Guest Comment by Brenda Tam
Dear Deeper Africa,
I always wanted to go to Africa, so when I heard about Deeper Africa, I just said, “Sign me up.” I knew a little bit about the region before the trip, but I didn’t really have an itinerary in mind. I just left that totally in their hands because I knew it was going to be wonderful. But even so, it exceeded my expectations.
The guides are fabulous. They really know their stuff. And they are really good people, fun to be with. The accommodations are great, too. When we got to the tented camps, I thought, oh my gosh-this is my kind of camping! Every day there were things that amazed me. You're out in the bush seeing nature as it unfolds, seeing the animals, lingering to watch and understand their behavior. You learn about the migration, the symbiotic relationship between the zebra and the wildebeest, and it's amazing to see them in such huge numbers.
It's hard to say what my favorite experiences were, but a few things come to mind:
Our visit to Elephant Watch. While we were there they rescued an abandoned baby, brought it into camp and flew it to the orphanage in Nairobi. They said the baby would not have survived one more night in the wild.
While there we went into the village to watch a wedding ceremony. What a privilege.
I did a couple of walking safaris. You take a warrior with you. It was fun. We got to walk and learned a lot about bird identification.
I really loved the Serengeti. You can drive for miles without meeting other vehicles. It's so vast!
The sundowner (happy hour) on the high plateau with a 360-degree view. We sat in chairs sipping drinks while the warriors made the fire. We watched them talk and sing as the sun went down. It felt like a scene from a movie.
Our day with the Mwangaza Children's Project, not just looking but really connecting with people at the school, in the village. That whole day was one of the best for all of us. The opportunity to give back, to make a contribution to the community, that was a highlight for everybody.
In the tented camp, lying in a comfortable bed listening to the night sounds-baboons, lions, zebra. I slept deeply.
And every night since I've been home, I've dreamed of Africa, and that has never happened to me before. It has remained vividly in my subconscious. This is an experience that has impacted me in ways I've never been touched before. I would go again in a heartbeat.
Brenda Tam
Portland, Oregon
USA