I wrote this on the way to Africa, in anticipation of what was to come. Sharing it with you now with some photos of the wonderful, glorious, amazing animals we have seen so far.
When I was a kid Dr. Dolittle was my hero. A guy who could not only walk with, but talk with the animals. What?!? He was so charming as he tended to his flurry flock. What a miracle it would be to be able to communicate with the very creatures I so adored as a child. Animal lover, dog nut, fan of all things furry – these are all apt descriptions of me. If there was ever a trip that offered the distinct possibility of my heart bursting right out of my chest, this trip to Tanzania would be it. Stay Tuned.
I have been very deliberate to not pre-visualize this adventure and to maintain a low burn on my expectations. Of course we watched Out of Africa, duh. And I read our travel guide 27 times. Still, I am going into this a clean slate. I just want to be open to it all. I want to sit quietly and admire the light and how the light changes over the course of the overwhelmingly vast landscape. My son said on the way to school last week, “I am very excited about Africa, Mom, but also a little scared. I really don’t know what to expect and it makes me nervous.” Right there with you, babe. Right there with you.