Man-killing Bloom

When describing Tarsus, the home city of the Apostle Paul, I adjust my voice to a reverent tone and speak of it as a center of first-century scholarship. Case in point: Pedanus Dioscorides. The life of this famous physician (and Tarsus resident) overlapped that of Paul. Between AD 50 and 70 Pedanus wrote a five-volume work on medicine that set the standard for 1,500 years of herbal remedies.

Among the plants he describes is the Nerium oleander (oleander may be drawn from the Greek, "man-killer"!). Pedanus says eating it or drinking its broth will "kill most four-footed creatures." However, it may be diluted with wine as an antidote against "the bites of venomous creatures."

I'd get a second opinion from Dr. Luke.


I captured this shot of Nerium oleander in the Wadi ath-Thamad in central Jordan. And by the way, I didn't see any snakes.

Border Town

Rooftop view to the acropolis of Madaba, Jordan.

Madaba is a modern city just to the south of Amman. But beneath this veneer of concrete and steel are the remains of the human past that go back thousands of years. It is mentioned in the Bible (Num 21:30, Josh 13:9) as well as in ancient texts outside of the bible (Mesha Stele). It was a border town with Moabite roots.

Shwarma Shudders

My heart convulses when I return to the Middle East and find my first plate of shawarma.

(For those who don’t know, a shawarma is built around slow-roasted spit-turned meat—often chicken—mixed with a balance of tangy, garlicky, and savory elements all wrapped together in flatbread and the flavor, like this sentence, goes on and on and on. The Jordanian version is often pressed on a griddle and resembles a Turkish döner, although here the bread is thinner.)

Is it excitement? Is it a heart-attack?

Absolutely!

Bush Team Excellent

I am never disappointed by the kind service, commitment to excellence, and tireless energy on display in our tent camps. The staff at the Pure Migration Camp in a remote corner of the Serengeti is a perfect example. These good men transform tent camping in the wilderness into a luxury experience.

Our next Tanzanian safari with open seats is scheduled for February 18-27, 2026.

Monkey with an Alarm System

Vervet monkeys (Chlorocebus pygerythrus) live in noisy groups. They grunt, chatter, squeak, and scream. These noises have been studied by biologists with surprising results.

Vervets have specific alarm screams that initiate different group responses. For example, one type of scream suggests the presence of a predator like a leopard. When issued, the group responds by scurrying into the smallest branches (outermost parts) of a tree. A second type of scream suggests danger from the air (like an eagle). The group responds by either scurrying to the innermost parts of the tree or diving into a bush. A third type of scream suggests a snake. The group stands up high on their hind legs and scans the ground.

These are just three examples. Get ready for this: Vervets have at least 30 unique alarm screams.

This vervet didn’t seem too perturbed by my presence. Or maybe he was too busy enjoying a star fruit to scream.

Mongoose Buffet

A foraging group of Banded mongooses swarms a termite mound, digging, scratching, munching. These critters, about the size of a cat, live on a diet of insects, but are opportunistic diners who will take snails, mice, rats, frogs, birds, fruit, and occasionally, venomous snakes.

Termite mounds are a buffet.

This group of about 20 mongooses came up behind us as we were looking for other game. They quickly picked over this mound, then disappeared back into the grass.

The Banded mongoose (Mungos mungo) is a successful hunter in the Serengeti. There are 22 other species of mongooses worldwide.

As a child, I thought Rikki-Tikki-Tavi was the coolest hero ever. He was a little Grey mongoose with a bottle-brush tail who lived in a place far away. How can you not hold your breath when you read these words?

"At the hole where he went in
Red-Eye called to Wrinkle-Skin.
Hear what little Red-Eye saith:
'Nag, come up and dance with death!'"