Masai Mara

And this is how I see Masai Mara. I have seen it high places and have searched the heart of it, but the way I shall always see it is from a log deck overseeing the land, a far horizon etched with eucalyptus trees, foggy and faint yellow in the morning, bright scorching gold at noon, gray waving grasses lined with red at sunset. I have the memory of fierce, golden felines stalking their prey, of small frightened deer watching with terrified glances. And I see a lake, a shining lake, rippled with movement, silver-blue, with shadows of trees reflecting in the gathering dusk. A bright star burns far off upon the mystery of the wild, and the wildlife is enchanting and inspiring. We watch at the stone wall with excited gasps, and suddenly a leopard stands out against the darkness, a wild leopard, untamed by man with unusual beauty in its exotic coat, its contrasting coat, comes out of the still night- the first hint of my love for Masai Mara. That will always be part of my soul. It was mesmerizing and unbelievable, like a dream, like faraway hope that would never come true.