TURAS GIRLS

My biggest bucket list trip was always to go to Africa. Since I was a little girl, I’ve been fascinated by the animals and various peoples and cultures of Africa. To see the African sunset and go on a safari was my dream.

That dream came true in August 2012 when Stef and I embarked on a journey to Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Botswana to go on a safari and run the Victoria Falls Marathon. After a flight to London and a bumpy ride to Johannesburg, we landed in Zambia to a tiny airport with baboons running around outside.

We briefly stayed in Victoria Falls before journeying to Botswana and Elephant Valley Lodge for four days of Safari in the Lesoma Valley where we stayed in a simple safari tent and heard animal noises all night long.

For the next four days, we went on game viewing trips through the Chobe National Park and boat cruises along the Chobe River. We saw unimaginable wildlife. Elephants, giraffes, lions, hyenas, zebras, hippos, water Buffalo, alligators, kudu, baboons, tons of birds, and reptiles. We saw the sunrise and the sunset on the African plain. We watched elephants roll around in the water and bathe in the pool surrounding the lodge as we drank wine and tried the delicacies of the land at the lodge restaurant.

Our time at the lodge came to an end and we ventured back to Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe. We spent the next couple of days exploring the dirt roads that wove around the small town. We perused through stands of people selling their beautiful fabrics and wooden bowls. We got an impromptu marimba lesson from a street performer. We bargained with children on the streets who wanted our shoes or anything “American” for their useless Zimbabwe money. We even had the opportunity to do a sunrise elephant ride into the bush.

And then it was time to run. The race started one morning on a bridge between Zambia and Zimbabwe. We ran by the falls, into the bush, past guards with guns to protect us from the wildlife, and up and down the valley roads. There were people playing drums, there was Coca-Cola that tasted so good at mile 16, there were flies that would not leave us alone from mile 20 to the end, there were village boys that ran with us for a half a mile and told us how slow we were. And it was hot. 95 degrees hot. We finally finished and we weren’t last. When we got back to our hotel, we jumped straight into the pool to cool off. To celebrate our achievement, we went on a sunset cruise. We saw more amazing wildlife and one last sunset.

Sadly, we left the next day. I don’t think I can ever attempt to explain how amazing this trip was. The people, the animals, the land. It was more remarkable than I could have ever imagined. I will always remember my time in Africa as one of the most extraordinary adventures.

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