Safari

Have you ever dreamed of going on a safari? The lure of Africa has always called to me: the abundant wildlife, the sweeping landscapes, the exotic culture and the ancient history. I'd love to experience it all. And the accommodations! Luxurious tents, tea at 4:00, cocktails at sundown, dinner by lamp light.
I thought I could never afford it, but while we were in Oregon, we found an affordable substitute. Near Roseburg, Oregon there's a place called Wildlife Safari where you can drive amongst the wild animals. With Teen2 sticking her head out the sunroof, I felt just like I was in a Land Rover in Africa. It was even hot and dusty, just like the real deal.


The very first animal we saw was this giraffe. He calmly nibbled leaves whilst the tourists idled by gawking and snapping photos.

We also saw a large group of zebras heading for the shade of some trees.

The Hippopotamus kept cool by staying in the water.

We also saw this Sarus Crane.

There was a large herd of Sika Deer. They are actually from Asia.

The Nilgai Antelope is also from Asia and lives on grassy steppes, but there are more Nilgai in Texas than in India! Introduced there in the 1920s they are now a popular quest for game hunters.

I felt sorry for these Tibetan Yaks in the long dark coats. They looked really hot.

These are White Fallow Deer originally from Central Asia. They too have been introduced all over the world. There are ancient herds in Europe and modern day ones in America.

We also saw Ostrich and Flamingos. I love the color of their tail feathers.

The Wildlife Safari was quite nice, but I think I still might like to visit Africa. After all, I didn't get tea at 4:00, a sun downer cocktail, or dinner by lamplight!