Cleaning Up
Cleaning Up
Cleaning Up
After ten days in Tanzania, I was absolutely filthy. I was so dirty that I felt sorry for the person who had to sit next to me on the plane to Iceland. My feet were stained black with African soil, my fingernails were packed with mud and grit and my hair and skin smelled like…
Climbing Kilimanjaro
Climbing Kilimanjaro
Climbing Kilimanjaro
I walk through the uphill dust of an ancient explosion. My boots crunch into the slope in rhythm, worn rubber upon stones and sand, and in my head, I imagine the mighty boom that formed this mountain before me. I have walked five days to get to this point—through leafy forests jumping with monkeys, then…
The Most Famous Chimps in the World
The Most Famous Chimps in the World
The Most Famous Chimps in the World
Dear Jane Goodall, Greetings from Gombe National Park, which you brought to our attention not so long ago. I never thought I’d make it to this little sliver of mountain forest on the shores of Lake Tanganyika, but somehow, the fates landed me on the same beaches that you continue to walk ever since you…
Katavi National Park
Katavi National Park
Katavi National Park
Chère Nancy, Bienvenue à Katavi National Park! I have been meaning to write you ever since I arrived here in Africa, which is a place that I think you would enjoy immensely. I realize that your blustery Acadian home is quite different from the steamy green forests that I find myself in now. In fact, this…
Monkey Love
Monkey Love
Monkey Love
Dear Shelternook, We have never met, but you have been traveling with me for quite some time now. I count you among my very devoted followers on Twitter and am always grateful for your comments and interest in my travels, especially now, here, in Africa. A few weeks ago I showed you all how I…
Big Cats of Ruaha
Big Cats of Ruaha
Big Cats of Ruaha
Dear @CauseAnUproar, I send you greetings from the lions that have kept me awake all night. Every time I began a new dream, they began their strange and hollow growls and unsettling calls. I thought by midnight they would taper off—but no, they would just not shut up. If there are any typos or bad…
Ruaha National Park
Ruaha National Park
Ruaha National Park
Dear @GioPalatucci, I write you from the very dry heart of Tanzania where the ground is very brown, the grass is lion-colored and the trees look like they could all use a bit of water. I tell you Gio, it is everything you imagine Africa to be: forever skies with evasive clouds, the hot, hot…
Sanje Crested Mangabey
Sanje Crested Mangabey
Sanje Crested Mangabey
Dear Nigella, Hello from the steamy jungles of Udzungwa, deep in the heart of Tanzania! Without any exaggeration, I think that Udzungwa National Park may just be the most exotic place I have ever reached in my lifetime (and that is definitely saying something): the air is hot and thick with tropical moisture, the trees…
Magical Mikumi
Magical Mikumi
Magical Mikumi
Dear @KenGreig, Jambo! How are you? Is Toronto absolutely freezing right now? I only ask because today in Mikumi, it’s a friendly 34˚ Celsius (94˚ Fahrenheit) and even with all the fans blowing on me, my tent/office feels a bit like a warm convection oven. As one of my most dedicated followers, I must congratulate…
Photo Gallery: Mikumi National Park
Photo Gallery: Mikumi National Park
Photo Gallery: Mikumi National Park
Founded in 1964, Mikumi National Park is one of the most convenient destinations for seeing a host of common African animals (lion, leopard, elephant, giraffe, zebra, buffalo and impala). Though most visitors stick to the central loop of the park, I would highly encourage travelers to head south into the wooded hills, where there is…
Baby Elephants In My Yard
Baby Elephants In My Yard
Baby Elephants In My Yard
Dear @6thGradersRule, Greetings from Mikumi National Park, where I continue my exploration of Tanzania’s natural wonders, one park at a time. I love it here because I am surrounded by animals all of the time, day and night. Every minute, a new creature reveals itself to me. Last night, after a day of wildlife-watching, I…
Sunset in Saadani
Sunset in Saadani
Sunset in Saadani
Dear @USelaine, I am only writing to you first because it is late at night and I can always count on you to be awake. No matter what time zone I am in, you are on Twitter and as social media friends go, you are as dependable as the fire department. This morning at breakfast…
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