Don’t Be Scared

 
Don't be scared, it's not that bad going on a water safari in Africa. The boat is big enough, and steady, and the guides are knowledgeable. Don't be frightened when you see how massive the hippopotamuses are. Sure I know they are reddish-gray and ugly but they are ---or at least appear to be-- unbelievably lazy and indolent.  Don’t be alarmed at how many there are either, and that every mile or two there’s another batch of them. (C’mon, someone tell me the right name for a group of these guys:  bevy? school, or what?? ) Be at least a little intrigued by that baby hippo that crawled up on its mother’s head, if nothing else.
 
And don’t freak out when you see the crocodiles, either. Sure they are cunning reptiles and seem to know exactly where is the right spot to bask in the sun to match their own distinct coloring. Sure they are kind of hard to detect, but hey, we are in the water, and you don’t have to stroll along the beach looking for them. Don’t have a heart attack…please! If I tell you that a naughty poacher was swallowed whole in this very river not so very long ago. Okay, I admit that one of these gigantic creatures dove in and swam towards our boat, but no one else seemed alarmed, so why should we be?
 
I sure had to wonder at the immense quantities of fish that these waters would have to be teeming with to feed such voracious appetites.
 
Take a look at all those black elephants! Isn’t that quite a sight to behold? I would have loved to see a real tiny newborn, but alas and alac the youngest was about three years old.
 
But, behold there are other things to see! Did you ever see such a tiny bird with lovely, brilliant blue feathers?  Some of the others saw an eagle swoop down and catch a fish, but my eyes hadn’t been quick enough.
 
I’ll leave the surrounding scenery to your imagination as I scurry away to do other things!
 
P.S, I’m really gung-ho about the next book I am writing on. It is about early Christians who fled Rome and pioneered the rugged Alps of Italia!! Yum. Fascinating. At this rate, it will be a whole series of books.