Out of Africa (but I want to go back!)

A year ago, I had the great fortune to spend two weeks in Africa with my dad. We went on a overland journey, or safari, in Tanzania. Was it a trip of a lifetime? Well, yes it was, so far! I’m determined to return to Africa in this lifetime. The memories: the smells, the sights, the feel of our vehicles bumping over African roads, are still vivid and have a permanent place in my mind and my heart.

Dad and I traveled as part of a group totaling 14 people, mostly from the U.S. and Canada. Along with our Tanzanian trip leader and two guides, and we traveled in 3 Land Rovers. I’ll never forget getting our first close look at African wildlife during a game drive in Tarangire National Park. Our guides accommodated us by pulling over and stopping whenever we asked them to. While we watched, enraptured, and took photos, the skilled young men used the time to teach us about the animals and their habitat. We were seeing the animals up close but from a respectful distance; they did not run away, seeming to know they are in a protected environment. It was truly thrilling.

I brought my Zeiss Victory FL 7×42 binoculars on the trip, and never once regretted bringing and carrying a full-sized binocular with me every day. Indeed, it was worth it to see this spectacular land and its inhabitants so effortlessly. The 7x magnification afforded an exceptionally wide field of view, and the incredible clarity and vividness of the image was everything I needed, and more. Stay tuned for more about my Tanzania adventure!

Originally published on November 23, 2011