Susan’s note:  For some unknown reason the plug in that sends out updates on new blog posts, didn’t work in September. On vacation I suppose. If you missed the two blog posts during September 2026, here are links.  Both are about a visit to NYC in June of 2026.  Enjoy!

FASHION Venues in New York City

Dedicated Digital Art Museum in NYC

Taking a safari is full of surprises. 

I expected to see wild animals and I did, exotic creatures alone  and in groups living their lives in the magnificent part of the world called Tanzania. Some of the  experiences were delightfully unpredictable. 

Sometimes I  was surprised with my own reaction to experiences.  Like I didn’t know  that the driving was so bumpy, rutted with potholes from  recent rain. Some vehicles  got stuck not only on the  roads in National Parks, nicknamed African Massage, but the ones between National Parks as well.

I got exercise every day just riding in the vehicle either from the bumps or the standing up on the chair seat to better view the animals.

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Balloon Ride

The safari experience was so rough on a consistent basis that a white haired woman on the balloon ride, asked in a polite, slightly sheepish way, “How are you managing the physical challenges of the trip?”  She asked this after asking my age.

I was amused.  I did fine. It does tell you how bumpy things were. 

The New Year’s Day Balloon ride with my son was particularly memorable. Six big balloons with 16 people each in basket soared above the Serengeti. Stunning. 

I loved seeing the two dozen elephants who formed a huge circle around their babies while several massive males stood charge outside with ears flaring out.  Our balloon pilot said it was because they were stressed by one balloon that flew by them too closely. 

It was so fascinating I didn’t get any photos. 

Safari Jeeps

The vehicles we rode in came in two styles. The ones we used mostly had pop up roofs making visibility clear but involved standing on the seats to see.  The other style had open sides and stair stepped seats.

The Rock

We were really surprised the least night of our trip on the island of Zanzibar.  My daughter-in-law made a reservation at what apparently was one of the very best restaurants on this remote location.  We read the web site to make sure we understood what was expected.  We learned the men were supposed to wear long pants and no flip flops. Dressy clothes for women was suggested.  

Haha. When we arrived we were shocked to see the restaurant called The Rock was literally on a rock in the ocean surrounded with a choppy sea. How surprising that I was expected to show up in a fancy dress and evening shoes and crawl into a very rickety wooden boat, handled  by two local folks. I was terrified as we zoomed up and down the waves. 

It wasn’t easy getting off the boat and onto the Rock, but fortunately we made it with a lot of help. Dinner was delicious. It was worth the effort.

The Great Migration

I also didn’t understand the Great Migration. I had heard the term about the animals in the Serengeti but didn’t understand that the animals weren’t going from here to there and back again. Instead they migrated in a huge circle. We’d see maps in the gift shops showing this.  Depending on where you were at what time of the year you’d see different wildlife like giving birth or taking care of babies. Their search for food impacted their travels.

It was hard to capture the feeling of the massive numbers of animals on camera. I think I needed a drone and the knowledge of how to use one.

I can see why folks go to Tanzania to see this. The wildlife sightings were made for memories. 

Traveling with a child

And lastly this isn’t so much of a surprise, but more of an appreciation for enjoying the experience with my three year old grandson. He slept when he was tired even when there were massive herds of  elephants within a third of a football field  from us.  He played quietly. He played loudly. He was fascinated with the wild animals he saw standing on his car seat in the jeep. 

He meandered  around the main hall of the safari camps with his toy airplane and helicopter. He howled when upset and laughed when something was funny. He played with a little girl from Belgium even thought he spoke English and she spoke French. They had their own communication. We stayed in game camps designated as family focused. 

How lovely to be so “in the moment.”

Want to read more and look at photos from this trip?  Here are some links to earlier posts.

Ngorongoro Crater Tanzania Showplace

Brilliant Zebra Design

Elephants