Tanzania!

The second portion of my parents’ trip was an amazing safari in Tanzania. They would see romantic landscapes, sleep in luxurious tents, and witness some of the most awe-inspiring sights the world has to offer. So naturally, I invited myself.

Peace Corps has a program in Tanzania so I expected the country to look and feel much the same as Ethiopia. That was a naive viewpoint and proved how little I have apparently learned by travelling. Tanzania is a poverty stricken country but has utilized their natural resources to create a growing economy greatly based on tourism. As a result, many of the places we travelled catered to western visitors and it was obvious the money was pouring in. Ethiopia has some incredible sights and activities for tourist, but Ethiopians have not learned to take advantage of them properly. Recently, there has been a trend where Ethiopia is becoming a hip place to visit- here’s hoping! But for now, when you think of African vacations, you probably think South Africa, Kenya, or Tanzania.  

When we arrived, our game driver was waiting for us with every aspect of our next 6 days planned. Over the course of the week, we went to Tarangire National Park, Manyara Lake, Serengeti National Park, and the Ngorongoro Crater (the single most underrated place on this planet). It was a full schedule but allowed us to see everything.

The country was lush and green. The rainy season was just beginning to start, which made for some pretty epic landscapes

But let’s get down to it. People usually go on safaris to see animals. I was talking to my Peace Corps Ethiopia Country Director about the trip before I left. As a man who has spent decades of his life living and working in Africa, he has been on more safaris than he can count. He told me the first is always special in an indescribable way. He set the bar impossibly high because this man is a talker and has never been unable to describe something in the two years I’ve known him. But he was so right. I knew I would enjoy the trip, but I couldn’t imagine how much.

If you have a bucket list, put an African safari on it. I was extremely fortune to be able to tag along with my parents, but it showed me that seeing wild animals in person is something every person should strive for. My mom and dad embody this. My mom had a lifelong dream to go to Africa to see animals. Looking back, I think that is why she forced me to join the Peace Corps and move to Africa. When we saw the first animals, she was overcome with emotion. This was a dream decades in the making and there we surreally were: in the middle of a herd of 40 elephant or looking a lion in the eyes. My dad coming into the trip, on the other hand, was something a step above indifferent. He was excited, but he is more of a beach/water type of guy. Yet if I had a quarter for every time he was speechless because of a sight or could only manage to say the words, “this is unbelievable” or “this is just too amazing”… I don’t know how to finish that sentence. I’d have a lot of quarters, I suppose.

During the safari, we were lucky with both the weather and the animals we saw. Looking at the photos, I still cannot believe we were so close to some of those animals. I think we saw them all. Like literally, all the animals in Tanzania. The Big 5, 25+ lions, hundreds of zebras, scores of elephants, and so many other things will always live in my memory.

During the 6 days, we saw so many zebra. My dad asked the astute question of, "why didn't zebras get domesticated like horses or donkeys?" The guide didn't have the answer, but I agree with Norm: walking by zebras carrying loads of water or sticks would be enough to make me never leave Africa.

Warthogs are the unsung heroes of Africa. We spent so much time just watching these adorably ugly creatures play.

I feel like giraffes are the hipsters of Africa for some reason.

While we saw tons of elephants, the highlight had to be when we were in the middle of a herd of forty. It was incredible to watch them interact. The age range was babies to decades old and they truly behaved like family.

The elusive rhino!

Hippos running out of water is one of the funniest things a human can witness in their life.

I got heated when talking about hyenas. We have them here in Ethiopia and they will kill a person. No one seemed super alarmed by them, especially as one walked 5 feet away from me as I was eating dinner. I argued they are scary and Tanzanians responded by telling me stories of hyenas eating other hyenas and how unstable they can be. They kind of just proved my point.

The two above photos are the same lioness. She was watching the three hyena to ensure there was no funny business. As she walked from the fallen branches and climbed up the tree, she was maybe 3 feet away from our car. As she sat in the tree, she was easily close enough to jump in the open car. She looked us right in the eyes and didn't care. Probably one of my most humbling experiences.

Another time, we saw a herd of 10 lions feasting on a buffalo.

It was a hot day and the only shade around was that created by our car. When you don't have to use zoom to take a picture of a wild lion, you know you're impossibly lucky.

This is a jackal. They're adorable. They weight maybe 15 pounds and are scared of everything. I want to get my dog, Tobey, one as a pet. 

Overall, the safari portion of the trip was just incredible. It was such a privilege to be able to see such exotic animals in their element. There is a recognition that goes along with being that close to wild animals. It makes you realize how inspiring nature can be and how much it should be protected. It gives you a feeling no zoo will never be able to capture.

The last leg of our trip was a few days beachside on the island of Zanzibar. I never realized how much I loved the ocean until I moved to a landlocked country for two years. Zanzibar is a large island off the coast of Tanzania. The two merged into one country decades ago but still operate separately. From Arusha, we boarded a tin can that had wings. To say that I did not enjoy the flight would be an understatement. I am not sure I breathed the entire time- I was too busy waiting for the plane to crash.

The time spent on the island was full of relaxation. One day, Norm went SCUBA diving and my mom and I went on a tour of a local spice farm. But otherwise, we just enjoyed some beautiful scenery, amazing and endless food, and delightful company.

A good time was had by all.