Amy Lardner

What happens when you are trying to capture a new to you bird (black-collared barbet!) in Zimbabwe poolside. I did not get the bird photo; my friends got the grazing warthog comedy in photo and video.

This fall's trip was so amazing, thrilling and exhausting I am still processing it and I haven't sorted through the oodles of photos we all took.

I am glad I didn't take a camera. Having the phones was at times vexatious, an impediment to being fully present. A camera may have been more so.

At the same time, our many photos contain many happy reminders of a heady multi-faceted adventure.

We joked we wouldn't be able to talk with people about the trip. It's kind of true. It's such an experience it's daunting to try to succinctly summarize. Big five! Singing! Ugly five! Drumming! Shy five! Oh no! Cheeky monkeys! Guard the nuts! Lions copulating! We're being chased on the Chobe River by an irritated hippo! See what I mean?

And then there are the many questions raised, just scratching the surface really, about the current status and past histories of the lands and people we so briefly rocketed through on our well-curated and managed highlight reel tourist adventure. Paul Theroux has choice words for tourists like us in Africa. And yet the tourist trade is a substantial economic contributor, and the people we met along the way were almost universally patient, gracious, generous and welcoming.

If I am lucky enough to go back to Africa, next time I must take a pocket journal, add pauses to simply sit, sketch, take notes, observe, listen.

Thanks @ckmadden710 for the photo!