I am used to alone – finding my own way, figuring things out – abroad, and at home. There are very few people I feel I can rely on, and very few people I trust. This is just as much about me, as it is about others. But traveling alone has a lot to do with faith. Faith in yourself, and faith in others. The taxi driver, military officer, guesthouse owner, and local on the corner. You put faith in their vehicles, their word, and with your safety and things. And you put faith in yourself to know the difference between right and wrong, North and South.
In the early morning, seated outside my tent, sipping on my coffee, I waited for the Rangers to come. When they arrived, we made our way to the station for my briefing, before departing into the jungle. Through French and broken English, they explained the rules, and what to expect on the long and uncomfortable journey.
For a few hours, we trudged through mud, thick vegetation, and a never-ending barrage of biting ants and little insects. With AK’s strapped to their backs, and machetes swinging, they forged a path for me and my dreams; I trusted them. We ducked, climbed, and jumped our way through, and just as I felt my legs giving out, the Ranger turned to me and motioned to put on my mask. With a few final swings, I found myself staring into the deepest, darkest eyes. I was finally face to face with a Mountain Gorilla.
For an hour, I watched an entire family, as they swung in the trees, rolled around on the ground, and cleaned each other. Their affection for one another is unparalleled to anything I have ever seen, and it completely consumed me. I wanted so badly to wrap my arms around them and never let go… But alas, that is a no-no. So instead, I sat quietly, soaking up every chest-pound, grunt, and somersault, they so willingly shared. And in that hour, I could have been bit a thousand times over without even noticing.
As we made our way back, I tried to think of a word to sum up my experience, and the only thing that came to mind is magical. It was, in every sense of the word, a magical experience. One that I feel so blessed and appreciative to have – a dream fully realized.
