Going on safari is so depressing

This weekend we ventured out to Tarangire National Park for the day. For those of you unfamiliar with the geography of the area, this is the park that boarders Tim's field sites, which lay to the eastern side of the park boundary. So unofficially, we were doing research: getting to know the park a little better and collecting seasonal "data" on water levels in the river (that is to say, finding one spot where Tim can return three other times throughout the year to take a photo of the river). Officially we were just going on safari.

Tarangire is the place in Tanzania to see elephants, which we were excited about since we hadn't seen any on our previous trips, but it provided so much more. In the first hour past the park gate we saw: a Vervet monkey, baboon, two lions (one in a tree, which is very unusual), bush buck, antelope, giraffe, warthog, a leopard tortoise, water buffalo, and elephants. Boy, did we see elephants. It was thrilling.

As we drove into town, the three of us grew increasingly quiet. I felt sluggish, tired, and anxious and these feelings became weightier as the traffic, people, buildings, exhaust and noise became denser. I soon recognized the feeling as the same one that greets me each time we return to the city from the bush.

Too bad going on safari is ends up being so depressing.
-kjd

 Enjoying the ride.

Bull elephant.

Clouds.

Tim and elephant.

Eleanor watching the elephants.

Giraffe.

More clouds.

From her viewing perch.

More elephants.

Boabab tree, clouds.

Eleanor sees another baby.

Two young bulls at play.