Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Kruger

I spent ten days in Kruger National Park. I had a great time as a junior ranger driving around in my safari mobile. There is not much I can say to explain my experience. To say it was great would not touch it. To say it was beautiful could not describe it. To say I learned things would not be enough. I did become acutely aware of my position in the food chain. I was in awe of the bird life, and was able to identify 64 species and recognize some of their calls. I had elephants shake their heads and trumpet their disgust at me after accidentally driving to close to them when I came around a curve. I set up camp close enough to elephants to hear them fart. I slept under African skies and was awakened in the night by a lions roar. I observed baboons harvest grains. I had a buffalo turn on its heels, glare at me and ask " what you lookin at?". I lost my head, got out of my car and took many pictures of a dung beetle rolling it's prize across the road, forgetting I could be eaten at any moment. I watched three cheetahs spend their morning grooming themselves and each other and I watched a leopard slink through the bush. I watched ten beautiful sunrises and sun sets over acacia and balboa trees on the African plains. I was right where I wanted to be at each moment. I was in heaven. I cried when I left.

6 comments:

Unknown said...

MMmmmm! Elephant farts!~ I bet they were precious in their own way ;) I think that's what I'll probably be dreaming about tonight :) (And all those other things you wrote about, I hope!)

Anonymous said...

You could almost set this post to music (a la Paul Simon). Awesome! Thanks for sharing.

Anonymous said...

I could feel that you felt!
There are many artist that could put your words and feelings into beautiful song...Paul Simon could do it with ease.
I'm so happy for you.
Sandy

Anonymous said...

Hi Tracy,
Tank you for the phone call!!! It was great to talk to you! I can only imagine how excited you were about Krueger.
Love, Mom

Unknown said...

Hi Tracy,
Wow what an adventure! Tracy Graves told me what you were doing and gave me the link to your blogs. I have so enjoyed reading everyone of them and find myself checking every day for new ones :)
You are my hero! Doing everything that we all talk about but never have the balls to do. Keep on trekking and be safe!
If you even remember who I am :-) my email is 8handydandy8@gmail.com

Hugs...Take care,
Ann Wade

Anonymous said...

Tracy,

That Krueger park sounded great! Also funny that you were so into it that you 'forgot' you could be killed at any moment! Must be nice to have that feeling!!
Take care,
Tracy