Ndanda. Attending the priestly ordination of a Tanzanian friend ~ delighting in the celebratory dances and songs after the ceremony ~ boogying up to the new priests in a line of well-wishers to offer gifts and congratulations ~ and catching a long ride home in the back of a Land Rover with a live chicken lying at our feet.
Mtwara. Gazing at the Indian Ocean at the beach house ~ watching the sun go down during an early dinner at the Msemo Lodge ~ feeling worthy to have a friend visit from ten thousand miles away ~ being moved to tears by her words of support and admiration ~ sharing a home-cooked meal of Tanzanian food ~ and anticipating flying in an airplane again.
Selous Game Reserve. Staying in a "mud hut" above the Rufiji River ~ having a herd of impala freeze at our presence and then suddenly bound away ~ seeing giraffes loping along in their stately slow-motion way ~ sitting within five yards of two grown female lions lazing in the heat who ignored our open-air car and its astonished passengers ~ being stared down by an African buffalo ~ walking through the savannah with a nature guide who identified scat and tracks, accompanied by a park ranger carrying an automatic rifle ~ peering through binoculars into the wide open jaws of a crocodile ~ floating quietly on the river within close sight of a pod of hippos ~ having a young bull elephant do a (mock) charge of our car ~ and seeing the Milky Way brilliant in the night sky.
Dar es Salaam. Meditating in the Blessed Sacrament chapel ~ eating a veggie burger in an outdoor restaurant ~ getting a teeth cleaning and exam ~ browsing Tinga Tinga artwork with its bright colors ~ buying a big bottle of mango-flavored Tang ~ and back at home, snuggling with Diane in our own bed again.
-Earl
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment