Tanzania, December 2006

The last morning we went out for one last game drive, revisiting two prides of lions we had seen before and seeing large herds of wildebeest, zebras, and gazelles, as well as giraffes, many birds, impalas, jackals, lions stalking some gazelles, and four cheetahs slowly following a group of wildebeest - another typical day. We ate lunch at the lodge for the last time, watching an elephant as we ate, and then started the long drive back to Arusha.

We had expected to see so many animals we would almost get bored with seeing them. We had expected to watch them in their natural habitats and see them interact with each other in natural, even vicious ways, with no fences or moats or constraints of any kind anywhere nearby. We had expected to be continually surprised by the numbers, types, and behaviors of the animals surrounding us, and take hundreds or thousands of fantastic pictures. And even though the general outline of our trip was expected, that didn't make the specific moments and vast numbers of animals we saw any less enjoyable. I can only hope for another experience this good when I someday return.