Mr. Gregory Alley, AP Physics I and II teacher, decided that last summer was the perfect time to carry out a family trip to Africa that had been planned since the start of the pandemic. He had always wanted to discover what the local safaris had to offer. Accompanied by his aunts, his father, his brother, and his cousin and her husband, most of whom have their Ph.D.s in geology, he set out to see the Rift Valley, extinct volcanoes, and obviously, the unique animals in Kenya and Tanzania.
To make his long-awaited trip worthwhile, Mr. Alley bought a new Nikon Z7 camera with an 800-millimeter lens and decided to put his photography skills to good use. With respect to photography, he comments that, “It is an easy art form” and that it, “Captures different perspectives.” Throughout the vacation, he estimated that he, “Took around 3,000 pictures,” and lightheartedly claimed, “They would look just fine and not out of place in the National Geographic.” Mr. Alley argued that, “Widdling [them] down to the best was really hard.” With herds of animals all around them, his photographs featured the breathtaking scenery of Lake Naivasha, Masai Mara, Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater, and the Karura Forest.
For Mr. Alley’s tour group of ten people, six Maasai guards (each with spears, clubs, and machetes) accompanied them on their walking safari, along with a ranger armed with a rifle. One of the most interesting experiences of Mr. Alley’s trip was exploring the Olduvai Gorge. Because his cousin was a geology professor, one of her colleagues was working on a dig there, so the group was able to discover evidence of human and fossil remains from two million years ago up close. He comments that another interesting fact about his trip was the, “Fancy campsites” in which he stayed. The spot that he stayed in Masai Mara was the same place that the Obamas stayed when the former President was still a senator. However, sometimes there was running water, and sometimes there wasn’t. Mr. Alley also enjoyed looking over the porch of his tent at the pack of hyenas near the flowing river and tall mountains. He thought it was interesting how at night, Maasai guards with spears were actively chasing wildlife out of the camp. Every time anyone had to leave their tents, they would have to radio in an escort to protect them.
The culture and the environment of Africa deeply contrast with that of the local Orlando area. The mountainous regions and dry savannas are a drastic change of scenery compared to the wetlands and beaches of Florida. Because he mostly stayed in the rural and deserted parts of Kenya and Tanzania, Mr. Alley was not able to meet many of the locals during his time there. However, Mr. Alley enjoyed learning some words of the local Swahili language from his tour guides. He was glad to say that, “It was nice to be immersed in things you don’t typically see every day.”
When summing up his time in Africa, Mr. Alley said that, “Each day was better than the last.” He felt that even though his trip was worthwhile and an experience that he will never forget, “[He] experienced everything [he] wanted to do and probably will not return.” Instead, Mr. Alley looks forward to traveling to different countries in the future. As always, he will definitely be bringing his camera with him and continuing his passion for the art form. As the new school year approaches, it is important for students to break outside of their comfort zones and try new things, even if they seem scary at first. It’s time to embark on an adventure of your own!
