East Africa: Simply Unforgettable

When I was a toddler, my father traveled to the University of East Africa for business, and my mother went with him. They also spent time in Kenya and Tanzania, and returned laden with unique artifacts, photos and fascinating tales to tell.

I grew up surrounded by African items: colorful baskets, wooden masks, bright cloth, carvings, clothing, jewelry, and more. I delighted in showing these exotic items to friends, and explaining the stories behind them. Our beautiful Masai gourd, for instance, was always good for shock value because it was meant for drinking cow’s milk mixed with blood. Plucking tunes on thumb pianos and pounding on African cowhide drums provided hours of fun for me and my friends, as well.

Listening to my parents tell of their adventures in Africa made me eager to travel at a young age. My mom was fond of repeating what their guide told them during a Kenya safari, “For every one animal you see, five see you.” She said the guides are so familiar with the area that she never felt afraid. My father recalls a sign which read, “Elephants have the right of way, ” and found it amusing that the phrase “keep left” simply becomes “keepi lefti” when translated into Swahili.

It’s a tradition for visitors to Africa to seek out the Big Five: cape buffalo, lion, leopard, elephant and rhino. My parents saw all of those, but they were also impressed by great herds of giraffe, striding along with regal ease. As my mother puts it, “Those giraffes walked around like they owned the place, which, of course, they did.” My father adds that, “It was a highlight to see the way giraffes move in the wild. It’s a very fluid motion.”

They also enjoyed seeing antelope, zebras, huge flocks of pink flamingos and monkeys galore. One place they stayed was near a river, and at night they could hear hippos, “which sound just like cats mewing,” according to my mom. At night, my parents were often lulled to sleep by the sounds of distant drumming.

As I’ve gotten older, Africa has retained its exotic status in my mind, but I’ve yet to visit. To date, the closest I have come to a genuine Kenya safari is a handful of visits to game parks in the USA. I’m getting married next year, and my fiance and I are musing about possible honeymoon destinations. A trip to east Africa is high on our list of possibilities. There are luxury lodges in Africa, for instance, with special honeymoon offers, including one in Tanzania where the bride stays at half price.

A vacation in Africa is often described as “the trip of a lifetime.” After talking to my parents today, I’m impressed that the memories from their visit are still so fresh in their minds. While I am sure that things have changed since they visited, it is still possible for tourists to see the Big Five and many other creatures in Kenya and Tanzania. Although I have yet to experience the beauty of Africa firsthand, I feel that it has been a part of my life from an early age because of what my parents shared through their own travel. I look forward to the day I visit Africa and create memories of my own.

Photo credits: Giraffe by Tambako the Jaguar @flickr CC-C, zebras drinking by Stevie Withers @flickr CC-C

NOTE:  This post was sponsored by Sanctuary Retreats.  The opinion expressed herein are those of the author.