Africa

“To see ten thousand animals untamed and not branded with the symbols of human commerce is like scaling an unconquered mountain for the first time, or like finding a forest without roads or footpaths, or the blemish of an axe. You know then what you had always been told — that the world once lived and grew without adding machines and newsprint and brick-walled streets and the tyranny of clocks.” ~ Beryl Markham ~

As a kid, I drempt of Africa. Maybe it was because of Alaska, or the safari boat ride at Disneyland, or the National Geographic magazines read while at the dentist’s office. I loved lions and giraffes and elephants, but I hated zoos. I wanted to see these animals roam. Ten days ago I made this dream come true. Signita, the company that manages the 350,000 acre Grumeti Reserve, is considered the best safari company in world, so my expectations were sky high. My expectations were exceeded the minute our 12 seater prop plane landed on the red volcanic rock landing strip in the middle of the Serengeti. We certainly mortgaged our near future for the experience, but, as you have probably guessed by this blog, Sonia and I have vowed to buy memories over retirement planning. My only fear is that this vacation has ruined all future vacations. On our first night, we were awoken at 3am by an animal sniffing at the entrance of our tent. We had only been in camp for about twelve hours when I turned to Sonia and told her I already missed this place. They say an African safari is restorative. They say it fills a hole you didn’t know was there. But for me, I knew the hole was always there. Unfortunately, Africa just ripped it wide open. All I can think about is returning. And while I hope future trips will produce the same magic, I can’t help but be a little pessimisstic. Africa, like the rest of the world is changing. The population is growing expotentially and places so pure are quickly disappearing. We already know that the rhino will be extinct in short time, probably before Brittany graduates college. Elephant poaching is again on the rise as the suddenly rich Chinese crave ivory ashtrays and hairbrush handles. It’s hard to imagine that the great migration will be so great in ten years time because it’s too damn hard to deny the math of population growth. I think that’s what affected me the most. When you see something so great and perferct you immediately think about your children and grandchildren. Even if they don’t get a chance to see an elephant walking slowly and confidently across a grassy plain, just knowing that such a thing and place exists makes the world a better place.