There’s No Place Like Home…

But How Do You Get There?

by Lisa Moretti

One of my favorite poem’s by Mary Oliver speaks to the Wild Geese “calling us home to our place in the family things”; for me the song of home is in Africa.  We all have our preconceived ideas of Africa but for a land mass that takes up 20% of our planet, most of us know surprisingly little about the place.  And, considering that Africa is called the birthplace of man, it’s amazing that so few of us take the time to “go home!”  Specialty Travel makes it easier to find your way home!

Lions, Leopards, and Gnus – Oh My

Africa is home to creatures great and small that have tantalized our imaginations since we were children – lions, elephants, giraffes, rhinos and even the little guys like those cute antelope cousins that go hopping across the plains.  Most of us have seen them in a zoo, which is about like watching paint dry.  I want to see them running in massive herds, drifting through the grass like water with an ebb and flow. I do not however want to bring home their heads and hang them on my wall.

Many people literally hear the wild geese calling them home given that bird-watching has become one of the most popular hobbies in America.  430 species of birds are calling out from Egypt, beckoning from the banks of the Nile, from the rugged mountains, and from the tropical jungles.  For thousands of years, birds have been following their migratory journeys to and fro, generation upon generation watching the changes of the land and those wacky humans below.  There is a history to glean from them, a history of eras layered one upon the other yet all existing in the present moment when we stop to really see the birds; it’s a unique opportunity that epitomizes the romance of Africa. 

Not Just in the Movies

Another journey that conjures in our imagination when we dream of Africa is bumping down a road in a Land Rover™ to a jungle site where we can peer quietly into the lush vegetation to witness the majesty and nobility of gorillas and chimps.  Dian Fossey and Jane Goodall have brought the plight of these animals to our attention; by working with outfitters who help to open our eyes to them in the wild, we contribute to an economy that fights to protect the gorillas in the mist and the chimps in the forests.  If your dream is to see them in their natural habitat, get yourself to Africa soon and choose a responsible outfitter!

Under the Sea

It’s perhaps the most recognized name in list of seas but it’s a best-kept secret when you think of a diving vacation.  The Red Sea has parted, we’ve seen cinematic chariots try to ride through it, but not many of us have stopped to consider swimming with the dolphins, exploring 200 types of coral reefs, or being dazzled by thousands of species of fish…in Africa.  In my imagination the Red Sea is where the rubber meets the road because it’s where the desert meets the ocean; I envision that this is the place in the primordial ooze where somebody flopped up out of the water onto land and survived.  I’m probably wrong but this is my dream of Africa.  I haven’t been to the Red Sea yet, so I guess it’s a good excuse to go “test” my theory!

The Cradle of Humanity

To walk the footsteps of thousands of our ancestors, to stride the savanna with a Massai warrior, to witness the rituals, dance the dances, be lulled by the stories, and honor the religions of generations is a more nuance journey to Africa.  What is it like to stand witness with a people who, like the birds and animals of the wild, have lived connected with the land generation after generation. What does it feel like to hold a hand-carved Ashanti walking stick in your hand, crafted just like those held in the hands of others for a thousand years? In our hustle and bustle of American life, we move from coast to coast, we revel in building that are 100 years old; so what does it feel like to stand on a plateau silently watching a herd move across the grassland?  Can we slow ourselves down enough to reconnect with Africa?  I think it’s high time we find out!

The Song of Africa

Does the song of Africa now call to you too?  Are the wild geese beckoning for you to find your place in the family of things?  Are you a little freaked out about putting all the details together?  Try using www.specialtytravel.com to create your return to the cradle of your humanity.  Their index puts hundreds of African vacations from the best outfitters at your fingertips and it allows you to refine your trip to become exactly what you’ve been dreaming of with just a couple of mouse-clicks. 

Maybe it’s time for you to come home…to Africa!

Read Mary Oliver’s poem Wild Geese.

Find out more about the work of Dian Fossey and Jane Goodall.

Start planning your trip “home” with Specialty Travel!