Managing Expectations

When Sam mentioned making a trip to South Africa, it was an easy decision for me to say YES! Why would I pass up a chance to visit her birth country? I mean, she talks about the place like it's the promised land. She has told me numerous stories, so I have a pretty good idea of what's coming up. However, I find it really hard to put aside my personal prejudices about what it will be like. It's a pretty funny running joke between us. Probably more funny for me than her.

You see, when I was growing up, we learned about Africa. We studied it in school, but they didn't tell us much about South Africa to differentiate that slightly more developed country on the southern tip from the rest of the continent. So, when I think of Africa, I drop the South in my head and I think of wild animals, half naked natives and the Sahara Dessert! The images that come to mind are:

and this...

Every time you say Africa, I instantly think of Mutual of Omaha's "Wild Kingdom." We watched that TV show growing up and they always showed amazing footage of animals wandering the plains, trying not to get eaten or trying to eat something else. They rode around in jeeps, flanked by guys with big rifles ready to rescue the ranger if he was unsuccessful at subduing some savage beast with nothing more than a rope and a stick. It was impressive stuff and obviously it left a very lasting impression on me, because I can't get those images out of my head.

Of course, this wildlife exists in some parts of Africa, but we're spending the majority of our time in Cape Town. That's a city. It's a modern city with grocery stores, paved roads and electric lights. Sure there are more primitive parts of the continent, but we're going to a more modern, developed area. I should be expecting images like:

These are images from a modern Cape Town. I know I'll see some sights that will give me a glimpse at some interesting local culture, but I can't expect the cheetahs to be running the gazelles down a 6-lane highway in the middle of Cape Town. I don't think the elephants scratch themselves on the high-rise buildings. It's probably been a while since they had a lion attack at the mall.

But, just to satisfy my primal desire to see some African wildlife, we're headed to the Tula Tula game farm farther north in the country. It's here that we're sure to see some of the amazing creatures that make Africa so mysterious and wild in my mind. I have no doubt that I'll get my fix of creatures great and small after 3 days prowling the bush at Tula Tula. Why am I so sure? Because Sam says that every time we leave camp we will have to be escorted by a man with a gun. Now, that's what I'm talking about! Can't wait to get there.