For me Africa was a training ground for living in the moment. When you see this leopard or lion right beside you, you are right there with him, you have no choice. Paradoxically, there is no wrestling with grizzly internal fear, you are cool, calm and connected to him in the very moment you experience his presence.
The internal dialogues we carry on in everyday life tend to be repetitive thoughts and concerns. We have lots of practice with those routines. Africa breaks all the barriers.
So while looking at the hippo, I felt closer to meditation than practicing my mantra. The photo of the hippo was taken while sitting in a mokoro, which is a shallow dug out canoe used for travelling in waterways created by hippos. Your guide has experience in how close to get to the hippos and you need to just trust your guide. All your usual thought processes are turned upside down, you simply surrender.
Not everyone will want to go to Africa or have a chance to go. I hope you enjoy some of my slides from the trip. I love to look through the kaleidoscope of pictures which make a life time.
