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Saturday, January 14
Allison Graham
Board of Directors
One World Youth Project
Five a.m. arrived quickly, and if I weren't so excited about our day's plans I may have slept through the alarm, but NO! The alarm (well actually it took both of our alarms to wake up) went off and we got out of bed, dressed and got to the lobby as the sun rose. Abdu and Joseph arrived and introduced us to our safari guide, Mike. We picked up Gloria and began the two hour ride to Manyara National Park. It was a great opportunity to see more of Tanzania. On this ride I began to see more and more birds. Without my bird guide in front of me, it's tough to remember all the names, but suffice to say my life list of birds was getting longer and more varied than I ever could have imagined. The birds' plumage reminded me of all the kaleidoscope of colors I noticed on my first day. For example, starlings ... Starlings on the Cape, while beautiful in their own way, pale in comparison to their African relatives. These Rufus-orange bellied birds with electric blues and greens on their back are nothing like the black/brown sometimes white-spotted birds so common on Cape Cod. I did not speak much on this ride, content to watch the passing landscape, looking for birds and enjoying the voices of Abdu, Joseph and Gloria. Their melodic cadence of the Swahili they were speaking was the perfect soundtrack to the images passing before my eyes. I've fallen in love with the sound of Swahili.
As well as birds, we passed traditional homes, goat herds, donkeys, Masai men, women, and children, some of Africa's many species of acacia trees, beehives hanging from those trees for honey and much, much more.
The vast grassy landscape seemed to go on forever before reaching the mountains of the Ngorongoro highlands in the hazy distance. Small streams had carved there way through the land making some areas look like miniature canyons. We even passed an Ostrich! Now I can say I've seen the world's largest bird, wild and free.
Allison Graham
Board of Directors
One World Youth Project
Five a.m. arrived quickly, and if I weren't so excited about our day's plans I may have slept through the alarm, but NO! The alarm (well actually it took both of our alarms to wake up) went off and we got out of bed, dressed and got to the lobby as the sun rose. Abdu and Joseph arrived and introduced us to our safari guide, Mike. We picked up Gloria and began the two hour ride to Manyara National Park. It was a great opportunity to see more of Tanzania. On this ride I began to see more and more birds. Without my bird guide in front of me, it's tough to remember all the names, but suffice to say my life list of birds was getting longer and more varied than I ever could have imagined. The birds' plumage reminded me of all the kaleidoscope of colors I noticed on my first day. For example, starlings ... Starlings on the Cape, while beautiful in their own way, pale in comparison to their African relatives. These Rufus-orange bellied birds with electric blues and greens on their back are nothing like the black/brown sometimes white-spotted birds so common on Cape Cod. I did not speak much on this ride, content to watch the passing landscape, looking for birds and enjoying the voices of Abdu, Joseph and Gloria. Their melodic cadence of the Swahili they were speaking was the perfect soundtrack to the images passing before my eyes. I've fallen in love with the sound of Swahili.
As well as birds, we passed traditional homes, goat herds, donkeys, Masai men, women, and children, some of Africa's many species of acacia trees, beehives hanging from those trees for honey and much, much more.
The vast grassy landscape seemed to go on forever before reaching the mountains of the Ngorongoro highlands in the hazy distance. Small streams had carved there way through the land making some areas look like miniature canyons. We even passed an Ostrich! Now I can say I've seen the world's largest bird, wild and free.
We stopped in a small town to buy some lunch supplies (soda and chapati bread), kept moving, and were soon at the gate of the Manyara National Park with the top off the Land Rover, ready for anything. We entered a magical wilderness that I have only seen in movies and books, or studied with Mrs. Haines in sixth grade science.
The first part of the safari brought us through a forest of different trees, the most unusual being the Mlegea, or Sausage Tree. Yep, you heard right, it was an enormous tree with what looked like sausages hanging from it, and then my heart stopped. Right before my eyes sat a Baboon, and then I looked around realizing he was not the only one. All around there were adults, adolescents, infants, some playing, some resting, some grooming. The sights just kept getting better and more unbelievable as we drove on. Here is a short list of what we saw: Black Monkeys, Blue Velvet Monkeys, Baboons, Giraffes, Silvery Cheeked Hornbills, Impalas, Bush Bucks, Diki-Dikis, birds, birds, birds, and a lot more! We witnessed a battle between two groups of Baboons. They were viciously screaming and attacking each other, and we were feet away from them!
At one point during the day, I turned to Jess in a loss for words on what we were seeing and she said, "It's they way things are supposed to be." I don't think I could have said it any better.
