Tanzania Safari Adventure
By Naresh Asnani
A Safari Adventure is not for everyone. Be prepared to experience some discomfort. For starters - Mosquitoes, Flies & Other Insects. We really got to know why they are called Bugs. Hot water was not always available so some mornings we had to make do with a cold water wash. A lot of early mornings and early nights! Not everyone’s idea of a typical holiday. Long Jeep rides on rough roads proved to be a sore experience for all our behinds. And though not a problem for the rest of the family but certainly a huge problem for me was the poor communication we had access to. Imagine 48 hrs with no mobile phone signal and no internet access. I am sure many of you can imagine what I went through.
However, not only did we survive the experience but we thrived in it. One has to prepare themselves for a paradigm shift. This is not a luxury vacation you are going to but an adventure to be experienced.
The first thing that grabbed me was the serenity & solitude of it all. Imagine being in the middle of the African jungle with no communication, no television, shopping malls or any other easy form of entertainment. All you have is each other and you are forced to rediscover yourselves as a family. We found various relationships amongst us were being strengthened to new heights. Magical moments in our rooms, on safari and on our meals together were created. Bonds between siblings, couples, parent & child and the family as a whole were enhanced. I remember each evening meal being a delightful family evening and one to be remembered always!
The serenity we encountered also led to each one experiencing individual own personal growth. Just to share my experience with you: Waking up at 630am with a complete feeling of inner peace and tranquility made me feel extremely inspired. I rediscovered my long lost love for reading and I am even attempting to write. Here surrounded by the serenity I find myself setting lofty personal goals for 2008.
Once you prepare yourself that this is not a luxury holiday, you find yourself dipped in an exotic luxury. The hotels were something we have never seen before. A combination of modern and rustic, in the most beautiful surroundings you can imagine. They have created the perfect blend of roughing it and living in luxury. The local people provide the perfect accompaniment to these resorts. To the Tanzanians, be it the waiters, the receptionists or the safari guides, it is not just a job they are doing. You can sense that they definitely enjoy playing the role of a host. We had the pleasure of interacting with some of the most delightful people we have ever encountered in any vacation, anywhere.
And off course there were the actual Safari Moments. Spotting a leopard sliding down a tree; being ten feet away from a family of elephants bathing and playing in mud; catching a lion and lioness in an amorous moment. These were not only incredible moments in their own right; they were also personal victory feather stones in our adventure hats.
But what held the whole thing together were the mystical landscapes we were surrounded with. Hundreds of acres of green plains, majestic mountains in the backgrounds, the sun, sky & clouds combining to form images & colors we have never seen before. Forget anything you have seen or heard before. TIA - THIS IS AFRICA in all her beauty & splendor.
So if you find yourself wanting to experience something out of the norm. If you wish to shake yourself and your family to a new experiences and awakenings; roll up your sleeves and plan yourself A Tanzanian Safari Adventure. But remember this is not for everyone………!