a lesson on "gumboots dance," created by South African miners. Dressed in knee-high black rubber boots, they burst into laughter at their outfits, looking more like farmers than fantasies.
"In Venezuela, it's impossible to do this. A beauty contestant must always appear impeccable, like a queen. Heels all the time, very made up and well-poised," said Hannelly Quintero, batting her long fake lashes.
"The pageants in my country are very superficial, here we're learning so much about nature and the life of the people, how they live and eat," she said, happy to leave their hotels to see zebras and giraffes.
But on this safari, the people are more photographed than the animals.
Even if the stage seems far away, the beauties never miss a chance to strike a pose, because their safari retreat is part of a month-long South African tour packed with galas, appearances and press conferences to promote the show.
Miss Germany looked nervous as she slowly crept up to a leashed lion cub, whose paw was wet with the blood from the calf it ate for lunch.
Joined by two other contestants posing in their T-shirts, her face quickly lit into a smile - but she dashed off as soon as the cub lifted its paw.
Between the bugs and the lack of water for a shower, their life outdoors wasn't all rest and relaxation. Miss Egypt first ventured out in a white dress and matching high-heel boots, quickly ruined during a walk on a muddy path.
For a group used to constant communication, the young women latched onto their cell phones and computers as soon as they could find a network.
"We're outside of our comfort zone here. It's a more human adventure," said Miss France, 21-year-old Laura Tanguy.
"There's this image of the petite princess. This keeps your feet on the ground, you realise how lucky you are. Some of us come back down to earth," she said, a flower laced in her hair.
