SOJOURNERS’ STORIES

AFRICA – OUR TRIP OF A LIFETIME

Since as long as I can remember, I have always had a deep desire to go to Africa, to experience the unique culture, geography and varied wildlife, such a contrast from Canada.

Last summer Todd and I went on a trip to the Arctic (his bucket list) and during the trip I met Pricilla. I immediately connected with her on a personal level and was excited to hear about her volunteer organization in Africa and her travel company Global Sojourns (GS). By the end of our Arctic trip, she had offered to pull together a trip to Africa and within a few months of being home from the Arctic, Global Sojourns had created the most amazing African itinerary for us!

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SOJOURNERS’ STORIES

FAMILY TRAVEL – KENYA MEMORIES 2019

The Masai Mara in Kenya during the Great Migration is a matchless sensory experience. This this past August 2019 three generations of my family completed a 10 day trip to the preserved savannah wilderness. Nine of us traveled (76 to 13 years in age) my 3 children, 2 spouses, 3 grandchildren and me, grandpa who became known during the trip as “the General” perhaps because I had to sit in the front of the safari car, hopping in with the aid of my walking stick leading my undisciplined, bright and funny troops.

Safari Sundowner

Hands down there is unanimous family agreement that this was a trip of a lifetime. I couldn’t be happier and thank Pam and Priscilla of Global Sojourns for making it happen in their usual detailed style.

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TOPIC OF THE DAY

LUGGAGE RESTRICTIONS

Now that your safari plans have been set, the details begin to emerge and as you re-read your itinerary and your eyes do a double take as they land on the phrase “Note: luggage restrictions … “ and so it begins! THE most popular topic of conversation.

Yes, there is a high probability that if you are going on safari that you will be on a light aircraft flight, which means there will be luggage restrictions! Trust us when we say, we are not implementing these restrictions to torment you. Rather, these are set for safety reasons and due to limited storage space on board the plane.  The restrictions vary between the different light aircraft companies as the size of the plane does affect how small the luggage hold is.

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OLD WORLD SAFARI

At Global Sojourns, we often use the term “old world safari”. This describes a camp where your creature comforts are met but the focus is more on nature and the wildlife viewing experience than on accommodation luxuries. In recent years, there has been a significant increase in the number of luxury travelers coming on safari. Many camps have responded by adding an array of amenities including expansive rooms, spas, plunge pools, wifi throughout, butlers and more. This has brought some benefits all around as everyone has “upped their game” comfort wise but for us, an excess of amenities can get in the way of providing one with what we find so special about the safari experience…. the awe of nature.

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SOJOURNERS’ STORIES

WHY I KEEP GOING BACK!

Shawna Renga

I’ve traveled to Africa twice in the last year.

Even as I write those words, my mind struggles to process that this is my life! For the first 35 years of my existence, Africa was a dream. Something that I wrote about in my diary while bored in school. Adventurers went to Africa. Strong, powerful, brave women went to Africa. Girls like me – from small town, middle class families – did not go to Africa.

My primary emotion is gratitude. I feel it fill my heart and warm my body from the inside out. I am grateful to Global Sojourns for planning the most amazing trip to Uganda last October. I am grateful that I spent time getting to know Priscilla on that trip, talking more about the work that the Global Sojourns Giving Circle does with girls in Southern Africa.

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SOJOURNERS’ STORIES

WHY I KEEP GOING BACK!

Erin West

I took my first trip to Africa in the 1990s. I will make my seventeenth journey there this September (2019). Why do I keep going back when there are so many places to see in the world? The short answer is Africa, to me, feels like home. I had that sense the second I walked off the plane on my first trip there. It’s pretty inexplicable. At that point nothing had happened. I hadn’t met any people, hadn’t seen my first gorgeous sunset, hadn’t seen any of the amazing animals. But a strong sense took over my body and told me I had come home. I’m getting choked up just thinking about it.  

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FOR PHOTO ENTHUSIASTS …

I normally shoot with my tried and true Canon 70-200mm lens but after getting the opportunity to use the Canon 100-400mm lens last week in Botswana, I have a new love!

WOW! I was so impressed with the sharpness of this lens. My only complaint is that… when the leopard, the lion and hyena came close to the vehicle, I couldn’t get clear shots as they were too close for the lens!

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
Our dependable sources for photos supplies: B&H Photo and Amazon

GORILLA’S IN THE WILD

A LIFELONG DREAM COME TRUE FOR SHAWNA

Perched on a freshly cleared pile of vines on the side of a mountain in Uganda, I peered down into a small hollow and made my first eye contact with the Mountain Gorilla. At 35 years of age, she was the oldest female in the family group, and was feeding a short distance away from the rest of her family. Her face was soft and gentle, and her eyes seemed to reveal a cautious tolerance of our presence. She ate slowly, clearly choosing her favorites and seeming to savor each bite of vine, leaf, or twig. Occasionally she spit out a small lump of chewed plant matter, having been unsatisfied with some aspect of the bite. Looking into her eyes, I felt that she was wise, and had a sense that she had lived through many difficult and beautiful moments in her 35 years of life in the jungle.

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