First Impressions of Africa

After a lifetime of desire, my first sighting of Africa was almost surreal. Here I am gazing at a family of wild hippos as they bathe before heaving themselves out of the water to sunbake on the shore. They are massive creatures, certainly a lot larger than I ever imagined.

It is now very late July 2012 and a group of adventurous women, travelling with Women's Own Adventure, are on safari in Tanzania.





Breathing in the magnificence of our surroudings while looking down upon Lake Manyara National Park, the animals we have sighted on our very first day on safari is almost enough to say, let's go home, we have seen them all. But going home is the last thing any of us want to do, as we are now addicted to the sights of Africa and just want more.


While driving in our safari vehicles towards the park, we observe dozens of statuesque Masaii men with their own herd of cows as they are taken to market. Dotted along the countryside are small Masaii villages, women
walklng with produce balanced on their heads or babies on their backs, small children in uniform running off to school and young teenage boys dressed in traditional black with the painted faces of boys who are on a journey to manhood. The colours of the people and their dress are stunning as a contrast to the subdued colours of the landscape.

Once inside the National Park, not only have we seen hippos, giraffes, wilderbeasts, zebras, elephants, warthogs, impala and a mirriad of birds but these creatures were all in the wild and very close to us, with the elephants parading in front of our vehicle. To top off the days sightings, we were privileged to sight a tree climbing lion, lazing upon a comfortable branch. This is a very rare sighting indeed and we have seen it on our first day on safari in Tanzania. I am wondering just how much better can it get?


- Marika at Women's Own Adventure signing off

Location:Tanzania