First entry in what will be a continuing train of thought arising from my book “Wandering Turkana”.  I wrote the book after spending a week on safari in the northern Kenyan desert, as while I was there I realized that this was one of the most significant experiences of my life.  It’s hard to describe how significant was the change that journey left on me, and honestly, I wish that more people could go through something like that in their lives; something that left an unmistakable, irreversible mark on who and what they are in this world, and forced them to look at the world in new and different ways.

 

These changes are not always pleasant to go through, as many times they involve re-examining the way you view the world, which eventually means examining many of your core beliefs about who and what you are, and what your place and obligations in this world are.  Seeing a way of life on this planet that is totally different than your own, and choosing instead of criticizing or debunking it, to examine it and see what is there that is worthwhile in simple contrast to your own way of life, opens one up to a level of change and growth that are so necessary to this world evolving into a technological informational age.

 

But, it isn’t always easy.  Fears, defensiveness, justification all rear their ugly heads as you wander through this labyrinth of stark contrasts and frightening similarities.  Cultures can be so incredibly diverse and different, and yet we are all human beings underneath, with the same base desires and needs.  So it can also be enlightening as well, if you let it be, and desire to travel that path.

 

For as the world gets smaller and smaller through modern means of communication, these differences will become more and more stark, and more and more in need of examination.  What do we do with these differences?  Do we strive for a homogenous quasi-culture in the world, where aside from a few left over cultural antiquities we as a race are really the same anywhere you go on the planet?  In some ways that certainly can be seen as the direction it is taking: Starbucks on every corner, a bottle of Coca-cola in every hand that can hold one, the Golden Arches a more recognized symbol than the flag of ones own country.  Or do we strive for holding on the cultural identities that make up the myriad faces of society around the globe, but bring in a few similarities?  Of course, there is no right or wrong, and time will show which way we go.

 

But aside from the deep philosophical (and many times useless) ruminations of examine travel at this level, there is the love of travel itself, of being in different places, exotic (at least to the traveler) climes and situations.  I know for myself, having experienced it dozens and dozens of times, the thrill of seeing a herd of zebra wandering wild by the side of the road as we drive by has never lessened for me, and my heart skips a beat every time I see it!

 

One time in Kenya I was traveling back to Nairobi in a Matatu, (a minivan which is probably the main vehicle of public transportation in that part of Africa), and there was a herd of elephant off the side of the road.  I told the driver to stop, and my companion, Ismail, asked what was the problem.  I told him I was going to get out and to see the elephants, to his shock and dismay!  He had to work hard to convince me not to do this, as first of all, elephants can be very dangerous as (surprise!) they have no love of man, and second, that there wouldn’t be another matatu coming by until the next day, so I would have to spend the night in the bush, if there was anything left of me by that night!

 

I still regret that I didn’t do it.  But am also planning on going back and instead of doing a safari up to the desert region to the north, doing one in that area specifically to look for elephants.  Doable when you go at it with caution, approaching them from a distance and gauging their reaction so you know how close to get, rather than jumping out of a minivan and running up to say hi!

 

Anyway, the book shares this sense of wonder of all these things as it describes the 7 day safari that I did with Ismail in that incredible desert, as well as the events leading up to it.

 

More to come…