We wake up at the crack of dawn. Today, we are going to Kruger National Park, one of the world’s largest parks. I am excited beyond belief. I am going on a real African Safari. I can cross one thing off my bucket list because yes, at 14, I have a bucket list!
Leaving so early in the morning already feels like an adventure. The Park is just far away from Johannesburg to remind us that this is an expedition, but not so far that the drive becomes unbearably tedious. The Park is huge, and in four days (four days!) we will only cover perhaps 1/8th of it. The names of the different gates sound so exotic. Pretoriuskop Numbi Gate, Orpen, Phalaborwa, Shingwedzi. I have been warned that we might not see the big five, lion, buffalo, leopard, elephant and rhinoceros. Hannelie and Dirk have been here countless of times, and there are bird species and animals that they have never yet spotted. I am happy just to be driving on this road; so similar to those I’ve seen in movies that I have to pinch myself.
To our delighted surprise, we see all five (though of course not all at once). We see the very elusive leopard, so good at hiding that it takes us several minutes to spot him. He crosses, right before our car, right before our eyes, and I try to snap pictures, knowing full well that there is no way I can capture the beauty of the leopard, and more importantly, our feelings of awe and gratitude. There is no way I can capture with my small camera, or with my oh so inadequate words, the wonder of being here in Africa, with the sun beating on my head, and the thrill of adventure squeezing my insides. We see wild dogs, very much an endangered species. Elephants pass before us- twice- with their very cute babies in two, and we are so close that we have to retreat 600 meters to let them pass. We see five different types of eagles, at least 27 rhinoceros. I scribble madly in my Kruger National Park booklet, trying to mark all the animals sighted, but I’m sure I miss a few. Hannelie keeps saying that seeing so many animals is unusual, and I’d love to think that this is somewhat due to my presence here.
I privately think that this is South Africa’s way of putting on a grand show, just to make me regret, a little more than I do already, my very imminent departure! Dirk knows so much about animals, and being with him is like being with the greatest of guides. He is funny too. This safari is the perfect finale to a perfect trip. In two days, I’ll be home. Sort of. Parts of me, I think, will stay right here, in Africa. – David Elbaz ’15
