Janet's Vacation Report from Africa!

Can you imagine Janet hiking for 6 hours a day, through muddy mountains, fighting off stinging nettles and poisonous vines? We didn't think so either!

But we guess it's all about motivation - and Janet and Steve Elkins have a bucket list they feel passionate about. 

"Steve has been interested in nature and preservation for years and we both want to experience some of the World's Wonders before it is too late. Few animals are as endangered as the mountain gorillas. Only about 880 are left in the wild and we found a responsible, sustainable way of visiting and experiencing these wonderful animals in their habitat.

The country of Rwanda has made a spectacular recovery from the genocide 20 years ago. It is a great place to visit and we were very impressed how proud and protective Rwandans are of the mountain gorillas in the Virunga Mountains. Poaching and hunting are severely punished. They only allow 80 visitors a day into the mountain range, under the supervision of rangers and guides. We had to choose between three hiking level options: easy, medium and difficult. On the first day we chose medium. It seemed quite difficult to me! 3 and a half hours of strenuous uphill hiking finally let us to a spot in the jungle that sort of formed a natural bowl. And that's where we found the gorillas! And I have to say, it's a moment I will never forget and a fantastic experience!

The rangers had taught us some "Gorilla" grunts that we were instructed to utter as we came into view of the group. It's important to greet them! The Silverback, however, did eye us suspiciously, jumped up and down for a moment and then climbed into bamboo trees. He made himself comfortable in between branches - his observation platform - and kept a watchful eye on us. The rest of the group seemed completely unconcerned and just went on eating and playing. They came so close to us that they brushed against us! I will never forget their facial expressions! They express so much thought and emotion!

Groups are only allowed to stay in the area near the gorillas for one hour to not disturb the animals. After the 60 minutes, we hiked downhill for 3 hours. Thankfully, we stayed at a comfortable lodge! 

The second day it rained for hours and it was harder to find gorillas. We had signed up for the "easy" hike - it actually was not different from "medium". Virunga is at 8000 to 9000 feet altitude and my Pasadena walking exercise in our local hills really was no match. We finally found a group of gorillas. But when it rains, gorillas just hunker down and do absolutely nothing! We got so lucky! After about 10 minutes the rain finally stopped and the whole group began to eat bamboo. These enormous animals are vegetarian! Just as the hour was almost up, the gorillas decided to move on.

I will never forget this trip and my experience with these animals! It was such an inspiration!

If you are interested in mountain gorillas and their preservation, there are a number of reputable organizations that support the cause: WildlifeDirect, Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International, Frankfurt Zoological Society, International Gorilla Conservation Program, Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project, Wildlife Conservation Society and the Zoological Society of London. I have been personally fascinated by Dian Fossey's work and read her book. The last entry in her diary before she was murdered reads: "When you realize the value of all life, you dwell less on what is past and concentrate more on the preservation of the future."