On Safari

The thesaurus says synonyms for safari are expedition or trip. Wikipedia says the term is used today to describe a trip taken for the purpose of observing and photographing big game and other wildlife. It goes on to say that khaki clothing, bush jackets and slouch hats are the style and theme associated with the word.

Shortly after we arrived at the home of our “framily” in Huntersville, North Carolina, Gerri and Ted informed us that they would be taking us on a safari. I thought they were kidding and decided to play along. Could they be taking us with them on their next trip to Africa? I even donned my safari hat as we prepared to leave. After a scenic ride through the countryside we turned into a driveway with a sign, “Enter at your own risk.” We went through the gate and were immediately met by a herd of various animals. As we rode through the Lazy 5 Ranch, we were able to get up close and personal with 750 animals from six different continents - everything from pot-bellied pigs to Texas longhorns, giraffes, a rhino and zebras. Bob and Gerri stuck their hands out of the windows and fed the animals. I couldn’t stop laughing. Yes, we went on a real live safari on the Lazy 5 Ranch. It is a privately owned exotic animal drive-thru park that offers a 3.5 mile safari through the gently sloping pasturelands of Piedmont, North Carolina. This was a drive-thru experience unique to North Carolina that we’ll never forget.

Ted and Gerri have made our entire time in Huntersville a sightseeing safari. They’ve driven us around to see the sights and we took the nighttime trolley tour of Charlotte. Bob and Ted have followed each other around the house talking non-stop and fooling around with their computers. Gerri and I have spent our time "catching up." We’ve had soooo much fun and enjoyed our visit soooo much. It will be very difficult to move on tomorrow.