And then, through the trees, I saw the beautiful bulk of the animal I have dreamed of seeing. We came out of the forest face to face with a large family of Elephants. They moved along with a peaceful grace, a softness that seems unimaginable for such large creatures. Babies moved between the adults, secure and protected. At no time during the trip had I felt more connected with my Uncle Pete. He had spent so much time with these animals, studying them, living with them, and it's entirely possible that this family of elephants was one my uncle had known. After taking a minute to honor him and these majestic animals he so loved, I looked beyond them to the sweeping vista before me. The vast open space was peppered with Zebras, Hippos, and hundreds of birds. I could go on and on about this but let me just say, I have never seen anything as wild and magnificent as Africa's natural environment. I wondered if Abdu, Joseph, and Gloria would feel similarly if they were seeing a Humpback Whale, breaching off the coast of Cape Cod, for the first time. What a beautiful planet this is.
The final stop on our safari was a hot spring. Steam and the smell of sulfur permeated the air. Here we ate lunch while looking out over Lake Manyara with its pink cloud of Flamingos. Water Buffalos watched us as we examined, and showed respect to, an elephant skull, but it was getting time to get back to Arusha, Jess had a plane to catch. The laughter and fun we had on this adventure had been as enjoyable as the sights and sounds. There is something so powerfully bonding about, together, experiencing the intense beauty of nature. I wouldn't have wished to be in the company of any other people.
As we drove Jess to the airport, the full moon rose over Mount Kilimanjaro, as if in celebration of the time we had spent in Arusha. It was breathtaking.
Goodbyes to Jess were difficult, she was on her way back to Georgetown, to immediately begin classes. Leaving the airport, the silence in the cab betrayed the feeling of sadness felt by our hosts. Jessica is well loved by everyone and she should be so proud of how her vision has become such an important part of so many children's and adult's lives, all around the world. I hope she realizes how positive an impact she has had on all who meet her.
The first part of the safari brought us through a forest of different trees, the most unusual being the Mlegea, or Sausage Tree. Yep, you heard right, it was an enormous tree with what looked like sausages hanging from it, and then my heart stopped. Right before my eyes sat a Baboon, and then I looked around realizing he was not the only one. All around there were adults, adolescents, infants, some playing, some resting, some grooming. The sights just kept getting better and more unbelievable as we drove on. Here is a short list of what we saw: Black Monkeys, Blue Velvet Monkeys, Baboons, Giraffes, Silvery Cheeked Hornbills, Impalas, Bush Bucks, Diki-Dikis, birds, birds, birds, and a lot more! We witnessed a battle between two groups of Baboons. They were viciously screaming and attacking each other, and we were feet away from them!
At one point during the day, I turned to Jess in a loss for words on what we were seeing and she said, "It's they way things are supposed to be." I don't think I could have said it any better.
And then, through the trees, I saw the beautiful bulk of the animal I have dreamed of seeing. We came out of the forest face to face with a large family of Elephants. They moved along with a peaceful grace, a softness that seems unimaginable for such large creatures. Babies moved between the adults, secure and protected. At no time during the trip had I felt more connected with my Uncle Pete. He had spent so much time with these animals, studying them, living with them, and it's entirely possible that this family of elephants was one my uncle had known. After taking a minute to honor him and these majestic animals he so loved, I looked beyond them to the sweeping vista before me. The vast open space was peppered with Zebras, Hippos, and hundreds of birds. I could go on and on about this but let me just say, I have never seen anything as wild and magnificent as Africa's natural environment. I wondered if Abdu, Joseph, and Gloria would feel similarly if they were seeing a Humpback Whale, breaching off the coast of Cape Cod, for the first time. What a beautiful planet this is.
The final stop on our safari was a hot spring. Steam and the smell of sulfur permeated the air. Here we ate lunch while looking out over Lake Manyara with its pink cloud of Flamingos. Water Buffalos watched us as we examined, and showed respect to, an elephant skull, but it was getting time to get back to Arusha, Jess had a plane to catch. The laughter and fun we had on this adventure had been as enjoyable as the sights and sounds. There is something so powerfully bonding about, together, experiencing the intense beauty of nature. I wouldn't have wished to be in the company of any other people.
As we drove Jess to the airport, the full moon rose over Mount Kilimanjaro, as if in celebration of the time we had spent in Arusha. It was breathtaking.
Goodbyes to Jess were difficult, she was on her way back to Georgetown, to immediately begin classes. Leaving the airport, the silence in the cab betrayed the feeling of sadness felt by our hosts. Jessica is well loved by everyone and she should be so proud of how her vision has become such an important part of so many children's and adult's lives, all around the world. I hope she realizes how positive an impact she has had on all who meet her.
-Allison
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