When I left San Francisco for my Wild Rainbow African Safari adventure three years ago, I had no idea what was in store for me —Driving through several townships with a man who grew up during Apartheid and stopping to have tea with his friends, surfing fun waves in Muizenburg across from the great white shark museum, being

invited a dinner party with local lesbians, climbing around up on Table Mountain, and touring the Constitution Hill prison where Mandela and Gandhi were held captive in Johannesburg, not to mention trekking through the jungle in Kruger National Park tracking elephants and rhinos… these were all life changing experiences. Now my youngest son is planning to go to Cape Town to study abroad next year, possibly influenced by hearing about my travels. If visiting Africa is not on your bucket list, it should be!

Love & Goodbyes, October 2013

I’m headed off on a big trip! Going on an Ecoquest Safari in South Africa with Jody Cole.

I’m on the bus watching people hugging and kissing at the airport drop off zone. I see an older couple give a perfunctory peck on the lips and  I think about the last time they might have shared a long, deep, sexy kiss. Did they ever?

I see a mother give a lingering hug to her grown son, who is dressed in camo chinos, sandals, a v-neck white t-shirt, his shortish brown hair is bed-head chic. I wonder, is he gay? The mom has a look of such love, pressed close with a wide genuine smile behind his back, while he holds on tight… I choke up and think about how much I love my own sons, who are now young men. How did they grow up so fast and where did that time go?

I see many people hugging with what appears to be strong emotion, while others pat each other’s backs and quickly move away. It’s something. All this display of love and goodbyes. It’s awesome and powerful and real. I am going it alone, taking a moment to stand in the bright sunlight after becoming nauseous while phone-fiddling on the hour-long, air conditioned airporter ride through the City. My goodbyes happened earlier, and I am keenly aware of my extreme gratitude at loving and feeling loved. I cherish this last moment—savoring the fresh air, before I go inside the terminal. Excitement of what lies ahead urges me onward.

Learn more about  Jody Cole, Owner, Licensed Field Guide and Wild Rainbow African Safaris at www.wildrainbowsafaris.com

Read more from this trip and more about Jody Cole.