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
Private Investigator,
Portland, Oregon
I found it so easy to relax. Before I
knew it, I couldn't even remember what day it was and it was great, to just
live by the rhythm of the day.
I'll never forget the tented camp on the hillside in the Serengeti. You could see for miles, the trees like an umbrella across the base of the hill. The sun rose just outside the door of our tent. The zebras were braying. And I was stunned by the enormity of the space, the sensation of being suspended deep in nature.
In the end, what impressed me the most was the people. I mean, that wasn't my expectation before the trip, but once we were actually there, that is what became most important. I'll never forget the day we spent with the Mwangaza Children's Project, the chance to visit children in their homes and schools. The children were so eager to learn. People were so kind. That impacted me more than anything else.
And our visit to the women's group was interesting, too. I felt honored to be a part of that. They prepared a meal for us and then they danced. Everyone was so graceful. And the dresses! Bold, rich colors that really had an effect on us-reds, purples, blues. Nothing subtle about it. Vibrant color. It struck me that people are so creative there. Art and music are central to their everyday lives, something we have lost.
I have a background in political science and law, so I was curious about history and politics, and our guides were very knowledgeable and open. I feel that I came away with a deeper understanding of people and power and how that affects a nation. Their culture is not focused so much on material things and it makes you realize on a person-to-person level that you don't have to be like us to lead a good life. There is a whole other frame of reference and another set of values to absorb and appreciate there.
Lynne Bratcher
Attorney,
Independence, Missouri
And the hippos. We walked down to a
pond that was full of hippos, their backs like smooth boulders sticking out of
the water. You could hear them blow. And the crocodiles were across the pond,
watching cautiously. Believe it or not, hippos are so strong they can snap
crocodiles in half. After about 15 minutes, a crocodile started across the pond
pointed right at us. We could just see the tip of his nose and his eyes. Then,
when he was about 15 feet away from us, he just disappeared. Snap! We never saw
him again.
In the beginning, we noticed little on the game drives, but we learned to become much more observant. So it was great. As the Land Cruiser rolls along, we would all be busy staring into the middle distance and then Ammy (our guide) would spot something in close. Then, to spot the leopards, you have to learn to look up in the trees. And then, there was an awesome profusion of birds. You look in the air above you and it's overwhelming. It takes a long time to appreciate how much there is, everywhere you look.
As Americans, we're so naïve about the world. A trip like this opens your eyes about the rest of the world. Being there. Seeing how people live, it all becomes more real.
Paul Shushan
Teacher, Morrison,
Colorado
