Cruise Report

Jan.23rd

The Ocean Dream has finally arrived in Africa! We have docked in the South African coastal city of Port Elizabeth. People normally think of vast nature and wild animals when it comes to Africa. Today we will have the chance to encounter these animals on a safari! Many kilometers away from Japan,in the dry African air and piercing heat of the day we embark on our African safari with a newfound excitement.

In Africa there are a group of animals known as the Big Five; the lion, leopard, rhinoceros, elephant, and Cape buffalo. If you are able to see all of them, it is thought to be very lucky. Everyone eagerly searches to be able to see all of the Big Five.

The safari guide skillfully navigates uneven roads with impressive driving techniques while communicating over walkie-talkie to locate the animals. It is surprising how quickly they can spot the animals with their keen eyesight even from far away.

The animals appear one after another in front of the safari jeep. It is almost as if watching a scene from the other side of the television. Resisting at times the temptation to shout out, the animals capture your complete attention. There are so many surprising things about these animals that live in the formidable African wild.

It is not only the animals that are surprising. If you around the surrounding area there are plants with sharp thorns growing thickly. It seems that you could not even take one step if you got out of the jeep in this harsh habitat. Thinking about this reality makes the plants equally as impressive as the animals.

As our safari experience draws to a close, we notice tree like figures moving in the distance. The guide turns the jeep around and speeds off. “Giraffes!” he shouts. The very fitting presence of giraffes in the African grasslands made everyone the most excited they had been all day. Their overwhelming size and majestic way in which they passed in front of us left us truly speechless. This was the closing act of our thrilling safari experience.