Day 3

Don’t know what to expect.

I mean, we want to see lions, but… will we?

Driving out of the lodge. The buffalos are just chilling outside of the gate. No big deal. JUST buffalos.

And then giraffes.

What IS this place?!

Heaven? Paradise? Because it can’t be real, just can’t. But it is.

Vividly reminded that all is real by my ice-cold nose and fingers, even though I’m in the Jeep under a blanket. The air is chillier than expected. Morning game drives are always fun.

Never know what to expect, but adventurous and very exciting.

The morning light is beautiful.

And the nature…I could stay here for hours just soaking it in. Taking a thousand pictures, quite literally, and never tire of it.

Our spotter waved towards the mountains.

The sun. It’s rising. So beautiful.

My ears catch his soft “simba!” and the heart drops. For real? A lion? Where?!

My eyes catch the beige spot in the sea of emerald greens. Kind of far. But not too much. We have good lenses, so should be great. The Jeep keeps going forward.

Can we even get this close?! Won’t they run away?!

The guide keeps getting closer.

My heart stops.

Two beautiful lions, a male and a female, are just feet away.

My eyes catch her gaze for a second. She is beautiful. Calm. Magnificent. ...

...

And then him.

The energy. The power. The presence. He IS the king. There are no doubts. Just feet away.

Cried again.

Because being this close to one of the most magnificent animals there is is indescribable.

We, as civilized humans, are conditioned to believe that they are dangerous. Hear all the time: “They will attack”, “Beware!”, “Protect! Defend! Kill!”

The truth is so different. Yes, they will, if you impose on their space.

But only IF.

The connection between humans and animals is real. We can coexist.

There are unwritten laws that exist in ecosystems that are to be obeyed. We don’t.

Then we put the blame elsewhere. Things I’m realizing during this trip are life-changing.

Day 4 can’t come soon enough.