Safari

Hemingway’s "Something Wonderful": Leaving Arusha for the Wild

Hemingway’s "Something Wonderful": Leaving Arusha for the Wild

“Something, or something awful or something wonderful was certain to happen on every day in this part of Africa. Every morning when you woke it was as exciting as though you were going to compete in a downhill ski race or drive a bobsled on a fast run. Something, you knew, would happen, and probably before eleven o’clock.”

And there I was when I woke up (part 1)

And there I was when I woke up (part 1)

This post continues the narrative of our recent safari experience in Africa. But it also serves as the first of a series. “And there I was when I woke up” will relate some memorable overnights in places around the world.

Dreams of Cinnabar: A Midnight Arrival in Zanzibar

Dreams of Cinnabar: A Midnight Arrival in Zanzibar

Our flight into Zanzibar settled on the runway after midnight. I looked out the window. It was dark and soft like the inside of a smudge pot and there was little to see except the flashes of the ground crew. A tug swung around. Its lamps illuminated palm fronds just beyond the pavement. Dense vegetation completed the backdrop.

5 gifts from Africa

5 gifts from Africa

Africa, even though my backpack does not show it, I carry home many gifts from you. I will treasure them as memories for the rest of my life.

Stork swarm

Stork swarm

Swarms of giant storks were suddenly everywhere. They were beyond counting. In the hundreds? For sure. Thousands? Maybe. Some circled slowly overhead, great wings outstretched. Many more rested, nested, and clattered their bills from poo-spangled trees. 

Noah's ark (sortof)

Noah's ark (sortof)

In the story of Noah's Ark, a portion of the living world finds sanctuary in a pinch. I thought about that as our rig bounced down the steep track into Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania.

The eighth wonder of the world

The eighth wonder of the world

The land yawned like a Wyoming dawn. The opportunity in front of us was equally wide. We had a full day to spend in Ngorongoro Crater and I was pumped.

Tarangire

Tarangire

Zebras and wildebeests drank the muddy water, flicked their tails, rolled in the dust, and fussed with each other. It may have just been in my head, but somewhere I could hear the soundtrack of "The Lion King" playing.

Taking a safari

Taking a safari

We pitched our duffels and then ourselves into Saidi's knobby-wheeled truck. Saidi found the gear and we lurched forward. Our aim was to encounter the wildness of East Africa, God-willing, in a bloodless way.