Afterthoughts on My Safari

Afterthoughts on My Safari

Southern Africa

July 2000

I just spent a month in Southern Africa. I visited South Africa, Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe. The trip was magnificent. It pushed all my limits of comfort. Moments were mesmerizing. I was intoxicated by all of its magnificent vistas. The animals humbled me. As I leave this massive continent, here are some of my thoughts:

• ·       I wonder what will be the future of Africa. The animals have been pushed out of their natural habitat and the people are dying of AIDS.
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• ·       Worms and guppies are not tasty food, even if washed down with a cold beer.
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• ·       I never got used to the idea that Africa could be cold even though I was traveling during their winter.
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• ·       Traveling with so many other people from other countries has shown me how arrogant Americans can be.
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• ·       Being on the bottom of the food chain could be very humbling.
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• ·       The only defense I had all these wild animals was their sense of serenity. I had to pray that they do not prey upon us the same way we do to them.
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• ·       Paul Simon knew what he was singing about what in his song about African skies. Every sunset was spectacular.
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• ·       I would love to step into an elephant’s brain just for a day.
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• ·       Africans do not make good beer. When I may have accidentally mentioned this to one of the local bartenders, he very defensively told me they had to make the beer light because of the heat and the altitude. I didn’t notice much heat and I didn’t notice much altitude.
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• ·       The Oryx is my favorite animal.
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• ·       I was embarrassed by the arrogance and wealth of other Americans. My travel mates didn’t want to associate with them and I didn’t want to be associated with them.
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• ·       The starry, starry nights and early mornings were beautiful.
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• ·       The voices of the street singers in Zimbabwe were intoxicating to me.
• ·       Victoria Falls overwhelmed me. I wanted to baptize myself in that water.
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• ·       I wonder how long I will find it funny that I bought two large wooden giraffes home with me.
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• ·       I continue to worry about the lack of clean water for everyone but I continue to do nothing about the problem.
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• ·       I would love to have a party with everyone I ever traveled with. I think we would all be great company for one another.
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• ·       What am I searching for?
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• ·       Camping was not as difficult as I thought it would be but if given the choice, I’ll pass.
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• ·       There is no end to Africa. It goes on for miles after mile after mile after mile after mile after mile after mile after mile.
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• ·       I was stunned that our pilot wanted to fly over the water because it was so beautiful to him. I don’t worry about water even if we have a drought. I just assumed it’ll always be there on my terms. The Africans don’t have that luxury.
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• ·       I love the birds.
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• ·       I love the giraffes.
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• ·       The village people live in mud huts, insulated with old Coke cans. I wonder what Martha Stewart could offer them.
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• ·       Why do some people have so much and others have so little?
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• ·       Seeing elephant just roaming around our campsite was scary but thrilling at the same time.
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• ·       Being in Africa showed me how much damage we have done to the wildlife in America.
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• ·       Regardless of this great adventure with wildlife, I still don’t like squirrels.