Chased by a baboon to work....

I’ve been getting quite used to the baboons and monkeys around the lodge as they usually just walk away when they see you coming. However I had a run in with a baboon on my way to work the other day. When I walked up to work there were a couple of baboons on the path grooming each other. I was expecting them to move as I got closer but instead they ignored me. Eventually I stopped, not really knowing what to do and then one looked at me and unfortunately we locked eye contact and he started to come towards me. So I turned round and he really did come after me. I was carrying my laptop and really didn’t want to be chased by a baboon. So with pounding heart I turned round and faced him and shouted at him. He stopped but he still didn’t look like he was going to leave me alone. I then stepped off the path and he made another strike in my direction but I stayed calm and shouted at him again. He then strutted away off behind a tree, which he jumped out at me as I passed. Luckily by this time I wasn’t far from the lodge so I felt more confident as I didn’t think he’d chase me towards it. When I got up to the lodge my heart was still pounding and then I saw that the guides and the guests who were having breakfast were all laughing at me as they’d watched the whole thing. With the relief of making it to the lodge safely I was also laughing. Fannuel, one of the guides said that the baboon chased me because I was a woman. Apparently they are scared of men so would have scarpered quickly if a man had walked up the path. I’ll have to work on my man stride!!