11. My Heart

There is something special about seeing a male lion while on safari, especially one that is side by side with a lioness.  That’s what I’m seeing right now.  The pair is a quintessential symbol of Africa, and they also represent the romance I associate with the continent.  I love everything about being here.  The people.  The star-filled skies.  The animals.  The smell of the air.  I love it all.  I could say that Africa has stolen my heart, but I willingly surrendered it upon arrival.  I gave it up on my first safari to this continent years ago.  Africa is deeply embedded in my heart.  It feels like home to me, very much like India does, even though the two countries are very different.  What they have in common is how abundantly soulful they are and how traveling through either of them is life-changing and not easily forgotten.  The magic of the journey here is hard to describe since so much of it is visceral, emotional, and very personal for each individual having the experience — even if you’re traveling with a group.  I see responses of some of my fellow travelers who are in Africa for the first time.  Their astonishment is obvious.  Their appreciation and connection with the continent is undeniable.  The longer we travel together, the more the stressors from home melt away.  We feel softened by the stunning landscapes, array of wildlife, and star-filled sky that we sit under every night.  It’s all very disarming and richly nurturing.  A small, authentic bond is being created between some of us.  We came here as strangers, and now we will be in one another’s memories of Namibia.  I like the thought of that.  My heart appreciates that, just as it appreciates everything I’ve seen, felt and experienced on this journey.  Although this photography expedition with National Geographic is only thirteen days, experience has taught me that it takes only one moment to change your life forever.  I’ve already experienced too many magical moments here to count, and my heart will forever be changed.  I know that I will long to return to the magic that is Africa…